The re-election campaign of U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson released a new ad Thursday framing the election as a choice between President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader and himself.
The commercial, titled "The Choice," makes the claim that Isakson is the only candidate with a conservative agenda to fight for Georgia.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Hotline On Call Discusses Pathways To Victory For Barnes & Deal
Jeremy Jacobs of the national blog Hotline On Call published two entries discussing the pathways to victory for Democrat Roy Barnes and Republican Nathan Deal.
For Deal, his path to the Georgia governor's mansion includes weathering the sotrm of unflattering stories in the press, making the campaign about Roy Barnes' first term in office and pulling 55% or better in the exurbs of Gwinnett, Cherokee and Forsyth counties.
For Barnes to win, writes Jacobs, he must court rural voters, make sure black voter turnout exceeds 25% and make the election about the corruption allegations against Deal as well as his less than favorable financial state.
Below are links to both columns:
Roy Barnes' Path To Victory in GA GOV
Nathan Deal's Path To Victory In GA GOV
For Deal, his path to the Georgia governor's mansion includes weathering the sotrm of unflattering stories in the press, making the campaign about Roy Barnes' first term in office and pulling 55% or better in the exurbs of Gwinnett, Cherokee and Forsyth counties.
For Barnes to win, writes Jacobs, he must court rural voters, make sure black voter turnout exceeds 25% and make the election about the corruption allegations against Deal as well as his less than favorable financial state.
Below are links to both columns:
Roy Barnes' Path To Victory in GA GOV
Nathan Deal's Path To Victory In GA GOV
Democratic Strategist Doesn't Like Early Voting Totals So Far
For most of 2010, there have been several news reports detailing the enthusiasm gap between Democratic and Republican voters [Walter, Amy (2010-10-5). 2010 Forecast: Enthusiasm Gap Still Favors GOP. The Note (ABC News). Retrieved on 2010-10-7.]. That lack of excitement among Democrats is now beginning to show itself at early voting locations in Georgia.
11Alive reporter Doug Richards, who also blogs at Live Apartment Fire, filed the following story Wednesday:
It's crunch time for both political parties, but Georgia Democrats are in need of something major that will shake-up the campaign. Unless that happens, all the Republicans have to do is hold the ball until the clock runs out.
11Alive reporter Doug Richards, who also blogs at Live Apartment Fire, filed the following story Wednesday:
. . .Cherokee County, a reliably Republican county has had a strong early voting turnout so far this fall. Contrast that with DeKalb county, a Democratic county, which has had a pretty lousy voting turnout this fall.
"It tells me we've got a lot of work to do," said state Rep. Rashad Taylor (D-Atlanta), a Democratic strategist who doesn't like the early turnout numbers thus far.
"As Democrats, we've got to get the excitement back going on our side of the field," Rep. Taylor said.
Richards, Doug (2010-10-6). Early Voting in Two Counties Bodes Ill for Democrats. WXIA-TV. Retrieved on 2010-10-7.
It's crunch time for both political parties, but Georgia Democrats are in need of something major that will shake-up the campaign. Unless that happens, all the Republicans have to do is hold the ball until the clock runs out.
ICYMI: GA Police Benevolent Association Splits Its Ticket Between Dems & GOP
Tuesday, there was a lot of crowing from the Ken Hodges campaign as they announced an endorsement from the Police Benevolent Association of Georgia (PBA) [PBAGA Endorses Ken Hodges for State AG. Albany Herald. Retrieved on 2010-10-6.].
The Hodges endorsement was one of four announced earlier this week by the Georgia PBA.
Talk about covering your bases.
The Hodges endorsement was one of four announced earlier this week by the Georgia PBA.
The Police Benevolent Association announced today it is giving its endorsement to two Republicans and two Democrats this year.
It gave its blessings to Democrats Roy Barnes for governor and Ken Hodges for attorney general, and Republican incumbents Johnny Isakson for senator and Casey Cagle for lieutenant governor.
Morris News Service (2010-10-5). Groups split Georgia endorsements. Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved on 2010-10-7.
Talk about covering your bases.
DCCC Airs Second Ad Against Republican Mike Keown
For the second time in the last few days, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) took to the airwaves in support of 2nd district Congressman Sanford Bishop (D - Albany).
Mike Keown's Done Some Crazy Things
Bishop, who is seeking his tenth term in the House of Representatives, faces a tough challenger this November from Republican Mike Keown. Political prognosticators have gradually moved the Democrat's chance of retaining his seat from "safe Democrat" all the way down to "leans Democrat."
The DCCC, fearing the loss of a seemingly safe seat, stepped up its attacks against Mike Keown; accusing the Coolidge Republican of voting to increase his legislative salary twice while raising fees on daycare centers, gun permits and marriage licenses.
In a press release issued Wednesday, the DCCC called Keown crazy and said he wanted to "gamble social security on Wall Street."
"Seniors in Southern Georgia aren’t going to sit back while Mike Keown’s moves forward with his crazy plan to gamble Social Security on the stock market,” said Jesse Ferguson, Southern Regional Press Secretary at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “This week, Representative Bishop pledged to protect seniors and their retirement by protecting Social Security but Mike Keown stands behind a plan to privatize it – slashing benefits and putting the whole program at risk.
"If Mike Keown had his crazy way a few years ago when the stock market crashed, you can only imagine what would have happened to retirement savings. Mike Keown says he wants to stand up for people but the only people he’s fighting for are the Wall Street fat-cats that profit from gambling Social Security on Wall Street. Sanford Bishop won’t let that happen."
Now we have ourselves a race.
Mike Keown's Done Some Crazy Things
Bishop, who is seeking his tenth term in the House of Representatives, faces a tough challenger this November from Republican Mike Keown. Political prognosticators have gradually moved the Democrat's chance of retaining his seat from "safe Democrat" all the way down to "leans Democrat."
The DCCC, fearing the loss of a seemingly safe seat, stepped up its attacks against Mike Keown; accusing the Coolidge Republican of voting to increase his legislative salary twice while raising fees on daycare centers, gun permits and marriage licenses.
In a press release issued Wednesday, the DCCC called Keown crazy and said he wanted to "gamble social security on Wall Street."
"Seniors in Southern Georgia aren’t going to sit back while Mike Keown’s moves forward with his crazy plan to gamble Social Security on the stock market,” said Jesse Ferguson, Southern Regional Press Secretary at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “This week, Representative Bishop pledged to protect seniors and their retirement by protecting Social Security but Mike Keown stands behind a plan to privatize it – slashing benefits and putting the whole program at risk.
"If Mike Keown had his crazy way a few years ago when the stock market crashed, you can only imagine what would have happened to retirement savings. Mike Keown says he wants to stand up for people but the only people he’s fighting for are the Wall Street fat-cats that profit from gambling Social Security on Wall Street. Sanford Bishop won’t let that happen."
Now we have ourselves a race.
Democrats Shoulder The Same Blame For SB31 As Republicans
With citizens angry at Georgia Power for requesting a $1.2 billion rate increase during these slow economic times, Senate Democratic Leader Robert Brown is seeing an opportunity to capitalize politically by blaming Republicans for the proposed hike in Georgians' electric bills.
In an op-ed sent to the media Wednesday, Senator Brown (D - Macon) said that Georgia Power "employs Republicans to force small businesses and residential customers to pay for electricity before they can use it."
While I share Senator Brown's indignation at Georgia Power's proposed rate increase, I disagree with his claim that Republicans are solely to blame.
The bill referenced in the Macon Democrat's op-ed piece, Senate Bill 31, was introduced January 26, 2009. Listed among the chief co-sponsors of S.B. 31 are two high-profile Democrats: state Senator J.B. Powell, the Democratic nominee for Agriculture Commissioner; and former state Senator Ed Tarver, the Obama-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
When S.B. 31 came to the Georgia Senate floor for a vote, Democratic Caucus Chairman Tim Golden and five other Senate Democrats voted for the legislation [SOURCE: Senate Vote #35].
In the Georgia House, Democratic Caucus Chairman Calvin Smyre, Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Nikki Randall and 21 other Democrats voted for S.B. 31 too [SOURCE: House Vote #87].
Those Georgia Power-employed "bleached blonde" lobbyists Senator Brown is decrying in his op-ed column seem to work on Democrats and Republicans alike. And the blame for Senate Bill 31 becoming law belongs to both the Democrats and Republicans who voted for the measure.
In an op-ed sent to the media Wednesday, Senator Brown (D - Macon) said that Georgia Power "employs Republicans to force small businesses and residential customers to pay for electricity before they can use it."
The legislation (SB-31) that allows Georgia Power to charge small businesses and residential customers for electricity in advance provides exhibits A to Z of Republican core economic and political values; family values are exhibited in the Speaker suite on the right wing at Motel 6.
The rate/tax increase legislation was written by Georgia Power and carried by Republican leaders. The company hired every available bleached blonde-other colors were noticeably absent from every other lobbying firm under the gold dome. Every known and unknown legislative maneuver was employed to pass the rate/tax increase. Exempting large rate payers and leaving the burden entirely on small businesses and residential payers was the major key to passing this onerous bill. This bought off the large companies with their highly paid lobbyists, leaving small businesses and residential customers virtually unarmed against a powerful corporation.
It is not surprising that Georgia Republicans would place this unnecessary burden on small businesses and residential customers.
While I share Senator Brown's indignation at Georgia Power's proposed rate increase, I disagree with his claim that Republicans are solely to blame.
The bill referenced in the Macon Democrat's op-ed piece, Senate Bill 31, was introduced January 26, 2009. Listed among the chief co-sponsors of S.B. 31 are two high-profile Democrats: state Senator J.B. Powell, the Democratic nominee for Agriculture Commissioner; and former state Senator Ed Tarver, the Obama-appointed U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.
When S.B. 31 came to the Georgia Senate floor for a vote, Democratic Caucus Chairman Tim Golden and five other Senate Democrats voted for the legislation [SOURCE: Senate Vote #35].
In the Georgia House, Democratic Caucus Chairman Calvin Smyre, Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Nikki Randall and 21 other Democrats voted for S.B. 31 too [SOURCE: House Vote #87].
Those Georgia Power-employed "bleached blonde" lobbyists Senator Brown is decrying in his op-ed column seem to work on Democrats and Republicans alike. And the blame for Senate Bill 31 becoming law belongs to both the Democrats and Republicans who voted for the measure.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Lady Lobbyists In D.C. Angry At Kingston, Price For Not Meeting With Them
For more than a decade, both Democrats and Republicans have played "gotcha" politics with sex scandals involving candidates for Congress.
Republicans, fearing scathing TV commercials and direct mail pieces alleging sexual misconduct (true or not) with female interns, lobbyists and staffers, have now adopted a policy of not meeting with women behind closed doors.
Consider this new policy blowback for years of campaigns about sex scandals instead of a dialogue on the issues.
1st district Congressman Jack Kingston (R - Georgia) told The Hill that he doesn't do a lot of drinking and partying with lady lobbyists. Kingston also said that he's very careful when it comes to meeting with women alone.
Another Georgia Republican, Tom Price, said, "one should always conduct oneself in a manner that is beyond reproach."
This GOP policy is an affect effect of political operatives making elections about who's sleeping with whom. Women working in the political arena, especially attractive women, are now treated with kid gloves in order to avoid the appearance of misconduct.
Elections should be about the issues, not about sex. Now we're seeing what happens when elections are about sex and not the issues. There are no winners, only losers.
And this time, the losers are the lady lobbyists.
Republicans, fearing scathing TV commercials and direct mail pieces alleging sexual misconduct (true or not) with female interns, lobbyists and staffers, have now adopted a policy of not meeting with women behind closed doors.
Consider this new policy blowback for years of campaigns about sex scandals instead of a dialogue on the issues.
. . .female lobbyists are raising new concerns that access to male Republican lawmakers has been further hampered by a warning made earlier this year by House Minority Leader John Boehner.
The Ohio Republican privately told a handful of male Republicans to avoid getting drunk and partying with female lobbyists at after-hour parties on Capitol Hill, according to a July report in the New York Post.
Crabtree, Susan (2010-10-5). Female lobbyists cry foul as Republican lawmakers keep their distance on the Hill. The Hill. Retrieved on 2010-10-6.
1st district Congressman Jack Kingston (R - Georgia) told The Hill that he doesn't do a lot of drinking and partying with lady lobbyists. Kingston also said that he's very careful when it comes to meeting with women alone.
Another Georgia Republican, Tom Price, said, "one should always conduct oneself in a manner that is beyond reproach."
This GOP policy is an affect effect of political operatives making elections about who's sleeping with whom. Women working in the political arena, especially attractive women, are now treated with kid gloves in order to avoid the appearance of misconduct.
Elections should be about the issues, not about sex. Now we're seeing what happens when elections are about sex and not the issues. There are no winners, only losers.
And this time, the losers are the lady lobbyists.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Nat'l Democrats Aid Sanford Bishop With New Ad
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is coming to the aid of 2nd district Congressman Sanford Bishop.
A new ad released by the DCCC last week was critical of certain votes by Republican state Representative Mike Keown in the General Assembly.
Among the claims made by the DCCC is that Keown voted to raise fees on daycare centers, gun permits, marriage licenses all the while approving an increase in his legislative salary twice.
Here's the 31-second spot titled "Meet Mike Keown: The Asterisk Man"
Just out of curiosity, did anyone at the DCCC read the July 16, 2009 WXIA-TV (Atlanta) article that reported both Democratic and Republican state legislators taking a pay cut due to the tough economy?
A new ad released by the DCCC last week was critical of certain votes by Republican state Representative Mike Keown in the General Assembly.
Among the claims made by the DCCC is that Keown voted to raise fees on daycare centers, gun permits, marriage licenses all the while approving an increase in his legislative salary twice.
Here's the 31-second spot titled "Meet Mike Keown: The Asterisk Man"
Just out of curiosity, did anyone at the DCCC read the July 16, 2009 WXIA-TV (Atlanta) article that reported both Democratic and Republican state legislators taking a pay cut due to the tough economy?
Nat'l GOP Committee Runs New Ad Against Jim Marshall
The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has 8th district Congressman Jim Marshall firmly in their sights.
Monday, the NRCC rolled out a new advertisement accusing Marshall of looking out for Wall Street, not Main Street (doesn't that sound like an attack Democrats would use against Republicans?).
The 31-second spot is titled, "Jim Marshall's Not Looking out for Main Street."
Monday, the NRCC rolled out a new advertisement accusing Marshall of looking out for Wall Street, not Main Street (doesn't that sound like an attack Democrats would use against Republicans?).
The 31-second spot is titled, "Jim Marshall's Not Looking out for Main Street."
An Apology . . .
. . .No, not for that. Find me 1,000 Georgians who know who I am and actually care what my Facebook status says, and I'll apologize.
Sunday, this site was going to host a live blog of the gubernatorial debate featuring Democrat Roy Barnes, Republican Nathan Deal and Libertarian John Monds.
It was my every intention to live blog the debate, but I fell asleep.
After watching the Braves win their playoff-clinching last game of the 2010 season, I thought I'd take a nap before the debate started. A nap was needed because I've slept through the last few gubernatorial debates (including one where SpaceyG had to wake me up), proving that Monds, Deal and Barnes aren't saying much if a political junkie like me has trouble staying awake during their forums.
So I apologize for missing the live blog. I promise to do it better next time, and as always, thanks for reading.
-Andre
Sunday, this site was going to host a live blog of the gubernatorial debate featuring Democrat Roy Barnes, Republican Nathan Deal and Libertarian John Monds.
It was my every intention to live blog the debate, but I fell asleep.
After watching the Braves win their playoff-clinching last game of the 2010 season, I thought I'd take a nap before the debate started. A nap was needed because I've slept through the last few gubernatorial debates (including one where SpaceyG had to wake me up), proving that Monds, Deal and Barnes aren't saying much if a political junkie like me has trouble staying awake during their forums.
So I apologize for missing the live blog. I promise to do it better next time, and as always, thanks for reading.
-Andre
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Unfiltered Thoughts on P**sy-Gate
I don't know if you heard, but it seems like I'm embroiled in a little bit of controversy.
Early Saturday morning, I came across a tweet from the rapper 50 Cent that I thought was particularly funny. I posted that tweet in my status box on the social networking site, Facebook. The tweet read, "If you a man and your over 25 and you don't eat pu**y just kill your self damn it. The world will be a better place. Lol."
I had no idea, at the time, that a 121-character tweet would cause so much trouble.
Dustin Baker, who blogs at Georgia Politico, called my Facebook status "entirely inappropriate" and asked that I apologize. Amy Morton, a political blogger from Macon, strongly suggested that I was spreading hate speech through Facebook. Then the state Democratic Party got involved and issued the following statement:
Let's do a little counting, shall we?
The United States Census Bureau estimates that Georgia has a population of 9,829,211.
Let me repeat that:
The Census Bureau says 9,829,211 people live in the state of Georgia.
Those 9,829,211 people don't give a damn about Andre Walker. They don't give a damn about Dustin Baker or Amy Morton either.
I doubt you could find 1,000 folks who both know who we are and care what we think about anything, let alone whether we agree with a tweet posted by a rapper.
So Eric Gray and the Democratic Party can file that statement about "offending countless Georgia citizens" with the Georgia Department of Hyperbole & Exaggerations. It's on the fifth floor of the Sloppy Floyd building in downtown Atlanta. Ask for directions if you get lost.
My Facebook status won't put one more Georgian back to work. It won't get a single person out of their car and onto mass transit. And it won't raise our state's SAT scores, improve our high school graduation rate, increase teacher pay or reduce class sizes one bit.
Neither, by the way, will an apology from me. So I'm not apologizing.
Seriously, what does an apology do? What does it mean?
If I don't say I'm sorry, will you de-friend me on Facebook? Are you going to organize a letter-writing campaign against me? Will you protest in front of my house? Will you go so far as to hold a press conference on the steps of the State Capitol with representatives from Georgia Equality, the Stonewall Democrats and the Human Rights Campaign in attendance?
Come on now. . .don't waste my time or your time either.
Plain and simple, this is a distraction. This distraction gets Democrats off message at a time when Democrats desperately need to stay on message.
Georgians will elect a new governor in thirty days. And the three issues that will decide whether Roy Barnes, Nathan Deal or John Monds become our state's 82nd governor are jobs, education and transportation. That's what this election is about; not the Facebook status of some political blogger.
My Facebook status won't put one more Georgian back to work. It won't get a single person out of their car and onto mass transit. And it won't raise our state's SAT scores, improve our high school graduation rate, increase teacher pay or reduce class sizes one bit.
Early Saturday morning, I came across a tweet from the rapper 50 Cent that I thought was particularly funny. I posted that tweet in my status box on the social networking site, Facebook. The tweet read, "If you a man and your over 25 and you don't eat pu**y just kill your self damn it. The world will be a better place. Lol."
I had no idea, at the time, that a 121-character tweet would cause so much trouble.
Dustin Baker, who blogs at Georgia Politico, called my Facebook status "entirely inappropriate" and asked that I apologize. Amy Morton, a political blogger from Macon, strongly suggested that I was spreading hate speech through Facebook. Then the state Democratic Party got involved and issued the following statement:
“This hateful speech has no place in the Democratic Party. Andre should apologize for offending countless Georgia citizens who are already targeted by these types of comments way to often.”
Countless citizens? Really? Countless?Let's do a little counting, shall we?
The United States Census Bureau estimates that Georgia has a population of 9,829,211.
Let me repeat that:
The Census Bureau says 9,829,211 people live in the state of Georgia.
Those 9,829,211 people don't give a damn about Andre Walker. They don't give a damn about Dustin Baker or Amy Morton either.
I doubt you could find 1,000 folks who both know who we are and care what we think about anything, let alone whether we agree with a tweet posted by a rapper.
So Eric Gray and the Democratic Party can file that statement about "offending countless Georgia citizens" with the Georgia Department of Hyperbole & Exaggerations. It's on the fifth floor of the Sloppy Floyd building in downtown Atlanta. Ask for directions if you get lost.
My Facebook status won't put one more Georgian back to work. It won't get a single person out of their car and onto mass transit. And it won't raise our state's SAT scores, improve our high school graduation rate, increase teacher pay or reduce class sizes one bit.
Neither, by the way, will an apology from me. So I'm not apologizing.
Seriously, what does an apology do? What does it mean?
If I don't say I'm sorry, will you de-friend me on Facebook? Are you going to organize a letter-writing campaign against me? Will you protest in front of my house? Will you go so far as to hold a press conference on the steps of the State Capitol with representatives from Georgia Equality, the Stonewall Democrats and the Human Rights Campaign in attendance?
Come on now. . .don't waste my time or your time either.
Plain and simple, this is a distraction. This distraction gets Democrats off message at a time when Democrats desperately need to stay on message.
Georgians will elect a new governor in thirty days. And the three issues that will decide whether Roy Barnes, Nathan Deal or John Monds become our state's 82nd governor are jobs, education and transportation. That's what this election is about; not the Facebook status of some political blogger.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Gubernatorial Debate Live Blog Sunday Beginning at 6:45PM
Sunday, October 3rd, students from the University of Georgia, Georgia College and Morehouse College are hosting a debate featuring the three candidates for Governor of Georgia [Wheatley, Thomas (2010-10-1). College students to grill gubernatorial candidates on Sunday night. Fresh Loaf. Retrieved on 2010-10-2.].
The debate is scheduled to begin at 7PM and will air live on Georgia Public Broadcasting.
All election season long, Georgia Politics Unfiltered has teamed up with the state's prominent political blogs (Georgia Politico, Jason Pye.com and Peach Pundit to name a few) to live blog the debates, and Sunday will be no different.
Log on to Georgia Politics Unfiltered Sunday at 6:45PM for a live blog of the gubernatorial debate.
The debate is scheduled to begin at 7PM and will air live on Georgia Public Broadcasting.
All election season long, Georgia Politics Unfiltered has teamed up with the state's prominent political blogs (Georgia Politico, Jason Pye.com and Peach Pundit to name a few) to live blog the debates, and Sunday will be no different.
Log on to Georgia Politics Unfiltered Sunday at 6:45PM for a live blog of the gubernatorial debate.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Quote of the Day: the Tommy Irvin edition
"I think he’s going to win."
-Outgoing Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin (D - Habersham County) discussing the chances of Gary Black becoming Georgia's first Republican Commissioner of Agriculture.
-Outgoing Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irvin (D - Habersham County) discussing the chances of Gary Black becoming Georgia's first Republican Commissioner of Agriculture.
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