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Thursday, April 24, 2008
Ralph Reed’s novel: A first review
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
This from Publishers Weekly is the first review I’ve seen on Ralph Reed’s upcoming novel, “Dark Horse,” set to hit bookstores in June:
For Reed, former head of the Christian Coalition, politics is a man’s world to its very core — especially when it comes to the race for president, which is at the center of this first novel. Women characters are either wives with drinking problems, tarts who use sex to get ahead professionally (but not that far) or VP candidates chosen purely for show, who are belittled behind the scenes for lack of experience and “lightweight” intelligence.
Democrats are drunks who play dirty and bloody each other’s noses. Cue the white knight — Gov. Bob Long, newly come to Christ, a true independent candidate — to save the day, rock both parties’ worlds and remind the country about good values and the meaning of patriotism. Long is God’s candidate, and with Christian leaders taking his side, he just might trump Republicans and Democrats alike.
Reed’s prose is average for a pot-boiling political thriller, and the crisis-laden plot keeps the pages turning, but the novel’s specifically Christian agenda will satisfy some readers and alienate others.
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Oxendine’s message to Perdue, Cagle and Isakson
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
You have to admit that state Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, now a 2010 candidate for governor, has talent.
It’s difficult to politely skewer three fellow Republicans in a single interview. But Oxendine did it this morning, while talking with Tim Bryant on WGAU (1340AM) in Athens.
Gov. Sonny Perdue, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson all should have felt their ears burning.
Listen to the six-minute sound clip here.
On Perdue, and his own management style, Oxendine had this:
”I think we really need a different type of governor in the future. I think the current governor is doing a good job, but I think we need someone with different skills and with a different background.
“One advantage I have is, I have never served in the House, never served in the Senate. So I can actually be neutral, and maybe hope to bring the House and Senate together.”
When asked about his withdrawal from the 2006 race for lieutenant governor, Oxendine had an answer that was aimed at Cagle:
“I was considering running for lieutenant governor. Anticipated I’d probably turn around and run for governor later, and — I love this state so much, and I love the people.
“To me, it was dishonest to the people of Georgia to say, ‘Give me this new job, make me your lieutenant governor. That’s what I really want to do,’ and then turn around two or three years later, before I even finish one term, and start running for governor.
“If you seek a new job, and ask people to trust you with that job, you should keep it until you have done everything in that job you should and could. You shouldn’t be opportunistic, jumping from one job to another.”
Asked about Isakson, and the possibility that the junior senator could enter the race for governor, Oxendine — still polite — raised the prospect of an ideological primary contest.
“I am a clear conservative that I think the party would prefer,” the insurance commissioner said. Oxendine did note that Isakson has some executive experience, serving as chairman of the state school board.
“But considering the situation with education in Georgia, I’m not sure that’s something to brag about,” he said. Other subliminal messages were delivered as well. “I am pro life, I am pro-family in the state of Georgia, I believe that we’ve got to crack down on immigration. We cannot have law-breakers coming to this state.”
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TiVo alert: Carter, Gingrich back-to-back on ‘The Daily Show’
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Two Georgia ex’s — both would dispute the term “has-been” — make back-to-back appearances on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” next week, guaranteeing a workout for your outrage meter regardless of your ideology.
Former President Jimmy Carter makes his Comedy Central appearance on Monday, and should be able to tell the latest jokes making the rounds in Hamas circles.
Former Georgia congressman and House speaker Newt Gingrich follows on Tuesday, where he’ll be able to address — oh, good Lord, what won’t he talk about?
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Franklin, MARTA head: Gun bill would promote violence, vigilantism
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin this morning led a group of two dozen public officials, business leaders and workers in a plea directed at Sonny Perdue, asking the governor to veto a gun bill that would permit licensed concealed weapons to be carried on public transportation, in restaurants that serve alcohol, and in parks.
Prospects of vigilantism were raised by MARTA head Beverly Scott. And MARTA workers said they’re already passing around a petition to demand bullet-proof partitions for bus drivers and train operators should Perdue sign the bun bill into law.
H.B. 89, backed by the National Rifle Association and other gun rights groups, was passed by the Legislature on the final day of the 2008 session. Most of the debate had concerned a provision to permit employees to keep guns parked on corporate parking lots.
But in the final hours, language expanding the places where holders of concealed weapons permits was added — with little or now debate.
Perdue, who has until mid-May to sign or veto the legislation, has given little hint of what he’ll do. Although an advocate of gun rights, the governor has picked the occasional fight with the NRA.
Franklin said the bill radically changes the situation that police officers and other city workers face when engaging large crowds — at the annual Dogwood Festival or the Peachtree Road Race.
“The presumption has to be, if this bill passes, that there are concealed weapons by people who just might get mad with them,” Franklin said. “The presumption needs to be, in order to have a safe city, that there are no concealed weapons. And only those who are acting criminally might have them.”
Ben DeCosta, general manager of Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, said the legislation would put his facility under a “cloud.”
Firearms are banned from the facility, but the airport incorporates a MARTA station within its grounds. “So it opens a question as to whether or not police officers, law enforcement at the airport, can be assured that they’re the only ones with guns,” DeCosta said.
Beverly Scott, head of MARTA, declared her transit system to be safe. But even for those who question their personal security, Scott said arming individual passengers is not the answer.
“The method in which I would chose to wind up handling security and safety on the MARTA system is not by vigilantism,” Scott said. “And if that’s what we’re going to wind up deteriorating to, then that I would submit to you is just an incorrect way to go. That’s insanity.”
Also attending the press conference, behind the press and TV cameras, was state Rep. Tim Bearden (R-Villa Rica), author of H.B. 89. With him were several members of GeorgiaCarry.Org, which backed the bill.
“All this stuff we hear about people are going to start dropping their chicken wings and shooting is enough to make your head explode,” Bearden said. “We’re talking about law-abiding citizens going through background checks.”
“They cannot protect you in Atlanta. They never have,” said Bearden, a former police officer. “I was in law enforcement 15 years. I never rode up on a shooting in progress. I don’t like the idea of the police telling you, ‘Get mugged, get raped, get murdered. We’ll come by, take the report, and send flowers. That’s the wrong message.”
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