Alabama's Defeated Gun-Toting, Obama-Dissing YouTube All-Stars, Remembered (VIDEO)

Primary season 2010 continued yesterday, most notably in the state of Alabama, where voters in both parties went to the polls to advance the cause of their favorite candidates. Once the votes were counted, the results identified the victors and the vanquished.

But you know who the real loser was last night? America. And this was driven home for me in this morning's first dispatch from The Awl's Alex Balk, who noted that Alabama's trio of crazy YouTube all-stars were the hardest hit in last night's primaries.

We speak, of course, of gun-toting Dale Peterson, Obama-dissing Les Phillip and English-language enthusiast Tim James -- all of whom filled our lives with whimsy and wonder with some of the strangest campaign ads of the cycle. Peterson, who raged against "thugs and criminals" and the removal of his campaign signs while brandishing a rifle, finished third in his primary race. So too did Phillip.

Tim James, who put out a bunch of ads that featured him tromping around his living room, yammering his opinions on whatever random topic crossed his mind, is technically still alive, pending the results of a recount that could tip him into a runoff with Bradley "Trust Me, I Really Am A Religious Nut" Byrne. So, yes, we are eulogizing him prematurely but you know what? Comedy works best in threes. IT'S A RULE, OKAY?

At any rate, these men from Alabama left their mark on us, and we'll never forget the lasting legacy they have left on the YouTubes. To do them justice, our own Ben Craw has prepared this moving tribute video to sing these men into Alabama's version of Valhalla, which I'm guessing is the Tillmans Corner Hooters at 5470 Inn Road in Mobile. Enjoy!

Video produced by HuffPost's Ben Craw

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Comments

[DK in MS]

02:53 PM on 06/14/2010

Dude - wtf? Get your finger off that trigger. Didn't you learn anything when you were a child?

[muujis]

12:19 PM on 06/06/2010

Man I love Huffpost.

[fignozzle]

04:09 AM on 06/04/2010

this is one case where i am a proud alabamian.

[wargolem]

12:22 AM on 06/04/2010

booooring.... would have been much funnier if they put the radio ads where they were bashing the bradley bern guy for saying the bible is only partly true and then saying... Bradley must think we are stupid he wants to teach evolution in all the schools in Alabama.... would have been much funnier... as it is... lame

[PopeRatzo]

09:40 PM on 06/03/2010

Yee-haw!

Can't we please build a fence around Alabama, too?

[HoneyRyder]

06:35 PM on 06/03/2010

Les Phillip seemed to really want whites to trust him. I bet his strategy was to be the black republican anti-Obama whose sole purpose was to ease the fears of the racists who reside in his po-dunk state. Can you believe it? How much does a black man have to hate himself to put on such theatrics to impress his white peers who he so badly wants approval from. I think Les simply forgot that although most whites are cool and have no racists feelings towards blacks,the whites in Alabama are a few decades behind the whites in most civilized places in this country. They are a different animal all together.

Although I shouldn't bash Alabama too harshly, since they seemed to be smart enough not to pick Dale Peterson. I thought the gun, cowboy hat and horse would seal the deal for him. That just goes to show you cannot judge all rednecks from Alabama buy their cover.

[Factonfact]

10:59 PM on 06/03/2010

Dale would have done better donning a white sheet and hood, believe it.

[KateInMT]

03:58 PM on 06/03/2010

I'd have voted for the horse. And I hope that old fool wasn't carrying the rifle to shoot it. "Vote fer me an' Ah woahn't shoot this eer hoss." What a nasty stereotype of a southern male.

[zeppelingirl89]

03:27 PM on 06/03/2010

I am actually impressed with the way Alabama voted in the primary. They didn't elect the worst of the worst for once! I thought Tim James was a shoe-in....Thank god he got defeated.

[blonkert]

03:42 PM on 06/03/2010

I am live in Alabama, and I agree wholeheartedly.

I really wanted to like, but was equally disappointed with Artur Davis.
Apparently, he was aiming to reach across the aisle, and prove that he was as far right as anyone in the state. Happily, behaving like a tea bagger didnt work for him and even blacks turned away to support his lottery loving white opponent.

In another day and time, the filthy, rambling 'we speak english' ads from Tim James would have carried him to victory. I was surprised to see that didnt work either.

NOW if President Obama could only learn the same lesson: Republicans and the tea baggers hate you. They always will and if you reach out to them, they will bite you. Know it, live it and move on!!

There are PLENTY of us in Alabama who realize that we need to move away from the backward politics of the past - WE ARE TRYING and I believe we are making a difference...slowly but surely.

[DoinMyHomework]

05:52 PM on 06/03/2010

I agree. Obama needs to learn that trying to reach out to Republicans and Tea Baggers is no different than trying to argue with an alcoholic while they are drunk.

Wait til they sober up. Meanwhile just get on with life, and do whatever you have to do.

[taddles]

02:03 PM on 06/03/2010

Wow, no lack of the stupid in Alabama Republican politics is there.

[Realitylost]

01:15 PM on 06/03/2010

The peterson ad is an instant classic. The old school lever action rifle is a nice touch when trying to pull of the dime store cowboy look. What a clown.

[KateInMT]

04:01 PM on 06/03/2010

When you're riding Western-style with a shanked bit and a horse that can neck rein, you carry the reins in the left hand, not the right. Dime store indeed!

[motoGpifupleez]

12:42 PM on 06/03/2010

Alabama may have shown a ray of intelligence by sending these guys packing.
Fear not. I am sure we will yet rise up and do something monumentally stupid to vault ourselves back into the national spotlight of shame.

[blonkert]

03:44 PM on 06/03/2010

I'm afraid you are right.

[Mermaids daddyo]

12:40 PM on 06/03/2010

Ah shucks, guess he will have to go back to wearing the hood again.

[Vernie31]

11:46 AM on 06/03/2010

Where is my receipt for all the cowboy gear that needs to be returne?. Daggummit!
Dale, your 15minutes are up!

[Realitylost]

01:17 PM on 06/03/2010

You nailed it. That hat aint exactly broke in.

[lesterbud]

09:26 AM on 06/04/2010

Rented
You can get that costume at any tux rental joint in the state - very popular for weddings.

[Greg285]

11:35 AM on 06/03/2010

Soon and very soon, the Tea baggers will have their 15 minutes of 'Fame' snatched from them and sent back to their rightful places, on the outer fringes of society where they belong! Their rhetoric has no placed in public discourse! How many tea bag candidates have actually won anyway other than Paul and Brown?

[DeBartolo]

11:23 AM on 06/03/2010

3rd Place Tim James is behind Dr. Bently by 200 votes missing the GOP Primary Run Off with Bradley Byrne. Byrne won 1st place by less than 11,000 votes. Ala has NO provisions for a Primary RECOUNT. Therefore, James will need to file, in each county, requesting a recount with HIS cost of half a million...which he does not have. Byrne and the GOP are terrified Bradley Byrne (a former Democrat State Legislator and the NEW GOP GOLDEN BOY) will loose to Dr Bently. State Rep, Dr Bently who was the long shot... came from the btm (with the smallest amount of campaign dollars) to be in second place to Byrne. Dr Bently REFUSED to run a negative ad campaign...focused on issues....and IT WON HIM VOTES with less dollars spent. It will win him the GOP nomination too. Peterson's loss came as a SHOCK to the B _ _ tist who preached Peterson's virtues and value as a gun toating, christian Republican ready to take on the EVIL DEMOCRAT PARTY.

This morning's Birmingham News reported that every GOP Primary vote cost the Republican's $384.00 EACH in campaign dollars spent. The Democrats spent $168.00 for each vote. Hate mongering Peterson, James and Phillips LOST...and the GOP's annointed, golden boy, Bradley Byrne will loose the Primary Run Off with Dr Bently...who came from the last position....with the least amount of funds...and a NON NEGATIVE campaign which focused on REAL ISSUES.