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Red meat, and the meaning of the phrase, “Sock it to me”

Sixty-one years ago, Helen and Joe Martin of Atlanta named their second-born son James Francis.

But as is often the case in politics and fraternities, Republican Casey Cagle has decided that his Democratic rival needs a nickname. By Nov. 7, Martin will be known as “Liberal Jim.”

As if you didn’t see that coming.

Cagle put out an attack ad this afternoon. He doesn’t quite accuse Martin of crimes against humanity, but comes close.

Says the ad: “Liberal Jim Martin fought to keep Boy Scouts and prayer out of our schools, but voted against making it a felony to sell drugs near them.”

Asked for a response, Will Martin, the Martin campaign spokesman and Eagle Scout, answered thusly: “Casey Cagle is trying to change the subject. He doesn’t want to defend his own record of fighting for powerful interests.”

Which means it’s left to us to explain exactly what’s going on.

The big question for Republicans next Tuesday - perhaps the only question - is turnout. Will the base show up? We talked about that with Cagle last week. This is what he said:

“The reality is, this is still a two-party state. And with a third party candidate, you have the dynamics that you could potentially be in a run-off. So we’re working very, very hard to the finish line to ensure that we don’t have a run-off.

“No one knows what the turnout is going to be. The truth is, with everything going on in Washington, we’ve been fairly insulated from it - but it doesn’t mean we’re going to have huge turnouts. There’s not an overriding, huge reason for people to go to the polls in mass numbers. We’re working very hard to get our base turned out.”

That’s what his ad is about.

Now on to another topic that can only be understood by people of alive during the primitive age before cable TV.

Three days ago, the trio of candidates for lieutenant governor participated in statewide debate on GPTV. Jim Martin said Republicans had reformed the state’s Medicaid system into a crisis.

Now, to get the joke, you first have to admit that Cagle - with no ideological slight intended here - resembles a young Richard Nixon. Lean body, narrow nose, five o’clock shadow, the receding hairline.

This was Cagle’s reply: “Are there problems? Sure. Are the problems going to be corrected? You can bet your bippy.”

It was an LSD flashback. Goldie Hawn in a bikini and fake tattoos magically appeared. Shades of “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.”

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Commenting is now closed for this entry.

By BE INFORMED

October 31, 2006 7:31 PM | Link to this

Always changing the subject to avoid addressing the point. To distract from the 109th Congress’s abysmal record at re-election time, GW Bush flashes all the way back to 2004, and feigns offense, demanding that Senator Kerry apologize to the troops. Indeed. Let’s not look at what your Congressmen did, or didn’t do in the last two years. Ha!

By Will Jones

October 31, 2006 11:33 PM | Link to this

Any politician voluntarily self-identifying with the likes of Ralph Reed, Henry Kissinger, George W. Bush, Jack Abramoff, Mark Foley, and Sonny Perdue needs to be barred from public office in Georgia.

If we elect Dems next week and they don’t bring the gangsters now in power to the bar of Justice, the Dems will be swinging from it too.

By Righton

November 1, 2006 12:43 PM | Link to this

Will Jones, How many honest Democrates do you know? Look in the mirror when you talk about the bars of Justice or are you blind to the truth.

By Jarrod

November 1, 2006 2:56 PM | Link to this

**It isn’t about who is more honest at any point here, it is that Republicans have maintained they have a moral high ground, they have religion and the Bible principles on their side - and I often wonder at sports games when everyone is praying for their team to win, which side does God want to win and why?

Republicans tried to make the country believe they are above graft, corruption, sexual misconduct, basically sin - because they are so much better due to their faith. Well, it just ain’t so. Morality can neither be legislated nor can it be infused by a religion. Morality is not right or wrong, black or white - our society is so complex with so many facets to issues, its all shades of gray. If Democrats and Republicans would meld together into a shade of gray - we might accomplish much together.

By Baby June

November 1, 2006 3:02 PM | Link to this

Kerry is not an issue in this election. But, the BUSH WAR is. But the mounting deficit is, But the pitiful excuse of an incompetent administration is, But the attempt to grab presidential power and avoid any congressional oversight for your actions is, But securing our borders is - Focus people - on the ISSUES, not on John Kerry.

By Baby June

November 1, 2006 3:03 PM | Link to this

Kerry is not an issue in this election. But, the BUSH WAR is. But the mounting deficit is, But the pitiful excuse of an incompetent administration is, But the attempt to grab presidential power and avoid any congressional oversight for your actions is, But securing our borders is - Focus people - on the ISSUES, not on John Kerry.

By Baby June

November 1, 2006 3:03 PM | Link to this

Kerry is not an issue in this election. But, the BUSH WAR is. But the mounting deficit is, But the pitiful excuse of an incompetent administration is, But the attempt to grab presidential power and avoid any congressional oversight for your actions is, But securing our borders is - Focus people - on the ISSUES, not on John Kerry.

By MelGX

November 1, 2006 3:11 PM | Link to this

Cagle is done. Even a political rookie knows you don’t go negative 6 days out. Stick a fork in him.

 

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