Letters to the Editor are Published as Opinions of the Writer
Ed:
JEFF SESSIONS OR TOMMY TUBERVILLE? IT’S A NO-BRAINER!
Most Republicans – hopefully all Republicans – are in solid support of President Trump and will turn out for him in November. But before then – in just a few days – we will have to vote for either Jeff Sessions to resume his office as Senator or for Tommy Tuberville, a retired Auburn football coach, to take that seat. . We all know Jeff Sessions and have fully supported him for years as Senator and before that as Alabama’s Attorney General. Tuberville, an unknown in Republican politics, stands as a threat to defeat Jeff solely because he has an endorsement from President Trump. This poses a conundrum to many of us. Please allow me to offer some thoughts on the subject.
Before doing so, please allow me to give you some of my basic credentials to speak to the subject because most of you will not know me. I retired last year after 48 years in the practice of law; I have also retired as a Commander (JAG Corps) in the US Navy and Navy Reserve after 28 years of military service. I have been active with the Calhoun County Republican Executive Committee since 1972 and have chaired that organization twice. I have served on the State Republican Executive Committee for more than ten years and have been Chairman of the ExCom’s Resolutions Committee for the past nine years. I met Jeff Sessions in 1993 when he began a campaign to become Alabama’s Attorney General. I have supported him in every campaign since then and have had an opportunity to know him well.
I do not know Tommy Tuberville but will assume he is a decent guy and has good intentions in his run for office. With that assumption in mind, let’s look at our choices in this run-off election:
- A NOVICE OR A PROFESSIONAL? We all know Jeff Sessions. We know he has been an honest, effective Senator for many years and before that he served effectively as Alabama’s Attorney General. There has never been a trace of a scandal and his long, effective service will make it unlikely the Democrats will even try to manufacture some kind of scandal. Not so with Tuberville. Although he may be a fine man with no true scandal in his background, the Democrats will absolutely find a way to make allegations of corruption, sexual misconduct 40 years ago, or other allegations of some other scurrilous conduct.
- EFFECTIVENESS? Should Tuberville be successful and become Senator, he will be a novice with a weak and ineffective voice because no one will know him and because it will take a couple of years for him to just learn the job. In the meanwhile he will be manipulated by others. Who is it that will be manipulating him? Jeff Sessions will not need any on-the-job training. He knows his way around and will not be unduly influenced by anyone.
- TRUMP’S ENDORSEMENT? President Trump’s endorsement of Tuberville is the only reason this race is even close. Trump did not endorse Tuberville because of anything Tuberville has done. He did it because he was angry at Jeff. Without Trump’s endorsement, there is absolutely nothing in Tuberville’s past that would qualify him for a seat in the Senate as a Republican.
4. SUPPORT FOR REPUBLICAN POLICY? After almost a half century of active participation in Republican political causes, I have never heard of Tuberville’s supporting any Republican candidate or cause. Given Tuberville’s rather public name – as an Auburn football coach — I believe I would know of Tuberville’s political participation if he had ever been politically involved. Can you think of anything Tuberville has done in the past to support any Republican candidate, or the Republican Party or its policies?
Aside from Tuberville’s campaign statements, there is absolutely nothing that assures us he will be supportive of President Trump’s initiatives. Not so with Jeff Sessions! Jeff was the first Senator to risk his own political future by supporting Trump’s candidacy for president. He did so because he believed in Trump’s ideas and policies. There is every reason to believe that Jeff will continue to support those ideas and policies even though Trump may be unhappy with him for a time for other reasons.
- SENATOR SHELBY’S FUTURE: Senator Shelby is 86 years old. It is unlikely that he will serve another term. His replacement will be a novice in the sense that he/she will never have been a Senator before. It fact, his replacement may well be someone who has never held high office before. If Tuberville is successful, Alabama will lose all political benefits arising from Shelby’s seniority. Can Alabama afford to have two novice Senators at the same time?
- DOUG JONES? If Tuberville is successful in the run-off election, what are his chances against Doug Jones? Because Tuberville has not been successfully vetted, he is a ripe target for Democrat assaults. He will be crucified by Democrat allegations (made up if nothing real can be discovered) of past misconduct. The media will assist. I believe Doug Jones will find it much easier to defeat Tuberville by such routine but corrupt Democrat tactics. Tuberville’s success in the run-off, in my opinion, will likely mean Doug Jones will continue to be Alabama’s senator and will continue to follow in the train of leadership by Pelosi, Schumer, et al.
After meeting Jeff 27 years ago, and following him closely since then, I have come to trust and respect him more than any other person I have ever known. I have also learned to trust President Trump’s political instincts, his patriotism, and his toughness in the face of hateful opposition. Yes, I am troubled by the President’s anger at Jeff, but I know that Jeff was guided by a conviction that his decisions were based on what the law required. I will be voting for Jeff Sessions in the run-off election and I will be voting for President Trump in November. I hope you will do the same.
Ed Isom
ceisom41@aol.com
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