Of course, there were the "normal" lead in questions about being registered to vote, likely to vote in 2010, education level, etc... It began with a few head to head matchups and mentioned Bryne and James. Then Davis and Sparks... who would you vote for if the primary were held today? Then it got really interesting! These aren't in any particular order; just the ones I remember.... Are Alabama voters ready to vote for Artur Davis?
The questioner wanted to make sure that I wasn't speaking for myself, but about Alabama voters in general. uh huh If you knew a candidate couldn't win in the general would you vote for him in the primary?
Think they could be any more subtle with that one? What's your impression of the following organizations? - Harvard University
- Southern Poverty Law Center
- American Civil Liberties Union
- Alabama Department of Agriculture
Would knowing this make you more or less likely to vote for a candidate? - Attended Harvard University
- Worked for SPLC
- Was a federal prosecutor
- Served in Congress
- Attended community college
- Worked in a factory
- Served as Agriculture Commissioner
Then, there was a question that took these characteristics in a narrative format and asked if I'd be more or less likely to vote for a candidate who'd attended community college, worked in a factory, etc. So they were testing these individually and together. Most important quality in a governor. - Upholding morals & traditional values
- Taxes
- Education
- Immigration (I think this was on the list)
- Fighting terrorism and keeping the state safe
Ethics and transparency were not mentioned at all in the poll, and the pollster wouldn't let me add it. What's UP with that last one? Which candidate is considering giving the Alabama National Guard new and interesting work? What's your impression of Bradley Bryne and Tim James?
They ended by asking for my name, which seemed odd. I've never had that before. But the only personal identifying info I'd given them was my age, so I told him. The whole subtext, in my opinion, was testing the message (or even spreading it) that "Artur Davis is an uppity black guy who went to Harvard and thinks he can sit in the Alabama Governor's Mansion." I have my fingers crossed that this is NOT a Ron Sparks poll. Perhaps it's Davis himself seeing how much traction that an opponent could get out of the argument. Or maybe it's the GOP, who certainly won't let any slime go unslung in 2010. Although at a time when the state is in such dire financial straights that Daddycat and I still haven't received our $%$# Alabama tax refund (it's a couple of thousand dollars! And we still have to pay estimated taxes even though they owe us money!) and communities are considering teacher layoffs, and the PACT mess may keep kids out of college.... you get the idea here. With all these problems, why would anyone think that Harvard University should be or might be a potent campaign issue? Who's blowing that George Wallace-style dog whistle. And why? |
