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DEL.ICIO.USIf you say a congressman is missing, and he’s found in Afghanistan — does it count?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s hard to know what to make of this fight that Rick Goddard has picked with U.S. Rep. Jim Marshall, the Democrat from Macon.
Last week, the Moultrie Observer ran an interview with Goddard, one of two Republicans who want to wrest the 8th Congressional District from Marshall’s grasp. That middle Georgia territory should belong to the GOP, they reason — and not without evidence.
Goddard ripped into Marshall for missing debate on the farm bill in July. Not a vote. Just debate.
“What’s important is we ought to have people in Congress on duty during the discussion making sure that that farm bill represents the interests of middle Georgia.
“Our current congressman was not there. He was overseas during the debate, and I think that’s wrong,” said Goddard, a retired Air Force major general.
So Marshall was “overseas.” In the Bahamas, perhaps on some congressional inspection tour of local rum factories, was the unstated implication.
But no. Marshall, a former Ranger, was actually spending a few days with the Special Forces in Afghanistan.
Wrote Marshall in an e-mail published by the Macon Telegraph: “First of all, the General obviously doesn’t know how things get done in Congress. Before I left for my long scheduled ‘overseas’ trip, the farm bill debate was over in the ag committee — the bill was drafted and noses counted. And I knew I’d be back in time to help move the farm bill through the full House.
“But the General’s ‘overseas’ and ‘duty’ references are arguably unbecoming. He knows I was embedded with a Special Forces team in a remote base along the Pakistan border. But he just calls that being ‘overseas.’ And if he doesn’t think that’s my ‘duty’ as a member of the Armed Services Committee, the general’s not ready to represent Georgia in Congress. This isn’t San Francisco.”
Now, what Marshall meant by “embedded,” we don’t know. Here’s what he wrote about the visit. Note that he’s not a whiz at spelling.
In any case, the location alone should amount to a pass. No rum factories there — only poppy fields.
Bottom line, Goddard made a vague reference that should have been checked out before he uttered it. But he didn’t, so you drop it and move on. That’s how you deal with a gaffe, right? In military terms, you don’t reinforce failure.
Unless it’s not a gaffe.
On Monday, the Goddard campaign raised the issue yet again.
“Democrat Congressman Jim Marshall continued to dodge questions this weekend as to why he left town before finishing the House Agriculture Committee’s work on the 2007 Farm Bill,” the Goddard campaign said in a press release.
“On Friday, Marshall admitted he was the only member of Congress in Afghanistan while the House of Representatives was still in session and work remained on the farm bill.
“He then attacked Rick Goddard, Republican candidate for the 8th District, for simply asking the question as to why Marshall could not have seen the farm bill through the committee process even if it meant traveling to Afghanistan during Congress’ four week-long-summer vacation.”
What makes this a strange fight is that Goddard was brought on board to go toe-to-toe with Marshall on military issues. And this isn’t an exchange that Georgia’s military community is likely to buy into.
The only thing that makes sense is that Goddard’s tactics aren’t necessarily directed toward Marshall, but the GOP primary.
As we said, Goddard is one of two Republicans in the race. Mac Collins, who once held that seat, wants it back and so far has refused to cede the nomination to Goddard. And Collins’ base is Georgia agriculture.
We welcome other theories.
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Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Joel
August 29, 2007 11:10 AM | Link to this
Agriculture is hardly Mac Collins base. As I recall he voted against the 1996 farm bill, which was widely supported, at the time, by the agricultural commmunity. Collins may have a stronger agriculture connection than Goddard, but don’t think Collins is some kind of Chambliss or Bishop. It wouldn’t take much to erode what little base Collins has within the agriculture community.
By Nicholas
August 29, 2007 12:16 PM | Link to this
You “welcome other theories”? Rick Goddard is not prepared to represent the 8th district in Congress. This has got to be one of the dumbest political attacks I have ever seen. Republicans try time after time to come up with something to hit Marshall with and continually fail. It should be simple to see. Marshall’s ideology is a fit for his district. He is not beholden to the national Democratic Party and he is one of this country’s finest public servants. Oh and I forgot he is also a war hero! I welcome, for comedic relief, a primary between the General and Mac Collins. Then it will be enjoyable to watch Marshall whip yet another Republican that was supposed to beat him in the fall.
By Craig
August 29, 2007 4:10 PM | Link to this
Sorry Rick. Your buddy Saxby is the Farm Bill genius. Why put pressure on Marshall when your own guy is the one giving us repeated failures at Farm Bills. Perhaps you should come out and denounce Saxby’s repeated failures and devise your own? Where is your solution to the handing out of millions to corporations NOT to grow something?
By GodHatesTrash
August 30, 2007 6:50 AM | Link to this
Goddard will do well in that district - there are alot of closeted homosexuals there that are the GOP’s core constituency.
Trash.
By Howard Butts
August 30, 2007 7:08 AM | Link to this
I guess that means the Dems have all of the homosexuals who are out. Right? Certainly one of their core consituencies.
Marshall might as well be a Republican. He acts and runs like one most of the time. Why is he wasting tax dollars by traveling to Iraq as often as he does? It reminds me of the current Macon mayor who spends more time in Africa than he does at home.
Marshall goes over their because he thinks it impresses his conservative district. In reality it is a waste of tax dollars. I’ll go with Goddard.
By keyth
August 30, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this
Marshall is the man. If that’s all Goddard have in attacking Jim Marshall, then Marshall has nothing to worry about & with a possible primary ficht with Collins, Goddard if comes out of it will be easy pickins for Marshall.
By keyth
August 30, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this
Marshall is the man. If that’s all Goddard have in attacking Jim Marshall, then Marshall has nothing to worry about & with a possible primary fight with Collins, Goddard if comes out of it will be easy pickins for Marshall.
By keyth
August 30, 2007 12:52 PM | Link to this
Marshall is the man. If that’s all Goddard have in attacking Jim Marshall, then Marshall has nothing to worry about & with a possible primary fight with Collins, Goddard if comes out of it will be easy pickins for Marshall.
By Frank C
August 30, 2007 2:17 PM | Link to this
The general’s accusations seem appropriate for a novice political recruit. His dreary task will be to besmirch Jim Marshall with squirmy implications of misfeasance. For a grown man to I’m actually embarrassed for the General Goddard. After an apparently successful career in the Air Force,for the general to sign up to do stoop labor for the local GOP is pitiful. And there’s the additional seaminess of his (or was the general fed this line by the GOP)groundless enuendo to attack Jim Marshall. Marshall’s name is synonymous with dedication, service, diligence,sacrifice,integrity, candor, and competence. For a grow man to sign on to this sort of rock throwing at a fellow veteran is testament to a lack of common-sense and decency. The general’s ambitions are unbecoming of an officer.