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Thursday, December 6, 2007
Cagle: On Glenn Richardson’s ambitions and how sexism plays into the backwash of a DOT fight
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lt. Gov. Casey spoke to the Journal-Constitution editorial board on Thursday, and a couple of our colleagues from the newsroom — Ariel Hart and Aaron Sheinin — sat in.
Cagle had much to say. For one thing, he’s betting that House Speaker Glenn Richardson isn’t running for governor in 2010.
“Glenn’s not running. No. I think that’s pretty clear,” the lieutenant governor said. You might see our Monday post for some background on this topic.
The lieutenant governor, by the way, said no such thing about his own schedule in 2010.
Cagle also pulled the wraps off some of the political infighting that has gone on since the selection of the new Department of Transportation commissioner, Gena Abraham, who was supported by Gov. Sonny Perdue — and by Cagle.
Her appointment by members of the state DOT board, by a one-vote margin, marked a loss for Richardson, the House speaker, who had backed her opponent, Vance Smith (R - Pine Mountain), chairman of the House Transportation Committee.
In January, two DOT board members who supported Abraham come up for re-election by legislators in their districts.
“There is an enormous push that is under way” to oust them, Cagle said — possibly setting the stage to revsit the Abraham appointment. “There’s been a lot of just hard ball politics.”
“The reason that it’s significant is we don’t have time to delay on transportation,” Cagle added. “If we continue to go down the path that we are on arguing over who’s going to be commissioner when we have a qualified person — or there is an attempt to undermine what has already been done — then have we really moved the process forward or have we just been bickering and arguing over nonsense?”
Abraham’s status as the first female commissioner has much to do with the lingering attitude, Cagle said.
“This is a true professional who understands what she is doing. And because she is a woman, there are individuals in my view that want to say differently,” the lieutenant governor said.
After the meeting with Cagle, Hart — she’s the AJC transportation writer — had a conversation with one of the two vulnerable board members — DOT board chairman Mike Evans.
Evans said the speaker had personally warned him to vote his way: “He said if you don’t do what I’m telling you to do I will have your board seat in January,” the DOT commissioner said.
Asked about the above, a spokeswoman for Richardson told Hart: “Obviously, there was a difference of opinion between the lieutenant governor and the House of Representatives over who should be the next DOT commissioner. However, Commissioner Abraham is bright and capable and the Speaker looks forward to working with her in the years to come.”
Huckabee names his Georgia team, with a few surprises
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The campaign of Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee just announced the leadership of its Georgia organization. It might make Fred Thompson people take some notice.
Key business supporters are Ron Terwillger of Trammel Crow, the developer and owner of the new Atlanta WNBA team, and Virgil Williams, who was the deep pockets behind Zell Miller in his campaigns for governor and U.S. senator.
Stan Wise, the public service commissioner from Cobb County, allows Huckabee to lay claim to a statewide elected official. State lawmakers include Reps. Ed Setzler of Kennesaw, Charlice Byrd of Woodstock, Melvin Everson of Snellville, Harry Geisinger of Roswell, Mike Keown of Coolidge, Martin Scott of Rossville, Tommy Smith of Nichols, and Len Walker of Loganville. Judson Hill of Marietta is the sole state senator named as a Huckabee supporter.
Operation-wise, Shawn Davis of Marietta, son of former GOP gubernatorial candidate Guy Davis, will handle communications. Craig Dowdy, former treasurer for Bob Barr, will handle finances. So the Cobb County influence will be strong.
But here’s something else to take note of: Pat Tippett and Kay Godwin will direct the Huckabee campaign in the First Congressional District. Tippett and Godwin, as well you know, organized the core of Sonny Perdue’s support in rural Georgia. They remain an essential link to the conservative Christian wing of the state GOP.
Catching up: Billy Maddox snares Mack Crawford’s House seat in GOP run-off
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
We’ve neglected to tell you the results of Tuesday’s run-off election in House District 127 to replace Mack Crawford, who left to straighten out the state’s public defense system.
Billy Maddox, a 33-year-old lawyer from Zebulon in Pike County, trounced Jim Fletcher of Thomaston with 56 percent of the vote. This was a special election between two Republicans. The only Democrat was pushed out of the contest in November.
Strictly from the numbers, this looks like it might have been a bit of an upset. District 126 is north and west of Macon, including all of Pike County, most of Upson, and a smidgen of Lamar. Upson County, where Fletcher lives, produced the most votes, but Maddox was able to run close.
But Maddox took nearly 70 percent of the vote in his home county of Pike, and maintained a strong lead in Lamar County as well.
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Creflo to Congress: Get a subpoena, or call the IRS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Out of Washington, the Associated Press is reporting that the Rev. Creflo Dollar of World Changers Church International in College Park is telling Congress to take a hike with its investigation of his spending.
The pastor, says the AP, “has asked Sen. Charles Grassley to either refer the matter to the IRS or get a subpoena, according to a letter from Dollar’s attorney.”
Grassley, the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, sent pointed questionnaires in early November to a half-dozen ministries, asking about salaries, perks, travel and oversight. The Iowa Republican set Thursday as the deadline for a response. See entire story here.
Romney: ‘To explain Mormonism would create a religious test’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Mitt Romney’s campaign just handed out excerpts of the Republican presidential candidate’s speech on his faith, which he’s to deliver at 10:30 a.m. in Texas.
Here’s the beef:
“When I place my hand on the Bible and take the oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God. If I am fortunate to become your president, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A President must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States.”
“There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church’s distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths.”
“It is important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in America, we share a common creed of moral convictions. And where the affairs of our nation are concerned, it’s usually a sound rule to focus on the latter - on the great moral principles that urge us all on a common course. Whether it was the cause of abolition, or civil rights, or the right to life itself, no movement of conscience can succeed in America that cannot speak to the convictions of religious people.”
Read the entire package the Romney campaign sent on the jump.
“There are some who may feel that religion is not a matter to be seriously considered in the context of the weighty threats that face us. If so, they are at odds with the nation’s founders, for they, when our nation faced its greatest peril, sought the blessings of the Creator. And further, they discovered the essential connection between the survival of a free land and the protection of religious freedom. In John Adam’s words: ‘We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion… Our constitution was made for a moral and religious people.’
“Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom. Freedom opens the windows of the soul so that man can discover his most profound beliefs and commune with God. Freedom and religion endure together, or perish alone.”
“When I place my hand on the Bible and take the oath of office, that oath becomes my highest promise to God. If I am fortunate to become your president, I will serve no one religion, no one group, no one cause, and no one interest. A President must serve only the common cause of the people of the United States.”
“There are some who would have a presidential candidate describe and explain his church’s distinctive doctrines. To do so would enable the very religious test the founders prohibited in the constitution. No candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. For if he becomes President he will need the prayers of the people of all faiths.”
“It is important to recognize that while differences in theology exist between the churches in America, we share a common creed of moral convictions. And where the affairs of our nation are concerned, it’s usually a sound rule to focus on the latter - on the great moral principles that urge us all on a common course. Whether it was the cause of abolition, or civil rights, or the right to life itself, no movement of conscience can succeed in America that cannot speak to the convictions of religious people.”
“We separate church and state affairs in this country, and for good reason. No religion should dictate to the state nor should the state interfere with the free practice of religion. But in recent years, the notion of the separation of church and state has been taken by some well beyond its original meaning. They seek to remove from the public domain any acknowledgment of God. Religion is seen as merely a private affair with no place in public life. It is as if they are intent on establishing a new religion in America - the religion of secularism. They are wrong.”
“The founders proscribed the establishment of a state religion, but they did not countenance the elimination of religion from the public square. We are a nation ‘Under God’ and in God, we do indeed trust.”
“We should acknowledge the Creator as did the founders - in ceremony and word. He should remain on our currency, in our pledge, in the teaching of our history, and during the holiday season, nativity scenes and menorahs should be welcome in our public places. Our greatness would not long endure without judges who respect the foundation of faith upon which our constitution rests. I will take care to separate the affairs of government from any religion, but I will not separate us from ‘the God who gave us liberty.’”
“These American values, this great moral heritage, is shared and lived in my religion as it is in yours. I was taught in my home to honor God and love my neighbor. I saw my father march with Martin Luther King. I saw my parents provide compassionate care to others, in personal ways to people nearby, and in just as consequential ways in leading national volunteer movements.”
“My faith is grounded on these truths. You can witness them in Ann and my marriage and in our family. We are a long way from perfect and we have surely stumbled along the way, but our aspirations, our values, are the self -same as those from the other faiths that stand upon this common foundation. And these convictions will indeed inform my presidency.” … “The diversity of our cultural expression, and the vibrancy of our religious dialogue, has kept America in the forefront of civilized nations even as others regard religious freedom as something to be destroyed.
“In such a world, we can be deeply thankful that we live in a land where reason and religion are friends and allies in the cause of liberty, joined against the evils and dangers of the day. And you can be certain of this: Any believer in religious freedom, any person who has knelt in prayer to the Almighty, has a friend and ally in me. And so it is for hundreds of millions of our countrymen: we do not insist on a single strain of religion - rather, we welcome our nation’s symphony of faith.”
Is this C-SPAN or ESPN?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, a Grantville Republican, recently tried to cut federal spending by eliminating three provisions benefiting native Hawaiians. A sumo-sized fist-fight was only narrowly avoided.
Westmoreland was trying to cut $8.7 million from a bill. The money was going only to native Hawaiians living in Hawaii, who already earn more than native Hawaiians living in other states — like the 2,200 in Georgia. Those Hawaiians got nothing, he said.
“It is a great opportunity to save some money,” Westmoreland argued. “It is a great opportunity to look and make sure that we are all treated equally.”
The provision’s sponsor, Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii), - well, he disagreed. Abercrombie was particularly mad that Westmoreland hadn’t warned him that an attack was coming.
“I would appreciate it if the gentleman from the Eighth District of Georgia representing the people in Grantville, who I presume have more courtesy than the gentleman from that district has, could let us know besides the smirk on his face when he intends to come and attack someone else in another district. I don’t know how you were raised; I know how I was raised,” Abercrombie said, after rushing to the House floor.
The House chairman reminded Abercrombie that he was violating House rules by attacking Westmoreland directly. Members are only to speak to the presiding chairman, not each other.
Abercrombie, an avid weightlifter who in 2005 celebrated his 67th birthday by bench-pressing 268 pounds in the House gym, responded: “I am confining my remarks to the Chair, because if I was saying it directly to the gentleman, he would know it a lot more physically.”
That was in September. On Tuesday, Westmoreland’s office suggested the two had made up. Maybe. Westmoreland announced that he and Abercrombie now have a friendly bet on the Sugar Bowl.
If Georgia wins, Abercrombie owes a case of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts. And if - God forbid - Hawaii wins, Westmoreland loses a half-bushel of Georgia peaches and chocolate-covered pecans.
Now see? College football really does bring people together.
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