The Political Round-Up
Clinton visits the lion's den, raises $160,000 in
Baldwin County; A long, Strange trip to the AG's office ahead?; Kindergartners to restore dignity
to Barton Academy?; Steeling up for ThyssenKrupp; Criminal appeals court jabs Tillman again;
Holding court in Hillsdale Heights
By Chip Drago
Mobile Bay Times
Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton left the Mobile area Saturday with her campaign coffers about $160,000 richer after a fundraiser at the Eastern Shore home of longtime local Democratic stalwarts Pat and Bob Edington.
Among those in attendance were:
- State Democratic chairman Joe Turnham, former chairman and ex-U.S. Attorney Redding Pitt, former Justice Janie Shores, state Sen. Gloria Williamson of Mississippi;
- Former Mobile City Councilwoman Irmatean Watson, Huntsville attorney Tommy Siniard and his wife Susan, Mobile attorney Vince Kilborn IV; Pam Breedlove;
- Birmingham lawyer John Haley and his wife Sandy, Fort Conde developer Larry Posner of New York, Mobile lawyer Skip Brutkiewicz and his wife Fran; Harlan Foster, son of former U.S. Attorney Don Foster;
- Mobile attorney Ben Stokes and his wife Alice, Mr. and Mrs. Vance McCrary, Dr. Harvey White of the University of South Alabama, former Mobile County Revenue Commissioner Freda Roberts;
- Ms. Darby Luxenberg; Amelie Kuykendall, daughter of Mobile attorney Rick Kuykendall; Mr. and Mrs. Lester Bridgeman; Baldwin County attorney Floyd Enfinger and his wife Linda;
Mrs. Edington said about 45 donors representing five states attended the seated luncheon and another 15 or so volunteers and staff persons were present. Mrs. Edington serves on the Clinton campaign's finance team. She said future events are scheduled in Huntsville in July and later in Birmingham. Mrs. Edington said she was also involved in organizing an event in Jackson, Mississippi this summer.
"She wants to come back here as often as possible," said Mrs. Edington, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton as a White House delegate to UNESCO in Paris in 1995 and 1997.
One of the attendees summed up the event and Clinton's remarks as follows:
- "We need to draw down in Iraq, but leave a presence there to deal with whatever government arises from the civil war that they are intent on having.
- Protect the Kurds, with the realization that Turkey is a threat to them
- Insure that Al Qaeda does not prosper in the failed state of Iraq.
- Bring in the major players in the Middle East through diplomacy.
- Re-concentrate our efforts on fighting terrorism.
- Fix no child left behind.
- Mend our relations in the world, as no one fears, respects or likes the U.S.
- Russia, North Korea, China and Latin America are problems and will remain so.
- School loans need to be at a low fixed rate so they are affordable.
- CEO incomes were 20 times worker wages 40 years ago and now 200 times -- the middle class needs attention.
- America needs to be energy independent; new energy sources can create new economic opportunities -- Brazil is an example, with sugar cane, etc. Great Britain and Netherlands are creating new jobs with alternative energy economies.
"The mood was very upbeat," he said. "Hillary said no word disparaging of 'W' or any opponent. The Dems really think that she is a great candidate and that the two apparent Repub front-runners -- (Rudy) Giuliani and (Mitt) Romney -- are not going to have the support of the religious right (if there is now such a thing) that got 'W' into office.
"(U.S. Sen. John) McCain is dead in the water with his Iraq position," he continued. "The real issue with voters is going to be competence; and anybody who has been along for the ride with 'W' is going to have too big a cross to bear."
"Hillary exudes confidence and competence," he said. "In fact, she is both charming and attractive in person -- TV does her an injustice."
"It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to have possibly the next president of the U.S. (in our home)," said Mrs. Edington. "That won't come around again."
Roberts reported on the event: "... I found Sen. Clinton to be very warm, approachable and bright. She spoke with each guest and had her picture taken with each of us, then after lunch, she spoke for about 30 minutes about her hopes for the country, and what she would like to accomplish as president. She said that her goal is to restore respect and credibility for our country, among our own citizens and among people around the world. She said she was told by a visiting ambassador that to be a world leader, a country must be one of three things -- feared, revered or respected, and we are none of the three.
"She said that she still hopes to achieve health care for the millions of Americans who are not covered. She spoke on the importance of education from pre-school through college, and told us how she worked to pay her way through law school after her parents helped put her through four years of college. She said it has been difficult if not impossible for the middle class to send their children to college without acquiring a great deal of debt for themselves or their children. She related an experience when she was in the third grade. Her teacher said, 'The president wants us to learn more math and science, so we did. And I thought the president had personally called my teacher.'
"When she was a little older, and President Kennedy established his 'physical fitness program' for all school children, 'we all did it.' She said that now America must place emphasis on math and science on all educational levels if we are to remain competitive on a global scale."
"Sen. Clinton was gracious and appreciative for the reception she received, and, after a little more than two hours, she was off to the airport and on her way to Atlanta, to do the same thing all over again."
A long, Strange trip to the AG's office ahead?
Luther Strange is now looking at a race for attorney general in 2010, according to sources familiar with the plans of the Birmingham lawyer/lobbyist.
"It's too early to commit to any specific race," said Strange. "I plan to continue to work to improve the state in whatever way I can and right now that means continuing to speak out on the important issues."
One way he would continue his involvement would be through his website, he said.
Strange's infant political career was soaring in his GOP bid for lieutenant governor last year, only to crash and burn in the general election against Democratic warhorse Jim Folsom Jr. Strange had defeated another political legacy, George Wallace Jr., in the Republican primary. Folsom seemed to present merely a lanky footnote on Strange's way first to the lieutenant governorship, then doubtless the governorship itself and from there likely points north.
Troy King is the incumbent GOP attorney general.
Kindergartners to restore decorum at Barton?
With Barton Academy at long last rid of its public relations' albatross, also known as the school board and the public school system's administration, will it now flourish or collapse? Word is, it may return to its origins as a school, becoming the new home for a K-3 performing arts magnet school now housed at Old Shell Road.
"(I'm) sworn to secrecy, but I can confirm that it is a rumor I have heard around town more than once," said a source close to the situation. "Realistically it's too early really to say. We are getting an architectural assessment done this summer on the facility's condition and cost of renovation. I don't expect it will be cheap. We'll probably go from there, but with all of the positive momentum I feel real good we can make it happen."
Steeling up for ThyssenKrupp
BFB, an executive involved in the Mobile area's economic development efforts: "Pre TK, we had a serious qualified workforce shortage. Now we face a critical shortage, even with no (refueling) tanker (contract). The economic development juggernaut must turn from recruiting industry to recruiting and training workers. Momentum's a b-tch."
Mobile real estate attorney CCB: "... everyone is still so fired up about the steel mill coming on top of the container port facility. Mobile is going to change tremendously over the next five years and so will the practice of law – expect to see some of the bigger firms from Birmingham and maybe out-of-state come in and buy/merge with small to medium size Mobile firms. They know what Mercedes and Hyundai have done for the central part of the State and know it will happen here. There will be tremendous growth opportunity here for all types of businesses. The amount of spin-off growth from the container facility and the steel mill is more than the direct employment numbers."
BAC, government executive: "They (the ThyssenKrupp contingent) are all about food and our quality of life. In addition to seafood, they love Southern food and can prepare a ham hock that would rival the best cooked hock in all the South. I know that from personal experience. I was there and I 'ate the whole thing.' Diet be gone."
ThyssenKrupp officials were stationed in Jackson, Mississippi on the morning of the announcement with flight plans for both Montgomery and Baton Rouge, awaiting word from Dusseldorf on which direction the plane would take, according to another source familiar with the process. When it was announced "Alabama," the ThyssenKrupp team broke into applause, he said.
Appeals court won't rehear Tillman petition
The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals rejected a call to rehear the appeal of former Mobile County Sheriff Jack Tillman. Tillman left office last year after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor counts stemming from an investigation of the jail's food fund and his testimony relating to a case against his sister-in-law, a sheriff's department administrator charged in connection with a law enforcement seminar.
Attorneys for Tillman contend his rights were violated when his former attorney, Bob Campbell, testified to a grand jury investigating Tillman. Campbell, who was under subpoena, contends his testimony did not violate attorney/client privilege, but merely served to authenticate public records.
Tillman's lawyers regarded the petition for rehearing as a formality likely to result in rejection as they proceed with the appeal to the state Supreme Court.
City to hold municipal court in Hillsdale
Mobile Municipal Court is heading out of Government Plaza and holding court at the Hillsdale Community Center, 558 Felhorn Drive, Wednesday, May 23 at 1 p.m. Municipal Court Presiding Judge Holmes Whiddon will hear environmental cases at this special session. Environmental cases involve litter, health and safety regulations, substandard housing, trash, and blight.
Holding court at sites in the community, such as the Hillsdale Community Center, gives citizens better access to the judicial system and serves to promote judicial education for those in revitalizing neighborhoods, according to a city spokesman. Earlier this year, Whiddon held court at the Dumas Wesley Center in Crichton.
Citizen Service Training for City Employees
In a continuing effort to improve the city services, Mayor Sam Jones has implemented citizen service training for frontline employees and supervisors. The training is being conducted during six, three-hour sessions at the Brookley Conference Center Cypress Room (254 Old Bay Front Drive ).
“We are committed to giving the citizens of Mobile the very best service in all aspects of city government,” said Jones. “This training, along with other initiatives like Mobile 311 and Mobile CitiSmart are bringing increased effectiveness and accountability to city government.”
More than 500 City of Mobile employees will take part in the training. Last year, city department heads participated in training on working with citizens with special needs.
