Baker, Beebe Bury Hatchet
From the ‘All’s Well That Ends Well’ Category: GOP Sen. Gilbert Baker and Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe, long at odds over Baker’s campaigning for Beebe’s Republican opponent in 2006, met last week to clear the air and put all this a’fussin’ and a’feudin’ behind them.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s Seth Blomelely reports on the meeting, which I have reason to believe was very gracious:
“He was very gracious,” said Baker, the expected Senate chairman of the Joint Budget Committee for the 2009 legislative session. “I think we’re going to have a good session.”
Beebe said Baker brought up the ads the Republican Party helped fund during the 2006 governor’s race trying to tie Beebe to a convicted felon. Beebe and other Democrats have said the ads were unfair, misleading and false.
Baker of Conway has said he regrets that the party funded those ads but has declined to say whether he owed Beebe an apology.
Neither would give details of what was said during their meeting.
“He was very gracious,” Beebe said. “He came up, asked for the meeting.” Baker said they met Nov. 6 in Beebe’s office for about 15 minutes. He said Beebe’s chief of staff, Morril Harriman, was also in the meeting.
Over the last few months, Beebe campaigned strenuously for Joe White, Baker’s Democratic opponent in Baker’s successful bid to keep his seat.
