Cort’s never fit in with state board
By Staff
Bob Ingram, Capitol Scene
MONTGOMERY — We have all known couples who didn't stay married, for whatever reason. Sometimes folks are simply not made for each other. The union of Dr. Thomas Corts and the state Board of Education was such a marriage. It was doomed from the start.
Corts, a splendid man of great integrity, came from the insulated, almost spiritual, academic background of Samford University, where he served as president for 28 years. He probably couldn't even spell “politics.”
He found himself in a strange and different world when he took over the state's two-year college system, from which currently emanates a stench of corruption that is almost nauseating.
In addition, Corts was working for an elected state board, a very political board on whose watch the scandal in the two-year system has spread like kudzu.
When Corts suggested a couple of weeks ago that perhaps the control of those institutions should be taken from the state Board of Education and put under a separate board, he sealed his fate. It was no longer “if” this marriage would end but “when.”
While it is hard to argue with the logic of Corts' proposal, politically it was a dumb, dumb thing to say.
Who will succeed him? At this writing nobody knows, but the taxpayers should pray that the investigation into this disgrace is not stalled by Corts's departure.
The lawmakers, both Republican and Democrat, black and white, put aside their differences, did the job they were asked to do and went home. It was a splendid performance.
But don't expect anything closely resembling that from the legislators when they convene in regular session this week. From the opening bell it will be a down-and-dirty slugfest.
The Democrat majority has left no doubt that its mission for the next four years will be to make life miserable for Gov. Riley and his Republican administration. If he is for something, they will be against it. Meanwhile, sitting in the legislative balcony with a smile on his face will be the man some call the “real governor” of Alabama, Dr. Paul Hubbert.
If this four-year administration is indeed his swan song — if retirement is now not too far off — it would seem Dr. Hubbert will go out riding tall in the saddle.
So what else is new?
The inductees were Alabama natives Fran McKee, the first woman in history to reach the rank of rear admiral in the U. S. Navy; and Dr. Martha Myers, a Baptist medical missionary who was murdered by a terrorist in Yemen.
Appropriately, the speaker for the occasion was Rear Admiral Paul Tobin, who now serves as Director of Naval History. Also attending was Dr. Ira Lee Myers, the longtime Alabama state health officer and father of the inductee.
Luckie, who founded the Luckie Company in 1953, was a true giant in the advertising business. Later the name changed to Luckie &Forney. His partner was the late John Forney, for decades the radio voice for the Alabama Crimson Tide.
When television became such a major player in political campaigns in the 1960s, Luckie &Forney became the most sought-after ad agency in the state.
When a candidate had them as his agency you knew he was a serious player. And for the record, Luckie &Forney won a lot more campaigns than they lost.
