Tag Archives: Artur Davis

Pics or Artur’s party change didn’t happen? How about video?

Artur DavisThere are some that might point to the July 10 appearance by former U.S. congressman and Alabama Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Artur Davis as the first major one since formally stating on his website that if he reentered political life it would be as a Republican (something that garnered a great deal of attention locally – like this account on Weld for Birmingham – and nationally – as in the L.A. Times and NPR – when it happened at the end of May) and endorsing the presumptive Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

The Birmingham News‘ Mary Orndorff Troyon provided a detailed written account of his remarks to the Northern Virginia Tea Party at Grevey’s Restaurant and Bar (just outside the Beltway) earlier this week. The reason for the first sentence of this post ringing true is because of a recent tweet that made followers of The News’ Washington bureau reporter’s account aware of an opportunity to hear the words come directly from the mouth of the former rising star of the Democratic Party.

[blackbirdpie url=”https://twitter.com/orndorffbham/status/222717809363402752″]

The speech was split up into five separate YouTube videos (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) on an account maintained by smitty1e. The description says the videos feature voice-over work from “the World’s Youngest Blogger.”

Election ’10: The Battle for endorsements

We figured it was only a matter of time before we started covering next year’s governor’s race. What we didn’t expect was the battle for endorsements to get jump started so quickly.

First, word came yesterday of former Birmingham mayor (& the first African American to be elected to the post) Richard Arrington planning to announce his endorsement of Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Alabama’s agricultural commissioner Ron Sparks (that formal announcement is scheduled to happen around 2 p.m. this afternoon). Word came shortly thereafter from fellow candidate Artur Davis‘ campaign that U.W. Clemon, the first African-American to receive a federal judicial appointment, had endorsed the U.S. congressman.

Hopefully neither of these endorsements will mean as much as when the candidates meet during “State the Case”, the first of a series of Gubernatorial Informational Community Awareness Sessions being organized by the Metro Birmingham NAACP on Friday, October 23 beginning at 6 p.m. at Boutwell Auditorium.

Davis hosts health care summit tonight

U.S. Representative Artur Davis

U.S. Representative (and Democratic gubernatorial candidate) Artur Davis is staying busy here in Birmingham today. At 2 p.m. he’ll be taking part in a press conference at HUD’s Birmingham Field Office in part to watch HUD Secretary Shaun present a grant award to the City of Birmingham and “…highlight the city’s innovative plans to create jobs and help low-income families with its Recovery Act funds.”

Congressman Davis will then host a health care summit at the Alys Stephens Center beginning at 5:30 p.m. tonight. The folks over at Left in Alabama do a great job of describing the format and give you a glimpse of the opinions out there here in Alabama and nationwide while The Birmingham News gives us a look at Davis’ opinions about the issue.

Photo: Congressman Davis’ congressional website.

Like Father, Like Son

Terminal, Earl Hilliard Jr.

Earl Hilliard Jr. shares a moment with his father and former holder of the 7th Congressional District seat, Earl Hilliard Sr., at Kelly Ingram Park Monday morning after a press conference announcing the junior Hilliard’s candidacy that seat. Hillard Sr. lost his seat to Artur Davis in 2003 who Hilliard Jr. wants to replace. The senior Hilliard held the seat for 10 years and was the first black congressman from Alabama since reconstruction. Earl Hilliard Jr. is a first term State Rep. and was recently named freshman legislator of the year by the House Democratic Caucus.

Photo: Bob Farley/f8Photo.org

Artur joins the Twitterverse

Call us crazy over here, but follow along and see if we’re on the same page as everyone else…

A poll was unveiled on the 26th by Anzalone-Liszt (and shared via Doc’s Political Parlor yesterday) showed results that favored Congressman Artur Davis as he determines whether or not he may run for governor in 2010. Then this afternoon your favorite neighborhood hub is invited to become a follower of the U.S. Representative’s new Twitter feed

So we’re just wondering “When this ‘potential’ run becomes an actual one?”

Artur Davis to hold town hall meeting tonight

U.S. Representative Artur DavisWe’re trying to think of snappy headlines for some of these posts, but there are only so many ways to say certain things… like this one. We could talk about the varying opinions of the Congressman’s constituency. We could try to get you to comment below about the issues that should probably come up during this evening’s meeting. Instead, we’ll just tell you that it’s over at the Jefferson County Courthouse in the County Commission chambers beginning at 6 p.m.

Rep. Davis holds crime forum tonight

U.S. Congressman Artur Davis will be hosting the Save Our Streets Crime Prevention Forum tonight beginning at 5:30 p.m. in Birmingham City Council Chambers.

The forum comes as a result of recently released FBI crime statistics indicating Birmingham ranked 8th in the nation in homicides and 18th in violent crime. Congressman Davis hopes that the forum will allow for the exchange of information and best practices about how to begin taking back our communities.

Panelists will include:

  • Chief A.C. Roper, Birmingham Police Department
  • Kenneth Kaiser, Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • Fred Grebauer, New York City Mayor’s Office
  • Lt. Col. James Whalen, Cincinnati Police Department
  • Rachel Laser, Third Way