Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2007 > June > 04 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USSays Cardwell: Chambliss is ‘a borrow-and-spend pawn of the special interests.’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dale Cardwell, former journalist turned first-time Democratic politician, jumped into the U.S. Senate race with both feet on Monday, condemning Republican incumbent Saxby Chambliss as “a borrow-and-spend pawn of the special interests.”
The former WSB-TV reporter becomes the first Democrat to formally announce for the seat, and in his debut meeting with journalists — many his former colleagues — struck a populist note, and focused specifically on the man he hopes to meet on the ballot in November ’08.
“You need to know that most of your elected officials no longer work for you,” Cardwell said. “They’ve been busy looking for the special interest groups that fund their campaigns and send them on fancy vacations all over the world. Our current senior senator, Saxby Chambliss, is no different.”
Cardwell made no mention of Vernon Jones, the CEO of DeKalb County and the only other Democrat who has expressed interest in the race. But standing behind Cardwell at his announcement was Eddie Moody, the former DeKalb County police chief who said he was ousted by Jones in 2004.
With a message aimed at swing voters and disaffected Republicans, Cardwell has provoked early — and extremely high — interest among key Democrats. As consultants, he’s hired on Jeff DiSantis, former executive director of the state party, and Emil Runge, former spokesman for the party. Another former executive director of the party, Jon Anderson, is doing direct mail for Cardwell.
But most interesting was the presence of a half-dozen union officials, including Richard Ray, president of the AFL-CIO in Georgia. “He’s got some good ideas. Some I’m kind of shaky on,” said Ray. “He’s got an uphill battle.”
“This is no endorsement. We’d like to hear what he has to say,” said Ben Myers, political and legislative director of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 613.
Cardwell again promised he would take no money from special interests, but said his name recognition in metro Atlanta would help overcome his financial disadvantage. “I kind of get to start on the 30-yard line,” Cardwell said.
Again, there was the populist message. “This may be our last chance to take our government back. This may be our last chance to elect an outsider who will stay an outsider,” Cardwell said. “I’m going to be able to draw money and raise money from people who have never been politically active because they don’t trust Washington. They know they’re being lied to.”
Cardwell also indicated he would be relying on credentials earned as a watchdog journalist. “I pursued [errant politicians] like a hound dog, grabbed their pants leg, and I didn’t let go until I got the truth. That’s what I will continue to do for you,” he said.
The former investigative journalist declared himself pro-choice, anti-IRS, pro-Second Amendment, opposed to the current immigration reform bill, and in favor of a tougher line on Iraq and its government.
Cardwell said he began thinking of entering the Senate race in December, and made his final decision two months ago. His last day at WSB-TV was Friday.
Among the highlights of the press conference:
— “Georgians want the truth. They want an honest person, an independent thinker who will not be the lapdog of their party when their party is wrong,” Cardwell said. “When asked about the war in Iraq, Mr. Chambliss, a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told us, ‘I don’t know what was wrong with our strategy, or who was responsible for it.’ My fellow Georgians, it’s time to change that.”
But Cardwell said he was not in favor of withdrawing from the region. He wants the Iraq government held to benchmarks. “If they fail, we will redeploy our troops, but we will never surrender a security perimeter, a beachhead if you will, that we’ve earned with the blood of American lives,” he said. “We’ll maintain a base, we’ll make it safe from insurgents, and we’ll use that base to launch attacks against al-Qaida.”
But withdrawing would lead to chaos, he said. “Within five years, within three years, my 19-year-old son is going to be drafted to go to Iraq to go to the Middle East, to keep oil lanes open. We’ve got to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Cardwell said.
— He spoke of abolishing the IRS, and replacing the current system with something more “simple.” Whether the so-called “fair tax” or a flat tax, Cardwell said he hadn’t decided.
— Cardwell said he’s in favor of a tougher immigration reform bill, and demanded the immediate construction of a wall across the southern U.S. border. He accused Chambliss of helping to write a bill that favored “amnesty.”
Cardwell said he favored tougher criminal and financial penalties for employers who hire illegal immigrants.
While he said he didn’t like the guest-worker provision of the immigration reform bill, because it doesn’t allow the federal government to accurately track those workers. But he did concede that some guest worker program was necessary.
We contacted Chambliss’ office for a comment from the senator.
His spokeswoman replied, “He is preparing for a serious and spirited campaign in 2008. Whoever emerges as the Democratic nominee will be formidable and Senator Chambliss looks forward to a serious dialogue on the issues.”
MOST POPULAR STORIES
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Jack Thayer
June 4, 2007 5:06 PM | Link to this
Who in the world is Saxby Chambliss anyway and I am pretty up on politics.
By Jack Thayer
June 4, 2007 5:10 PM | Link to this
I stand corrected Saxby Chambliss is in the Georgia State Legislature. How stupid of me!
By Slotl
June 4, 2007 5:26 PM | Link to this
Dale Cardwell as Senator and Clark Howard as Governor. That will teach the rest of the country how politics and politicians should behave.
By Will Jones
June 4, 2007 5:33 PM | Link to this
Perhaps Cindy Sheehan is right: the Dems are just the “good cops” owned by the same false-elite that owns the “bad cop” GOP. Iraq is a “false war” predicated on WMD-lies and 9-11…which Bush and Cheney committed. If the Democrats, now in power, can’t suss that and bring treason charges against the obvious perps, The People must form a new Whig alliance of righteous white, black, rich, and poor - as it was in the Beginning of America, is now and ever shall be.
Death for Treason.
By Nick
June 4, 2007 5:39 PM | Link to this
… Saxby is a U.S. Senator.
Anyway, can someone please explain to me what exactly makes Cardwell a Democrat? Maintaining a base in Iraq? A flat tax? The tired idea of building a wall? Do any of these even come close to being Democratic stances?
Look, I’m not advocating for the guy to toe the party line. A little independent thought is a good thing. But he’s no Democrat. I can’t wait to hear his thoughts on gay rights and abortion.
By Michael H. Smith
June 4, 2007 8:17 PM | Link to this
Ever heard of the Blue Dogs, Nick? For the great unwashed: Blue Dog is a conservative Democrat. However, Mr. Cardwell as it appears, would fit rather well in the old Progress Party of Teddy Roosevelt too.
Fewer than 25% of the American people now identify themselves as Republicans. Only 33% of the American people now identify themselves as Democrats. A much larger percentage, some 42% of the American people, now identify themselves as Independents.
So you read the political tea leaves I see Mr. Cardwell – very good for you.
You got to love a guy who will speak to the majority interests in this country.
By Jack Thayer
June 4, 2007 8:44 PM | Link to this
Thanks Nick—I thought Johnny Isaakson and Zell Miller were Georgia’s U.S. Senators—but now you jogged my memory and ,yes, I believe it was Chambliss who ran that horribly unconscionable and un-Christian campaign against Max Cleland.
By RJL
June 4, 2007 9:45 PM | Link to this
You might could call Mr. Cardwell ambitious, or pandering, or simply unknowing, but don’t call him a Democrat.
By Jane
June 4, 2007 11:05 PM | Link to this
The only conservative Democrats run around wearing sheets and waving old antebellum flags. With his nativist talk Dave is more like Lester than Zell.
By Eddie Moody!
June 4, 2007 11:31 PM | Link to this
Having Eddie Moody, Vern’s old foe who’s beloved in DeKalb, stand behind Cardwell at the press conference was brilliant!
http://www.radicalgeorgiamoderate.org/2005/04/29/out-sociopathing-cynthia-mckinney/
By Robert
June 5, 2007 1:31 AM | Link to this
Mr. Thayer…. Maybe a 6th grade civics class is in order for you.
Secondly, you have just hit on the great misnomer of all Georgia political campaigns. Cleland lost because he didn’t vote for Georgia values and Saxby won since he pointed it out and Max didn’t respond.
If GA Democrats, of which I would prefer to vote, only weren’t in bed with the national unions, it would be much easier to vote them.
IF you can draw that line, Mr. Cardwell, you can win. Get into bed with the unions (like Cleland) and you will lose statewide in Georgia.
By Athens, GA
June 5, 2007 2:38 AM | Link to this
I would consider myself a centrist Democrat and I am not happy with anything that Cardwell and Jones are saying. Their posturing on Iraq, immigration, and the Flat Tax may reflect the “will of the people” but show absolutely no backbone.
John Barrow is a centrist Democrat who won by rallying against the Fair Tax and not cursing immigrants. Jim Marshall and Roy Barnes are also cut from similar cloth. Any of these three can beat Saxby Chambliss. They have the personal political skills, fundraising networks, and moderate records that would guide them to success in a a tough election as well as a bitterly divided Congress.
By Bitter EX democrackkk
June 5, 2007 7:09 AM | Link to this
Given the LONG RUNNING debate and local instigation of the FAIRTAX as a concept and fast growing Congressional proposal, I find it VERY odd that Mr. Cardwell would not have SOME inkling of the differences between FAIR and FLAT tax proposals…WHICH ONE will he support? Will he strive to abolish the IRS for us? Will he be supporting the likes of ‘the smartest woman in the world’, Hitlary Clintonista? Can he answer, ‘Why do democrats seek to keep everyone SO oppressed?’
By deegee
June 5, 2007 9:27 AM | Link to this
This guy can’t be serious. I think he must be running for Wes Sarginson’s job.
By The Thin Guy
June 5, 2007 5:40 PM | Link to this
Reporters think they are more important than the news they report so this guy might just fit in. If I were going to vote for a TV reporter my choice would be Stephany Fisher. At least she’s eye candy. I’ve already forgotten this guy’s name. I’ve already informed Saxby if he voted to replace The Fourth of July with Cinque de Mayo he can forget about my vote. I’ll just stay home election day. Or show up for work.
By Joe
June 6, 2007 1:40 PM | Link to this
Where the heck has Cardwell been all his life. The special interest have always owned members of congress, mayors, city council members, county commissioners and all other little p** ant people. My question is why didn’t you ever report on all this?