Heston puzzles GOP, backs Siegelman

American actor and icon Charlton Heston came to Alabama on Friday to stump for Republican candidates and raise money for the GOP. But he also left something valuable for Democratic Gov. Don Siegelman -- an endorsement.

Heston, 77, appeared in Mobile and two other Alabama cities Friday with most of the state's major Republican candidates, including gubernatorial hopeful Bob Riley, a Republican congressman from Ashland.

But the night before, Heston met with Siegelman and agreed to back the incumbent's re-election, the governor said.

Siegelman's campaign released a three-paragraph letter from Heston, who serves as president of the National Rifle Association, but made the endorsement in his name only. Siegelman's aides said they withheld the letter, dated Sept. 19, until Saturday at Heston's request.

"I am delighted to endorse your candidacy for re-election to the office of governor for the 2002 general election," the letter reads. "I know I speak for countless firearm owners and sportsmen when I say that your commitment, dedication and leadership on our issues is greatly appreciated.

"During you tenure as governor, you have repeatedly demonstrated your willingness to defend the very freedoms that serve as the foundation of our great nation."

Siegelman appeared energized Saturday morning as he discussed Heston's backing after surveying volunteers picking up trash along the Causeway during the Alabama Coastal Cleanup.

"Really, (it is) just a long history of being involved in conservation and hunting-rights issues," Siegelman said. "I didn't know that he was going to give me a letter, and I was pleased by that."

Riley spokesman David Azbell said neither Heston, who announced last month that he has developed symptoms consistent with Alzheimer's disease, nor any of the three aides who traveled with the actor informed the Riley campaign about the endorsement.

"It's strange that Charlton Heston would sign a letter endorsing Don Siegelman the day before he traveled the state in a six-seat airplane with Bob Riley while campaigning with Bob Riley," Azbell said. "I just hope Don Siegelman is not taking advantage of Charlton Heston, but desperate people do desperate things."

State GOP chairman Marty Connors conceded that the National Rifle Association probably is happy with Siegelman's record on gun issues. But he portrayed the endorsement as a "damage control" effort by Siegelman to blunt the effect of Heston's GOP appearances Friday. He accused Siegelman of attempting to convince Heston not to make those appearances.

"This is brass-knuckle politics. I think Siegelman got desperate, so he turned on the Democrat machine and did everything he could," Connors said. "Siegelman wasn't on stage with Heston. Bob Riley was."

Rip Andrews, a spokesman for Siegelman, said he is aware of no such effort to stop Heston's visit.

Political analysts expressed surprise Saturday that the Republican-leaning Heston would back a Democrat in a close race, but they differed on how much impact it might have on a race that is a little more than six weeks from the finish line.

"I think it's a very definite boost for Siegelman. I don't think it guarantees his re-election, but among white male voters -- which has been a weak area for Democrats in Alabama -- I think that's important," said William Stewart, a retired University of Alabama professor. "The timing could not be worse for Riley. Heston was just in the state."

University of South Alabama professor Sam Fisher agreed that the endorsement is surprising but added that because the candidates generally agree on Second Amendment questions, it ranks low on the list of issues important to voters.

"I can't off-hand think it's going to have that much of an impact on the race," he said. "I don't think it (gun control) was going to be an issue."

"To me, it's another indication of what a fraud Bob Riley is, running around making people think he endorsed him," Andrews said.

Since I didn't recall making that statement, I had to re read our exchanges. What I found was that I did make that claim, however, it was a mistake in what I meant to say. I meant to say that they are many times more conservative than they are given credity for, and I edited poorly and proofread even worser. Democratic politicians undergo a transformation as they rise from local to national prominence. Outside the cities and at the local level they are about as conservative as anybody can ask. Usually more conservative than national Republicans.

Well, that's up to each person's own judgment. Many national Republicans do try to rein in the powers of the socialists unions, so I'd disagree. The unions fully support progressive tax rates, which in my opinion is the bedrock of liberal philosophy. One of the things that made Reagan a great president was that he rolled back our progressive tax rates some thereby allowing the entreprenuerial spirit to raise this country up from the stagnation of the 60s and 70s socialists. There's no way I can call a union supporting, high tax supporting Democrat more conservative than a tax-rate-cutting, freedom-loving Republican. Low tax rates are one of the foundations of freedom minded people.

But they sell out as they rise.

Yes, there's more people in New York than in Birmingham.

Considering that this was a gun/gun control related thread, I'd still go back and compare Southern states' stance on gun rights to most any others. Not as free as I'd like, but better than most.

Yes, I agree. But Republicans up here feel very strongly about gun rights. Even Dems in my area do also.

One last thing: the congressional disrict regarded as the most Conservative in the country in 2000 was District 1 in the Florida panhandle. Deep South.

Yes, I can see that for a district, but there is a wide swath up here in the prairies that is conservative.

One more thing. I saw where southern Democrats are willing to run as pro-gun, pro-SUV, pro-Nascar, etc. to dump the impression in the South that Democrats are wine and cheese wusses. Their willing to adopt all these things but notice what they won't adopt...they won't adopt a tax-cutting stand. Dems are willing to give up everything BUT their addiction to OUR MONEY. When they take the pro-gun stance and everything else, all they are are just monkeys doing tricks for treats, the treats being our money. High taxes is the main thing that defines a liberal. And Democrats support high tax rates, and progressive tax rates.

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