Folsom Will Not Announce His Run for Governor Friday
February 6th, 2009Birmingham Congressman Artur Davis Will…
by Glynn Wilson
When Alabama’s Lt. Governor Jim Folsom Jr. walks to the podium to speak to the Downtown Birmingham Democratic Club Friday at noon, in the Harbert Center, he will not be announcing his intention to run for governor, sources say.
But in another room in the same building at the same time, other sources say Congressman Artur Davis will fire the starter’s pistol in the race, an unprecedented early announcement with the election still a year and a half off.
Folsom’s campaign has decided to focus attention on the fact that Davis has announced that he is NOT going to do the job he was elected to do — so he can run for governor.
Wayne Madsen is now reporting that Davis, who gave up his position on the House Judiciary Committee several weeks ago and said it was so he could run to be Alabama’s first African-American governor, has decided that it is more important to gain the support of the Business Council of Alabama, headed up by Leura Canary’s husband, Bill Canary, a major Republican official in the state and ally of current Republican Governor Bob Riley, than in getting to the bottom of political prosecution of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman.
Folsom, on the other hand, when asked later today if he will run, will take the high road, according to an advance draft of his remarks obtained exclusively by the Locust Fork News-Journal
“The Bible tells us that there is a season for everything. There will be a time to talk about personal, partisan political decisions, but right now is not that time,” Folsom will say. “Difficult times will force us to find a new way of doing business. We must put partisan differences aside to focus on real life issues that affect the people of Alabama. We have to do the job we were hired to do.”
“Right now, Alabama faces the most difficult economic crisis of our lifetime,” he will say. “This is the season for hard work, and difficult choices, a time when elected officials should focus on the jobs they were hired to do. Our total time and energy should be devoted to fixing the problems of hard working Alabamians. I am going to focus on getting us through this critical session at this crucial time.”
There are conflicting reports as to whether Davis knew his address would conflict directly with a long-standing appearance booked weeks in advance by Folsom.
Davis Steps on Folsom’s Speech in B’ham
Perhaps someone will ask him a question about that…
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Tags: Artur Davis, Jim Folsom Jr.
February 6th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
I’m now retired, and it was before I was old enough to vote that Alabama produced a politician that was deserving of the public trust.
February 6th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Davis announced, as we reported, and Folsom is holding off for now. We’ll have more to say about that later. Had a tooth pulled this morning, but I got there in time to have a nice chat with Folsom about environment and energy policy. Hanging out at the Urban Standard Coffee Shop downtown for now. We’ll have a full story tonight, well before the printing presses roll…
February 6th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Wondered if Tom is referring to Governor Persons or maybe Speaker Bankhead? Can’t think of too many others, perhaps John Buchanan, ousted from his party’s renomination for the sin of voting his convictions.
February 6th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
How about the populist “Big Jim” Folsom?
February 7th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Yana, I was thinking of Albert Brewer. Though I did see “Big Jim” Folsom fishing nearby when I was a preschooler, Glynn. He was indeed big.