Category Archives: politics

Three Alabamians are called “influential” overseas

Posted on November 5, 2007 | Leave a comment

Britain’s self-proclaimed #1 quality newspaper, The Telegraph, released their annual list of the most influential liberal and conservative persons in American. To be considered for the list, the person must both live and work in the United States. This year’s liberal list includes Congressman Artur Davis (#89); the conservative list includes Birmingham native Condoleezza Rice (#12) and current presidential candidate (and Muscle Schoals native) Fred Thompson (#54).

Stateside accounts of the listings have been quite interesting, including these two stories from The Tuscaloosa News and TimesDaily.com here in Alabama.

Davis, Rice, among most influential Americans, British paper says, The Tuscaloosa News, 11.2.2007

State claims 3 on influential list, TimesDaily.com, 11.4.2007

Ron Paul online support held up by bots?

Posted on November 2, 2007 | 4 comments

That’s the word from Gary Warner, the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s director of research in computer forensics and others in an article on Wired.com earlier this week. It’s made the rounds throughout the blogosphere and it’s beginning to show its face in mainstream media.

The story maintains that Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul (pictured) had no involvement in an aggressive spamming bot campaign that is said to have inflated Paul’s online poll and support numbers. Makes you wonder just how accurate will these online polls will be as elections become more sophisticated?

4 Comments

Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, National, politics, technology

Former commissioner indicted, arrested this morning

Posted on November 2, 2007 | Leave a comment

Former Jefferson County Commissioner Gary White has been arrested this morning on federal bribery charges according to The Birmingham News and Fox 6. He is the third former county commissioner to face federal charges; the other two have been convicted.

There’s sure to be more information about this in the coming hours from all of our news outlets.

Travelogue: The other Patrick Cooper

Posted on October 23, 2007 | 2 comments

Screenshot of Evanston, Illinois’ Patrick Cooper’s website.

Well, he’s finding the whole situation quite interesting. The Patrick Cooper in Virginia that is. He was the one that came up first when you would look up the name of the former Birmingham mayoral candidate and current contester of the election during the early days of his campaign to get into City Hall.

This Patrick Cooper decided that he would begin to track the happenings of the man who shared his name on his site after he was not listed in the top spot.

Continue reading →

2 Comments

Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, blogging, Election '07, politics

UPDATE: Election ’07: Langford responds to Cooper filing

Posted on October 17, 2007 | 12 comments

UPDATE: 10:40:04 a.m., The motion for dismissal by Langford is up at NBC13: http://media.mgnetwork.com/vtm/images/langford.pdf . Thanks to Steph for finding that.

UPDATE: 10:25:36 a.m., It appears that Fox 6 has removed the Langford document, FYI.

The folks at Fox 6 have obtained a copy of a motion to dimiss the contest filing of former mayoral candidate Patrick Cooper and have posted it on their site. It’s the latest episode in what appears will be a long three week saga here in Birmingham as Cooper attempts to force a special election.

What do you think; has this gone on for too long or should Cooper continue to push for another visit to the polls for Birmingham’s residents?

12 Comments

Posted in Alabama, Birmingham, Citywide, Election '07, politics

Election ’07: Langford’s our certified winner, but…

Posted on October 17, 2007 | 8 comments

Cooper speaks to press

Photo credit: André Natta

Larry Langford was officially certified as the winner of the 2007 mayoral race yesterday. Patrick Cooper, as reported about in this morning’s Birmingham News, has announced plans to file this contest of the October 9 election (PDF file).

The image shows Cooper speaking with reporters at a 10 a.m. press conference at his campaign headquarters in downtown Birmingham. He is contending that Langford was not eligible to run for the mayor’s office because he was still residing in Fairfield.

When asked if he would be filing this contest if there was a runoff, Cooper replied that if he knew then what he knows now, he would still be filing the contest.

8 Comments

Posted in 35203, Alabama, Birmingham, Election '07, politics

Election ’07: Langford appoints two to head his transition team

Posted on October 16, 2007 | Leave a comment

Photos of Ralph Cook, Sr. (l) and Charles McCrary (r).

Birmingham Mayor-elect Larry Langford has brought on former Alabama Supreme Court Justice Ralph Cook, Sr. and Alabama Power CEO Charles McCrary to lead his transition team. They won’t have long to work, as Langford said he plans to be sworn into office the second Tuesday in November.

Langford made the announcement during a windy press conference at Vulcan Park Tuesday afternoon.