You know it’s going to be a weird holiday week when the first thing you see Monday morning is “Cooper Rap,” a pro-Patrick Cooper music vid. Birmingham comedy troupe Vacant Overload Manifesto produced the parody spot.

The group claims no association with the Cooper mayoral campaign, and vice versa.

Update Nov. 24: Vacant Manifesto contacted us with more information. The group — Michael, Adam and Michael — makes videos for fun and entertainment: “We certainly didn’t think the ‘Cooper Rap’ would generate such a response. We thought it was a very funny idea, but we sort of threw it together over the weekend, and didn’t realize what it would do.”

The group can be found on YouTube, Twitter (@VacantManifesto) and Facebook.

Video: “Cooper Rap” by the Vacant Overload

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It gets even weirder when a sharp-eared listener remembered the source: “Ninja Rap,” a Vanilla Ice cut from the soundtrack to the 1991 sequel, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.”

Video: “Ninja Rap” by Vanilla Ice

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As a bonus, we include this little gem from Eric McGinty of Birmingham rock band the Exhibit(s). It’s actually a holdover from the 2007 campaign, a little ditty advocating our mutual friend Jim for mayor (who wasn’t even running).

But Eric updated it for 2009: Check out the ending, where you’ll see bios from … our series, Birmingham’s Biggest Crooks.

Video: “Vote for Jim”

If you spot any other wacky campaign videos for this season, let us know in the comments.

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More Vote 2009 coverage.

Two more candidates are in the race for mayor of Birmingham bringing the total to 14.

• T.C. Cannon — retired bar owner and former president of the Southside neighborhood association. He placed eighth in the 2003 mayoral election.
• William Jason Sumners — no information available.

Also, Natalie Davis, political science professor at Birmingham-Southern College, and André Natta, publisher of the Terminal, discuss the candidates and themes so far in this election.

Here’s the final list of candidates:

• Emory Anthony
• William Bell
• T.C. Cannon (see above)
• Patrick Cooper
• Scott Douglas
• Ernie Dunn
• Steven Hoyt
• Stephannie Sigler Huey
• Edith Mayomi
• Carole Smitherman
• Jimmy Snow
• William Jason Sumners (see above)
• Jody Trautwein
• Harry “Traveling Shoes” Turner

The election takes place Dec. 8.

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More Vote 2009 coverage.

Carole Smitherman, who has been serving as interim mayor for the past 2 weeks, wants a shot at the real thing.

Smitherman announced today her intent to enter the race, after having run unsuccessfully in 2003 and 2007. She said her official announcement is coming, but only after she takes care of more city business.

And she has been busy. As city council president, she automatically became mayor with former mayor Larry Langford’s conviction in October. She fired chief of staff Deborah Vance-Bowie and accepted the resignation of finance director Steve Sayler, all related to the city budget which may be missing $20 million.

Vance-Bowie countered Smitherman’s claim that Vance-Bowie was partially responsible for the city’s budget problems, sharing a series of e-mails between her and Sayler to illustrate Sayler’s lack of cooperation.

Smitherman, an attorney, has served on the council since 2001. Before that, she served as a circuit court judge, municipal court judge and prosecutor for the City of Irondale.

Her candidacy makes for a field of six, including Emory Anthony, Patrick Cooper, Stephannie Huey, Edith Mayomi and Jimmy Snow.

Her campaign site, SmithermanforBirmingham.com, from her 2009 council bid is still online.

The election takes place Dec. 8.

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More Vote 2009 coverage.

Also running for Birmingham mayor, besides Emory Anthony and Patrick Cooper, are …

• Stephannie Sigler Huey, who ran for mayor in Denver, and also finished in 14th place running for mayor of Birmingham in 2003. Huey is a teacher in the Birmingham school system and a pastor with the God’s Holy Tabernacle Church. She wants to reduce crime and make schools safer.
• Edith Mayomi, an employee at Jefferson State Community College.
• Jimmy Snow, an Avondale resident who wants to reform City Hall. He told the Birmingham News: ”I really do not care to be mayor, but I am willing to do what needs to be done.”

The election takes place Dec. 8.

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More Vote 2009 coverage.

Defense attorney Emory Anthony is entering the race for mayor in Birmingham. This makes him the second candidate to announce, following Patrick Cooper’s kickoff on Thursday.

Anthony’s focus will be on education, jobs and transportation. He also says he’ll check the city’s finances to determine whether the domed stadium and Fair Park redevelopment can continue.

Previously, Anthony served as dean of Miles College Law School, municipal judge and prosecutor for the Jefferson County District Attorney, and a legal adviser to then Mayor Bernard Kincaid. This is his third run for mayor; he also ran once unsuccessfully for state Senate.

The election takes place Dec. 8.

Also:

• John Archibald of the Birmingham News sizes up possible mayors Anthony, William Bell, Cooper and Carole Smitherman.

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More Vote 2009 coverage.

The runner-up has returned for a rematch, of sorts.

Attorney Patrick Cooper, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Birmingham in 2007, announced his run today. This makes him the first candidate to announce for the race to fill the spot vacated by convicted former mayor Larry Langford.

Cooper finished in second place last time, earning 29.5 percent of the vote.

Video: Cooper announces his candidacy and platform

Cooper promised to hire more police officers, citing a shortage of 200. He also wants to fund pre-kindergarten programs, and put people to work with public works programs.

His previous campaign site, CooperForMayor.com, has gone dormant, while his Facebook campaign page has not been updated, save for supporters’ comments.

Update: His new campaign Web site, CooperForBirmingham.com, has launched.

The election takes place Dec. 8.

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More Vote 2009 coverage.

With the conviction of Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford, a vacancy has emerged at City Hall. (Well, two, but we’ll get to that.)

The city’s election commission has set a special mayoral election for Dec. 8, just 36 days away. Candidates must file by Nov. 18 to qualify.

Who’s on the possible short list? Patrick Cooper, Emory Anthony, Carole Smitherman, Stephen Hoyt, even Richard Arrington. The Birmingham News and Birmingham-Southern political science professor Natalie Davis weigh in.

Meanwhile, several other post-Langford headlines caught our eye today …

• Langford appointee Steve Sayler resigned today. He was the city’s finance director, and was Jefferson County’s finance director under Langford. Acting Mayor Smitherman, who said Sayler didn’t keep the council or the mayor’s office fully informed on city finances during his tenure, has ordered a comprehensive review of the books.
• Langford testified after his election as mayor in 2007 that he’d move to Birmingham. He lied, as unsealed court documents show he maintained two residences, but lived at his Fairfield address. See his full financial disclosure statement.
• A “Free Larry” campaign? Yes, as brought to you by Langford appointee/God’s Gangster Frank Matthews.

More Vote 2009 coverage.

Ongoing coverage of Birmingham mayor Larry Langford on trial in Tuscaloosa for bribery.

Highlights: Week 2 began with the last of the prosecution’s witnesses on Monday. Norm Davis of NBC Bank testified that Langford asked for a loan of $50,000 to $65,000, shortly after the institution became Jefferson County’s financial adviser. Langford received a credit card with a $25,000 limit, later raised to $65,000. Meanwhile, his credit score plummeted from 585 in 2003 to 485 in 2006. (Scores below 600 are considered “high risk” for lenders.)

Davis also painted a grim picture of Langford’s personal finances: In 2007, he was $649,946 in debt (including his mortgage) and $238,192 in credit card debt.

Prosecutors also read into the record portions of Langford’s deposition to the Securities and Exchange Commission from June 2007. Langford said in the deposition that he paid for his own clothes during trips to New York; Bill Blount testified last week that he had purchased the items, including a $12,000 watch, to bribe Langford. Langford also said that Blount never loaned him or gave him money; Blount had testified that he gave Langford more than $100,000 using Al LaPierre as a middleman.

Odds and ends: Who ended up buying Langford’s Rolex for $8,500? Patrick Cooper, Birmingham lawyer and runner-up in the 2007 mayoral election.

With the prosecution on the verge of wrapping up, Langford and his team have still made no decision as to whether he’ll take the stand.

Quote of the day: “Getting ready to kick this thing off. No! It’s block by the Mount Cody of judge/jury conferences.” — Birmingham News columnist John Archibald

Homework:

• Squidoo: Who Is Larry Langford?
• “Larry Langford, as first week of trial ended, had his mind on smokes and domes” … Langford: “I’m sleeping like a baby.“

Also, what lessons have we learned from the trial so far? “Archibald: Can’t we agree on a few things?”

• Langford, under no circumstances, should be allowed to handle public money.

• Everyone who gave Langford clothes or money … you are as responsible for the fallout as he.

Next: Defense expected to begin Tuesday.

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Complete coverage: The trial of Larry Langford from Wade on Birmingham.

Follow @LLtrial on Twitter for continuous media updates.

Subscribe to the RSS feed for daily coverage of Larry Langford’s trial from Wade on Birmingham.

Then and now

Hello, Larry: After a relatively subdued campaign, Jefferson County commissioner Larry Langford bested nine other candidates to become Birmingham’s mayor. Soon thereafter, second-place finisher Patrick Cooper challenged Langford’s residency in court, only to drop it two months later.

The mayor-elect wasted no time in stirring things up, even though he wouldn’t officially take office until November. (See below.)

Check out his inauguration on Nov. 13 …

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