MONTGOMERY &8212; As recent as a week ago I was defending Roy Moore, the GOP gubernatorial candidate, for expressing his fears, albeit clumsily, about the possible dangers involved in electing delegates to a Constitutional Convention.

He warned, not without justification, that in all likelihood the special interests in Alabama, the AEA in particular, would most likely elect a majority of delegates and write a Constitution to their liking.

But I had scarcely put my words on paper defending Moore when he made an incredulous charge about the report of a mad cow being found in Alabama.

He suggested that the report of the diseased cow was a political conspiracy designed to give impetus to a bill pending in the legislature he opposes.

The measure would require the tagging of cows so it would be easier to track them in the event of an outbreak of the disease.

&8220;I spoke out against this. All of a sudden it stalls a little bit in the Senate…then we get this mad cow report that comes out in the paper. It&8217;s a strange coincidence.&8221;

This conspiracy he alludes to, if it were so, would give new meaning to strange fellows in the same political bed.

It would mean that Alabama Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks…who gives new meaning to &8220;Yellow Dog Democrat&8221;…was in cahoots with Republican Gov. Bob Riley and all the Republicans in Washington.

Sparks shook his head in disbelief at Moore&8217;s allegations.

&8220;Do you think we wanted a case of mad cow disease in Alabama?&8221;, he asked. &8220;The Lord knows we didn&8217;t.&8221;

Sen. Gerald Dial, D-Lineville, who stirred up the waters with his now famous &8220;boat bill&8221; has said he will drastically reduce its impact before attempting to get it passed in the final days of the session.

Originally Dial&8217;s measure would have outlawed all boats more than 30 feet, six inches on 11 lakes in Alabama developed by Alabama Power Company.

He has now amended the bill so that its provisions will apply only to three lakes&8212;-Weiss, Martin and Lake Wedowee (Harris Lake.)

Dial said opposition from property owners and boat owners on the other eight lakes was so strong that the original bill had no chance of passage.

The amended bill includes the same &8220;grandfather&8221; clause as the earlier draft&8212;-people who presently own boats longer that the proposal allows would be permitted to continue to use them but no new ones could be added.

The annual exercise to get a new State Constitution has ended in the current session of the Legislature.

A measure sponsored by Sen. Ted Little, D-Auburn, which would have called for a constitutional convention died quietly in the Senate last week.

Despite the setback, Little was upbeat about the future of this legislation.

He noted that a Senate committee early in the session had unanimously voted in favor of the referendum.

He said the movement &8220;gained momentum&8221; even in defeat.

It&8217;s a local issue but it has huge statewide implications.

For years some officials in Birmingham have clamored for the construction of a 70,000-seat domed stadium in the city.

While they have no indication that an NFL or NBA team or a major league baseball team would be interested in using it, these officials figure if they build it they will come.

A few days ago there was more bad news on this project. Due to rising costs of steel plus interest rates, city officials were told that the estimated cost of the stadium has now risen to a staggering $624 million.

This project has statewide implications because the local officials in Birmingham have asked the state to contribute millions in taxpayer dollars to the project.

Henry P. &8220;Hank&8221; Fowler Jr., a decorated hero of the Vietnam War, has announced his candidacy for a seat on the State Supreme Court.

Fowler made it clear where he stands…he is an admirer of Roy Moore and as a matter of act currently serves as senior attorney for Justice Tom Parker of the high court. Parker was endorsed by Moore in his successful race for the high court two years ago.

Fowler was a fighter pilot in Vietnam where he was shot down and spent six years as a prisoner of war. He was awarded two Silver Stars, two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star.

Bob Ingram has covered Alabama politics for over 50 years