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Monday, July 2, 2007
Richardson on Grady: ‘There’s a case to be made’ for state help
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Some important points to come out of House Speaker Glenn Richardson’s press conference today on Grady Memorial Hospital.
— For the first time since Democrats lost the Capitol, a ranking Republican has acknowledged that the state of Georgia might bear some responsibility for keeping Grady afloat. Richardson said he didn’t know exactly what that responsibility was. “But I think there’s a case to be made for it,” he said.
— The idea to wade into the issue was hatched at the House Republican Caucus’ gathering at St. Simons Island over the weekend. “Doing something to help Grady was of significant interest to the leadership,” Richardson said.
“This is not something you’d expect me to do,” the Speaker said — but reminded reporters that, four years ago, he’d been taken to Grady with a concussion after a car wreck on the interstate.
— In terms of heft, Richardson had Gov. Sonny Perdue beat on Monday. After the speaker announced his decision to wade into the Grady issue, Perdue’s office served notice that the governor will announce a new tournament Tuesday as part of his “Go Fish Georgia” program.
To be fair, the governor is just back from a two-week trade mission to Europe. And, thinking crassly, Richardson is in greater need of an opportunity to play the white knight than is the governor.
— To fund Grady’s expenses, and those of trauma units elsewhere in the state, the Speaker broached the possibility of a surcharge on 911 service. Not a tax increase, he said, because it would be a payment for new services rendered — liked Enhanced 911. Those in need of emergency help could “not only be located, but medicated,” he said. We’ll let the ideologues sort that one out.
The Speaker jumps into the Grady Hospital issue, promising ‘new life’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In an intriguing bit of legislative initiative, House Speaker Glenn Richardson just announced that he’s appointed a special committee to dip into the mess that is Grady Memorial Hospital — with the expressed purpose of keeping the trauma center alive.
“If you, like me, have been in a car crash, you will be taken to Grady. If you are burned, you will be taken to Grady. If you live in the metro area, you’ll be taken to Grady. If you’re anywhere in north Georgia, Grady is the only Level 1 Trauma Care Center. Most of Georgia’s medical residents train at Grady Hospital,” Richardson said in a press release.
Grady has been begging for state attention — more specifically, financial assistance.
Said Richardson: “Our goal is not to bail Grady out and simply fund the financial shortfall, but rather to examine the current situation with a fine-toothed comb and come back with a plan to give new life to Grady Hospital.”
Richardson appointed four Republicans to his committee, including Sharon Cooper (R-Marietta), a nurse and chairman of the House committee on health matters; Ben Harbin (R-Evans), chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.
He named one Democrat — Pam Stephenson of Atlanta, who currently chairs the authority that oversees the hospital.
ICYMI: Atlanta’s population grows by two. Involuntarily.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Over the weekend, Alabama newspapers reported that former Gov. Don Siegelman and fired HealthSouth CEO Richard Scrushy had been shipped to the federal prison here in Atlanta to start doing their time on bribery convictions.
Siegelman, 61, a once-popular Democratic governor, was sentenced to seven years and four months. Scrushy, 54, a multimillionaire executive, was sentenced to six years and 10 months.
Click here for the AP report carried by the Decatur, Ala., Daily.
Sigh. How quickly fame goes to their heads.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We told you last month of the new book, “The Political Brain,” by Emory University psychologist Drew Westen, and of his advice to Democrats.
The man made the Huffington Post this morning. The item includes video of Westen giving his spiel on how LBJ used his gut-punching rhetoric for the benefit of all mankind.
If nothing else, you’ll be able to recognize Westen well enough to buy him a beer. Or, if you’re Republican, to politely cross to the other side of the room.
Giuliani declines to cede Georgia to Fred Thompson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Rudy Giuliani appears intent on stealing a slice of Fred Thompson’s thunder on Friday.
The Savannah Morning News reported this weekend that Giuliani will be on the coast that day, while Thompson is raising money in Atlanta.
Giuliani’s affair is to be a town hall-style meeting at the Savannah Marriott Riverfront.
Last week, Strategic Vision, the Republican-oriented polling firm in Atlanta, reported that Giuliani was no longer the favorite among GOP voters in Georgia — that Thompson had taken his place.
We hope to bring you crosstabs on that poll later this week.
A Cagle strategist moves to the Thompson camp
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
As a matter of efficiency, it’s not odd for a national political operation to digest whole campaign structures at the statewide level. Fred Thompson seems to be doing this in Georgia.
We’ve gotten word that Joel McElhannon, the Republican political consultant who helped put Casey Cagle in the lieutenant governor’s office and Jim Whitehead into a run-off for the 10th District congressional race, is being gobbled up by the Thompson campaign as some sort of Southern coordinator.
McElhannon confirmed the move, but referred all other questions to the campaign. Thompson has a fund-raiser here on Friday, one of his first events after the former Tennessee senator’s presumed entry into the race on Thursday.
Other Georgians in Thompson’s camp include Tom Bell, CEO of Cousins Properties and a lifelong friend to Thompson; Steve Croy, a coastal developer who served as Cagle’s campaign treasurer; and lobbyist Raymon White, a native Tennessean who represents the National Rifle Association and the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce at the state Capitol.
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