Nation: Tale of Two Rookies

In Massachusetts, boos for Ed; in Alabama, cheers for Fob

Helped by the voter backlash against professional politicians, newcomers to politics won gubernatorial elections in several states last year. Among them were two Democrats: Massachusetts' Ed King, a former professional football lineman and director of the state port authority, and Alabama's Fob James, a millionaire manufacturer of sporting goods. Both charged into office in January promising business-like administrations and a fresh approach to solving problems. Since they have taken office, however, the two have met with astonishingly different results: King is foundering badly, while...

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