While I Was Out
Interesting stories I missed while at the beach (in no way a complete list):
1. On the 40th anniversary of Loving v. Virginia, Mildred Loving spoke out for marriage equality. Good on her.
2. Dan attended an AL GOP fundraiser for John McCain during which Sen. Charles Bishop (R-Arley) received a standing ovation, apparently to celebrate his punching Sen. Lowell Barron (D-Fyffe) in the head on the last day of the legislative session. I’m not sure if I’m more disturbed by the standing ovation or by this comment to Dan’s post:
I am not head of the Charles Bishop fan club. But, I don’t feel he is being fairly treated on this blog.
Even a pancake has two sides. So here goes.
1. Charles Bishop is one of the few people in Montgomery who is not there to seek personal gain having become a millionaire by his own hard work and sweat in the coal and crane business. This is a big plus in my book.
2. Charles Bishop is well known as a man of strong principal and honesty. If he said Lowell Baron called him a ”Son of a Bitch” I believe him.
3. Only a fool would call Charles Bishop and not think he would get a punch in the head. [Um, because they know he has a violent streak? I don't exactly see that as a point in his favor.]
4. I saw the video of the punch seen around the world and thought. ” I have never seen a man move so fast. He moves like Agent Smith in the Matrix.” [And his fighting prowess makes him a great man how? Not to mention, I've seen Keanu Reeves, and Sen. Bishop is no Keanu Reeves.] Correction: some guy named Hugo Weaving played Agent Smith. My original question still stands.
5. Remember when Ronald Reagan took the microphone from George Bush in 1980. He used force and he was condemmed by the press. Yet, the public loved it. It was the turning point in his campaign. [Ah, the obligatory invocation of the Gipper.]
6. I think that Lowell Baron tried to bully the wrong man. Remember what Arnold said about Girly Men! I am not trying to insult anyone. [...anyone except those sissies who believe our elected officials should use words and not fists to resolve their differences.]
7. I was there at the Republican Dinner, I can tell you there was an enthusiatic standing ovation. If Charles Bishop decides to run for higher office, he will be well received by this state. [If that is true, it doesn't speak very highly for the state.]
I know what I have just said will not be well received by some of you. Remember, I am just telling, in fairness, the other side of the pancake.
Tom Davis
Member State Republican Executive Committee
I thought the name was familiar, so I checked out Mr. Davis and was reminded that he ran for the House seat in my district in 2006. All I can say to that is thank goodness Greg Canfield won the Republican primary.
3. Ron Sparks announced that he won’t run for US Senate in 2008, and Sack Sessions closed up shop. I’m sorry to hear both those things.
June 18th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
I thought the new party slogan was “Republicans: Crooks R Us” after Abramoff, Delay, etc. but maybe the new, new slogan is “Republicans: Violent Criminals R Us.” Sounds like the party is endorsing violence as a way to settle disputes.
June 18th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
It really does, doesn’t it? Sad.
June 19th, 2007 at 2:48 am
Let me put it this way: I met Troy King, and I didn’t even remember it til just now because the standing ovation was so shocking.
Actually, I had a really smart aleck (yet subtle) thing to say when I met him, but I chickened out at the last second, remembering that I was a guest and probably shouldn’t be rude. If only I had had a press pass.
By the way, has anyone else ever thought that King is gay?
June 19th, 2007 at 7:31 am
Kathy:
You said, correct me if I misquoted you, ” Not to mention, I’ve seen Keanu Reeves, and Sen. Bishop is no Keanu Reeves”
I did not say he looked like Keanu Reeves. I did say ” I have never seen a man move so fast. He moves like Agent Smith in the Matrix.”
Thanks,
Tom Davis
Member Alabama State Republican Executive Committee
June 19th, 2007 at 9:29 am
I stand corrected — on that point, anyway. Agent Smith was played by Hugo Weaving, someone I’ve never seen. However, my question still stands: how does Bishop’s supposed fighting prowess make him a great man?
June 19th, 2007 at 11:02 am
He’s no Hugo Weaving either. Seriously, throwing punches like a grammar school bully is something to be proud of these days?
June 19th, 2007 at 11:07 am
Kathy:
I did not say his fighting prowess made him a great man.
I do believe his willingness to fight for what he perceived to be an insult to his mother makes him in my eyes a great man.
There is no greater earthly love than a mother’s love.
The most phone calls made during the year are on mother’ day.
The most painful insults are insults to one’s mother.
I believe that Charles Bishop’s generation literally thought that calling someone a ” Son of a Bitch” was insulting to someone in the most painful way possible, by disrespecting their mother.
I don’t have any respect for someone who would disrespect someone’s mother.
Sincerely,
Tom Davis
June 19th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
Calling someone a “son of a bitch” is an insult to the person being addressed, and not to the person’s mother. That is how 99% of people interpret it. Interpreting it as an insult to one’s mother indicates lack of smarts, insecurity about your own mother, an over willingness toward violence (common in the republican party, look at how the president handles diplomacy…Iraq) and poor people skills. Sound it out and it spells C-h-a-r-l-e-s B-i-s-h-o-p. Read my column in the Western Tribune tomorrow (or on my blog).
June 19th, 2007 at 3:00 pm
Turning a fistfight into an expression of love for Mom and Apple Pie is quite a fine example of Republican spin. I hope Rupert Murdoch is noting this. “Showing love to Mom” will make a great cutline for the next Fox video of Republican shenanigans, since Fox has a similar talent for excusing the childish behavior of Republicans acting like children.