"If that's a liberal, then I'm a liberal”

Obviously, this guy in Alabama touted by kos, Ron Sparks, the state’s Agriculture and Industry Commissioner, has a political death wish – what with acknowledging he’s a “liberal” in Alabama of all places. And some people think he might run for the Senate? Hah, give us a break.

Sure, I really like this, but really -- there's no way he will ever get anywhere in one of the reddest of red states:

"Sometimes people say, `Commissioner, why do you get so emotional?' Because I'm sick and tired of people taking a simple word and spinning it and making us look like we're bad. Let me tell you something: I'm not ashamed of people saying, `Commissioner, you're a liberal,'" Sparks said, creating more applause.
He said he was taught by his grandmother that when people were less fortunate, you should help them and that everyone deserves the same education and healthcare.
"If that's a liberal, then I'm a liberal. They need to quit spinning it, folks, and we need to step up to the battle," Sparks said to more applause.

But wait a second: in 2002, he won statewide as a Democrat, as a populist straight-talking Democrat, by a tidy 51-46 margin. But surely he got clobbered in 2006 talkin’ all liberal like that. Nope, this time he annihilated his Republican opponent 59-41, winning 62 of the 67 counties.

Time to readjust: if you’re liberal, just go out and be good one, dammit.