Possumblog

Well, I actually feel better.

Mainly because yesterday's primary results were for the most part much more clear cut than I had ever hoped, with few of the run-off scenarios I had envisioned.

Biggest relief was the sound, complete, and humiliating thrashing Lucy Baxley administered to Dapper Don Siegelman. Thank you, Democrats. Of course, he still couldn't help but come across afterwards as cheap and venal--even after it became apparent he'd lost, he continued to dither about rather than be decent and concede. Whatever.

And the Republicans decided they'd had enough of Jedge Roy, as well as his preferred slate of candidates for the Supreme Court. Don't count him out, though. Certain people get that gleam in their eyes, and can't be counted on to simply go back to honest work. Look for Roy and Don and their sycophants to be around for awhile.

And now the race actually starts, and interesting, at least to me, is that both Riley and Baxley aren't truly part of the Montgomery power base, and for Ms. Baxley, the win must have been truly a vindication for her. Back in the way back, the state of Alabama's most powerful office was not the governor, but that of lieutenant governor, who had broad power in deciding which legislation would get presented and voted upon. Nothing happened unless the lieutenant governor let it happen. And it just so happens that the person who latched most strongly onto this power with a two-fisted glee was none other than Don Siegelman, who managed quite well for himself in building a nearly fool-proof power machine.

After managing to wrest the governor's office from Auburn alum and depleted-uranium dense Fob James in the 1999-2000 race, the Democrats were stunned to find their plans for full legislative dominance subverted when a Republican, Steve Pee-jug Windom, managed to get the really plum lieutenant's spot--the first Republican to hold the spot since Andrew Applegate in 1870. In a bold and blatantly politic move, the Legislature (still dominated by Democrats) rushed in to strip almost all of the power from the lieutenant governor, which left the office as nothing more than a figurehead position.

Fast forward to the 2003-04 race, when voters decided four years was about four years too much of Don and went on to elect Pony-ridin' Bob Riley as governor, and in something of a surprise, Lucy Baxley as lieutenant governor. I think this is probably where Ms. Baxley got an even bigger surprise, when she came into office expecting now that a nice Democrat (and ex-wife of a former lieutenant governor, Bill Baxley) was in place, her fellow-travellers would vote to return the lieutenant governor's post the lusty power it once had.

Nope.

Seems Lucy found out that power trumps party--and found out that the most powerful man in Alabama politics was not Governor Riley, but rather the triumvirate of Speaker of the House Seth Hammett; her putative subordinate, Senate President Pro-tem Lowell Barron; and Senator Roger Bedford who chairs the powerful Finance and Taxation General Fund committee, as well as co-chairs a host of other money-controlling committees. And, of course, on the outside of the walls--Alabama Education Association leader Paul Hubbert.

So, Lucy got left out, and there wasn't much she could do about it. Except run for governor.

Interesting interview last night after Riley gave his choo-choo speech with the local FOX affiliate--he said he genuinely liked Lucy, and said he'd told her they need to just go ahead and travel around the state together since they'd be going to the same places anyway. Now, I imagine that's just puffery and part of the idea that one should keep one's friends close, and one's enemies closer.

But there's also probably a little truth to it as well--she is likable, and she isn't part of the filthy lucre crowd who has made a career for themselves and their cronies by suckling at the public teat. There's no (good) way to paint her as corrupt, and in fact, not much of a way to paint her as a wild-eyed Nancy Pelosi liberal tied strongly to the national party. Riley will have a job to do this time, and hopefully his likefulness for her will serve to rein in his campaign staff and damp down any tempation to start lashing out with stupid ads should the race become tight.

And likewise, Ms. Baxley has shown a level of decorum towards Mr. Riley that--even if it IS insincere--is still a relief. There was a sound bite of a speech she gave where she related someone asking her why the people of Alabama should fire Gubnah Riley. She deftly said, paraphrasing, that she wasn't asking for him to be fired, it was just that his contract was up for renewal and she thought she could do better.

There's still a lot of time between now and November, and I just hope that I can feel okay no matter who gets the job.

Posted by Terry Oglesby at June 7, 2006 08:52 AM