An attendee to Jimmy Holley’s Thursday night announcement of his party switch had an interesting story to tell… A couple hundred folks, mostly Republicans, gathered to hear the long-time Democratic Senator say he was becoming a Republican.
"[AG] Troy King came in wearing his flak jacket." I thought this was a joke, the idea being that he was going to be the target of verbal brickbats because of his recent recording of him singing with Johnny Cash.
"No, he wears it everywhere."
"First, he comes right in and parks right up front in the spot marked off for the Governor. The man always wants front row parking. He won’t walk anywhere. It’s like he’s the president.
"And he’s wearing his flak jacket. He acted like there was a sniper on every roof." This was in Elba, his hometown, where he is widely popular. "Oh, man, he was in his element. Little old grandmothers hugging him."
People have a lack of self-awareness to varying degrees, their own personal blind spots. That’s why you need a close friend or confidant who can tell you, "Dude, the cd doesn’t showcase you at your best."
A polite friend might not tell you when your fly is unzipped. A better friend would tell you that your fly’s unzipped, or that horning in on the Governor’s parking place and walking in to a party event in your hometown with a flak jacket don’t put you in the best light.
I’ll leave it for others to consider whether King’s reputation for professional vindictiveness (for example, here, here, or here) contributes to a shortage of friends and advisors who are willing to offer candid advice contrary to his own instincts.
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this has to be a joke … right?
If you had told me Troy wears a STRAIGHTJACKET everywhere he goes it would make more sense . . . .
What we have here is the difference between a real cowboy and a Alabama cowboy.
“I’ll leave it for others to consider whether King’s reputation for professional vindictiveness…contributes to a shortage of friends and advisors who are willing to offer candid advice contrary to his own instincts.”
I’d say yes.
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Was he wearing the flak jacket under his other clothes, or outside for everyone to see?
I am told he wears it under his shirt.
And, OldCloverdale, not a joke, but I understand the question, because I thought it was going to be one also.
heeeeee heeeee heeeee ahahahahahahahahehehehehehehahahahahah
This is too rich by far. I am really starting to think them an is mentally unbalanced.
Maybe he was scared of being attacked by angry Johnny Cash fans?
I guess if Johnny Cash was the Man In Black, that makes Troy the Man In Flak?
Anonymous #9, you created the early favorite for best comment of 2008.
That is funny.
I wonder if taxpayers paid for the flakjacket? I also hear that King took his security guards to the Alabama Supreme Court. I guess he considers being around real lawyers a hostile environment.
Troy King is the white Larry Langord. Often frightening, sometimes bizarre, usually angry, and always entertaining.
It just gets better and better! Thanks for sharing :)
The Straightjacket comment made me laugh outloud. Nicely done!
Mobile Press Register 1/20/2008 – During a stop in Mobile last week, Attorney General Troy King said he had not heard online rumors that he has been regularly wearing a flak jacket — but he would not say whether they are true.
“That comes from a tabloid Internet Web site, and we do not respond to rumors or tabloids,” King Chief of Staff Chris Bence quickly replied to a question directed at King. “I’m not going to confirm or deny.”
I hope everyone remembers this comment when they want to turn to the blogs for support for the 2010 race. Hypocrites.
Atta boy Danny…keep rattling his cage….it’s obviously working!
Danny, did you verify this story? I asked someone who talked to King at the Holley party and he said this was not true.
[...] I asked the first person who told me about King wearing the flak jacket at Sen. Holley’s party-switch announcement if it was ok for me to repeat the story. “Sure,” was the reply. “”200 people saw it.” One attendee to the state GOP’s Winter Dinner the next night told me that a “lot of people were talking about it on Friday night” at the dinner. [...]
Anonymous in #17… I had confirmation from another source before I posted it. I tried to get a comment from Troy King or his office, but I have not heard back from him.
There is more on this story here.