26 OCT 08: RED, ALERT?

So I go online Saturday night, and one news site quotes a John McCain campaign aide as saying Sarah Palin is "going rogue." Silly me - I thought this was a spelling error, and Palin planned to start wearing more makeup.

I thought "rouge," as in red. And I can't help thinking about that color this weekend, after seeing Columbus Councilor Red McDaniel on TV Friday. He gave a "stump speech" which was shockingly strange -- and the "stumped" people may have been newcomers, wondering how he took office.

WRBL is giving free time during its afternoon news to local candidates, so they can introduce themselves and explain their campaigns. Friday's focus was on Columbus Council District 8 - and while two candidates clearly read prepared statements, Red McDaniel made what seemed like off-the-cuff unscripted comments. It's tempting to say "Red" was a bit like Rambling Rose....

Instead of using a script and Teleprompter for his remarks, Red McDaniel seemed to refer to clipped items from the Columbus Ledger-Enquirer. Some candidates will do anything to win the newspaper's endorsement....

One article referenced by Red McDaniel quoted a former Columbus resident. That resident said our city was "nothing" in the mid-seventies compared with Montgomery and Macon, but the growth since then has been "unbelievable" and "astounding." That's true, of course - and some people still are complaining about the traffic at Columbus Park Crossing.

Red McDaniel used that article to say city sales tax money has made much of that growth possible, by building: "the RiverCenter, Riverwalk, loft apartments, Civic Center...." Now wait a minute! I thought donations to the "Columbus Challenge" paid for the RiverCenter, not city money. And if tax dollars turned downtown buildings into loft space, why isn't it considered public housing?

But the surprises didn't stop there. Councilor Red McDaniel recalled when Columbus had "hardly any restaurants" around town. Now he says there are "so many restaurants in Columbus that it's hard to find a place to eat, because it's so crowded." Looking at it that way, I'm not sure we've gained anything.

I think I know what Red McDaniel was trying to say. But it's the way he tried to say it that seemed curious to me. If I didn't know better, I might have thought the comment about the search for restaurant seats came from Bert Coker.

Red McDaniel has two challengers for District 8. Steve Miller appeared on TV wearing a suit and tie, which doesn't fit his 1970's rock-and-roll image at all....

Steve Miller sought votes by declaring: "I am a fresh voice." Well, OK - but Tony Franklin was a fresh start for Auburn University's football team, and look where he is now.

One of Steve Miller's big issues is imposing term limits on Columbus Councilors, such as the mayor's office has. But Red McDaniel has served his district for 32 years - so he has a long way to go to match the tenure of Strom Thurmond.

The third candidate in this Council race is Terry Yarbrough. He's the son of a longtime firefighter, and says Columbus needs "150 to 200 more police officers on our streets." Yeow - how many more sales tax questions are we going to have to approve?

Terry Yarbrough says he's concerned about the way Columbus spends tax dollars. He claims the financial mess on Wall Street "hasn't hit us yet." Yup, you can tell which candidate does NOT have money in a 401(k) plan.

We returned to the poker table this past week, after a few weeks away. Read how we did at our other blog, "On the Flop!"

E-MAIL UPDATE: The "Know Your Blogger" series during our recent vacation apparently did not impress one reader....

"Sir" Richard:

Far be it for me to critique what you put on your Blog. And, it's hoped that this is not just the first or only response to your "invite" to comment on the current series! After all, as one who is neither skilled enough or ambitious enough to create a Blog it would be akin to the pot calling the kettle black To make a comment.. Except for rare occasions, your Blog is informative, interesting,amusing and better reading than the local newspapers. When you are on track it's hard to wait for the next issue.

But purveyors of the written word, make it a rule to eliminate or limit one word if at all possible! You are sure to recognize that word immediately.

When you finish this current series; publish it as a "bio" and sell it on E-Bay. Until then, keep us informed, and amused. You are certain to be more appreciated!

Constable R.J. Schweiger

Hmmmm - what word was I supposed to eliminate? A quick check shows we never mentioned Hurtsboro during the series at all.

But here are some things which DO seem worth mentioning from the weekend....

+ Troy Public Radio finished its fall "friend-raiser" donation drive. The goal was $50,000, but as of Friday afternoon there was only $32,000 in pledges. So if you see T.P.R. staff members driving to Victoryland this week, it could simply be a budget-balancing project.

+ Auburn University hosted an Alabama high school robotics competition. If only they would build something old-fashioned, which the city of Columbus could use - some Robo-Cops.

+ Calvary Christian School won the GISA state volleyball title. This school is known for being religious, conservative and pro-life -- so what does the volleyball team call a "kill?"

+ The Columbus Cottonmouths split their opening weekend of games by knocking off Knoxville 2-1 in overtime. The Snakes wore pink-tinted uniforms - so either this was a special event to fight women's cancer, or someone mixed Hardaway High School football jerseys in the laundry.

+ Alabama stayed unbeaten in college football by trampling Tennessee 29-9. Tennessee has fallen into a such a slump that the next set of "Volunteers" may be out recruiting a new head coach.

+ Instant Message to McDonald's: C'mon now - it's time to lower the price on that "Double Cheeseburger Extra Value Meal" you're advertising. The price of a gallon of gas has dropped well below $2.99.

SCHEDULED MONDAY: What could be Columbus's most explosive meeting of the year....

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