The Scoop for Mississippi Politics | www.MagnoliaReport.com
The Magnolia Political Report for October 10, 2001

Magnolia Report #8

Magnolia Report - October 10, 2001
(Number 8) - Web Version
www.MagnoliaReport.com

******************************************************************
Magnolia Report
******************************************************************

Remember to check out all the features at www.MagnoliaReport.com in addition to this political report. On the front page you can see frequently updated news links. The political link, media link and candidate link pages are great resources for online Mississippi news. Recently the site added a few new pages including a Political Calendar, Reasonably Right Columns, an expanded About the Magnolia Report, and the Features Page has added a 2003 Rumor Mill reference and a list of Mississippi Special Elections for this year (in addition to a list of Bush appointees from Mississippi). Check out the Magnolia Report several times a week to keep updated from across the state in between political report issues!

******************************************************************
Redistricting Rumors
******************************************************************

Quickly reviewing redistricting. Three plans were shot down last Friday: two versions of the Tornado Plan and a Republican Plan. The Senate Plan has yet to be introduced. Everyone is against putting Rankin County into the Northeast Congressional District - except for Democrats wanting to build a safe district for Ronnie Shows. Speaker of the House Tim Ford has said he opposes a Tornado Plan but has not caught the heat that Lieutenant Governor Amy Tuck for saying she wants a balanced and fair plan. Mississippi Democrat Party Chairman notified Tuck that Democrats don't want fair and balanced, they want control of the United States House of Representatives, which means Shows needs to defeat Chip Pickering in 2002. Democrat State Executive Committee Member Ike Brown has begun to pressure legislators to help out with a strong Shows district as well. Meanwhile Tuck continues to push against a super Republican Northeast Mississippi District, perhaps in anticipation of a someday congressional campaign by her senate ally and chief lieutenant Travis Little. Shows supporters are suggesting that the congressman may forsake a run for reelection and instead challenge Tuck in the Democrat Primary for lieutenant governor in 2003 if his district is not drawn properly. Finally, Governor Ronnie Musgrove has told the legislature to get its redistricting act together. It could be also that Congressman Roger Wicker holds Musgrove's ear as they were legislative roommates earlier in both of their careers. And all this could end up in court anyway.

******************************************************************
Republican Updates
******************************************************************

GOP Chairman Jim Herring looks to begin heavy recruitment for legislative candidates in 2003. But first, he hosts a Grand Old Party at Hal and Mals in Jackson tonight. The $25 a head fundraiser will be followed by a performance of Herring's daughter Caroline, a national recording folk and bluegrass artist. The event chairman is Hinds County Supervisor Charles Barbour with a host of metro-area Republicans.

Speaking of fundraisers, the Republican Party holds the annual Statesman's Dinner at the Clarion Hotel in Jackson at 7:30pm on this Friday. Haley Barbour is the Event Chairman, and with State Auditor Phil Bryant and Coast businessman Dave Dennis also in attendance, the room could very well hold the Republican nominee for Governor in 2003. Congressman Chip Pickering is expected to attend, but Congressman Roger Wicker will be absent as his daughter is a senior maid at her Homecoming Ceremony in Tupelo that night. Special Guest for the Statesman's Dinner will be US Senator from Alabama Jeff Sessions. Before the event, Sessions will have his own fundraiser hosted by Republican attorney Delbert Hosemann and GOP National Committeeman Mike Retzer. However, the biggest event for Sessions may be the Alabama game at Ole Miss on Saturday.

Republicans completed their several week project with Habitat for Humanity this past weekend. It was an opportunity to engage all segments of the party, but particular attendance was noted by College Republican chapters from Mississippi College, Belhaven College, Ole Miss and Mississippi State.

******************************************************************
Hits to Magnolia Report Web Page:
September 24 to October 7: 12,160
Since Launch (July 6): 68,869
******************************************************************

******************************************************************
Quick Notes and Movers/Shakers
******************************************************************

Mississippi College held its annual God Bless America Day with elected officials present including State Auditor Phil Bryant, Hinds County Judge Bobby Delaughter, State Senator Richard White and Clinton Mayor Rosemary Aultman. State Supreme Court Judge Bill Waller also dropped by the event; his son Bill Waller III is Student Government Association President at MC.

Jackson Right to Life reports this past weekend's Life Chain attendance was substantial. At the first Life Chain ever in Houston (Chickasaw County) there were 108 people. Clinton saw 250 and Jackson reached around 450 participants. The pro-life group also reports active response from their Mississippi State Fair booth where many people are signing a petition for the "No MS Tax Dollars for Abortion Law."

Longtime Republican activist Billy Mounger is under consideration by the Bush Administration to be named to the "Board of Visitors" of the United States Military Academy at West Point. The Board of Visitors serves as the College Board for this military academy. Mounger served on the board, and served as its chairman, under the Reagan Administration.

The Mississippi Leadership Forum has set its next lunch meeting for November 1 with Joe Loconte from the Heritage Foundation to speak on the President's Faith Based Initiative Program. The meeting will be from 11:30am to 1:00pm in the Madison Meeting Room at the Jackson Hilton Hotel. Cost is $20.

State Supreme Court Judge Bill Waller, Jr. will be holding a public officials luncheon in Jackson at noon. Many observers continue to place Waller as a top and credible candidate for any statewide office if he ever decides to vacate the Court.

Bryan Buckley hosted a fundraiser for his race for Hinds County District Attorney at the Old Capitol Inn in downtown Jackson. Many top metro-area Republican showed up and contributed as well as volunteered. On Tuesday night, Buckley met with the Capitol City Young Republicans at Red, Hot and Blue to further build his volunteer network. He will challenge Musgrove appointee Faye Peterson.

Former Congressman Mike Parker and former Auditor Pete Johnson were both approved by unanimous consent by the United States Senate to head the Corps of Engineers and the Delta Regional Authority respectively. Parker supporter and business partner Scott Malvaney is expected to go on executive staff at the Corps. Additionally, Jim Barksdale has been designated by President Bush to be a Member of the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board.

Political consultant Jeppie Barbour of Yazoo City has signed on to run the campaign of Republican Mike Crook in the Madison County special election for Chancery Clerk. The GOP establishment has signed on behind Crook with mayors Mary Hawkins-Butler of Madison and Gene McGee of Ridgeland both backing his campaign. State Republican Party Chairman Jim Herring of Canton also is assisting Crook's candidacy.

******************************************************************
E-Bytes
******************************************************************

"This is all about who is in charge." - Burns Strider, spokesperson for Congressman Ronnie Shows (D) on Redistricting: Clarion Ledger 10/05/2001

"All of Mississippi should share in the poverty of the Mississippi Delta. We are not going anywhere as a state until the Delta moves forward." - Democrat State Representative George Flaggs (Vicksburg) on Redistricting: Clarion Ledger 10/05/2001

"You need a district that's compact and makes sense. Not one that looks like an octopus." - Republican Representative Danny Guice (Ocean Springs) on Redistricting: Sun Herald 10/03/2001

"Even more sinister is the allegation leveled by Burns that Musgrove wanted him to deny state incentives to local communities that did not totally embrace the Musgrove economic development plan. If true, this amounts to political blackmail and Burns was right to resist the sordid arm-twisting." - Editorial in the Meridian Star 10/07/2001

"It was a lovely political speech. But it leaves Medicaid hanging out there in a crisis over the deficit." - Political activist Rims Barber on Musgrove's Medicaid plan: Associated Press 09/26/2001

"Burns was asked by WLBT News if he had been told by the governor to fire the deputy director of the agency, Jay Moon, or be fired himself. It took almost 30 seconds of silence before Burns answered, 'Yes, sir.'" - Bert Case on WLBT 10/03/2001

"The people here in Jackson who are waving the American flag today, were out there with their Rebel flag yesterday when they were voting for which flag would represent the state of Mississippi. Remember, terrorism formed during modern day times originated down here in Mississippi when they were lynching black people." - Chokwe Lumumba, The New Afrikan People's Organization National Chairperson on US response to terrorism: Mississippi Link 10/04/2001

******************************************************************
Magnolia Report Poll
******************************************************************

Every two weeks, the Magnolia Report front page hosts a new poll. The past poll asked, "How has Mississippi's media reported on the Terror War?" A total of 159 people participated with the following results.

Accurate, Balanced, Fair - Great (20) 12%
Proper Attention - Good (72) 45%
Lacking Local Touch (8) 5%
Too Much Local Focus (24) 15%
Not Very Well (28) 17%
Sensationalism - Horrible (6) 3%
Other (1) 0%

In the "other" section, a Magnolia Report readers suggested "too sensational / pointed fingers too early". Thanks for voting and writing.

The current poll up asks "In his prime, who would you most want to be governor today?" Choices are all the Mississippi Governor since 1971. Vote today.

************************************************************
Race for 2002 and 2003
************************************************************

Many Republicans in the state believe it is a forgone conclusion that Haley Barbour will be running for Governor in 2003. Indications include his high profile hosting of the annual Statesman Dinner as well as being a special guest at "A Gathering of Friends" - a Phil Bryant event in November. Talk of Dave Dennis is also shifting to a possible run for another office. If Bryant and Dennis both sign off on the deal, there may be little challenge to a Barbour run for the Republican nomination.

Another Barbour - Haley's nephew and Jeppie's son - Henry Barbour will be running Congressman Chip Pickering's 2002 Campaign. Henry Barbour previously operated Pickering's 1996 Republican Primary Campaign.

************************************************************
Upcoming
************************************************************

[Note, to get your political event listed in Upcoming, email it to the Magnolia Report.]

---October 10 (Wednesday)---
***Jones County Republican Women Meeting
Noon-1PM - Laurel Ramada Inn
Speaker: Jim Herring
Details: Barbara Doggette 601-428-5086 or Stella Hall 601-649-5345
***Mississippi Republican Party
A Grand Old Party with Jim Herring
Reception 6-8pm
Hal & Mals Brewery
Individuals $25 - Hosts $100
Afterwards, music by Caroline Herring
---October 12 (Friday)---
***Mississippi Republican Party Statesman's Dinner ***
Event Chairman Haley Barbour
Honored guest: US Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama
Reception 6:30pm
Dinner 7:30pm
Clarion Hotel; 400 Greymont Avenue; Jackson, MS
Individual $100 - Hosts $1000 - Sponsors $1500
Business Attire
Contact: Rebecca Anthony 601-948-5191
---October 13 (Saturday)---
***Democrat Party Work Day
State Headquarters, Jackson
8am until
---October 22 (Monday)---
***Magnolia Report #9 Uploaded

************************************************************
Final Word
************************************************************

"I don't think it's realistic to expect the Democratic-controlled House and Senate would approach redistricting in a manner that would benefit Republicans," - Democrat Representative Ed Blackmon (Canton): Clarion Ledger: October 4, 2001

"When We get down (to the Capitol), our side of the aisle won't get much say-so. But I'm going to kick, scratch and scream as much as I can." - Republican Representative John Moore (Brandon), Rankin Record: October 4, 2001

************************************************************
Magnolia Political Report, 2001
Brian Perry, Editor
www.magnoliareport.com
************************************************************

© Magnolia Political Report 2001 • PO Box 24233 Jackson, Mississippi 39225
FAX 601.355.7885 • scoop@magnoliareport.com
Brian Perry, Editor