Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2006 > April > 27
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Next thing you know, there’ll be Hechtiacs
Howard Dean's former advisor to direct Hecht's web effort
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Joe Trippi, the guru of Howard Dean’s internet-fueled 2004 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination, has signed on as a consultant to former Sen. Greg Hecht, who qualified Thursday for the non-Ralph Reed side of the lieutenant governor’s race.
We’re told Trippi will do some of the standard “message� work that political consultants do, but he’ll focus on Internet fund-raising and networking, which gave Dean an early, and as it turned out short-lived, boost.
Now it seems the Democratic consultant is turning that into something of a specialty. (Rule No. 1 for Internet political consultants: Stay away from Wikipedia.)
Although Dean faltered, Trippi just had a big win: He was involved in the final months of the Romano Prodi campaign.
Che cosa? You are asking, who is Romano Prodi? Why, the center-left candidate who just knocked off Silvio Berlusconi in the Italian prime minister’s race. Consultants get around these days.
He’d never been Van Dyked before
Phil Gingrey expounds on the Iraq war, homosexual car sex, and his moustache
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One of U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston’s goals in life is to see that Georgia is the first state to have its entire congressional delegation interviewed on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report.â€? It’s a new-media thing.
U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey of Marietta did his part Wednesday night, and kept a largely straight face during the faux confrontation. U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland of Sharpsburg is set for a May 12 taping.
Gingrey can be seen again at 8:30 p.m. tonight, but in case you miss it, here’s the transcript:
Colbert: Welcome back. During the break I was just humming that great Jamie Fox classic “Georgia on My Mind.�
Why? Because Georgia is on my mind and on my television show. It’s a subject of our 20th installment of my 433-part series “Better Know a District.â€? Georgia’s 11th district. The fightin’ 11th. Though it may not be fightin’ enough.
In 1864 General William Sherman burned Marietta to the ground on his famed March to the Sea, leaving only two buildings standing. One was the historic Kennesaw House, whose inhabitants were lucky that the other was the historic Kennesaw outhouse.
But the 11th has made lemonade out of their burned to the ground lemons with the ‘Gone with the Wind’ museum where you can find production stills and Scarlet O’Hara’s dress.
You can even get your picture taken with the original wind. The 11th town of Rome like the ancient Italian city it’s named after houses a statue of Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of Mars who were suckled by a wolf.
A note to our younger viewers, please do not try this at home. Serious injuries can occur when you suck wolf teat. Not worth the risk, but, oh, wolf milk is so delicious. Tempting.
The 11th is also known for its political heavy hitters like FDR, who died in the town of Warm Springs, and, appropriately, enough Newt Gingrich, who 50 years later tried to kill everything FDR accomplished.
And who’s the gentleman with enough Southern charm to represent this fine district? Why, I do declah, it’s none other than Republican Congressman Phil Gingrey. I sat a spell with him in his Washington office.
Colbert: Tell me about the 11th district.
Gingrey: It’s a great district. It’s shaped a little bit like Indonesia, as you probably know. Represents 17 counties including Muscogee, the home of the infantry at Ft. Benning.
Colbert: That’s the part of the district that looks like the [insert made-up name here] region?
Gingrey: That would be, yes.
Colbert: Gingrey. Gingrich. Are you related to the former speaker of the House?
Gingrey: No, I’m not related but this district was formerly his district.
Colbert: How many people voted for you out of sheer confusion?
Gingrey: I think none because he’s been gone a good while from the west Georgia district.
Colbert: but They might think he’s back and he’s trying to pretend it’s not him. He grew a moustache.
Gingrey: I’m better looking than he is. Some would question that.
Colbert: I would question that. You’re different. You’re both very attractive men. You have a lovely mouth.
Gingrey: Well, thank you. I think.
Colbert: I mean there’s nothing — a guy can say that to a guy. A good looking guy. In a related matter, you’re against both gay marriage and gay adoption.
Gingrey: I am.
Colbert: What is it about homosexual couples that you believe they should not be allowed to adopt?
Gingrey: Well, I think it’s showing a child a lifestyle that is certainly against everything I’ve read in the Bible but more practically….
Colbert: You don’t get any more practical than the Bible.
Gingrey: You don’t get any more practical. That’s right.
Colbert: I believe being gay is a choice. If a gay couple wanted a baby that much, maybe they should choose to find a woman attractive. Isn’t that a little selfish to not stop having sex with other men?
Gingrey: I think if they wanted a baby bad enough they could make that choice. I’m not saying it’s an easy choice. But I agree with you on that.
Colbert: It’s so nice to be talking to somebody that I can agree with.
Gingrey: Thank you.
Colbert: Where do you come down on gays having driver’s licenses?
Gingrey: They have every right to drivers licenses and other state privileges.
Colbert: That’s where you and I part ways, sir. I don’t want my highways all gay-ed up. I don’t need to be sitting behind a car and seeing a bumper sticker that says “my other car is having sex with a man.”
Gingrey: Well, it’s a good point but we have to….
Colbert: Thank you. Thank you. Very few people say that.
Gingrey: Let’s move off that for a second. The war in Iraq. A great war? Or the greatest war?
Gingrey: Possibly the greatest war.
Colbert: Back that up.
Gingrey: We’re talking about the Middle East and literally a billion Muslim people in the world, and we need to win their minds, hearts and souls.
Colbert: Is there any better way to do that than with a war?
Gingrey: If there was, the president would have taken that option.
Colbert: Now is not the time to question anything he does.
Gingrey: Absolutely, Steve
Colbert: Congressman, are you a Georgia peach?
Gingrey: Indeed I am a Georgia peach.
Colbert: You are. I see you have some fuzz.
Gingrey: I do have a little fuzz.
Colbert: Congressman, may I stroke your moustache?
Gingrey: No, Steve, you can’t.
Colbert: Congressman, may I comb your moustache?
Gingrey: No, Steve.
Colbert: Congressman, may I give you a Van Dyke?
Gingrey: You may. (Colbert puts fake beard on Gingrey.)
Colbert: It works. Has anyone ever given you a Van Dyke before? Is this your first Van Dyking?
Gingrey: I never knew what Van Dyking was. This is a whole new thing. This is certainly the first time I’ve ever been Van Dyked.
Colbert: Congressman, thank you for restoring dignity to the democratic process.
Gingrey: Thank you, Steve.
Colbert: Can I have that back? I’ve got to put that on the next guy.
Gingrey: Sure.
