Political Insider

By Debbie

July 14, 2006 5:32 PM | Link to this

Great radio ad. Voters trust Zell Miller and it is already having an impact.

Cagle is a admitted liar and voters will not believe him.

I don’t think the race will be as close as Towery says.

By BahamaBoy

July 14, 2006 6:54 PM | Link to this

I don’t hink the race will be that close either, Debbie. I’m thinking more like 52-48 —- Cagle!

By BahamaBoy

July 14, 2006 6:57 PM | Link to this

The diaper brigade Reed brought in to wave signs (I guess all the Georgia kids are at the beach?) can’t vote. Nor can they drive vans to get people to the polls on Tuesday. They do look cute, but then most observers still say that about your cherub-faced leader, Reed.

By BO_DOG

July 14, 2006 10:26 PM | Link to this

What is so moral about screwing 2 Indian Tribes, taking millions of dollars to ‘lobby’, and covertly transfer money thru non-profits? The appearance of fraud is as good as going the fraud- both are unethical,even if you don’t get caught.

By Suzanne Thornton

July 14, 2006 10:28 PM | Link to this

Trusting Zell Miller is like putting your head into the lion’s mouth. Maybe sometimes you don’t get bit, but one time is enough. Zell must have a brain tumor-he is turning into George Wallace of the 2000’s.Yet Zell wanted to change the flag-now supports Reed?

By Elisabeth Huhn

July 14, 2006 10:31 PM | Link to this

Zell Zig Zags to Reed. What a pair? Zell supporting Reed is like pig without a bike. Neither make sense. Neither are believable anymore ( even the pig knows better than to ride a bike)

By decidedvoter

July 14, 2006 10:33 PM | Link to this

I’ve finally made up my mind and some of it has been based on comments form the Cagle supporters on this site. Zell Miller — the George Wallace of 2000s…..Rudy — homosexual agenda Yankee….Waffle House — poisons people.

The Cagle side hates Ralph so much that they attack anyone who dares support him. I’m voting for Ralph in large part to BahamaBoy, Tony, and now Suzanne.

By Beatrice Sloan

July 14, 2006 11:26 PM | Link to this

I have noticed that the Cagle posters here and those at other blogs are very hateful in both their tone and the content of their posts.

I reject that hatred and plan to vote for Mr. Reed on Tuesday. The may concern I have is Mr. Cag;e’s campaign congribution to liberal democrat Lt. Governor Mark Taylor. How could a conservative Republican give a campaign contribution to Mark Taylor who is running against Mark Taylor. Sorry, but that is just stupid and I cannot vote for Cagle for that reason.

Mr. Reed may have crossed a few lines, but there is no question that he is for genuine conservative issues and values.

Mr. Cagle is just to sleazy for me.

By Tony

July 14, 2006 11:32 PM | Link to this

decidedvoter,

If you vote for Ralph just because of what others say about him, you’re in line with Reed’s thinking….hypocrite. Funny how GReed’s people can insult people calling them names and even making fun of Cagle’s upbringing but you give that a pass. You’re nothing but a GReed supporter trying to pass yourself off as undecided. If you TRULY held a standard of voting based on your standard, you’d skip this office altogether. No way someone of such ‘principles’ would give a pass to people who insult single moms, small and humble business owners, those with no college degrees, those who actually make thousands by legitimate means, etc. It’s OK for GReed’s people to say something about homosexual agenda. It’s OK for GReed’s people to insult a evangelical Christian and close friend to GWB and call him a godless liberal. It’s OK for GReed to lie about where he grew up and lie about Cagle violating ethics laws and conflicts of interest. It’s OK for Ralph to not once but repeatedly blame Jack Abramoff for GReed’s own decisions. Anyone who cannot take responsibility for one’s own incompetency and instead blame others doesn’t deserve to be elected.

By Bowersville

July 15, 2006 12:02 AM | Link to this

“Ralph will fight those that seek to trivialize the pro-family values that are the foundation of our country,” Miller says in the ad. What makes anyone with a sane mind not believe that Cagle will do the same? Is Miller saying Cagle will not?

By Savannah Thinker

July 15, 2006 2:01 AM | Link to this

There is no way to justify voting for Ralph Reed. A vote for Reed is a sign that you have NO VALUES and are just as greedy and self centered as the candidate that you support.

Ralph Reed is a racist, Indian cheat, false Christian, and probably a money launderer.

Come on people, USE YOUR BRAINS.

By Pravin

July 15, 2006 4:05 AM | Link to this

Beatrice Sloan displays some of the contradictions prevalent among Reed supporters. She is OK with Reed receiving a few shady contributions, yet finds it inexcusble that Cagle donates to a democrat? Which is worse - a democrat or a crook? Looks like she has a warped sense of values. According to her logic, Cagle crossed the line once, but Reed crossing the line a few times is OK?

By Debbie

July 15, 2006 6:39 AM | Link to this

A vote for Cagle is a vote for moderates, George Soros/Al Franken/ Michael Moore left wing groups, atheists, and some gays that are crossing over.

By Debbie

July 15, 2006 6:42 AM | Link to this

Zell also said you could trust Ralph and his character. Zell said you could depend on Ralph to stand up for our family values.

You can not depend on Cagle to stand up for anything. He has shown a pattern of weakness and a go along to get along attitude.

By Debbie

July 15, 2006 6:44 AM | Link to this

If you think indian tribes have only gambling as an industry th en look at the following l inks.

http://www.choctaw.org/economics/tribalbusinessoverview.htm

By Debbie

July 15, 2006 6:45 AM | Link to this

http://indianz.com/News/2005/006534.asp

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050215/BIZ/502150353/1005

By Michae C

July 15, 2006 7:08 AM | Link to this

Guys DecidedVoter and Beatrice work for the Reed campaign. Their comments are from a script.

By BahamaBoy

July 15, 2006 7:29 AM | Link to this

There’s nothing much left to say about these two candidates that hasn’t already been said. One will emerge Tuesday night to be the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor. The other will have put up a valiant effort that ended up being too little to overcome the enormous flaws of his character that have been paraded here, all over the state of Georgia, and throughout the land. Cagle will win and Reed will lose — because this is how it should be!

There is no way that Georgia deserves Reed in the top chair of its Senate. No way! He has fooled a lot of people for a very long time, and he’s gotten away with things that would have sunk many a businessman long ago. But this time it has all caught up with him. No, it’s time for Ralph to exit. He won’t go gracefully though. He will fight to the bitter end, and will take as many lemmings with him as he can.

Intelligent voters who are concerned about Georgia’s future will vote for Cagle on Tuesday to send a clear and convincing message to Reed and his ilk — go away! You may have done some good things in the past, but you obviously did some very bad things too. You don’t deserve the honor of representing us in the Legislature, or anywhere else for that matter.

By BahamaBoy

July 15, 2006 8:03 AM | Link to this

Where do journalists stand on Ralph Reed?

Reedite, please post citations or links to publications or editorials that support Ralph Reed. They must be fresh; say within the past 3 months. How’s that? (The New York Times will be weighing in Sunday, so I won’t expect you to cite that one.)

But really: are there ANY? I’d like to read them, review the credentials of the writer or publication, and see if there’s something I’ve overlooked about Reed’s character. (church bulletins don’t count)

Are there ANY endorsements by Georgia newspapers?

By Concerned

July 15, 2006 8:06 AM | Link to this

Chip Lake was the mastermind behind Price’s win in 2004. Thomas was merely a “yes” man for Lake who is now in D.C. running things for Westmoreland.

By bubba

July 15, 2006 8:26 AM | Link to this

“Ralph will fight those who seek to trivialize the pro-family values that are the foundation of our country,�

And pigs fly. Ralph Reed has proven himself to be nothing more than a self serving pimp. Georgia deserves honest and ethical leadership

Jim Martin said it best “There’s conservative, then there’s Ralph.” Ralph is no conservative.

By Tony

July 15, 2006 9:08 AM | Link to this

Ralph stands up for conservative causes? More like Ralph stands up for a fat paycheck. He takes up causes that make the most money for him. Repeatedly Ralph has taken up causes without looking into what these causes were. He never bothered to see what his work 1)was about and 2)would do for those he worked against. Basically Ralph never looked at the details and fine print. He destroyed people’s lives and never looked back as he took the money and ran.

Ralph says he was helping spread the Gospel to Chinese in Northern Marianas. Tell me how keeping them in low wage, sweat shop work conditions while subject to prostitution and forced abortions exposes people to the Gospel? Perhaps he should have went to Gideons with those millions he took and bought some Bibles and handed them out personally? No all he did was send a mailer out and cashed in. HE DID NOTHING to help these people. These people were worse off by the time Ralph was finished.

Tell me is that a Christian to ensure a corrupt lifestyle continues? Is that a Christian to cash in while ensuring people live in such wretched conditions? Is he truly fighting for ethical values? What did his work do to promote the Faith? What did sending a mailer out do for those people?

What did his AL lott effort do? People still gamble. He didn’t get rid of gambling. All he did was protect one casino from competition. That ‘evil’ lifestyle still prevails. he had no problem shutting down one casino but worked for another to rid it of competition. If he was so against gambling, why didn’t he shut them ALL down? Why did he take pay from one group? And why is the GA lotto settled and protected but the one he shut down NOT settled? Too many contradictions here.

You see Ralph doesn’t work for a cause. if he believed in the cause, he wouldn’t have taken half the business he did. He would have pursued EVERY effort to rid us of casinos and lotteries. The truth is Ralph only steps up when he knows he can win and can get a fat paycheck out of it. he only takes up a cause when he knows it will give him more power and influence.

By Political Foreskin

July 15, 2006 9:21 AM | Link to this

You have to admire Zell Miller for going down with his Republican Ship. Ralph Reed is Kryptonite to Bushbots. Zell just committed political suicide. He can now go fishing, (the new refuge of scoundrels).

The country is finally awakening from it’s grief over 911 and realizing how badly they have been betrayed by the entire Republican Party.

We have been in a stupor of sadness and confusion. But that’s over. We know. We’re appalled. We’re angry. and we’re voting.

In fact, I’d go as far as to say, “we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it anymore”…..they’re shouting it in cleveland, in Miami, in NewYork!!!!

By Tony

July 15, 2006 9:50 AM | Link to this

I want to know this. I’ve looked at Cagle’s achievements and what he’s done. I want to know from the GReed people what has Ralph done for GA? What has GReed done for conservative causes? I don’t want to know what he’s been PAID to do. I want to know what, especially in the last 6 years Ralph has done himself for conservatism and GA. Again I will reiterate that I don’t want to know what he has been hired/paid to do.

By Brad Carver

July 15, 2006 11:13 AM | Link to this

Casey Cagle has served proudly in our State Senate for 12 years and has accomplished A LOT, including the most significant corporate income tax reform in Georgia history (HB 191) which is already making a difference in corporate relocation decisions. Look at Kia! Ralph Reed has been a good leader in the Republican party, but the controversy surrounding his relationship with Jack Abramoff and the Indian Casino Scandal will not go away. Unfortunately, he will be a drag on our entire Republican ticket including Governor Perdue. I hope Casey wins on Tuesday.

By Claude

July 15, 2006 11:23 AM | Link to this

I met Ralph Reed at Emory University in 1984 when he was working for College Republicans, and there was a lot to like about him. He was bright, articulate, organized, and worked very hard. 1984 was a good year for Republicans, and Ralph Reed can take some of the credit for that.

That being said, what Ralph Reed did for Jack Abramoff is simply incompatible with running for public office. Exploiting the naivety of newly wealthy Indians and helping a gambling interest under an anti-gambling facade were reprehensible.

Politics is a nasty business because you have a lot of intelligent, poorly paid, hard working, and idealistic people working in close proximity to lobbyists and others who are well paid, dishonest, less intelligent, and enjoying a comfortable life. It takes only a little cynicism to get people in the first group to join the second. That is what happened to Ralph Reed.

I know next to nothing about Casey Cagle, but he will get my vote.

By jpetz

July 15, 2006 11:43 AM | Link to this

Reed Would Get Trounced In General Election

Should Ralph Reed manage to hoodwink GOP voters on Tuesday, it will be for naught. There is no way Reed will win in a general election, despite Georgia being a red state. The Democratic candidate will make it crystal clear how Reed is totally unfit for Lt Gov based on his ethical lapses. Reed would certainly invoke the word liberal a thousand times in describing his opponent so Georgians would be confronted with a choice between an ethical candidate, liberal or otherwise, with one that is potentially facing a criminal indictment down the road. Reed may not have broken the law to date, but what he did was so unethical its hard to believe he’s even on the primary ballot. No matter - Reed will never see the Lt. Gov’s chair. Not a chance. As for Zell Miller, my wife thinks he may be suffering from Alzheimers. Miller’s bizarre behavior the last few years is consistent with the early stages of the disease. Then again, Miller may have simply been a Democrat in name only, using the party simply to get elected when the GOP was still viewed with suspicion in the South. Those days are over so perhaps Miller is just showing his true colors. His endorsement of Reed is astonishing.

By Tony

July 15, 2006 11:46 AM | Link to this

I’ve heard from several of his former staffers both in office and campaign they honestly think he is lashing out at those who snubbed him from the Dems and he did have a breakdown. Revenge and breakdown make a nasty combination and provide excellent fodder for someone like GReed to exploit.

By Zell admirer

July 15, 2006 11:48 AM | Link to this

We should applaud Zell. Increasing dementia would keep most people out of public life.

By JP

July 15, 2006 11:49 AM | Link to this

Zell just needs to give up the (D)—there’s no room in my book for a Democrat to support a right wing religious nutjob like Reed.

Blog and Tan

By RL

July 15, 2006 12:12 PM | Link to this

JP, Zell will never give up the D if keeping it gets him the most attention. He’s pathetic…

By Thomas Richard

July 15, 2006 12:19 PM | Link to this

I am completely at a loss. How can thes conservaties equate Ralph Reed a liar with family values.All I can think of is “He may be a liar,but he is our liar”.

By Zathras

July 15, 2006 12:20 PM | Link to this

Mark Taylor could have an influence on this fall’s race for governor in more ways than one.

First, of course, he could win the Democratic primary. But it was only because he was Lieutenant Governor that Senate Republicans stripped most of the power from that office, making the Lt. Gov. less of an independent force in Georgia politics. Candidates for that office will inevitably come to be seen by voters as the second fiddle on their party’s statewide ticket, not as people seeking an office with value apart from the Governor’s race.

What this means is that if Reed wins next week, the Georgia Governor’s race will turn on the corruption issue and how Sonny Perdue stands on it. Perdue would be in a difficult situation. If he defends his candidate for Lt. Gov., Reed, he will be accused of tolerating corruption, a charge likely to be more damaging in a general election less heavily influenced by passionate (and somewhat gullible) Christian Coalition types than is the GOP primary. If he distances himself from Reed he angers some of the most loyal Republican voters. If he tries to ignore the issue he risks looking wishy-washy.

Sonny Perdue isn’t a bad guy, but he isn’t a strong one either. He hasn’t been a strong Governor in the mold of Miller or even Roy Barnes, and he hasn’t imposed his will on the state party. The politically smart thing for him to have done would have been to come out for Cagle months ago and nip his Reed problem in the bud — after all, it’s not like Reed was ever a Perdue intimate anyway, and even before all the recent Abramoff revelations his candidacy looked kind of like a high-powered lobbyist/fundraiser attempting lateral entry into the upper levels of government without paying his dues in the legislature or other state office. Perdue chose instead to take a hands-off posture. I don’t expect Reed to win this week’s primary, but if he does Perdue may end up paying for it.

By Debbie

July 15, 2006 3:41 PM | Link to this

It has been said many times that when Christian conservatives turn out to vote the GOP wins. Who better to get out that vote than Reed?

Much has been said about the fear these Christian conservatives will sit out this election. The sure thing is they won’t with Reed on the ticket. I believe they are so angry at Cagle ad’s they will if he wins the primary.

By Debbie

July 15, 2006 3:47 PM | Link to this

CAGLE “RACE TEAM� BLOWS A TIRE: CAGLE VIOLATED STATE LAW WITH ANONYMOUS ATTACK MAIL PIECE

ANONYMOUS MAILING BY CAGLE FAILS TO INCLUDE CAMPAIGN DISCLAIMER REQUIRED BY STATE LAW

The Cagle campaign has now hit rock bottom. Running out of gas and with no positive vision for Georgia, Casey Cagle has violated state law by failing to disclose his involvement in a last-minute negative attack mailer. Demonstrating yet again that he will say or do anything in to win an election, Cagle has mailed at the last minute a misleading, vicious mail piece. But in a desperate, deceptive attempt to smear Reed, the Cagle attack machine broke state law. Cagle failed to inform voters that his campaign produced the mailer, an illegal campaign practice. Cagle’s failure to disclose his campaign’s involvement in the negative mailing is a misdemeanor under state law, and is punishable by a fine. (OCGA 21-2-415 (c); Laws 1968, p. 828, § 1; Laws 1978, p. 1039, § 2; Laws 1985, p. 1328, § 1; Laws 1986, p. 32, § 1; Laws 1998, p. 295, § 1.)

Was Cagle, whose campaign is making anonymous phone calls and mailed out smear pieces that have elicited a backlash from voters, trying to hide his involvement in the last-minute attack? One can only speculate. But what is clear is that this mailing is the latest example of Cagle failing to obey the laws that he passes for everyone else. “Casey Cagle is so ashamed of how low he has sunk in his negative attacks on Ralph Reed that he now declines to put his own name on them,� said Jared Thomas, Reed for Lt. Governor Campaign Manager. “Cagle hiding behind anonymous phone calls and mailings is not only a violation of the trust that voters deserve, it is a violation of state law.�

Thomas announced the Reed campaign would file a formal complaint with the State Board of Elections this morning, and called on the Cagle campaign to publicly apologize to voters pay the required fine for violating the law.

The following is the law regarding campaign literature and full disclosure: OCGA 21-2-415. Unlawful campaign practices(a) No person shall distribute, circulate, disseminate, or publish or cause to be distributed, circulated, disseminated, or published any literature in connection with any political campaign for any public office or question unless such literature shall bear the name and address of the person or organization distributing, circulating, disseminating, publishing, or causing the same to be distributed, circulated, disseminated, or published. To be in compliance with this subsection when an organization rather than a natural person commits any of the acts enumerated in this subsection, the names and addresses of at least three of the highest officials thereof shall also appear thereon. No candidate whose campaign is the subject of any campaign literature shall contribute funds to defray the cost or a portion of the cost of the printing, publishing, distribution, circulation, or dissemination of such literature unless the literature clearly states that the cost or a portion thereof has been paid for by the candidate. Campaign literature published and disseminated by the candidate, bearing his or her name and the office for which he or she is a candidate, shall be considered as in compliance with this subsection. (c) Any person who violates this Code section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. Laws 1968, p. 828, § 1; Laws 1978, p. 1039, § 2; Laws 1985, p. 1328, § 1; Laws 1986, p. 32, § 1; Laws 1998, p. 295, § 1.

By BahamaBoy

July 15, 2006 4:45 PM | Link to this

Sunday New York Times July 16, 2006

Link to Disgraced Lobbyist Taints Race

By SHAILA DEWAN

MARIETTA, Ga., July 13 — It is curious enough to see Ralph Reed, a man who was on the cover of Time magazine at age 33, the man widely credited with galvanizing evangelical Christians into a national political force, putting everything he has into a race for the relatively low-profile job of lieutenant governor of Georgia.

But it is stranger still to see him losing ground. Because of Mr. Reed’s entanglement in a national lobbying scandal, a political contest that once seemed well within his grasp has turned into a battle for his personal and professional reputation, and it is not clear whether he will survive the Republican primary on Tuesday.

At a recent rally here in the Atlanta suburbs, where people ate hot dogs and strawberries compliments of the Cobb County Republican Women’s Club, a longtime ally of Mr. Reed’s in a red “Support Our Troops� sweater pulled the candidate close and whispered anxiously in his ear.

“Don’t worry,� Mr. Reed said, with a glint of impatience. “We know what we’re doing. Just call your friends and get them to vote.� As the ally opened her mouth to speak again, he silenced her with a firm, “We’re fine.�

But with campaign commercials hammering away at Mr. Reed’s ties to Jack Abramoff, a powerful lobbyist who has pleaded guilty to fraud and corruption, analysts say Mr. Reed, 45, will be fine only if he can motivate his legendary — or, some contend, mythical — base, and only if the Abramoff scandal has little effect on those voters’ loyalty.

In the meantime, the moderate elements of the Georgia Republican Party, who discouraged Mr. Reed’s candidacy and have savored his disgrace, view this as an opportunity to regain lost ground.

“There are more dynamics in this lieutenant governor’s race than there are in any other race in the country,� said Erick-Woods Erickson, a conservative blogger based in Macon, Ga., who has followed every nuance of the campaign, recently posting a copy of a letter giving Mr. Reed permission to put one yard sign in every Waffle House. “There’s 2008, there’s right versus left, there’s Christian right versus not-a-big-deal Christian.�

In recent weeks, Mr. Reed’s Republican opponent, a veteran state senator named Casey Cagle, edged ahead in both fund-raising and independent polls. Not counting the $500,000 that Mr. Reed has given his own campaign, he has raised $2.4 million to Mr. Cagle’s $2.5 million.

Yet many political observers have cautioned that it would be a mistake to underestimate Mr. Reed, a former director of the Christian Coalition, who has kept his head down, refusing interviews and publicizing his appearances only to the faithful. “He’s going to have to pull a miracle out,� said Matt Towery, a pollster who once ran for lieutenant governor. “And I never bar that with Ralph.�

On Thursday, Mr. Reed, wearing unscuffed cowboy boots and a star-studded belt buckle, surveyed the Cobb County event with confidence, noting that the county typically supplied 1 of every 10 Republican primary voters in the state.

“This is Ralph Reed country right here,� he told a reporter. In addition to endorsements from former Senator Zell Miller, a Democrat who has aligned himself with the conservative Christian movement, and Rudolph W. Giuliani, a presidential hopeful eager to improve his connections to religious conservatives, Mr. Reed claims to have 6,000 volunteers on the ground, including more than 70 home-schooled children from 10 states.

“It will be the most effective, grass-roots, get-out-the-vote effort that this state has ever seen in a down-ballot campaign,� Mr. Reed said. Mr. Cagle countered that he had broader support, including that of the business community and of most of the state’s elected Republicans.

The lobbying scandal is not an easy one to boil down to a 30-second spot. According to the charges against Mr. Abramoff, Indian tribes with casinos paid Mr. Reed to drum up religion-based anti-gambling sentiment against competing casinos, using Mr. Abramoff as a go-between. Mr. Reed now says he believed Mr. Abramoff’s assurances that he was not being paid with gambling money.

“Had I known then what I know now,� he has said repeatedly, “I would not have undertaken the work.�

Yet e-mail messages released by the Senate Indian Affairs Committee make it clear that Mr. Reed knew who was paying him and suggest that he helped funnel the money through other entities to disguise its source. On Wednesday, a Texas Indian tribe filed suit against the lobbyist and four associates, including Mr. Reed, accusing them of “greed, corruption and deceit.�

Mr. Reed’s critics seized on the scandal as proof that he had deployed his Christian supporters for profit. “Ralph Reed sold out our values,� Mr. Cagle’s advertisements say, calling him “hypocritical and immoral� and accusing him of “manipulating Christians for casinos.�

They also cite a little-noted aspect of the link between Mr. Abramoff and Mr. Reed, saying Mr. Reed helped defend an economic system in the Northern Mariana Islands, a United States commonwealth not subject to minimum wage laws, that fostered exploitation of immigrant workers, particularly women. In one commercial, the words “forced abortions� appear next to a grinning Mr. Reed. Mr. Reed’s campaign manager has called the link preposterous.

Political analysts say the advertisements have pushed Mr. Reed’s poll numbers down. His counterattacks — citing, among other things, Mr. Cagle’s $1,000 contribution to a Democrat and his simultaneous service on the Senate banking committee and the board of a bank — have gained little traction, several said, and his defense has been slow and ineffective.

“There’s confusion among the Christian conservatives,� Mr. Towery, the pollster, said. “I’m not going to say Cagle’s taking the base, but he’s picking away at it.�

In his latest advertisement, Mr. Reed points out that he has not been accused of a crime, adding: “I’ve always worked for what we believe in: faith, family and freedom. That’s why the liberal media has attacked me. Because I’ve stood for you and our conservative values.�

The distant, convoluted nature of the Abramoff scandal cuts both ways in Georgia. On the one hand, it colors Mr. Reed with the taint of Washington. On the other, voters have only a vague notion of its substance. At the Cobb County rally, people variously referred to Mr. Abramoff as Abramson, Abraham and Abramnov.

Doris Fowler, the woman in the red sweater, took the view that Mr. Abramoff had taken advantage of Mr. Reed. “He started off as a good guy,� Ms. Fowler said. “He knew Ralph’s sincerity, and he knew how Ralph hated gambling.�

Cathy Finck, a project coordinator for a nonprofit organization, said that she was still undecided but that the scandal was not a big factor. “That’s too much politics and not enough issues for me,� Ms. Finck said. “I’m discounting it.�

She said she was leaning toward Mr. Cagle because of his legislative experience. “What I’ve listened carefully to candidates about is how different it is once you’re down at the dome,� she said.

By Tony

July 15, 2006 4:46 PM | Link to this

Debbie,

Instead of having Ralph do your thinking for you, do you care to actually prove this rumor and claim? Do you have the actual mailer?

And are we to believe the same press releases that have yet to actually state any truth? I mean all of these claims of unethical and illegal actions have yet to find their way into a court or hearing. I have yet to hear a judge or chairman issue a verdict, penalty or fine. This is another example of a desperate GReed campaign trying one more item to slander the opposing candidate.

Debbie comes out here saying put up or shut up. GReed’s campaign can’t even do either.

Oh and Debbie, in your statement of Cagle not paying his payroll taxes, I did some digging into GReed’s report and didn’t see any Federal filings of taxes. Am I missing something or is yet again GReed failing to live up to his own standards?

By BahamaBoy

July 15, 2006 4:47 PM | Link to this

Uh … what illegal mailing, Debbie? Don’t just post the Reed HQ crap. Name the specific piece and what about violates the law.

You people are pathetic.

Accusations without any substantiation.

By Tony

July 15, 2006 4:51 PM | Link to this

Debbie,

Can you, “Howard”, “Philly” and anyone else in the Kool Aid gang answer this?

I want to know this. I’ve looked at Cagle’s achievements and what he’s done. I want to know from the GReed people what has Ralph done for GA? What has GReed done for conservative causes? I don’t want to know what he’s been PAID to do. I want to know what, especially in the last 6 years Ralph has done himself for conservatism and GA. Again I will reiterate that I don’t want to know what he has been hired/paid to do. What has Ralph done to help Christianity, conservatism, GOP….NOT PAID….

By BahamaBoy

July 15, 2006 4:52 PM | Link to this

Debbie, the New York Times didn’t endorse Ralph after all.

Have you come up with a single Geogia newspaper that has endorsed Ralph? Remember, church bulletins do not qualify.

Surely you can find one journalist, and I mean a graduate of a reputable school of journalism, who has looked over the Reed materials pro and con and yet concluded he is the best qualified to lead the state Senate.

Just one, for crying out loud! Please name ONE, so I can check it out and see what they see that I am missing.

By BahamaBoy

July 15, 2006 5:15 PM | Link to this

Debbie, have you got the alleged illegal Cagle piece yet? I’m still waiting …

And waiting, and waiting, and waiting …

And how about those newspaper endorsements or nice articles about Ralph from bona fide journalists. Just ONE for crying out loud!

By Bob Thurmond

July 15, 2006 5:44 PM | Link to this

I have watched this race, mostly with discust, for months. Today my wife and I sat down, discussed the candidates and what we have learned, and we both decided that we will vote for Ralph Reed in the Republican primary Tuesday.

Mr. Cagle has run one of the dirtiest campaigns we can remember in our 60+ years. He has done nothing but attack, attack, attack.

I doubt that Mr. Reed is as pure as the driven snow, but he made his money as a businessman and he has represented our conservative family values well over a long career. We are grateful that he helped Republicans gain a majority and Bush a second term. We have prayed for Republicans to become the leaders of Georgia for decades. It only happend under Mr. Reed’s watch as GOP party chair.

Mr. Cagle, on the other hand, made his fortune while a state senator. I’ve told our children, I don’t mind if a politician drives a nice car when running for office. I just don’t want them to arrive in office in a modest car and leave in luxury. Mr. Cagle has played the game well, even giving Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor a $1,000 campaign contribution while a Republican career in order to advance his career with an appointment to the banking committee while starting his own bank.

Further, we find it incredible that a senior Republican state senator would miss an important vote on protecting private property rights (SB 86—2005). This may be the defining vote of the Republican control of our legislature thus far and Mr. Cagle picked this vote as the time to be showing constituents around the Capitol. How an he be trusted in the future?

Mr. Reed will get 12 votes from our extended family on Tuesday and I hope others will join us in helping him to take his first step toward becoming our Lt. Governor.

We think Mr. Cagle should return to private life where he can continue his quest for fortune and gain.

By Political Foreskin

July 15, 2006 5:49 PM | Link to this

VOTE FOR RALPH REED. HE HAD ME AT ‘KENO’

By Tony

July 15, 2006 6:44 PM | Link to this

Bob Thurmond,

Funny how just about your entire post sounds like it should be directed at Ralph and not Casey.

I will ask you the same thing other Reed supporters have failed to answer.

I want to know from the GReed people what has Ralph done for GA? What has GReed done for conservative causes? I don’t want to know what he’s been PAID to do. I want to know what, especially in the last 6 years Ralph has done himself for conservatism and GA. Again I will reiterate that I don’t want to know what he has been hired/paid to do. What has Ralph done to help Christianity, conservatism, GOP….NOT PAID….

By Tony

July 15, 2006 7:01 PM | Link to this

Bob Thurmond,

Before I forget, how is telling the truth and shining a light on hypocrisy sleaze and negative BUT lying and deceiving deserving 12 votes from your family? I just don’t see how ANYTHING in the long list of Ralph’s shortcomings can be overlooked to deserve voting over Cagle. I’m guessing someone’s standards are a little screwed up. When a man who sells out his own ‘values’, clients, Christians, conservatives, and even Georgians can get votes over a man with such a distinguished personal and legislative record, someone’s got a ‘values’ problem. When a man who kept the door open for Chinese Communists to ship women and children to work in sweat shops and as prostitutes is rewarded for conservative Christian values something is wrong with the Faith. When a man who shuts down one casino to protect the interest of another casino all for the price of a few million is rewarded for conservative Christian values something is DEFINITELY wrong with the Faith.

This man has a LONG history of doing things for money rather than principles. Instead of helping those exploited women and children in the Marianas, GReed chose to protect the Communist Chinese operators rather than women and children. When Ralph shut down ONE casino, what did he do to make sure those people had alternative means to fund their roads, schools, and healthcare? Family values is NOT protecting pimps, slave masters, and Communists. Family values is NOT taking away funding for schools, roads, and healthcare. Family values is not doing causes for millions of dollars and then walking away. Family values is not standing by your friends, supporters, family, and the people of Georgia and blaming Jack Abramoff for your own incompetent business decisions….not once but multiple times.

I will ask again, search your heart and the facts and tell me what Ralph has done to truly represent his faith his party and his state without having to be paid millions to do so. If he is truly principled on his causes, why take from those less fortunate and give nothing in return? Why use people and their power of voting and speaking for your own financial gain? Why have to hide your transactions through third parties? Why can you not be an honest businessman and do business in the full light of day? Are you ashamed of what you do? Do you honestly think that if you hide business transactions through third parties that Christians and ultimately God would not find out?

I’ve heard of the supposed apology and asking for forgiveness. But yet I also hear that he did nothing wrong. If Ralph did nothing wrong, what is there to ask forgiveness of? What deserves forgiveness if everything was on the up and up?

I urge everyone here to look at all facts on the table. Do not look at anything as being negative. Look at the arguments and then check them all with easily findable facts. You will see there is one candidate in this race who has made it his career in the private sector to say one thing and then do another. You will see that this man only takes causes he has arranged through his Triumverate of Norquist, Abramoff, and himself. He did nothing for cheap or free and did everything for millions. He performed a service with no thorough checking, investigation, or follow-up. He never looked at his causes beyond a paycheck. And after performing his contractual duty, he did nothing to ensure that Christian and conservative values were truly represented in the wake of his actions.

Think about all of this. Search your heart and mind. Vote.

By Debbie

July 15, 2006 7:57 PM | Link to this

Tony, try to let this sink in. Reed was in PRIVATE Business when he made his fortune. Cagle made his fortune serving himself instead of the taxpayers as a Senator of the Senate Banking Committee. HUGE difference!!!!

By Debbie

July 15, 2006 8:04 PM | Link to this

The Cagle campaign in blasting Reed for the Mariannas is also inadvertantly trashing Reagan as well. Reagan and Reed both held the same views on enforcing U.S. Labor laws in the islands.

I can assure you someone in the Reed campaign has the mailpiece in hand, they would have not sent out the release otherwise.

Bahama Boy, Tony, I sincerely hope you keep blogging. You are getting votes for Reed. Maybe he should mention you in his victory speech…

By BahamaBoy

July 15, 2006 8:57 PM | Link to this

Oh Debbie! I’m stilling waiting …

Where is the alleged illegal Cagle piece? Can’t seem to get Reed HQ to send one over to you for posting, eh? Truly pathetic.

And while you are at it, how about you and Mr. Bob Thurmond round me up some newspaper endorsements or nice articles about Ralph from bona fide journalists. Just ONE for crying out loud!

Thurmond, you are a Kool-Aid drinker of the highest order — one who can actually converse in complete sentences. And I agree with Tony: your last sentence posted above should have read “We think Mr. [Reed] should return to private life where he can continue his quest for fortune and gain.” It’s all over for Reed on Tuesday.

Now go get me Reed endorsements or journalists who support Reed. Surely there is some crummy little weekly paper somewhere in this vast state of ours that agrees that Reed is the best man for the job of Lt. Gov?

ONE? Shall I reduce it the half of one?

Hint: Try looking through the Lemming Gazette.

By Howard

July 15, 2006 9:12 PM | Link to this

Bahama boy you Cagle staffers are something else. Do you not realize what you are doing by attacking not only Reed, but his supporters as well? Are you tht stupid? With people like you, Tony/Bill Simon out front for Cagle, Reed can’t lose.

I attended the Cobb GOP Breakfast this morning to hear Bill Stephens and Karen Handel. I had heard that Stephens was not one of the Senators that signed that Senate letter sent out asking Reed not to run. I wanted to hear what he had to say and he said in his speech that there were two fine Republicans running for Lt. Governor. Quite pleased to see there was no mud slinging.

Sen. Chip Rogers was there and so was Sen. Wiles and neither one even mentioned Cagle. I think they are backing down somewhat after the negative ads that Cagle has run. I will end up voting for Wiles after all.

The interesting thing was some candidates were there. Bob Irvin Ag Commissioner Candidate was there and Karen Handel. Karen did a suberb job as always. No one was there representing Cagle and no one spoke on his behalf.

Cagle is finished in politics. He can go back to the private sector and see if he can increase his wealth 900% in four years in private business…

By BahamaBoy

July 15, 2006 9:15 PM | Link to this

Debbie flatters me with “Bahama Boy, Tony, I sincerely hope you keep blogging. You are getting votes for Reed. Maybe he should mention you in his victory speech.”

What “victory speech” Debbie? He won’t be delivering one Tuesday night. There is no way Georgia Republican voters are going to ignore the mountain of evidence against Reed and send him to the state senate.

You know you can’t fulfill my request for a single endorsement for Reed because there isn’t one. And no journalist who is schooled in the are and science of reporting facts can ignore the evidence on Reed.

So will the Christians do their duty and pull the lever one more time for Ralph? One more time against those nasty Indian casinos? One more time against labor laws that might just save a few babies and children? One more time for truth, justice, and the Ralph Reed way?

I sincerely don’t think so.

By Howard

July 15, 2006 9:16 PM | Link to this

The fact the AJC and other liberal media endorsed Cagle is not something you should be proud of. Those endorsements usually end up hurting candidates in the GOP Primary.

Voters know why those papers endorsed Cagle. He is less of a threat to their liberal ideology than Reed is. There is not doujbt in my mind that Reed would not have given MArk Taylor a $ 1,000. That was a huge sign of weakness.

Voters know why some gays are crossing over to vote for Cagle. They know Reed is a threat and Cagle is not.

By Tony

July 15, 2006 9:23 PM | Link to this

Debbie,

Exploiting people and lying about it doesn’t matter if you’re in government OR private sector. Exploiting Christians is wrong no matter where you do it from. You can keep claiming HUGE difference all you want. I’ve been waiting to see the claims where he used his position to make these gains. Funny how many others around the country made even greater gains without the luxury of being in elected office. Very few people can claim they fight for Christian principles, make millions off of it, and afterwards have nothing to show for it. Shocking how AFTER GReed fought for Christian values more abortions occurred, more sweat shop labor was exploited, more prostitution prevailed, Indian reservations saw their funds for education, roads and healthcare plummet, etc. This is a far cry from fighting for Christian values. If destroying lives is a Christian value, I’d love to see the Bible he’s using.

So Debbie, again, show me where Cagle used his office to make millions. Show me proof. I can show you where Reed used his position to plunder money from people and have no Christian values spread because of it. Where he goes people’s lives are destroyed, Christians have millions of dollars taken from them, and Reed gets to live in a gated country club outside of Atlanta.

Show me where Reagan supported this same battle that Reed fought. Since he was riddled with Alzheimers I doubt you can find proof he supported this same cause.

If my blogging is getting Reed votes then clearly people have an issue with the truth. Reed can even win but his time will be cut short. What can it profit a man to gain a fortune but lose his soul?

By BahamaBoy

July 15, 2006 9:30 PM | Link to this

Hey Howard: I’m not talking here about “the AJC and other liberal media.” I’m talking about the entire press establishment of the whole state of Georgia! Wake up, Man!

Every time you don’t like the messenger you cast it aside as the “libral meedya.”

Find one Georgia newspaper who believes Reed like you do, Howard. One!

Or are all of them idiots like me?

By Tony

July 15, 2006 9:31 PM | Link to this

Howard,

You’re showing how in touch you are. You keep claiming I am Bill Simon. Seeing you repeat that clearly shows you have no clue. Again, Bill has no reason to hide behind a name. He posts here and gives his name. Tony is my name. I’ve gone by that nickname almost all of my life. How about you ‘Howard’? Is that YOUR real name? Or are you hiding?

To show how out of touch you are, you say Bob Irvin candidate for Ag Commissioner was there speaking? Tommy is the one running and he’s a Dem. Not sure he’d be at a GOP breakfast. Bob Irvin was the House Minority Leader who ran for Senate in 2002. Since neither of them were there I’d say you suffer a delusional fit. But of course that’s expected from someone who rabidly insults people and defends a liar like GReed.

Again I see none of the GReed supporters can answer a few simple questions. Debbie and Howard, you disappoint me. With you two so rabidly ready to defend GReed, you sure cannot come up with legitimate answers to some simple questions. Maybe I should send them to the Spin Machine at GReed HQ. I mean if GReed cannot answer such basic questions about his past and his plans for the future, why vote for him?

And on that note, tell me why anyone should vote for GReed? I don’t want ANYTHING about Cagle or attacks on Cagle. I want legitimate reasons why GReed deserves this position.

Just another question in a growing list that seems to be unanswered.

By Tony

July 15, 2006 9:45 PM | Link to this

“Had I known then what I know now,� he has said repeatedly, “I would not have undertaken the work.�

If nothing was done wrong and the cause was noble why not undertake the work? What about the work he did deserves an apology and denial?

Enquiring minds want to know Ralph…what was the reason for this statement?

By Manny

July 16, 2006 4:51 AM | Link to this

EXPLOSIVE, JUST-RELEASED EXPOSE BY GQ ON RALPHIE BABY

“THE SINS OF RALPH REED�

http://men.style.com/gq/features/landing?id=content_4608

[Excerpt:]

“When Reed announced his candidacy, [Maurice] Atkinson signed up for his steering committee. Of course he would support Reed, the man who’d shepherded conservative Christians into the political process.

Then the stories started trickling out. Abramoff, sure. But also Enron. And Channel One, another company the Christian Right generally despises but for which Reed lobbied. And the South Carolina primary in 2000. The stories kept coming until Atkinson thought: Man, this guy’s got no core.

“I call them political pimps,� he says. “They want to develop their market base and manipulate the system. You got Al Sharpton. You got Jesse Jackson. You got Ralph Reed. And the cause isn’t for the cause. It’s for themselves.�

Atkinson is stumping for Senator Cagle now. He’s like Cagle’s own avenging angel, a former Reed acolyte who is devastating in his critique. As a political prop, he’s brilliant.

Yet Atkinson is also sincere. He’s a heavyset man of 44, and at times he appears to slump when he talks about Reed, about what he thought then and what he knows now. Was it all a con? All the Christian Nation preaching, all the calls to the righteous?

“Yes,� Atkinson says. “I believe it was.�

Reed could have worked for anyone he wanted to, could have lent his considerable talents to any number of Christian organizations, real ones, too, the kind that existed before Reed needed some preachers to front for his corporate clients. But Enron? Indian casinos? “He’s either an awfully cheap w*******,� Atkinson says, “or he’s diabolical.�

And here’s the part he doesn’t understand. “If you really believe…� He stops, takes a breath. “You don’t want to question people’s faith,� he says again, “but you almost have to. Because if you really believe that you know what’s wrong and what’s right, why would you decide—decide—to do the wrong thing?�

By Angel

July 16, 2006 4:55 AM | Link to this

Hey, isn’t Zell Miller that nutcase who challenged some newsman to a duel on global TV a while back, and the medical speculation was that he was in an early stage of dementia?

By Paul

July 16, 2006 5:35 AM | Link to this

Great GQ article.

A must-read for everyone who will be voting Tuesday.

By BahamaBoy

July 16, 2006 8:32 AM | Link to this

For those who want a deeper understanding of Reed’s Texas lobbying scandal, check out

http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=2116

This fascinating article was written in JANUARY 2006!

Here are some nice snippets:

Several Republicans who sat on the [Texas State Board of Education] at that time expressed disappointment with Reed’s involvement. “I always really liked Ralph Reed,� said Texas Eagle Forum activist Judy Strickland, who, as a state school board member in 2002, sponsored the failed Channel One resolution. “But when people use our children for their gains—monetarily or otherwise—they need to be called on the carpet.� “I am surprised that the Christian Coalition would support that kind of endeavor [Channel One],� added board member Cynthia Thornton. “There was programming [on Channel One] that I wouldn’t allow in my classroom.�

…

Conservative Channel One critic Jim Metrock of Obligation, Inc., said that Reed resorted to covert tactics in Alabama in 1999, when a Primedia front group popped up that ultimately was traced back to Reed. This so-called Coalition to Protect Children churned out advertisements in a failed effort to stop U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL), from holding Channel One hearings. Reed “hurt the Christian Coalition in Alabama,� Metrock said. “People really believed in him.�

…

Reed had left the Christian Coalition under fire. At that time the IRS and the Federal Election Commission were investigating the Coalition, even as the Coalition’s chief financial officer accused Reed of awarding inflated contracts to a crony. When the IRS revoked the Coalition’s tax-exempt status in 1999—owing to overtly political activities—the national group transferred its remaining assets to the Texas Christian Coalition. This Texas chapter was headed by then-Executive Director Chuck Anderson, who appears to have helped Abramoff, Norquist, and Reed implement their Texas gambling agenda in 2001. Like Reed, Anderson did not register as a Texas lobbyist.

…

[e]ither Ralph Reed lied about his knowledge of who was paying his bills, Abramoff’s lobby firm lied, or they both prevaricated. As prosecutors continue to investigate the roles that DeLay, Ney, Reed, and other politicians played in the mushrooming Abramoff scandal, voters—and perhaps even jurors—will get a formal chance to decide whom they believe.

By Debbie

July 16, 2006 8:50 AM | Link to this

Before you believe anything Cagle Staffer Bahama boy says check out www.reedfacts.com. Ask yourself if Cagle’s allegations against Reed were true would Zell Miller, Sean Hannity, Rudy Giuliani, John Smoltz and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and others still support Reed? Would Zell Miller say that he trusts Ralph and you can too if it were not true?

And remember Cagle made his wealth while serving himself instead of the taxpayers. Reed was in private industry.

By Ned Sa

July 16, 2006 8:53 AM | Link to this

When I hear the charges the Cagle team hurl at Reed again and again I can’t help but laugh. The crossed a line many days ago and don’t even realize they are hurting Cagle as undecided voters make up their minds at the last minute.

I have had several people tell me over the weekend that the Cagle attacks have been just too much, too unbelievable.

We really don’t care that much that Reed worked to stop casino cambling from expanding in Alabama or who paid for it. The end result was probably a good thing. And the one about Reed supporting abortion and child prostestution is beyond belief. First of all he was supporting a Republican position and working against big labor bosses who want our minimum wage laws to apply in every country or territory we do business with. How crazy that would be. It would hurt our economy as much as it would the economies of those countries.

Unfortunately Mr Cagle will have to find a better way to get rich after Tuesday. There will be no more Mark Taylor for him to pay off to get a committee assignment. There will be no more banking committee work to help grow his weatlth in banking even higher.

And Cagle will not be about to walk off the Senate floor and miss an important vote to protect private property rights.

Georgia will be safer when Cagle is back at his bank with his millions.

By Debbie

July 16, 2006 9:00 AM | Link to this

The bottom line is that gays, atheists, George Soros/Michael Moore left wing groups are all going to vote for Cagle stop Reed. Reed is a strong leader that stands his ground even with storms waging all around him.

Some gays ARE crossing over to vote in the GOP Primary to vote for Cagle to stop Reed.. Georgia Equality urges them not to but some activists with Southern Voice are urging them to cross over.

http://www.southernvoice.com/2006/7-7/news/localnews/retire.cfm

http://www.southernvoice.com/2006/6-16/view/columns/ayotte.cfm

The bottom line is these leftist groups are not threatened by Cagle at all. They know Cagle is weak and Reed stands strong.

If Cagle wins, these leftist groups and gays will declare a victory and gloat about stopping Reed. If you vote for Cagle, yo uwill be assisting these groups declare victory..

By BahamaBoy

July 16, 2006 9:13 AM | Link to this

I post the truth about Reed — you Reedites post lame responses.

Debbie, you say “if Cagle’s allegations against Reed were true would Zell Miller, Sean Hannity, Rudy Giuliani, John Smoltz and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour and others still support Reed?” Zell is the only voting in Tuesday’s primary, and he will probably be voting for the Democrats. As for the others, I believe they either haven’t bothered to read the evidence on Reed and Abramoff (doubtful) or they just don’t give a damn! It’s better to help out an old friend if it won’t cost you very much. And from what I can see, it isn’t going to hurt any of these people if Reed loses on Tuesday. Zell Miller will keep zigzagging; Sean Hannity will keep up swinging for the Right; Rudy Giuliani will run for president; John Smoltz will keep pitching; and Haley Barbour will keeping governing Mississippi.

You promised us George W., Dick Cheney, Karl Rove and a host of other Republicans who would come to Georgia and stand by their man. Where are they?

And where are all those Georgia newspaper endorsements you haven’t been able to come up with? Not a single one supporting Reed.

Celebrities and politicians have mixed reasons for supporting other candidates; but journalists and editorial writers have to exercise greater accountability to their readers and the communities they serve.

And judging by their refusal to endorse Reed, I guess they have lived up to their responsibility.

By BahamaBoy

July 16, 2006 9:15 AM | Link to this

More gay-bashing, eh Debbie?

Frankly, I don’t care who votes for Cagle on Tuesday — so long as they do! Ronald Reagan won the presidency only because Democrats crossed over and voted for him.

By Tony

July 16, 2006 9:26 AM | Link to this

Give Ralph a million dollars and he’ll sell you out in a minute.

My challenge keeps going out to the first GReed supporter who can answer some basic questions. It’s quite funny GReed people can’t even answer these:

1)”And on that note, tell me why anyone should vote for GReed? I don’t want ANYTHING about Cagle or attacks on Cagle. I want legitimate reasons why GReed deserves this position.”

2)What UNPAID acts has Ralph done for the Christian, conservative, Republican, and/or Georgian cause? What has he done unpaid to represent the values of any of the above mentioned groups? I don’t want to know about mailings and phone calls he did on behalf of a paid client. I seriously want to know what Ralph personally in the private life has done to put Bibles in hands, made lives better, spread good Christian and conservative values.

This challenge has been up here for days but yet NOT A SINGLE GReed supporter can answer this.

And Debbie refers to Cagle as an empty suit. It’s funny when thousands are going to vote for GReed but cannot say why or cannot say what he’s done that he didn’t get paid millions to do.

And here’s the kicker. Your answer cannot mention Cagle in any way….squirm away. I’m waiting and the cobwebs are building.

By Reagan Conservative

July 16, 2006 10:02 AM | Link to this

Bahama Boy, you and Cagle may not care who crosses over and votes for Cagle, but as voter I care.

Reed made mistakes with Abramoff and apologized for it. He was in private business and I don’t believe he sold out conservative values . He kept a casino from opening and I could care less where the money came from. I do go to Las Vegas about once a year.

When I am not sure who to believe or who to vote for, I make my decision on looking at who is supporting whom. When I see gays, left wing groups that have attacked Bush constantly, atheists crossing over to vote for Cagle to stop Reed, I realize there is a reason these groups oppose Reed so much. It is because he is a strong leader.

I made my mind up to support Reed in part because of these groups supporting Cagle and because of the negative attack ads Cagle has run. His whole campaign has been attack, attack, and attack. He has offered voters nothing of substance. Cagle crossed the line with the Mariana Island ad. Reed took the same position as the greatest president this nation has ever had, Ronald Reagan, did. When Cagle attacked Reed he also attacked Reagan.

Bahama Boy, Tony, go ahead and attack me as you do every Reed supporter.

I will vote with Zell Miller for Ralph Reed.

By BahamaBoy

July 16, 2006 10:21 AM | Link to this

Another new player comes out: Reagan Conservative.

Welcome to reality land. How are things going over at Reed HQ?

By the looks of your post here, you seem to have a grasp of the issues and a passing command of the English language. So I’ll keep my comments brief and to the point.

You say: “Reed made mistakes with Abramoff and apologized for it. He was in private business and I don’t believe he sold out conservative values. He kept a casino from opening and I could care less where the money came from. I do go to Las Vegas about once a year.” That’s four in one, so I’ll take em one by one.

—-“Reed made mistakes with Abramoff and apologized for it.” Show me the apology. Reed didn’t apologize; he simply said if he knew then what he knows now he would have not accepted the employment. That, as the evidence has amply demonstrated, is a flat out lie. Reed knew all along who the clients were; what they wanted; and how much money they were will to put up to achieve the desired results. He even helped Abramoff find new nonprofits to channel the money through to avoid having to acknowledge who was paying his bills. Reagan Conservative, that was an easy one.

—-“He was in private business and I don’t believe he sold out conservative values.” Just because you are operating in the private sector doesn’t mean ethical rules don’t apply to you. Reed engaged in substantial lobbying activities in Texas, and bragged about it in emails between him and Abramoff. Yet he avoided registering as a lobbyist to conceal his client’s identity and motive. An investigation there reached that conclusion, but the two-year statute of limitations had run on the crime of not registering as a lobbyist. Reed got off on a technicality that time. The lawsuit filed by former Texas Attorney General John Cornyn’s former chief of state against Reed and Abramoff last week on behalf of the defrauded Indian tribes will undoubtedly keep Reed in federal court for months to come. As for whether Reed sold out his conservative values I’ll quote from a Texas article:

“Several Republicans who sat on the [Texas State Board of Education] at that time expressed disappointment with Reed’s involvement. “I always really liked Ralph Reed,â€? said Texas Eagle Forum activist Judy Strickland, who, as a state school board member in 2002, sponsored the failed Channel One resolution. “But when people use our children for their gains—monetarily or otherwise—they need to be called on the carpet.â€? “I am surprised that the Christian Coalition would support that kind of endeavor [Channel One],â€? added board member Cynthia Thornton. “There was programming [on Channel One] that I wouldn’t allow in my classroom.â€?

How do like them apples Reagan Conservative?

—-“He kept a casino from opening and I could care less where the money came from.” You could care less about a lot of things, Reagan Conservative, like truth, honesty, integrity … Reed’s “private” business activities went far beyond closing down a casino and putting a lot of Indians out of work. The children and women of the Northern Mariana Islands have a lot to thank him for too!

—-“I do go to Las Vegas about once a year.” Hey, me too! Maybe we should meet up out there and take in the new Beatles tribute — LOVE. We could all use a little of that, couldn’t we?

By Jack

July 16, 2006 11:29 AM | Link to this

Ned Sa — you said, “We really don’t care that much that Reed worked to stop casino cambling from expanding in Alabama or who paid for it. The end result was probably a good thing.” Does that mean that you believe the end justifies the means? Does it matter that the reason Reed worked to stop the casino wasn’t to keep gambling out of Alabama — it was to protect OTHER gambling interests? Does that not smell of a sell-out to you? It does to me. And Reagan Conservative — you said, “the greatest president this nation has ever had, Ronald Reagan.” I think a LOT of historians will disagree — he was good, he was great even, but the greatest? Nope. Maybe the greatest in YOUR lifetime, or in the second half of the 20th century, but not the greatest ever. Look, folks, Ralph Reed has been quoted as saying he wants to eventually run for president and establish a Christian Theocracy style of government in the U.S. I’m a Christian, but to me being a Christian means believing what I believe, and letting others believe what they believe, even if I disagree with them. I don’t want someone in government deciding what Christianity is and forcing their view down my throat. Do you?

By Political Foreskin

July 16, 2006 11:37 AM | Link to this

VOTE FOR RALPH REED. HE HAD ME AT ‘PUEBLO’.

By BahamaBoy

July 16, 2006 12:29 PM | Link to this

Here’s a new link to today’s New York Times article about the Reed-Cagle race — with a great photo of the two working the crowds:

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/16/us/16reed.html

By Philly

July 16, 2006 12:42 PM | Link to this

I just received this great email. Coates is a GOP State House Candidate for District 37 in Cobb County.

Dear Fellow Christian Conservative,

It is Sunday morning and many of us are getting ready for Church. To be honest with you, my heart is burdened with a great sense of concern for the Primary Elections this coming Tuesday.

This may cost me my election to the State House, but at this point, I am willing to take that chance. I simply can not stand by and watch with a gag order from my fellow candidates.

I have received 2 e-mails from Cobb County senators endorsing Casey Cagle who is a fellow senator none the less. To be quite honest with you, my voters in District 37 do not even know these senators. They are not connected to “politics”. They are connected to baseball, football, and Fox News.

Ralph and Jo Anne Reed are dear friends of mine. Ralph is reaching out to people where they live. He is still in touch with the voters on a grassroots level. So many elected officials lose that once they make friends at the Capital. That is obvious!

Ralph Reed is still reaching out to the swing voters and even blue dog democrats bringing them into the Republican Party; connecting them to conservative family values. To oppose Ralph is to oppose this effort and it is very very destructive.

I can not stand by and let people who do not even know the Reeds slander them. I would not let anyone slander you either! So be glad I am your friend and I would defend you also even if it cost me. I still believe in doing the right thing no matter what anyone thinks.

Ralph Reed has been “declared guilty by association.” It has been painful to watch his name be dragged through the mud of poisonous political propaganda. I relate on a much smaller scale as I was slandered by the liberal media in 2004 as well ( as soon as they found out I was a committed Christian). There is a deep hatred for people who will not be neutralized by negativity and conditioned to compromise.

It was tough but by the grace of God, I made it through and I did not lose one true friend over it. It actually caused my family and my true friends to bond and draw closer. My campaign is very strong this year because we did not let this defeat us or cause us to quit.

I have prayed about this and I have a peace about doing the right thing even if it makes other people reject me. I can not let the liberal media and compromising moderate agendas trash the lives of my friends whom have worked for decades empowering Christians to become politically active.

We would simply not have a House and Senate majority or a Christian Republican Governor had it not been for the diligent

work of Ralph Reed connecting to the grassroots. We owe him and Jo Anne some respect and honor at the very least.

If you would like to contact me about this , feel free to do so.

Have a blessed day.

Cindye

Dr. Cindye Coates

By BahamaBoy

July 16, 2006 12:50 PM | Link to this

By all means, let’s contact Dr. Coates (graduate of Washington D.C. Theological Seminary and Founder of Tutor Georgia LLC) an let her know what we think of her rousing endorsement of Ralph Reed.

Her home phone number is 770-794-4995 and her email is coatesinthehouse@yahoo.com

By Howard

July 16, 2006 1:05 PM | Link to this

Bahama Boy, you stepped over the line in posting personal informaton about someone else. You are a Cagle staffer that is obsessed with the defeat and destruciton of Ralph Reed and anyone that supports him.

You are destroying your boss’s chances.

By BahamaBoy

July 16, 2006 1:08 PM | Link to this

Wow! I visited Dr. Coates’ website and learned that she “champions� personal responsibility, limited government, parental rights and fair markets.

Well, Dr. Coates, let’s see how Reed measures up to those values.

Sorry, Dr. Coates. You will have to re-think your values if you expect to keep shilling for Dr. Reed. But that’s for today’s email.

By BahamaBoy

July 16, 2006 1:11 PM | Link to this

Sorry Howard, but I did not cross any line.

Dr. Coates invited us in. The email Philly posted said “If you would like to contact me about this , feel free to do so. Have a blessed day.”

Unfortunately, Philly neglected to include Dr. Coates’ contact information. I was merely helping out readers who truly do want to contact Cr. Coates and discuss with her the Reed endorsement.

Oh, and do have a blessed day.

By Howard

July 16, 2006 1:17 PM | Link to this

Well let’s post them post the emails of the State Senators that sent out emails endorsing Cagle she referenced. We need to let them know that by endorsing Cagle, they just rubber stamped his negative campaign and we hold them responsible for it as well as Cagle.

If I am not mistaken one has Democratic opposition.

chiprogers21@comcast.net

judson@judsonhill.com

By BahamaBoy

July 16, 2006 1:25 PM | Link to this

Thanks Howard. I’ll be sure to send those two senators a thank you note right away.

By BahamaBoy

July 16, 2006 1:34 PM | Link to this

Already got a response from Sen. Rogers:

Thank you for taking the time to write me with your concerns. I will make every attempt to respond to you as quickly as possible.

Please know that during the legislative session I receive hundreds of emails every day. I make it a point to respond to my constituents first. If you would be kind enough to include your zip code in your message it will help me prioritize my responses.

Also, please feel free to contact my office at 404-463-1378.

You may want to access the legislative website as well. www.legis.state.ga.us

Sincerely, Chip Rogers State Senate

By BahamaBoy

July 16, 2006 1:50 PM | Link to this

With supporters like Howard, Philly and Debbie, no wonder Reed is running scared. Whatever they throw out gets refuted, and all they can do is bang the drum like an Energizer Bunny: “900 percent! 900 percent! 900 percent!”

Common Cause Georgia looked at Reed’s “900 percent!” charge and concluded there isn’t “any evidence that Cagle has profited illegally or immorally from his public office. He has come a long way. But he hasn’t done anything sleazy.”

No evidence Reedites. Get a clue! You are simply reciting what is fed to you by the campaign. Go out and do your own research and see if you can come up with some evidence of Cagle misusing his senate office. I am certain the Reed campaign will reward you handsomely.

And be sure to turn over your findings to Common Cause Georgia so they can check it out. I hear they don’t drink Kool-Aid over there.

By jv

July 16, 2006 2:35 PM | Link to this

Tom Price M.D. won the 2004 GOP Primary because in the last week of the election, the AMA (American Medical Association) poured 1 millions dollars into a phone bank that called every district voter over and over until they answered (you can call 5,000 people alot of times for a million buxks) and TRASHED the good name of Price’s opponent Robert Lamutt a 5 term Georgia State Senator. It was no brilliant move on the Price campaign part…it was pure and simple doctors supporting one of their own, who then turns around and helps them back (look at Price’s stance on healthcare) You the patient dont count. Ralph Reed is a wolf in sheeps clothing. His mgr got lucky once. I dont know Casey Cagle but HIS mgr is one of the sharpest minds in politics. I would call it Cagle 51-Reed 49.

By Former Cagle Guy

July 16, 2006 4:59 PM | Link to this

I left the Cagle camp long ago because I could find in most of his close in supporters and campaign staff was hatred for Ralph Reed. It was clear to me that they would do anything to win. Slander Reed, make stuff up as they go along, partner with the liberal media, gays, use push polls, lie, cheat, steal. Yes anything is game with them and the ends justifies the means in their view.

We just had reports that someone went through middle Georgia last night removing and or destroying Reed signs. We have photos and we think a license plate number. I hope they prosecute.

This has been the most negative campaign in the history of Georgia politics. Thanks Mr. Cagle for bringing political discourse and campaigns to a new low. We will not forget, nor will we stop working to elect Reed until the polls close.

The Cagle campaign is dispicable and unworthy of having any paty in governing this state.

By BahamaBoy

July 16, 2006 5:22 PM | Link to this

Thanks Former Cagle Guy. It was sure quiet around here today.

I seriously doubt that you ever were a Cagle Guy. You sound too much like a Kool-Aid sipping Reedite who has no grasp of reality.

You claim the Cagle people “Slander Reed, make stuff up as they go along, partner with the liberal media, gays, use push polls, lie, cheat, steal. Yes anything is game with them and the ends justifies the means in their view.”

Uh … I hate the break the news to you but politics is a contact sport, and Ralph Reed helped write the playbook, so deal with it.

You claim to have “reports that someone went through middle Georgia last night removing and or destroying Reed signs. We have photos and we think a license plate number. I hope they prosecute.” I don’t condone such behavior, and if someone is caught doing it they should held accountable no matter how well intentioned they thought they were being. Care to share with us some particulars, such as county or license plate number? A photo would be nice too.

This hasn’t been “the most negative campaign in the history of Georgia politics.” That would be the one against Reed in November should he survive this Tuesday’s primary.

And don’t bother thanking Cagle for “bringing political discourse and campaigns to a new low.” Reed deserves your thanks. In spite of all his baggage he decided to take Georgia through all this mud simply to satisfy his own hyper inflated ego. Cagle was asked to run for this job by his fellow senators. Who asked Reed?

To say “The Cagle campaign is dispicable [sic] and unworthy” rings hollow coming from one who cannot see the obvious: Ralph Reed is the most ethically challenged candidate running for statewide office anywhere in the United States today! Just look at all the great press coverage he generates. You did read the New York Times today, didn’t you? Or GQ magazine?

By legal72

July 16, 2006 5:53 PM | Link to this

Here is the deal with Zell. He told some people that “I know Ralph is a dying horse but I made a promise to him.” And true to his word, like the good marine that he is, he will publically support Reed. But from what I’ve heard, Zell will vote Dem. on election day. Ralph is a sell out and even Zell knows it.

By Tom

July 16, 2006 6:24 PM | Link to this

Legal72….What a lie! This is a great forum to you to come out and say anything you guys in the Cagle campaign think might help your candidate. You only wish you had Zell on your side. You’ve attacked him for everything he’s ever done since he endorsed Ralph, and now you are making up stuff. Zell is fully behind Ralph. Why else would he have cut radio ads and phone calls for Ralph just last week? I’ve seen Zell in the last two weeks with Ralph and he is fully supportive.

And you say those of us on Ralph’s side are dishonest. What a laugh.

By Debbie

July 16, 2006 8:28 PM | Link to this

The State Senators are supporting Cagle out of friendship. I spoke to several State Senators regarding their endorsement of Cagle. I was told that most GOP State Senators socialize and even their kids play together. They are supporting one of their own. One had even called Ralph and let him know that he regrets the letter sent out asking Reed not to run. Look at the endorsements of the State Senators. They endorsed Cagle, Stephens and Kemp and so did most of the elected officials in the counties. The elected officials have direct dealings with the state senate.

They will work hard to get Ralph Reed elected if he is the nominee.

By Debbie

July 16, 2006 8:29 PM | Link to this

The State Senators are supporting Cagle out of friendship. I spoke to several State Senators regarding their endorsement of Cagle. I was told that most GOP State Senators socialize and even their kids play together. They are supporting one of their own. One had even called Ralph and let him know that he regrets the letter sent out asking Reed not to run. Look at the endorsements of the State Senators. They endorsed Cagle, Stephens and Kemp and so did most of the elected officials in the counties. The elected officials have direct dealings with the state senate.

They will work hard to get Ralph Reed elected if he is the nominee.

By UU Mom

July 17, 2006 11:49 AM | Link to this

As a Democrat, I hope that Ralph Reed wins the primary. The guy is the poster boy of what makes people like me (40-something suburban mom of 3) turn away from the Republican party.

As a lobbyist he has the choice who he wanted to represent, and he picked some pretty questionable characters. I don’t know much about Cagle, but to me he’s got Reed beat hands-down in the character department.

I do hope that Reed wins, and that his victory contributes to the Republican loss in November.

By Debbie

July 17, 2006 12:56 PM | Link to this

Sure the Dems hope Reed wins the primary. I guess that is why the George Soros/Michael Moore left wing groups are running ads against Reed and for Cagle.

By Tony

July 17, 2006 1:23 PM | Link to this

Michael Moore and George Soros are endorsing Cagle? Debbie, that’s about as nutty as it gets. That’s about as nutty as GReed appealing to the flag crowd begging for their vote as well.

I guess Ralph has no qualms about kissing Sonny’s rear but then basically saying Sonny lied. Not exactly the best thing to do when you’re trying to appeal to the Sonny crowd. But then Ralph does a lot of pandering…although it usually requires 7 figures to back it up.

By Meltdown

July 17, 2006 1:28 PM | Link to this

For a good look at who’s mud is real and who’s is fake, check out factcheck.org . It seems that Mr. Reed is by far the more inventive of the two. Just for fun, check out the Dems 2 articles down from Reed’s.

By Tony

July 17, 2006 1:43 PM | Link to this

Where is Ralph from? Despite his personal claims as well as his campaign site’s claim, let’s see if Ralph can even tell the truth about where he is fron:

“Born in Portsmouth, Virginia, Reed moved often as a child, spending most of his childhood in Miami, Florida. He moved with his family to Toccoa, Georgia, in 1976, graduating from Stephens County High School in 1979.”

Wikipedia

“Reed grew up in Toccoa, Georgia”

www.ralphreed.com www.censtrat.com

“He was born six weeks premature in 1961, in Portsmouth, Virginia, and to this day his frame is slight, his face preternaturally boyish. Although Reed has spent most of his adult life in Georgia, he did not move there until 1976, when his family settled in the small town of Toccoa, in the northeastern part of the state. Reed was in high school at the time. Georgia was the fifth state, and Toccoa the seventh town, he had called home.”

Weekly Standard

“I come from rural north Georgia. I grew up in a small town called Toccoa in Stephens County”

Ralph Reed - 11 Alive interview

“Reed also has to make himself look just as authentically Georgian as his opponent, which might be the toughest trick of all. At every campaign stop, in every piece of campaign literature, Reed repeats the new mantra of his embattled campaign: “Growing up in the North Georgia mountains, I learned the values that matter most—faith, family, freedom and hard work. But Reed did not grow up in the North Georgia mountains. As he writes in Active Faith, “It all began in Miami, where I grew up. My childhood was hardly spent in the Bible Belt.” Reed’s family didn’t move to Georgia until he was in his mid-teens. And when they did, as Nina Easton reports in Gang of Five, Reed was considered a “fast-talking Miami smart aleck” in Toccoa, the tiny mountain town where they settled. Even his best friend there, Donald Singer, remembered Reed showing “no demeanor of civility,” his abrasive personality constantly clashing with the native Southerners around him.”

US Politics

“It all began in Miami, where I grew up. My childhood was hardly spent in the Bible Belt.”

Ralph Reed, his book Active Faith

If a man cannot even be honest about where he grew up and has to lie to pander to the people who may elect him, WHO CAN he be honest with?

By Tony

July 17, 2006 1:48 PM | Link to this

Watch out referencing FactCheck.org. Debbie will attack you. It seems the same site VP Cheney referenced in his debate is NOW somehow evil and wrong.

By Meltdown

July 17, 2006 2:07 PM | Link to this

I guess the Reed folks have their own definition of Liberal- “A person who successfully attacks Ralph but can’t be logically or factually refuted”.

By Darrell

July 17, 2006 2:41 PM | Link to this

Oh yeah, a former CNN reporter and College Professor is an independent thinker. Let’s see…. hmmmmm…. last time I looked college professors were 98% Democrat. Wow! I guess that does make them independent an unbiased thinkers! Who could doubt that? and CNN too! Virtue beyond virtue there!

By Debbie

July 17, 2006 2:49 PM | Link to this

http://www.peachpundit.com/2006/07/17/invasion-at-sugarloaf/

So, some Casey supporters decided they’d go crusing through Ralph’s neighborhood and cause a scene out in front of Ralph’s house. Ralph’s neighbor yanked out the cellphone cam, snapped pics, and sent an email to Ralph complaining about it. The email and photos are below the fold.

By Debbie

July 17, 2006 3:18 PM | Link to this

LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — (MARKET WIRE) — July 17, 2006 — Georgia Right to Life PAC disavows the claim made in the recent Casey Cagle for Lt. Governor campaign radio ad. The ad states that, ” Georgia Right to Life endorsed Casey Cagle because they know he won’t sell out Georgia’s values.”

“Unfortunately this statement goes beyond the criteria that we have established for our endorsement and implies that we agree. This is not the case,” says Daniel Becker, PAC Director for GRTL. “We endorsed both Casey Cagle and Ralph Reed because of their strong and proven commitment to the sanctity of life and feel that either candidate would be an effective voice for our issue.”

By James

July 17, 2006 4:24 PM | Link to this

I simply do not understand the religious right. They support Ralph Reed when he obviously set conscience and conviction aside in pursuit of the almighty dollar…and they continue to support Rush Limbaugh who doctor shopped for drugs and recently was caught with Viagra in someone else’s name. Shouldn’t the Christian right ask what Rush is doing with the “pep pills” since he’s not married? It appears to me that the “right” is willing to embrace hypocrisy from it’s icons if it furthers their aggenda.

By gary

July 17, 2006 4:30 PM | Link to this

Wow, all of the staffers from the the two campaigns are really at each others throat. I would hate to see what the loser, who in my mind will be cagle, will do on this blog come Wednesday morning. I cannot stand all the mud slingging and in my view the one who does it most and ugliest turns away the voters. I have supported Reed from the begging, i am not in anyway associated with his campaign. I looked in Ralph Reed back in 2002 when he helped get this state out of the hands of ultra liberals Roy Barnes and Max Cleland. He helped elect two very good candidates that are now very good leaders for us in Sonny Perdue and Saxby Chambliss. He supported George Bush and worked as his southeast campaign manager. It pains me to see another so-called republican like Cagle slander reed and say he sells out our values. well anyone who attacks a fellow republican with the way cagle attacked reed is no republican. One more note, I once lived in Cagle’s district. Unless you owned one of the Banks in the area, then you were not well served by this man. He will act the same for the state of GA. he will not be there like we need him to be. Whoever you vote for is your business. I will vote for reed because i like his ideas better and i know the track record of Casey Cagle and it is not a good one unless you sit on the board of a local bank in the gainesville area. Good luck to who ever comes out of this race with a win.

PS… to you cagle supporters who like to slander those who support reed and want to publish private information, dont try that crap with me. I am a private citizen who is not involved with any campaign and will take measures to make sure it doesnt happen again.

By Debbie

July 17, 2006 4:45 PM | Link to this

Gary, Bahama Boy is the Cagle staffer. Tony is not paid staff for Cagle and I am not paid staff for Reed.

I am a network engineer. In other words I am a computer geek. I design, maintain and build computer networks and to be quite honest, campaigns do not pay much so I would not be interested in taking a pay cut.

I am passionate about this campaign because I have been a political activist for 30 years and I am so sick and tired of electing Republicans to office and then when they take office they lose their backbone. They begin to go along to get along and don’t want to make waves or offend anyone. IE Cagle giving a $ 1,000 contribution to Mark Taylor.

I have no respect for politcians like that.

Every once in a while, a politician comes along like Ronald Reagan that has backbone and stands their ground and does not care if they offend anyone. Left wing liberal groups go bonkers over politcians like this. They despise them and try to destroy them at every turn. Ralph Reed is this type of politician that I know I can trust to stand his ground with storms raging all around him. He has proven that. He is a fighter and I can assure you he would not have given Mark Taylor $ 1,000 contribution because he wanted to get along with him.

Why on earth should conservative politicians try to get along with liberal Democrats? They should be there to fight them not appease them.

By James

July 17, 2006 4:56 PM | Link to this

The Christian right will “drink the Kool Aid” on election day. And, the tragedy is, they think they are undergirding Christian values. However, they overlook the fact that Ralph Reed set aside his convictions and values to make a fast buck. And there’s Rush Limbaugh, the darling of the religous right —- what’s he doing with Viagra? He’s single. Oh, that doesn’t matter as long as the icons of the right press the agenda.

By Gary

July 17, 2006 5:02 PM | Link to this

I am not considered the christian right. I support reed for his ideas for this state, not his past “private sector” dealings. I also will not support Cagle due to the fact that i know what kind of senator he was when i lived in his district. The kool-aid reference shows how childish one can be. I believe that the GOP and its candidates that have the best ideas will prevail on election day. mainly because the other party does not offer any other initiatives than raising the minimum wage and retreating from Iraq, which are two ideas that i do not support and pretty sure the majority of people in this country do not support.

By Tony

July 17, 2006 5:13 PM | Link to this

Debbie,

You keep comparing GReed to Reagan….let me ask you this..of course not expecting an answer but I will add it to my running list.

Did Reagan ever take millions to do limited contract work on conservative causes? Did it take a multi-million dollar paycheck to get Reagan to fight for conservative principles? Did Reagan ever create desk drawer non-profits to fight for conservative causes? Did Reagan ever hide his work for conservative issues through third parties? GReed is no Reagan. Give the man a paycheck and he’ll create an army of one to fight your wars. As I said before GReed pretended to help spread the Gospel for Chinese sweatshop workers. What exactly did he do to spread the Gospel? I’m guessing sending some Indians to the unemployment line and cutting their funding for roads, schools, and healthcare helped marriages all across the reservations. SOunds like good causes. Not to mention the shell group as mentioned by Clint Austin. He comes out quite rich. And what was the outcome of his country club lifestyle? He aided a rival casino from having opposition. He aided Chinese Communist sweatshop operators in spreading false “Made in the USA” labels on clothing and the whole act of prostitution, abortions, and child labor. He managed to help CHina get MFN status and Boeing to make a killing off of plane sales to Communist China.

Sounds like Ralph did much more for Communist China than for Christians. And received millions for helping Communist China.

By Meltdown

July 17, 2006 7:13 PM | Link to this

Go Darrell! So when Cheney was quoting them (Factcheck) they were OK, but when they point out your guys lies they suddenly become CNN/college professor liberals? Very convenient. I guess they didn’t teach Latin at your madrassa, did they? Or logical discourse? You know, the part where if you resort to an ad hominum argument, you lose?

Did you have anything intelligent to say about the actual article, or did you just want to spout off?