Posted by | Decision in process… Please wait… |
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Democratic Supreme Court Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb put out a release this morning.
Her intention regarding the 2010 governor’s race has been a matter of intense speculation especially among Democrats, many of whom do not want her to give up her role on the Supreme Court to run for this race. She would have to resign as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Republican Gov. Bob Riley would replace the only Democrat on Alabama’s appellate courts with his appointee.
While many Democrats wish she would not run, one of her biggest cheerleaders encouraging her to run is said to be her husband. I have heard no one say that poll #’s from any source make her look especially competitive against Democrat Artur Davis. (Celinda Lake is handling Cobb’s polling.)
Word circulated over the weekend that she had made up her mind and was alerting those closest to her. Voice mail, text messages, and email were repeatedly asking others if they had heard Cobb’s decision.
Short version of the release: hasn’t made up her mind.
***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 28, 2009
Statement from Chief Justice Sue Bell Cobb Regarding the 2010 Governor’s Race
In the past month, I have been torn between those who encourage me to run for Governor, and those who want me to continue my work as Chief Justice. At this point, I’m not ready to make a decision, and it is too important, not only for my family and me, but more significantly for the State I serve, to make it in haste.
As Chief Justice, it is my job to manage and oversee the court system of Alabama. I am responsible for 2600 employees, and have the opportunity to make necessary reforms to areas that are critical for our future, like juvenile justice. The legal system of Alabama has been my home for nearly 30 years. It would be hard to leave that home, and its future is more important than my own.
As governor, however, I could do even more to help Alabama’s children, by working to end child abuse and neglect and to change the priorities in Montgomery so that we focus on creating jobs and improving our schools. Right now, I am not certain that the needs of the next generation always come before concerns of the next election. I am interested in the answers to two questions. Unfortunately, I have yet to hear them even asked by any candidate: “What strengths do we have today?” and “What do we want Alabama to become tomorrow?”
The next Governor must seek those answers, while facing a tough economy, shrinking budgets and a political atmosphere in Montgomery that doesn’t exactly breed compromise. It will require putting service to the people ahead of allegiance to one Party or to the interest groups that fund political campaigns. Easier said than done, I know. But it is more critical right now than perhaps at any time in our State’s history.
I am convinced that I have the knowledge, the experience and the leadership abilities to do a good job as governor. I also know that the application process can be very tough. Alabama politics is not for the faint of heart. Running a campaign, even a winning campaign, means losing cherished time with the people I love. So as I go forward with this decision, my eyes are open, even if my heart remains unsettled.
I will seek advice from people throughout Alabama, continue family discussions about our future, and look for the wisdom that comes only from quiet prayer. As the situation changes, I will also provide updates on where I am in this process.
May God bless all the candidates for public office, Democrats and Republicans.
-XXX-
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thanks for the short version danny. much easier and makes you less nauseated
Grasping at straws.
has anyone ever heard of a person who isn’t a candidate issuing a press release which amounts to an internal discussion that doesn’t arrive at a conclusion?
she needs to hire her 2004 pr firm back to handle her flirtation with the governorship, because she seems to be falling all over herself just “thinking” about running…..decisiveness doesn’t seem to be a strength for sbc
Another courageous, decisive, principled politician says, “I still have my moistened index finger in the wind. Will let you know as soon as I determine which way it is blowing.” Cobb and Sparks should run as a ticket. Slogan: “We’ll get back to you on that.”
If she can’t make a decision for herself, why do we want her making decisions for us?
no way she will run. she is just playing this for all it is worth. many folks love the attention of having their name floated for office….she is no different. she would be a fool to run.
I think the better interpretation of this is: “I’m running for Governor, but not ready to step down yet as Chief Justice. In the meantime, I’ll release odd statements explaining that I haven’t made up my mind yet, so that I can keep my current job without violating the canons of judicial ethics.”
Is Bill measuring the drapes yet?
This is just plain odd. She obviously wants to run for governor. I read this strange press release as her asking people to beg her to run, other than Paul Hubbert and Milton McGregor, who are begging her to run.
I agree AEA may want her to run. they are not cozy with davis and they fear byrne. they have to find a candidate somewhere.
There is another twist here. Supposedly, Cobb has gone to Sparks and asked him to get out so she has a clean shot at Davis. The plan is that Sparks would run for Congress against Aderholt or for state treasurer. Not sure why Sparks would agree to that if as at least two polls apparently suggest, he actually does better against Davis than Cobb does.
Maybe she should ask the advice of her Chief of Staff. You know, the one who admitted to the Mobile Press-Register that he falsified his resume. The same one Bobby Bright wants to head up USDA Rural Development in Alabama. Obviously it is amatuer hour in Montgomery.
When you think about it, this is actually pretty brilliant. It allows Cobb to be a “non-candidate candidate”- keeps people talking, keeps the “Artur can’t win” meme out there, the possibility of her entrance will keep some anti-Artur Democrat money from moving around, and it keeps her from being ground up early by Artur’s formidable attack machine.
6 months from now, let’s say the Democrat-controlled Congress nationalizes healthcare, or Artur has to vote for The Employee Free Choice Act – two things that are probably not even popular to your average Democrat in this state – she jumps in, the anti money is still there, and voila, she’s the nominee.
If Sparks stays out and the Republicans go to a run off, then she has teh time to rebuild a warchest and ramp up for fall.
Cobb is grasping at straws. I’ve heard it from good sources that the Cobb Camp’s best case scenario for winning the primary is that Byrne is the clear GOP frontrunner and rural Repubs switch to the Dem primary to vote against Davis. Two problems with this scenario. One, it assumes Byrne can become a clear front-runner in time for Cobb to raise enough money to run a credible race. More problematic for Cobb, however, is that this scenario assumes that rural Repubs think that Byrne would be more likely to beat Cobb than Davis. That assumption has no basis in fact, as indicated by early polling.
Both assumptions indicate that SBC is grasping at straws to justify getting into this race, or as suggested by 14, to keep her name out there so she can get in the race if circumstances change. She had a substantial clip on WSFA last night about her “considering a run,” vs. Ivey, who got a sentence on her committment to run. SBC definitely wants to stay in the public eye for the foreseeable future. I think 14 is on to something here.
Sue Bell Cobb, may want to clean up the mess her husband caused, While building there new home in Orange Beach Al. This could cause her problems. People need to get paid for work that was done.
Sue Bell abstaining on the double-dipping vote tells me all I need to know.