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DEL.ICIO.USThings to look for in tonight’s 10th District debate
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some things you’ll see, and some you won’t, in today’s 7 p.m. GPTV broadcast of the 10th District congressional debate, sponsored by the Atlanta Press Club:
— Yes, there was a fellow in a chicken suit, razzing Republican Jim Whitehead for skipping the debate. He — the guy in the suit — swore he wasn’t affiliated with any campaign, and identified himself as blogger Shelby Highsmith of Atlanta, and author of shelbinator.com.
Highsmith maintained that he just had a new chicken suit lying around, and decided this would be an occasion to use it. You probably have relatives that fit this description. Keep an eye on them.
— Nine of the 10 candidates in the race showed up for the hourlong forum, which was taped at 2 p.m. The Atlanta Press Club left an open lectern for Whitehead, a former state senator from Columbia County.
Two candidates asked questions of Whitehead — Republican Bill Greene and Democrat James Marlow. Whitehead did not answer.
— Once candidates were permitted to question each other, Marlow was the target of three of the first four questions, which tells you who the other candidates think has the best chance of making it into a run-off with Whitehead next Tuesday.
The fourth question was Greene’s for Whitehead, asking why he thought it expedient to skip so many joint appearances.
— No one had a kind word for George W. Bush, save for Republican Mark Myers of Loganville, who complimented the president on his tax cuts.
— Evita Paschall, a Democrat may have had the line of the night, when she attacked Republican Erik Underwood’s plan on Iraq. The “Underwood plan” — which sounds like something advocated by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden — would sequester Iraq into Kurdish, Shi’ite, and Sunni regions.
Said Paschall: “If it was that simple, Bush would have thought of it.”
— Bush wasn’t the only collateral damage in the debate. Republican Nate Pulliam, a retired lieutenant colonel and a Conyers real estate agent, was asked his opinion of the immigration reform bill now in the Senate.
Said Pulliam: “I think we can call it the George Bush, Saxby Chambliss, Johnny Isakson amnesty bill. I am totally opposed to it. Now when Saxby Chambliss got up and tried to convince us all that this was a good bill, it’s like a child coming home with a report card with three A’s and two F’s, putting his thumb over the F’s, and saying, ‘Dad, look at the A’s.’”
— Asked what he thought of the Patriot Act, Republican Paul Broun of Athens said he like some parts. But some sections, he thought — electronic surveillance without oversight, in particular — were “flirting with tyranny.”
— The cutest moment: The way Greene, the Republican, kept shooting winks and nods up to his wife in the audience.
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By griftdrift
June 12, 2007 4:48 PM | Link to this
Good stuff Jim. Next time we are sitting that close we have to introduce ourselves.
By Amanda
June 12, 2007 5:31 PM | Link to this
It’s too bad that the results of the election probably won’t be based on who really cares about winning this seat and working for the people of the 10th District. Let’s all get out and vote and show Whitehead that he isn’t ENTITLED to anything just because he had the blessing of Rep. Norwood!
By Holly
June 12, 2007 6:08 PM | Link to this
Jim was at a meeting with Sonny Perdue, MCG officials, and other community leaders during the time of the debate, discussing the future of MCG here and in Athens. Obviously, he was at the more important function. There’s an article at the Augusta Chronicle about it.
By Shelly
June 12, 2007 6:26 PM | Link to this
Sorry Holly, I think a debate allowing the citizens of the 10th District to hear from all the candidates is obviously the more important function. Meetings can be rescheduled.
By dbsmith
June 12, 2007 6:51 PM | Link to this
A claim that Whitehead’s absence was anything more than campaign strategy is even more offensive and disrespectful to intelligence of the people of the 10th District than the fact that he blew off the debate.
If the voters in this race have any self-respect, they will never vote for Whitehead. It’s arrogant for an incumbent to refuse to debate, but inexcusable for someone who’s not.
If you’re a Republican and want to vote for one, vote for Nate Pulliam. He’s been in Iraq, and his I.Q. is at least Whitehead’s squared.
By Augusta
June 12, 2007 7:10 PM | Link to this
It’s hilarious that the AJC editorial staff is spending so much wasted energy on slamming someone in a race OUTSIDE of their paper’s distribution area (at least most of it). And they want readers to believe this race is competitive. HA! Certainly with ten candidates, a runoff is likely. But Whitehead will EASILY win the runoff, and the AJC editors know it. Sorry liberal AJC editors, you lose again!
By dbsmith
June 12, 2007 7:59 PM | Link to this
Actually, a lot of the district is in the circulation area (Jackson, Clarke, Oconee, Banks, etc.) Even so, this was a statewide televised debate (as in viewable in the whole district).
The last two people I remember blowing off their public TV debate are Cynthia McKinney for Congress and John Frank Collins for Labor Commissioner.
Nice company for the “frontrunner.”
By Augusta
June 12, 2007 8:30 PM | Link to this
Like I said, MOST of the 10th district is no longer in the AJC’s distribution area. As for your comparison to McKinney and Collins, that’s laughable. Pure and simply envy.
Whitehead will win any runoff…easily. But I’m sure you and the AJC libs will claim defeat for Whitehead if he gets less than 65%. The last time I checked a win is a win is a win. 50% + 1 vote is all it takes, although any runoff will not be close…and the AJC libs know it.
By Holly
June 12, 2007 8:34 PM | Link to this
Your comment shows you don’t understand the 10th district well at all. MCG is far more important to people here than a GPTV debate. It provides thousands of jobs and billions in revenue to this city, and people here are very worried about its future. Also, you don’t blow off a meeting with the governor and reschedule. When he makes himself available, you show up. Finally, the people of the 10th district are definitely more in tune with what the area needs and doesn’t need than people from outside - and one of the current priorities is MCG.
By David
June 12, 2007 9:52 PM | Link to this
Of course you don’t blow off a meeting with the Governor when he probably worked with you to plan it so you could avoid the debate!
By dbsmith
June 12, 2007 10:19 PM | Link to this
Again, spare us on the MCG meeting. Just admit that the guy doesn’t want to debate.
To every Whitehead staffer and volunteer - aren’t you at all embarrassed to be working for a guy who wants to be a Congressman but can’t even go to the public TV debate and answer a few questions?
If that guy gets elected, the district will basically not have a Congressman until he’s gone. What an empty suit.
By Tony
June 12, 2007 11:47 PM | Link to this
Holly,
You are clearly ignorant. The PEOPLE of the district are more important than anything else in the district. Whitehead is supposed to SERVE them not work them into his schedule. He has an obligation to face his constituents and tell the people why he wants the job. It’s odd how these meetings are conveniently scheduled around debates. I’ve been in politics long enough to know how this works. Whitehead’s campaign is already on record about the reason for ducking the Athens debate. I guess he feels he can work the people in as he sees fit. If the Governor cannot make himself available at another time for a guy to face his peers and his constituents, then both he and Whitehead are no servants of the people. The moron’s being kept quiet because he can’t speak an intelligible sentence to save his life. It’s odd that this meeting was not announced ahead of time to silence the critics. I guess Holly and others need to get out a little earlier to let people know the excuse of Whitehead ducking rather than us speculating.
So Holly feel free to defend this high quality candidate. You sound like Mrs. Whitehead. Are you sure you’re not staff or family?
By Holly
June 13, 2007 12:08 AM | Link to this
I’ll spare you the MCG meeting when you spare me the false concern for my part of the state. How many people do you think watched the debate in the 10th district? I’d venture to say not many bothered. The papers might’ve mentioned it, but I don’t recall. The border counties in this district don’t get GPB at all because their broadcasting stations are out of SC and NC. However, there are audio feeds of debates online and Comcast has made their June 4th debate available free of charge to cable stations around the district, so if folks want to see or hear a debate including Jim, they can. I’m glad you folks are so concerned about the 10th, but really, we’re capable of chosing the best representative for ourselves - no help from outside sources needed. Jim was my state senator. He represented us well in Atlanta, and I know he’ll do the same in DC. Make no mistake, he will get to DC, and we’ll be well represented when he does.
By Paul D
June 13, 2007 11:07 AM | Link to this
Holly:
In what capacity was Jim Whitehead at a meeting on MCG/Augusta? He’s no longer a state senator for the area and he hasn’t been elected to Congress (at least not yet).
From the view on this end of the 10th, the fact that someone running to represent the district which includes the University is more worried about MCG than UGA says all I need to know about how he’ll serve us. Poorly. If at all.
By Tony
June 13, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this
I’d like to see this article Holly refers to in the Augusta Chronicle. I saw one mentioning him missing the debate and saying he was in a meeting with the Governor and that was it.
By Tony
June 13, 2007 11:28 AM | Link to this
Oh he’s great. He’s wonderful. He wants to blow up his alma mater. He uses partisan writers for sources on the serious issues. He has to be caged before stumbling over his own shoe laces. The guy’s clueless. Holly likes clueless. She thinks clueless is a good quality in her elected official. The man can do no wrong according to her. Either she’s family or he signs her paychecks. Which is it?
By Amanda
June 13, 2007 12:14 PM | Link to this
Even if the article was in the Augusta Chronicle … the “smart” folks at the Chronicle endorsed Whitehead. So who really cares what they write?
Holly is underestimating the intelligence and concern of voters of the 10th District. I attended the debate in Athens, watched the debate on GPB, and I’m not voting for Jim Whitehead!!
By Will Jones
June 13, 2007 12:20 PM | Link to this
JIm Whitehead on WDUN this morning wants to have Congress defer to the military as to when the fighting should end in Iraq…Doesn’t want politics to tamper with the soldiers’ judgement.
One suspects he’s never bothered reading the Constitution or considered civilian control of the Armed Forces as a fundamental American principle.
So easy to be brave from a distance. Did he “marry” his way out of Vietnam like Newt?
By Will Jones
June 13, 2007 12:21 PM | Link to this
JIm Whitehead on WDUN this morning wants to have Congress defer to the military as to when the fighting should end in Iraq…Doesn’t want politics to tamper with the soldiers’ judgement.
One suspects he’s never bothered reading the Constitution or considered civilian control of the Armed Forces as a fundamental American principle.
So easy to be brave from a distance. Did he “marry” his way out of Vietnam like Newt?
By Tony
June 13, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this
How many people attended those debates?
By Amanda
June 13, 2007 2:45 PM | Link to this
The Athens debate was standing room only, but not in a huge venue. I’d guess there were at least 150 people there, if not more.
By Craig
June 13, 2007 3:21 PM | Link to this
Thank you Tony for asking that question and thank you Amanda for answering. I wanted to know as well. I need to go track Jackson down who said something to the effect of 4 or 8 or 40 were there depending on when he made his comment. I guess Jackson needs to go back to school to learn how to count people.