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Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Signs that you have a 20-point lead in the polls
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Wendy Saltzman, a reporter for WGCL-TV in Atlanta, has been nagging Gov. Sonny Perdue to comment on cuts made to PeachCare, a state-funded children’s health network, during his administration.
She asked again this afternoon, at a press conference on biofuels.
The governor suggested that Saltzman, no rookie, look for other work in a smaller market.
Sayeth Sonny: “Wendy, we’ve addressed that with you. And I think probably from the way you’ve approached this subject, you might want to think about some other markets – like Chattanooga and Columbia and Tallahassee and those kind of things. But we’ve sent you those answers and we’re on record as having answered those before.�
After a one-question sabbatical, Saltzman tried again.
Said Perdue: “Wendy, I’ve answered your question. I’m sorry, dear. You know, if you can’t get answers, you might want think about another market.�
National Christian Coalition leader to Sadie Fields: You’ll be replaced
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
One day after the Christian Coalition of Georgia announced it would go its own way, the president of the national organization on Tuesday said she’d establish a new state chapter with a new leader.
Sadie Fields, the well-connected chairman of the Georgia group, said the split with the 17-year-old Christian Coalition of America was due to the national organization’s liberal “drift.”
Three other states chapters — Alabama, Iowa and Ohio — have also left the once-powerful group founded by the Rev. Pat Robertson and organizer Ralph Reed.
“I wish Sadie well in her future endeavors,” said Roberta Combs, president of the national Christian Coalition. But Combs said her organization would quickly select a new Georgia leader to create a replacement chapter — though she did not say when that would occur.
“The Christian Coalition — or any group — is not about individuals. Maybe we can work together in the future,” Combs said.
Like the leaders of other state chapters, Fields said she was concerned by the changing direction of national organization — which had recently become involved in such issues as global warming, an increase in the minimum wage, and control of the Internet.
Combs agreed that the Coalition had begun broadening its agenda. “Family values reach beyond abortion and gay marriage,” she said.
But Combs said another reason for the breach with state chapters was the national organization’s settlement last year of a lengthy dispute with the Internal Revenue Service over the group’s tax-exempt status.
Under the agreement, the national Christian Coalition — accused of having Republican leanings — agreed to allow candidates to write up to 25 words explaining their positions in the coalition’s influential voter guides, which are sent to churches the Sunday before election.
State chapters were told their voter guides would also be subject to the new guidelines, and would have to be approved by the national coalition.
Fields denied that the oversight played any role in the split.
Perdue goes straight for your heart — or a bypass, maybe.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tony Kimbrell, proprietor of the Hiram Hickory House, has long understood the connection between politics and barbecue.
He just dropped off a sample of his latest effort on behalf of Gov. Sonny Perdue’s re-election bid: 200,000 bags of pork skins with Perdue’s name on them, and the logo, “Take the pork out of politics.”
We’ve misunderstood the man from Bonaire too long. All these quality-of-life increases the governor’s been gabbing about — we thought he meant jobs, education scores, and such.
Turns out the topic was cholesterol.
Martin raises concerns over rival’s donors; Cagle “deeply disappointed.”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A fund-raiser for Casey Cagle, the Republican nominee for lieutenant governor, has prompted a small dust-up with Democratic nominee Jim Martin — conducted via open letters. A frank diplomatic exchange, one might say.
The event features” high-ranking officials from companies including BellSouth, Blue Cross Blue Shield, and The Home Depot,” says Brandon Larrabee, who recorded the tiff for Morris News Service. Read the entire article here.
“It’s a ‘Ball for Sprawl and Special Favors,’” said Will Martin, a spokesman for the Jim Martin campaign.
Cagle responded: “The clear intent of your attack is to argue that I - and the civic leaders who support our campaign - are engaged in a quid pro quo transaction where legislative actions are traded for campaign contributions. As you know, such behavior would be both unethical and illegal, and the fact that you would stoop so low as to make such an allegation is deeply disappointing.”
