Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2007 > September > 10
Monday, September 10, 2007
Almost live, from the Prado, it’s your favorite Fred-heads
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The videographer Grayson Daughters, a.k.a. Spacey Gracey, is back with another entry in her Atlanta political diary. This one is all about Fred-heads who gathered at a Sandy Springs watering hole last week to speak well of Mr. Thompson and his Republican run for the presidency.
We found it on youtube.com. You can also catch it on the Huffington Post.
We’re proud to report that no one looks excessively wasted. Nothing for wives or girlfriends to be ashamed of. The stars of the evening include GOP strategist Mark Rountree, Jason Sheperd of the Young Republicans, and Chris Farris, the blogger and long-time Thompson fan.
Barack 2, Hillary 0; Bishop backs Obama
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After months of lengthy phone calls and occasional not-so-subtle pressure from two of his party’s presidential contenders, Rep. Sanford Bishop, an Albany Democrat, announced Monday that he’ backing Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) in the Democratic presidential primary.
Bishop, in a statement issued by the Obama campaign, said he picked Obama over Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York because “I believe Sen. Obama truly understands the needs of Georgians within the greater context of changing our nation for the better.”
Obama and Clinton have been in an intense fight for Georgia’s African American community. Both hope to harvest enough ATL cash and votes from the African American community that both believe could help tip the balance in the primary election.
Bishop is the second African American congressman from Georgia to back Obama. Rep. Hank Johnson of Dekalb County endorsed Obama earlier and is already helping him raise money in the Atlanta area, home to a huge share of African American Georgians.
Bishop and Johnson will serve as Obama’s state chairmen, Obama’s campaign said.
Two other African American congressmen - Rep. John Lewis and Rep. David Scott, both of Atlanta - have still not announced a choice between Obama and Clinton, though both have been eagerly courted by both camps.
Bishop first hinted at his preference for Obama a month ago when he was still be pressured by what he called “The Arkansas mafia” run by Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton.
Next time, when you think NutriSystem, think Johnny Isakson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Roll Call newspaper, which covers Capitol Hill, has put U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson of Marietta and U.S. Tom Price of Roswell among the 50 richest members of Congress.
In its annual examination of wealth, Roll Call ranked Isakson at No. 30, and Price at No. 37.
Isakson is worth at least $8.07 million, the newspaper’s analysis indicated, and has increased his net worth a healthy 6 percent in the last year.
“The Senator owns more than $1 million worth of stock each in both Georgia-based Synovus Bank and Charlotte, N.C.-based Wachovia,” according to the report. “Shares of trendy clothier Urban Outfitters, Starbucks and NutriSystem round out Isakson’s portfolio. He also owns tens of thousands of dollars in U.S. Treasury bond funds, a timeshare in Hilton Head, S.C., and a partial interest in 54 acres of undeveloped land in suburban Atlanta.”
Price, apparently the poor man’s rich man, clocked in with only $6.09 million.
Said the newspaper: “Price, a surgeon, reported owning partial interests in three medical offices in Roswell, Ga., worth at least $450,000 combined. He also owns investment properties in Georgia and North Carolina worth at least $1.15 million; an annuity valued at $500,001 to $1 million; and more than $3 million in investment and retirement accounts.”
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In the 10th District, Barry Fleming is set to knock on Paul Broun’s door
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Only weeks after he formally registered an exploratory committee, state Rep. Barry Fleming (R-Harlem) will announce his candidacy Tuesday for the 10th District congressional seat — challenging recently elected incumbent U.S. Rep. Paul Broun (R-Athens).
Fleming is scheduled to formally proclaim his intentions on radio stations in both Athens and Augusta. Jay Walker, former chief of staff for House Speaker Glenn Richardson, is in charge of the campaign for Fleming, who is currently the House majority whip.
Fleming filed paperwork for the exploratory committee in late August. But exploratory status permits a candidate-to-be to raise only $5,000. Not enough even to buy a mailing list.
Sept. 30 is the next reporting deadline for federal campaigns. Fleming apparently hopes to make a showing that will frighten away others looking at the race — and show that his fund-raising abilities are on par with those of an incumbent congressman.
Perdue: It might be time to break up the Pooler site
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gov. Sonny Perdue could be signaling a major change in economic development strategy.
He says it might be time to think about breaking up the Pooler site — a 1,500-acre swath at the intersections of interstates 95 and 16, once earmarked for a Daimler/Chrysler plant.
The governor’s musings made the front page in Sunday editions of the Savannah Morning News.
“How long do we wait for that perfect guy or gal to come along and take the whole site?” Perdue asked.
In October 2002, as his re-election was approaching, Gov. Roy Barnes announced that Daimler would build a $750 million van plant on the location. The company withdrew its plans less than a year later.
Earlier this year, the Savannah newspaper reported, “a study commissioned by the Georgia Department of Economic Development ranked the Pooler mega site as a leader among 20 similar locations in an 11-state Southeast region.”
On a trade mission to Europe this summer, marketing the plot of land was one of Perdue’s prime objectives.
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