Gerald "Dino" Dial Winds up His Campaign in Style

Tacky style. Liar style. Racist style. Before I get off on today's Distractions and Deceptions of Dino Dial, I'll send you to The Cleburne News, reporting done by Wayne Rupple, where Larry Lee sets the record straight on Dino's lies and whining. Damned if this brave National Guard leader isn't bad to whine! Read the article to get Dino's side (or sides more accurately) to the matter yet here's what I'll send you to, with my emphasis supplied:

Lee responded by saying that he is a resident of Lee County, some of which is in District 13.

"In 1994 I ran for the state senate in District 31 (Covington, Coffee, Dale, Houston counties). was supported by the business community, especially BCA, led the primary and narrowly lost in the the Democrat primary."

He said he feels Dial's comments about his seeing a “fat state salary” is "way, way off-base and I have no clue what’s he talking about. I find it very interesting that Senator Dial is attacking me when I’m not a candidate for office."

Of the bill itself, Lee asks, "Why then was this bill supported by the Speaker of the House? Why did it pass the House with 98 'yes' votes and no 'nay' votes? Why did it come out of Senate committee with no 'nay" votes? Why did it have a total of 17 Senate co-sponsors? Why was it supported by such groups as Alabama Farmers Federation, National Federation of Independent Business, County Commission Association, VOICES for Alabama Children, Economic Development Association of Alabama, etc?

Lee maintains Dial "has very little knowledge of this bill" because the board would have been made up of such a wide array of appointments from the Governor on down that there would have been little room for one group to gain control. (Captain's comment - My understanding is that Dino did not bother attending any of the meetings as did those that supported the legislation. Ignorant on purpose? Dial actually admits that he relied on what another Senator was telling him! Dino, it is your job to know the legislation.)

"I helped draft the thing," and Dial's charges "just isn't true" he said.

I also heard the radio spot where Dino's folks, in this case named as the Alabama Retail Association according to what I've been told yet actually indirectly funded by ALFA. Dino's handlers hire some dreadful talent to sing a parody of "My Darling Clementine" with Kim Benefield as the darling of "trial lawyers". Horrible ad yet since trial lawyers are often the only thing standing between many citizens and big business running roughshod over our rights I'm not so sure that is a problem for anybody that really understands Alabama's week protections for the little man. Plus, Kim has worked with lawyers all her adult life in the Randolph County Circuit Clerk's office. Just because Dino can't seem to get along with the folks he works with I guess he assumes that if Kim is well thought of then she must be up to no good. You're projecting, as in your faults and tactics Dino.

Yet the slimiest and sorriest thing I've seen since Bu$h 41's Willie Horton TV commercial or the Wallace camp's "Wake Up Alabama" in 1970 came in my mailbox. Slick mailer that apparently Jim Preuitt is alos using in his effort to keep Dinos from going extinct with Kim linked with Hank Sanders of Selma. Dino (and fellow traveler Jim) is going after Sanders for his support of higher taxes, gay rights, and trashing the death penalty. Sanders simply believes in a Progressive tax code (even having an estate tax via the state), favored placing GLT folks under hate crimes protections, and also wanted a moritorium on the death penalty given the many problems we continue to see. The African American community is being unfairly treated plus we have common questions of innocence and simply decency and expense and ... Dino is likely sneaky enough to like the idea of linking Sanders to Kim Benefield to tap into the neo-confederate, League of the South, backwards vote.

One more day and we'll know if Dino's days are numbered. I'll be watching the Secretary of State's race as well with hopes that Ed Packard can give the good guys a chance to hold the office in the fall. I'll vote against Amendment One of course. I've got a friend running for Probate Judge as a Republican yet I'm hoping she can win her primary, especially since her opponent is an ALFA regional director. Exciting times for a political junkie! Peace ... or War!