Posted on 09/24/2002 4:52:46 PM PDT by Pokey78
American actor and icon Charlton Heston came to Alabama on Friday to stump for Republican candidates and raise money for the GOP. But he also left something valuable for Democratic Gov. Don Siegelman -- an endorsement.
Heston, 77, appeared in Mobile and two other Alabama cities Friday with most of the state's major Republican candidates, including gubernatorial hopeful Bob Riley, a Republican congressman from Ashland.
But the night before, Heston met with Siegelman and agreed to back the incumbent's re-election, the governor said.
Siegelman's campaign released a three-paragraph letter from Heston, who serves as president of the National Rifle Association, but made the endorsement in his name only. Siegelman's aides said they withheld the letter, dated Sept. 19, until Saturday at Heston's request.
"I am delighted to endorse your candidacy for re-election to the office of governor for the 2002 general election," the letter reads. "I know I speak for countless firearm owners and sportsmen when I say that your commitment, dedication and leadership on our issues is greatly appreciated.
"During you tenure as governor, you have repeatedly demonstrated your willingness to defend the very freedoms that serve as the foundation of our great nation."
Siegelman appeared energized Saturday morning as he discussed Heston's backing after surveying volunteers picking up trash along the Causeway during the Alabama Coastal Cleanup.
"Really, (it is) just a long history of being involved in conservation and hunting-rights issues," Siegelman said. "I didn't know that he was going to give me a letter, and I was pleased by that."
Riley spokesman David Azbell said neither Heston, who announced last month that he has developed symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease, nor any of the three aides who traveled with the actor informed the Riley campaign about the endorsement.
"It's strange that Charlton Heston would sign a letter endorsing Don Siegelman the day before he traveled the state in a six-seat airplane with Bob Riley while campaigning with Bob Riley," Azbell said. "I just hope Don Siegelman is not taking advantage of Charlton Heston, but desperate people do desperate things."
State GOP chairman Marty Connors conceded that the National Rifle Association probably is happy with Siegelman's record on gun issues. But he portrayed the endorsement as a "damage control" effort by Siegelman to blunt the effect of Heston's GOP appearances Friday. He accused Siegelman of attempting to convince Heston not to make those appearances.
"This is brass-knuckle politics. I think Siegelman got desperate, so he turned on the Democrat machine and did everything he could," Connors said. "Siegelman wasn't on stage with Heston. Bob Riley was."
Rip Andrews, a spokesman for Siegelman, said he is aware of no such effort to stop Heston's visit.
Political analysts expressed surprise Saturday that the Republican-leaning Heston would back a Democrat in a close race, but they differed on how much impact it might have on a race that is a little more than six weeks from the finish line.
"I think it's a very definite boost for Siegelman. I don't think it guarantees his re-election, but among white male voters -- which has been a weak area for Democrats in Alabama -- I think that's important," said William Stewart, a retired University of Alabama professor. "The timing could not be worse for Riley. Heston was just in the state."
University of South Alabama professor Sam Fisher agreed that the endorsement is surprising but added that because the candidates generally agree on Second Amendment questions, it ranks low on the list of issues important to voters.
"I can't off-hand think it's going to have that much of an impact on the race," he said. "I don't think it (gun control) was going to be an issue."
Andrews contrasted the endorsement with Riley's appearances on Friday.
"To me, it's another indication of what a fraud Bob Riley is, running around making people think he endorsed him," Andrews said.
Connors laughed at that suggestion.
"Voters get to decide who's more Heston-like."
The NRA is not a Republican organization, they are a gun-owners' organization.
Chuck Heston signed up 2001-04-19.
This account has been banned.
What does this mean?
Heston's personal endorsement for Seigelman (while campaigning for Riley and other GOP'ers here in 'Bama) is yet one more sign that Democrats are giving up on their gun-control assault (for now). And the endorsement is a two-edged sword. The NRA can now point to a Democratic governor who relishes his Chuck Heston endorsement, something that can be tossed at any rogue liberal anytime the NRA gets bad press from some desperate Democrat.
Yeah, down there. Up here we are staring square at a Blagojevich governorship and a clean sweep of nearly all statewide positions by Dems.
Can you say "California"?
You Yanks are tough to figure out. Why the affinity for Democrats? It's not like the Democrats have come to the table with a single big idea since Hillary's 1993 Healthcare nationalization fiasco.At least down here in the South - Democrats have some Rebel, state's rights champions (or pretenders) amongst their ranks to justify a perverted "vote for my state" sort of attitude, but up North, I just don't see even that sort of flimsy excuse to vote for them.
But then again, the national affinity for Democrats has always perplexed me. Democrats are pro-abortion, yet Catholics like them. Democrats favor racial quotas (ala Affirmative Action) and oppose school-choice vouchers, yet minorities stuck in lousy school districts like them. Democrats love the UN as well as national minimum wage laws, yet "State's Rights" supporters seem to like them. Democrats oppose creating new jobs by drilling in the ANWR, yet unions like them. Democrats kiss Yassir Arafat's wife yet many Jews like them.
It boggles the mind...
Other than posting a link to Jim Robinson's comment to Torque, you still haven't given me a detailed answer, in your own words, to my question.
That's fine, as long as that Yellow Dog isn't a gun grabber. :). The issues are different in a state governors race than they would be in Presidential or federal Congressional one. There, especially in Congress due to the rules giving the majority party control of assignments and the agenda, and the case of the Senate, the judicial nomination process, there are other considerations than a single canidates position on the issues.
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