Artur Davis state's new
political heavyweight
By Chip Drago
Mobile Bay Times
To the victor go the spoils and the spoils of political success, be it local, state or federal, include patronage appointments to various slots in government.
With Barack Obama's victory last week, the Democratic Party regains the federal patronage it lost eight years ago with George W. Bush succeeding Bill Clinton in the White House.
But who will pull the strings? Obviously, Obama will not be involved himself in picking the new U.S. Marshal for the U.S. Southern District of Alabama. Instead, the assignment will fall to an Obama ally or allies in Alabama.
State Democratic Party Chairman Joe Turnham said a committee would oversee the process. Others believe the power will reside almost exclusively with U.S. Rep. Artur Davis, Obama's Alabama campaign manager and a longtime Obama associate.
Attorney and Clinton Administration insider Rick Kuykendall, a Mobile native who now bases his legal practice in Washington, D.C., believes Davis will guide the process in consultation with state Democratic leaders.
Kuykendall recently participated in a brief Q&A with Mobile Bay Times.
MBT: Is political patronage a good thing in a democracy? And, in Alabama, how do you think the selection process will play out? Will there be a single controlling gatekeeper or do you think the process will feature more broad-based input through a committee of party leaders?
RK: Political patronage is an often misunderstood part of the American political system. To some, the notion that the spoils go to the victor seems harsh, maybe even a little unfair. Actually it's just the opposite.
I agree with Judge (Richard) Posner, a conservative judge on the 7th Circuit (appeals court) and a leading commentator on the American political system, who holds that political patronage is a vital part of the American democratic experience. It literally allows the will of the people to be honored by the President's ability to appoint people loyal to his policies. It allows fresh balance to all aspects of the judicial and other segments of government.
Now just who gets to make theses decisions and how is
the problem. Maybe the idea that all the decisions are made by 'backroom' decision makers is one of the reasons that the concept has such a bad name. I think this time it will be different, more transparency and given the mandate of this election most likely to result in the appointment of highly qualified people with fresh ideas by the President himself. So those close to him, those in his inner circle, will likely carry the most weight."
MBT: I'm inferring from those comments that you believe Davis, as Obama's longest and strongest Alabama ally, is the new president's 'go to' guy in Alabama. It had been assumed in some quarters that Artur Davis would dominate the scene in Alabama through his close ties with Obama, yet Davis, who was chairman of Obama's campaign committee in Alabama, downplayed his influence with the incoming president, saying "I have no special expectations of unusual access to the Obama administration."
Furthermore, with the elections in Alabama of new Democratic Congressmen Parker Griffith and Bobby Bright, will Davis now share the stage and influence with his new congressional colleagues or is Davis' comment
just so much self-effacement and not to be taken seriously?
RK: Well, Artur Davis may be the most astute political leader in the state right now and from my vantage point, the one most likely to have the single most input
and final say on any patronage position. A collaboration is counter to the way these things traditionally work. The senior most elected federal office holder is seen
as the head of patronage. Secondly, Davis' unique position with Obama would seem to emphasize his status.
MBT: So Turnham and the patronage committee can meet to their heart's content, but Davis is calling the shots?
RK: Well, like I said Congressman Davis is very astute and his comment about his role reflects that. To me, he's saying that this administration will not emulate what has plagued Alabama Democratic politics since President Clinton's administration, namely back-biting and old 'smoke-filled' room ways of making appointments. He seems to be inviting input and transparency.
That said, you have to look at the facts. He was early out in front for Sen. Obama, headed his campaign here. Obama basically had no real campaign in the state (beyond Davis' role) and no real support from traditional party leaders, who were for the most part for Sen. (Hillary) Clinton -- until the convention. Also, he is now the head of the Alabama Congressional delegation.
The New York Times Sunday magazine recently did an article on the congressional leaders closest to now President-elect Obama. Davis was featured in it as one of only four. The fact that Davis and Obama were classmates at Harvard Law School doesn't hurt. Plus their practical approach to politics -- a politics that leans toward the center -- are remarkably similar. So it is unlikely, regardless of what party leaders say or even Davis' own self-effacing remark, that he won't be 'the guy' when it comes to appointments."
MBT: Is that wise politically and/or good for the state? Does Davis risk alienating party leadership in advance of his heavily rumored run for governor in 2010?
RK: It's good news, I think. The congressman is a leader and the kind of guy who's listens to a broad base, seeks broad perspective and won't be divisive by shutting party leaders out. Everyone will have input, including some Republicans, I suspect, but Davis will have the final say.
We are fortunate to have Congressman Davis at this time in Alabama's political history. He's a real leader in the Congress, a mainstream politician who understands the people of this state and is a good and close friend of the
President-elect. Because of this, I predict that the appointments will be more merit-based than anything else and that's good news for our State."
MBT: How attuned to Alabama politics are you these days, now that you are based in Washington?
RK: "I'm up there now, but my heart remains in Alabama."
MBT: There has been some talk that you might be interested in an appointment to the U.S. Attorney post here. Anything to that?
RK: I hadn't heard that one. It would be an honor to be the U.S. Attorney in my hometown, but right now at this point in my career, Washington continues to tug. There is so much to do to get this country back on its feet. Besides, there are tremendous lawyers who are well-suited (for that job).
MBT: Alabama remains one of the nation's most staunchly conservative and Republican states despite the Democratic Party's picking up a third congressional seat here. From your view in Washington, what does the political future hold for Alabama?
RK: Well, I'm not a pessimist and if you just looked at the raw numbers, there were some very encouraging
developments. One is that there was a significant increase in the number of traditionally Republican and independent votes from the so-called educated
demographic for Sen. Obama. To me, this says our state is ready to move past race and join the ranks of progressive politics. That we have an African-American the likes of Davis heading our Congressional delegation bodes well for us. We may not be there yet but I think we will get there in a relatively short period of time. Maybe, hopefully, it will be by the time we elect our next governor.
MBT: Speaking of the governor, Bob Riley, even at this late point in his second term, is given generally high marks by virtually everyone from his fellow Republicans to many Democrats and the public at large.
RK: I think Gov. Riley has made it possible for the state to get to this point. He deserves high marks for his centrist and sound leadership. Thank goodness for the Alabama Democratic Party that he can't run again and has no real successor in the Republican Party."
