Arkansas Blog

What is your favorite hidden gem in Little Rock (in any regard)?

ARK. BLOG: Fine home-made pralines at Browning's. The frozen beer mugs at Pizza Cafe. Monkey bread at Boulevard Bread. The walking path at Knoop Park. Home delivery of the New York Times on Saturday and Sunday. A couple of lobbyists, including one in the insurance industry, who give the profession a good name. I wouldn't want to harm them by identifying them. The Central Arkansas Library System.

Okay, it's none of my business, but...what kind of fiscal shape is the Times in? Has the new freebie from the Demozette hurt you guys any? Mrs. Archaeopteryx and I count on the Times to deliver news and commentary without the filter that the Demozette puts on it, and we're scared to death that bad stuff can happen--still smarting from the loss of the Gazette. Tell me all is well.

ARK. BLOG: We finished in the black last year and we're ahead of budget this year. Competition is a fact of life. A competitor with deeper-than-the-ocean pockets and a record of predatory practices is always a concern. We take it serioiusly.

1. What chances do the LR Mothers have in the Brooks case?

2. What are Hillary's strong/weak points?

3. What is the studied opinion of the Times staff about D-G's SYNC?

4. I often click the little box that says keep me signed in for 2 weeks, but it usually is much less than that before I have to re-sign in again. What gives?

ARK. BLOG:
1) Slim and none.
2) Strengths: brains and drive. Weaknesses: She's not Bill when it comes to charisma. (Who is?) She's too cautious. She comes off as self-righteous.
3) It's not aimed at me -- at least as far as content is concerned. Business-wise is another matter.
4) I don't have a clue.

Keith Olbermann mentioned today in a 5 question diddy that he thought that Gore would be the nominee - "just for the asking". What is your take on that and who could the Dems put up as the VP - the "team" to bury Romney (who Olbermann thinks will be the R nominee).

ARK. BLOG: Write back in a few months to tell me how stupid I am, but I still think Hillary will be hard to beat for the nomination and that Gore won't get in. Why not Obama for No. 2? What? You don't think America is ready for a ticket headed by a white woman and a black man?

Are we not impeaching Bush because we get Cheney if Bush is removed from office? Out of the frying pan . . .???

ARK. BLOG: I don't know. I think the fact that many Democrats in Congress run in districts that voted for Bush is a factor. I think time is a factor. I think -- much as I believe he's deserving -- that the legal case, as yet, may not be as clear as you and I think. But as more emerges, who knows? And we darn sure don't want Dick Cheney as president.

Who will be the nominee to replace Judge Howard on the federal bench?

ARK. BLOG: George Bush isn't favoring me with that information. Nor John Boozman. Of the names mentioned so far, I'd give an edge to Kevin Crass of the Friday firm. But he might not want to take the pay cut.

I'll ask again; how is Warwick doing? I miss him on this site.

ARK. BLOG: Warwick's doing great at UCA. I hear from him from time to time. He's working on landing a presidential debate in Conway, which would be a coup.

If you think this were true of Clinton and not Cheney, that the national media would have skipped over it as they did with Darth Vader? (click on Cato)

ARK. BLOG: I've said frequently that the national media had very different standards for covering Clinton and Bush. Until recently. Now I think the worm has turned a bit.

Frankly, I'm ready for a women and a black man - but I'm not sure "bubba" is.

I'm not as confident as you that HIllary can't be beat. What I've heard on the streets is that the D's want a team that can win. I think HIllary would make a fine President and Obama as President in training - but can she win is the question I hear over and over again.

ARK. BLOG: And it's being propagated madly by Republicans because they know what a tough candidacy the Clinton team presents.

But, I didn't say she couldn't be beat for presidency. I don't see how she can lose the nomination.

1) Although he has already said that he won't, do you think there is a chance that Huckabee will run against Pryor for the Senate next year? What about Halter?

ARK. BLOG: I don't think Huckabee will run. But just because he said it .... I think Halter is considering it. He has more confidence in his chances than I do.

2) Since the elections of last year, which politician in this state have you been most pleased with and who has been a disappointment?

ARK. BLOG: Benny Petrus was a pleasant surprise. Since my expectations weren't particularly high, I can't think of any disappointment offhand.

3) I agree with your assessment that Gore won't get in. Do you think that Obama stands a chance against Hillary?

ARK. BLOG: No.

4) Other than Beebe, who do you think will be a force in statewide politics over the next couple of election cycles? Do you think that Mike Ross will run for Governor after Beebe is done?

ARK. BLOG: If Beebe can wait until he's 60 to be a rising star as governor, Mike Ross certainly can, too. Nobody will raise more money than that automaton. Otherwise, the usual suspects seem likely future prospects. The three Democratic candidates for attorney general this year remain a promising group of up-and-comers, though Dustin McDaniel is off to a slow start as a.g. What did he do during the legislative session anyway?

Oh, and I forgot Bud Cummins.

Pick one person from each category to attend your fantasy dinner party:

1. American or world history
2. Literature
3. Music
4. Art
5. Sports
6. Wild card -- your choice of anyone.

What would be served for dinner?

ARK. BLOG: I hate that fantasy dinner question in the High Profile. I like to eat with people I know and like. Thomas Jefferson was a helluva guy, but I can't be sure he was a great dinner companion. (Given his love of wine, maybe.) So I'm always stumped on this question. Winston Churchill might fit the bill in the history category. I think Willie Morris would have been a good writer to pass time with. Rockin' Sidney Simien in the music category. Art? Whew. Tough one. Leslie Peacock maybe. Ernie Banks or Al Oerter from the sports world. Aren't I obligated to say Jesus for the wild card? My wife would have to be there, for sure. I can't remember anything without her to prompt me.

I also don't have that one-single-meal fantasy. They're all good. Lake Charles High School yeast rolls would be a good place to start. Lump crabmeat ought to start in one preparation or another. A bloody hunk of meat is always nice -- prime rib, leg of lamb, whatever. Red wine from the Rhone region. Crunchy asparagus. Potatoes au gratiin.

I often hear about the "teacher unions" being the problem in regard to advancing education in our great state. Exactly how many school districts have a teachers union?

ARK. BLOG: I don't know, but I bet Yonwood does. I'm pretty sure that fewer than 10 school districts, maybe as few as five, have bargaining agreements with teacher unions. But the AEA does serve as a powerful lobby for all teachers at the legislature. And the organization works for steady advances in teacher pay -- higher minimums, higher step increases, better benefits and retirement. They are influential not only in pay but in fair dismissal rules and some other basic workforce protections. I happen to think the AEA has been a force for many positive advancements in education. I've been to their work sessions. I know that they believe in higher certification standards. I know that they believe in professionalism. But they also represent their members' interests against groups often unfriendly to working stiffs. I'd offer that America is far more at risk from out-of-control executive paychecks than it is from giving a cost-of-living pay increase to a school teacher.

Why can't we have an "Ask Assmunch" session?

ARK. BLOG: Great idea. But you'd have to ask Assmunch.

Will Jerry Cox, et al, go for an Initiated Act to codify Fear & Loathing of gays & lesbians? We couldn't get Medical MJ, but if they do, we'll SURELY get this...

ARK. BLOG: Good question. I don't know. The answer could lie in a national strategy by Dobson's group, such as existed in 2004 to undergird the Republican presidential effort. They certainly seem serious in thinking that this is the single biggest problem facing the world today -- that a couple of people of the same sex who love each other might like in loving family units. Me, I'm a little more worried about Iraq.

Can you provide any details about the recent tragic death of the late Vince Foster's young son-in-law?

ARK. BLOG: I know none of the details.

"Aren't I obligated to say Jesus for the wild card?"

You could say that Jesus is already present at ALL your dinners -- fantasy or otherwise.

ARK. BLOG: Good answer. I'll remember that.

1. How will Wendell Griffin fan out in his hearing? Will the appointment of David Stewart impact anything? Who will replace Stewart (or did I miss that?)

ARK. BLOG: Since the same guys recommended the charges that will vote on them, I'm predicting he'll be punished in some fashion. And that he'll sue. And that, once again, Arkansas will be taught a lesson in federal supremacy. David Stewart's appointment won't impact the current case. Badami will finish it. No word on Stewart's replacement. It will be a gubernatorial appointee who cannot run to succeed him/herself.

2. How would you rate Beebe's performance as Governor taking into account:

a) overall job performance; b)politics; c) partisanship; d) appointments made; and e) issues/troubles facing the state.

ARK. BLOG: Performance B+; Politics, A; Partisanship -- ?; Appointments -- Incomplete; Issues/troubles -- C -. He's a smooth and accomplished leader who understands how the legislature works. Even Republicans like having him as governor. He's overly cautious for my taste. He won't address the environment forcefully. He took the easy way out on tax policy and removed important topics from discussion (severance tax) before talk could even begin. He could be governor for life if not for the Constitution.

3.) What do you predict will be the outcome of the Axciom and Alltel Private Equity buyouts in the 3-5 year period when the companies are either purchased, taken public, or sold again? Impact on LR?

ARK. BLOG: In three to five years, you'd have to predict the companies will be subsumed into larger ventures, at a profit to the current dealmakers. Unless they're run so smartly that THEY do the subsuming. Future sales could have a negative impact on Little Rock. But I don't know enough to have a well-informed opinion on this topic.

At what point are there too many condos in downtown little rock; who is buying them?

ARK. BLOG: Good question for Rett Tucker and Jimmy Moses. I think a lot of condos are second homes for folks, however. If that's any help. There are too many when they can't sell the inventory any more. I hope that day doesn't come. But, realistically, the city needs some population growth to sustain the recent building spurt.

What's the explanation for some Republicans salivating over the idea of Fred Thompson running for President? Someone (obviously not a fan) described him in one of the newsmagazines as a mediocre actor and a worse senator. And isn't his personal life a bit suspect to the social conservatives (divorced, second wife younger than his grown kids, etc)?

We all know how another Republican ex-movie actor became president...but Thompson would seem to be a rather pale imitation.

ARK. BLOG: Thompson made a lot of friends in the Beltway media crowd. I don't think much of him. But the current field clearly lacks an overpowering candidate.

Any advice for Mayor Stodola on getting LR city govt back on track? He seems to being doing pretty well so far as I can tell.

Really like this format too, btw

ARK. BLOG: Mark Stodola is off to a good start. He's a good candidate to use broader mayoral powers, if voters bestow them. I happen to think ward elections are equally -- if not more -- important. City government works reasonably well, though. (The A&P debacle notwithstanding.)

Any chance that Timothy Griffin will be called before either the House or Senate for sworn testimony? I realize he is stepping down.

ARK. BLOG: I think there's at least a chance. Monica Goodling is not out of the woods yet. This is but one reason he might choose to go quietly. I understand the Clinton School is trying to line him up as a speaker. It would be entertaining if he was as forthright as Bud Cummins was, but ....

People have the idea that all politicians are crooks. You know all the movers and shakers--which ones are really idealists in the business to make a difference?

ARK. BLOG: If you're looking for idealists, look down the list at people who don't get much accomplished. It doesn't mean those who accomplish things are crooked. It means they are politicians. It's the art of the possible, not the perfect. Jim Lendall was an idealist. Jim Argue is to a great degree (but he'll deal at times.) Vic Snyder comes close, but also has to make political decisions occasionally. I think there are some people committed to ideals on the right, too. Maybe even more. It is very easy to be against abortion, against gay rights, for the death penalty -- and mean it. But that doesn't diminish their commitment to such causes.

Who has to run for the LR school board this fall? I know that only one or two positions are technically open, but there is some discussion that the entire board will have to run based upon statutory requirements, since the District only recently came out of desegregation monitoring.

Your thoughts?

ARK. BLOG: Baker Kurrus' seat and Michael Daugherty's seat are on the ballot. I hope Baker runs again. He's the best School Board member in my memory. (Though I am disappointed at his doom-and-gloom rhetoric in recent days.) Daugherty will run, I think. The Chamber of Commerce and others are desperately searching for a candidate to oppose him and will spend whatever is required to make a viable candidate. Baker argues that the Board must reorganize under a state law that applies to district that have been released from court compliance. This would start a new shuffle of board seats. Some other lawyers think this law doesn't apply becuase the district has been under federal court jurisdiction on a voting rights challenge. I think the most likely scenario is that two seats will be up. That Kurrus and Daugherty will run. That the white business community will back an opponent for Daugherty and that it will get ugly. Motivating voters in a School Board election is a tricky business, particularly in a majority black district.

What is the best burger in town? This is serious, and may require its own blog entry, either here or at the food blog, in order to accept comments and see if there is, if not a clear winner, at least a plurality.

ARK. BLOG: I think we should take this to Eat Arkansas for a full-blown discussion. It is serious. It is important. I think I still vote Doe's. I'd try Sports Page again, but the smoking policy makes the place impossible to stomach. Ark. Burger Co. has fans, I know.

The best burger is a six-ounce loosely formed patty of chuck. Well seasoned with salt, garlic salt and pepper and worcestershire. Grilled over charcoal, but still bloody. Served on a toasted bun. With a home-grown tomato slice. A slice of Vidalia onion. A leaf of green leaf lettuce. Mayo on both sides of the bun. American cheese melted over the burger at the last minute. Mustard or ketchup maybe, as the spirit moves. Eat. Repeat.

Max-
Any idea when the New York Deli (on Shackleford, across from Waffle House & Back Yard Burgers) will be open?

ARK. BLOG: Sorry, no, but I'll put somebody on it tomorrow.

Do you think Wesley Clark has any plans to enter the Democratic nomination race?

If not, what do you think his role will be in the 2008 election?

ARK. BLOG: Who's Wesley Clark? More seriously -- he'll raise money, work for the party and look for a slot in a Democratic administration.

If Hillary wins the nomination we'll be swearing in a fat, sweating bald hack actor cum lobbyist as president of the United States in 2009.

Tell me where I'm wrong in this prediction.

ARK. BLOG: Wait until the Clinton machine gets hold of his sweating ass. There's plenty to cut him up with. And they know how. I don't say this with any happiness. I just say it.

And we darn sure don't want Dick Cheney as president."

My humble take on that statement is this:
Dick Cheney as acting President would be the best thing to happen to Democrats in a long time. I can't imagine a more corrupt, disliked, unpopular man who has roamed the halls of the White House in decades, not since Richard Nixon or Spiro Agnew has America so disapproved of an office holder. The VPs last polling revealed 19% approval.
What a wonderful Repub image to leave as a heritage.

ARK. BLOG: Yes. But don't we want what's best for America and the world? Seriously.

Well since questions are coming in slowly.........

Where do you see the Arkansas Times in two decades?

The Little Rock (downtown)/Arkansas economy in general?

The duality of NW Arkansas and Little Rock?

ARK. BLOG: Two decades. In digital time, that's like two minutes. I think the Ark. Times will survive. The name alone is merchantable. In print? On the web? In some new media form? Who knows?

LR downtown. They'll be rebuilding it again in two decades. UNLESS ... 1) we have population growth 2) gas prices go to $10 a gallon -- and that could happen 3) people here learn the beauty of a dense city vs. that patch of ground in the country. I love the european model. will americans? time and gas prices will tell.

As for the duality of NW Ark. and the rest of the state: That's a non-issue, except with regional partisans. Places that grow should grow. All in the jurisdiction will benefit. Central Arkansas will remain strong, as the seat of government and some other major institutions. And, guess what? I don't think NW Ark.'s continued growth is necessarily assured. Wal-Mart could relocate to Shanghai. Tyson, too. I'm not predicting. Just saying. Things change.

All the hate lately for Mark Pryor brought a couple of questions to mind:

1) You figure there's anyone who is a) likely to run against him in the primary, b) able to beat him, and c) wouldn't disappoint Pryor's critics?

2) Why does Fulbright get such a pass on being a domestic right-winger? Not just his support (tepid but real and active) of segregation, but (for instance) his anti-labor stance? It strikes me that if he'd've been from, oh, Connecticut he'd've been a Republican.

ARK. BLOG: 1) Halter might run. 2) Pryor would thrash him. 3) nobody else is crazy enough.

Fulbright? Who he? But if you're really talking about J. Bill, remember that there are many good reasons he got thrashed by Dale Bumpers, a pure liberal by anyone's standards.

I think the Times is doing a pretty good job with new media. Who else out there would you say that of, both locally and elsewhere?

(I'll start you off with Josh Marshall and the Talking Points Memo juggernaut.)

ARK. BLOG: Locally, nobody. Though I know there are local people who have glitzier, more advanced websites and I envy them. But, times are changing. The free software available makes anyone a publisher -- instantly. See the Levy blog. I think it's great. We need to have easy vide/audio/text links in handy archives. We need to do more video and audio. We can. And it gets easier. But there's no machine yet invented that can stand in for a human being pressing the buttons. The D-G has the resources to do it all, but so far protects its print franchies. I think that's a bad idea, but I've guessed wrong on WEHCO before.

Nationally, Talking Points is really happening. I love Daily Kox. Eschaton. Wonkette. Poynter's Media News. Those are my go-to guys.

Would you rather be up against, say, the New Times conglomerate than Hussman? Is Sync about money or ideology? (Okay, both, but which more?)

ARK. BLOG: I'd rather be up against New Times. Hussman lost money for 17 years and spent some $200 million, maybe more, to monopolize this market. We are chump change to him. New Times has investors. They want return. They've just dumped papers in Cal. because of inadequate return. Hussman has houses all over the world, corporate jets and at least $1 billion in assets. He can screw with pipsqueaks like us until his dying day. And have fun doing it, particularly when we crap in his merit pay mess kit.

From the Tim Griffen post: "Resistance is Futile". I love it. And thanks for coming out and calling for his resignation.

How the important questions: Star Wars or Star Trek?

Who/What is your favorite set of villians in the Star Trek Series?

ARK. BLOG: You've nailed me. I HATE sci-fi. So shoot me. Or beam me up.

I was indeed talking about Fulbright, William, J.

It's of some interest that at Daisy Bates' 80th celebration, Faubus sent his regards, as did a Clinton (Hilary, not Bill), but Fulbright did not.

Do you think Rebecca Kennedy will improve over her 2006 performance in when she runs against Pryor, either percentage-wise or absolute count?

ARK. BLOG: 1) I voted for Bumpers because of the Southern Manifesto and because I liked Dale. 2) She'll get more votes but it's meaningless.

Okay, it's getting late, but just one more?

(If you answer "Sure, and that was it", I'll...well, I'll do something.)

How much of the Green Party base is left and how much is right? (Serious question there--I lived in northwest Arkansaw till recently.)

Do you figure the Democratic Party has a shot at pulling the left portion of the Green Party back in? In what time frame?

ARK. BLOG: The Green Party has a 2 percent base. It's non-consequential. I know some Greens. I love most of them. But they don't understand politics.

The VPs last polling revealed 19% approval.
What a wonderful Repub image to leave as a heritage.

ARK. BLOG: Yes. But don't we want what's best for America and the world? Seriously."

I cannot imagine anything better for the world than for the world's most powerful nation to rid itself of Republican foreign policies. From food for Peace, energy, and global warming, ban on trade with Cuba, the entire world will be better off without them. So parade VP Cheney around for all to see/witness his failures, esp in Iraq. Let his more than favorite corporation from which he draws a handsome amount be put on display, and under investigation. Dick Cheney as acting president. I say YES< YES, yes!

ARK. BLOG: I know what you mean.

"She'll get more votes but it's meaningless."

You don't think she can tip the election to whoever the Grand Old Party nominates? (That is, assuming they don't have to recruit Tommy Robinson.)

That reminds me--if not Huckabee, then who? There isn't anyone much, is there?

ARK. BLOG: No. It's hopeless.

Okay, I promise I'll quit after this one:

Will the Roehm lawsuit damage Wal-Mart? In particular, will her allegations about unethical behavior damage their, um, unique culture?

ARK. BLOG: No. But the drumbeat of negative news about Wal-Mart on many issues will continue to depress the stock price and it MIGHT force changes in the way Wal-Mart does business. To the extent that anything contributes, that's good.

And good night to all. I'm done.

This was a wonderful blog experience. You have quite a blog site here Max Brantley. Hopefully not just a labor of love. Best blog stie in Ark.
Thank you.

ARK. BLOG: Thank YOU.

I think I missed a good night of blogging but I have a question:

Are there any Democrats who could actually win in the Third District?

(1). Who is Vince Foster's son-in-law and when did he die?

(2). Are most democrats secular progressives?
(3). Why is truth frequently attacked in America and hypocrisy elevated?

Shh....okay, is Max gone? Okay:

1m 1n ur thr3dz
nsw3r1n ur d00dz

Here are the answers to your unanswered questions. Don't forget to turn out the lights when you leave, and for dog's sake, don't tell Max!

The only Democrat who could win in the Third District is Bill Clinton, and even he couldn't do it....okay, maybe Tommy Robinson or Ralph Baker.

1) There's nothing funny about Vince Foster or death.

2) More progressive than liberal, sadly; more secular than monastic, gladly.

3) We like easy targets.

kthxbai LOL

Damn...I hate that I missed it...but it sure was fun to read!

Me too, Zelda...

I had an "unplugged" day...

Shoot...mrs rosso just called in to say that Timmy resigned and I am just now getting back around...

First, BA-RILLIANT. Congratulations, Max--and to your alter-cerebrum who probably also *is* your better half :-)

I'm exhausted after only reading it at this hour. I can't imagine how you must feel, except, I hope, satisfied for taking us on like that.

That said, one question from a blogger shook me somewhat, and I see you declined via silence to respond. Very graceful.

It was this question: (adamsj) "It's of some interest that at Daisy Bates' 80th celebration, Faubus sent his regards, as did a Clinton (Hilary, not Bill), but Fulbright did not."

I'd just offer that at the time of Madame Bates' 80th birthday, Mr Faubus was but a month from his own death from prostate cancer, but presumably he had someone around him who took care of things like that--possibly his third wife at the end of a pretty tragic life.

And this: Curiously, as I'd always assumed Mr Fullbright to have been married, my friend Wikipedia makes no mention whatsoever of a Mrs Fullbright. I'll have to look elsewhere for more information, but when he died from stroke, it was but three months before Madame Bates' 80th, so he was also presumably a pretty sick man, and possibly bereft of any devoted attendant.

Personally, I don't think it's fair to compare the two men in the case of Madame Bates' 80th birthday. Where did that question come from?

Vince Foster's son-in-law was a great young man named Greg Raffaelli. He and Laura Foster Raffaelli lived in Phoenix. Greg died recently after choking on a piece of steak while eating dinner with friends. He was truly a wonderful person. He was born and raised in Texarkana and graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. He was one of a kind and his friends and family miss him greatly.

Oh, and just to clarify overall position, I'd rather stand next to Mr Fullbright than to Mr Faubus. And I'd love to have Miss Daisy on my arm.

Fulbright was married twice, as I recall. His first wife's name was Elizabeth. They had two daughters. Some years after he was widowed, he married again. I believe the second wife's name was Betty, but don't hold me to that. I think they were married about 15 years before he died of a stroke.

Adamsj notes that "There's nothing funny about Vince Foster or death." Who said or implied that it was, dude? If that happened, I missed it. My understanding is that Foster's young son-in-law choked to death during a dinner party three or four months ago. I've seen nothing in the Little Rock press about it, and thought Max might have more info.

Searcyguy, thank you so much for your entry. I did not see it before my post about Fulbright. A very tragic ending to such a young life and for a family that has seen more than its share of heartache.

with max gone i do want to congratulate him on an excellent issue this week. being ahead of the rest of the countries journalists on the griffin story yesterday didn't hurt. the article on the delta was very good. i realize that what they are trying to do will not do a lot of good for population growth but it will bring some tourism through the area, especially with people headed to the tunica area or memphis. the revue of the desserts at ferneau made me consider going for a late drink and dessert if i wasn't already settled for bed. i would say that was a very successful reading experience for me and that max did his job because i even looked at the ads.

Umm, wonder where our beloved anons, Prousters, etc, were this evening.

Apologies in advance for a long, long post. I'm typing it with my thumbs on a PDA, so I'm suffering at least as much as those reading what I'm writing.

durangokid, I was trying to be silly after Elvis--er, Max--had left the building. There were four unanswered questions from two people--not you, I might add, because Max answered you with 'I don't know'--three of which lent themselves to silliness and the fourth of which did not.

I know otherwise sensiible people who believe all that conspiratorial BS about Vince Foster's death. I think that's sad and unfunny. The death of his son-in-law, a younger man with a wife, is (so far as I know) even sadder and unfunnier. Rather than try for a cheap laugh on it, I just said that wasn't funny and went on.

widj, the Daisy Bates 80th was held in December, 1994--the 12th, I think. Both Faubus and Fulbright were still alive at that time, though both were in poor health, and both were married (I think Faubus was--Fulbright for sure, and her name +was+ Betty) and had people watching out for their interests. I'm pretty sure Fulbright could've sent a message if he'd wanted. Bates had called him out in _The Long Shadow of Little Rock_ as no better than McClellan, though. Maybe that stuck in his craw. I can't say, but I'd agree with her judgement.

I spent most of my adult life in northwest Arkansas, and I got a major dose of Fulbright boosterism from liberals who (in my opinion) didn't have the same regard for civil rights and economic justice that they did for Fulbright's relatively enlightened foreign policy views and gutsy stand against McCarthy. Those are to Fulbright's credit, but the fact remains that he was actively dead wrong on the key moral issue of his time--civil rights--and voted consistently in the interest of the wealthy and against the working man and woman.

Faubus, like George Wallace and many other racist populists, could and should have been a better man than he was, and that makes me sad. Fulbright was, despite his advantages of birth and education, worse than he should have been, and that makes me angry and, vainly I suppose, disdainful of him.

Great format, Max. I love it! Hope you have the time and energy to do this again - maybe regularly. Folks posted great questions, and I enjoyed the responses.

Long live the AT! (in all it's glorious forms)

There are four teacher locals in Arkansas that currently have bargained contracts. Many other districts have strong Personnel Policy Committees (PPCs), which deal with the same issues that a contract does. Some are more effective than others, depending on the strength of the local's membership, makeup of the team, school board, and super.

Last night was the Just Communities of Central Arkansas (formerly the National Conference for Community and Justice) dinner. The honorees were Senator Jim Argue, Dr. Tom Bruce, Dr. Joycelyn Elders, and Coach Oliver Elders. Each was very deserving and their speeches were uplifting. It was wonderful to be reminded of the outstanding individuals who have blessed our community.

Prediction: One of the LRSD School Board members mentioned earlier will not run for re-election.

Thanks for the explanation of your previous post, adamsi. Had we been talking in person, I'm sure there would have been no mystery to what you were saying. By the way, my opinion of J. William "Just call me Bill" Fulbright very much parallels your own. Happy trails.

I think we need to grade on the curve when we are discussing modern issues and figures from the past. Fulbright would be 102 if he were alive today and Faubus a little over 2 years shy of 100.

Of course I wish they had been more enlightened in their lifetime, but I have no guarantee that I wouldn't have been a rabid racist if I had been born 50 years earlier than I was. I well remember the racist views I held 40 years ago growing up.

They were a refection of the views held by my family, friends and neighbors. I thought nothing of Negroes, as the more polite amongst us called blacks at the time, having to buy tickets at a separate window at the Malco Theater and being forced to sit a million miles up in the 3rd balcony.

At that time I was 12, Fulbright was 62, Faubus was 57. The idea of sharing a seat with a black person at the movies was as foreign to all of us then...without thinking, as bottled water is to me now...and just about of the same importance.

I'm just thankful that something came over me in my 20s that allowed me to grow and see the evils of racism against any person, even Mexicans living in Springdale.

It's too easy, convenient, and wrong to think the only racist in Arkansas in the 50s was Orval Faubus and to a lesser degree, J. William Fulbright. Everything they did reflected the thinking of the average Arkansan of the time.

I'd bet the farm that if Fulbright and even old Orval were born in the middle of the 20th century instead of the beginning, their racist sins would have never been committed. Those of us alive today have no excuse.

SearcyGuy---thanks for your response to my question. I posed three legitimate questions and the first was not intended to imply anything about Foster or his son-in-law. I guess I need to borrow the other guy's crystal ball so I am able to read motives and minds.