The Washington, D.C.-based direct mail firm that raised $1.1 million for Republican Deborah Honeycutt’s 2006 congressional bid spent very little of it on her campaign, according to a newspaper report.

The Boston Globe reported in its Sunday editions that the company, BMW Direct, raised millions of dollars from conservative donors across the country for political candidates, including Honeycutt. But most of the money, according to the Globe, BMW Direct kept or spent on vendors and affiliated companies.

In one case, BMW Direct raised $700,000 for a Republican congressional candidate in Massachusetts. The candidate, Charles Morse, who never appeared at forums or other events and never paid for political advertising or phone banks, only saw $30,000 of that money, the Globe reported.

Honeycutt refused to comment on the article.

— Ben Smith

Jim Galloway is on vacation. If you’ve got news, pop an e-mail to our political team: editor Susan Abramson at sabramson@ajc.com; staffers Aaron Sheinin at asheinin@ajc.com; James Salzer at jsalzer@ajc.com; Ben Smith at bsmith@ajc.com; and Jim Tharpe at jtharpe@ajc.com.

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Wednesday debate won’t include Lewis

Monday, June 30, 2008, 05:54 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

John Lewis will be a no-show for the Wednesday night’s Atlanta Press Club debate. He has a prior commitment, said Tharon Johnson the Fifth U.S. District Democrat’s campaign manager.

“I hope the press club and the Atlanta voters understand that we want to keep our commitments to the people,” Johnson said.

Instead of sparring on TV with challengers Markel Hutchins and “Able” Mable Thomas, Lewis, is scheduled to attend a public meeting with East Point constituents. Johnson said Lewis had agreed to attend the East Point gathering before he received the press club’s invitation to the debate.

Johnson said the “press club first sent us a debate request for July 9th, a day when Congressman Lewis was going to be in D.C. voting. They came back with July 2, but we had a prior planned event on July 2.”

Thomas said she isn’t buying Lewis’s excuse.

“What he wants to do is duck and hide,” Thomas said. “He’s not interested in debating, so any excuse’ll do.”

Hutchins said “we are disappointed and a little taken aback that the Congressman doesn’t think it’s necessary to debate the critical issues of our time … Perhaps the Congressman is not confident in his ability to articulate his positions on the issues and his record of accomplishment for his constituents — or lack thereof.”

UPDATE: Johnson replied to the criticism: “They just want an opportunity to take cheapshots, but we welcome the opportunity to talk about the Congressman’s record if that’s what they want to talk about.”

— Ben Smith

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More on that Linder 911 call

Monday, June 30, 2008, 05:45 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Our Cox colleague in Washington, Julia Malone, has more details today on the May 15 incident in which U.S. Rep. John Linder (R-GA) had to be helped outside a Capitol Hill bar and restaurant.

You can get the full account here.

The highlights or these: 911 records show that Linder suffered from “difficulty breathing” or an “allergic reaction.”

Linder’s reaction to the 911 report are that a bum knee had been giving him trouble.

“This is a knee that was injured in February, and I re-injured by slipping on something,” Linder told Malone. “It could have been allergic reaction or trouble breathing. All I know is that I was hurt badly. I was helped out of the place.”

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Obama launches second Georgia ad

Monday, June 30, 2008, 02:42 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Barack Obama apparently is not too concerned with that new Rasmussen Reports poll showing him trailing John McCain by 10 points in Georgia.

The Democratic presidential hopeful on Monday launched his second television ad in the state, this one called, “Dignity.” You can watch it below.

It is, just like his first ad, running in 18 states, the overwhelming majority of which went overwhelmingly for George W. Bush in 2004. That, of course, includes Georgia.

The new ad highlights Obama’s promise to be an advocate for children and workers. The ad will air statewide in Georgia and in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Virginia.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Poll shows McCain dominating Georgia

Monday, June 30, 2008, 11:11 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Rasmussen Reports has been busy in Georgia, and continues to send bad news for Democrats.

We’ve told you already this morning about the Rasmussen poll showing no Democrat within shouting distance of knocking off Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss. But Rasmussen is also throwing cold water on the notion of a Barack Obama surge in the state.

The firm’s latest presidential poll shows Republican John McCain holding a 10-point lead over Democrat Obama in Georgia. It also shows Libertarian candidate Bob Barr pulling just a single percentage point in the state. In the poll, of 800 likely voters, McCain gets 53 percent to 43 percent for Obama.

The survey found, however, that up to 6 percent of voters might consider casting a ballot for Barr. If all 6 percent did, it’s possible the state would be competitive.

“However,” the report concludes, “unless McCain is clearly headed for defeat nationally, it is unlikely that Barr will make enough of an impact to threaten the Republican winning streak in the state.”

No Democrat has carried the state in a presidential election since 1992.

Rasmussen’s poll comes on the heels of a survey by Atlanta-based Insider Advantage a little more than a week ago that found the race much tighter. Insider Advantage’s survey showed McCain leading by just 1 point.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Dems face long odds against Chambliss

Monday, June 30, 2008, 11:03 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The five Democrats trying to unseat Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss went into Sunday debate at Fox 5 TV in Atlanta with a piece of sobering knowledge — a new poll shows them all trailing Chambliss by double digits.

“As they enter the debate, all five are trailing Chambliss badly in the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of the state,” Rasmussen Reports noted on Sunday. “Against each of the Democrats, Chambliss attracts between 52% and 57% of the vote. The Democrats attract from 30% to 39% support and trail by margins ranging from thirteen to twenty-seven percentage points.”

Rasmussen gives Chambliss a “97 percent chance” of winning in November.

That’s the bad news for Democrats. The good news is that trying to poll political primaries like the July 15 election is essentially a futile exercise. It’s nearly impossible to gauge turnout, and the margins of error — despite what the pollster tell you — are so large that the results can be meaningless.

In the Rasmussen survey, former Democratic state lawmaker Jim Martin scored best against Chambliss with 39 percent to Chambliss’ 52 percent. Coming in second was former WSB-TV investigative report Dale Cardwell in a 33 percent to 53 percent match-up. Atlanta businessman Rand Knight and Josh Lanier of Statesboro both scored 31 percent against Chambliss. And DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones came in with 30 percent.

— Jim Tharpe

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Jones goes up on air in Senate bid

Sunday, June 29, 2008, 11:19 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones became the second Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Georgia to run a television ad.

Jones’ 30-second spot, which touts his position on fuel prices and the economy, began running Sunday morning on television news shows, said Jones’ deputy campaign director Dexter Porter. The ad appeared on NBS’s “Meet the Press” and “The Georgia Gang.”

“It’s an introduction to who he is and what his platform is on the major issues,” Porter said.

Porter said the campaign plans two or three more television ads before the July 15 primary.

Jones is the second of the five Democratic Senate candidates to run TV ads. Former state lawmaker Jim Martin has also run television spots.

Jones, Martin, former WSB-TV reporter Dale Cardwell, Atlanta businessman Rand Knight and retired businessman Josh Lanier of Statesboro are running for the Democratic Party nomination to take on incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Moultrie and Libertarian Allen Buckley in November.

— Jim Tharpe

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Obama visit confirmed

Saturday, June 28, 2008, 02:39 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama will be in Atlanta on July 7 raising money, his campaign confirmed Saturday.

It will be Obama’s first visit to the state since securing the nomination earlier this month. It is the first visit to the state by either Obama or John McCain since March, when McCain visited shortly after wrapping up the GOP nomination.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution obtained a copy of the invitation to the long-rumored Obama event. A trip here by Obama has been the topic of much speculation for several weeks but the campaign had until Saturday not been willing to confirm details.

According to the invitation, the event will begins at 6 p.m. at 103 West, on West Paces Ferry Road in Atlanta. Tickets ain’t cheap: $2,300 per person for the general reception and $10,000 for a VIP reception and photo line.

You can see the invitation after the jump.

Co-chairs for the event, according to the invitation, are: Pinney Allen and Buddy Miller, Donna and Michael Coles, Barb and Kirk Dornbush, Norrene and Eugene Duffy, Daniel Halpern, Steve Leeds, Karol Mason, Marianne Spraggins and Chris Womack, and co-hosts are Cathy Hampton, Michelle and Kenneth Taylor and Rodney Strong.

The event itself is a joint fund raiser for Obama’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee. The first $2,300 of any contribution will go to Obama’s primary campaign account, which must fund his campaign until the convention in late August. The next $2,300 from the same individual will go to his general election account and up to an additional $28,500 will go to the DNC.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

obamainvite.pdf

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Obama staffer rallies Rockdale

Saturday, June 28, 2008, 12:37 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

If you needed another example that Barack Obama’s campaign believes Georgia can be in play in November, one was given Saturday in Conyers.

Jeff Ingram, regional field director for three Metro Atlanta counties, told nearly 100 Rockdale County Democrats that the Democratic presidential hopeful will work to organize, register and turn out voters here. And not just because it’s good for Obama.

“Turning out the vote for Barack Obama turns out the vote for candidates up and down the ballot,” said Ingram, who leads field efforts for Obama in Rockdale, DeKalb and north Fulton counties.

But, no, Ingram offered no clues or hints of that rumored July 7 visit to Atlanta from Obama himself.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Isakson to speak for McCain

Saturday, June 28, 2008, 09:02 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

If you’re out and about today and are both hungry and interested, then you might want to head over to the Fulton County GOP’s barbecue for Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

McCain himself won’t be there, but Georgia U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson will be. Isakson will be speaking on McCain’s behalf.

The event starts at 11 a.m. and Isakson is expected to speak at 12:15. It’s at the Roswell Area Park, 10495 Woodstock Road in Roswell.

McCain spokeswoman Gisele Roget says Isakson, whose support in the primary was key for McCain, “is a strong social conservative and his support of Sen. McCain is testament to Sen. Isakson’s firm belief in Sen. McCain’s commitment to traditional values.”

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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McCain ad to air on cable in Georgia

Friday, June 27, 2008, 03:24 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Republican presidential candidate John McCain has launched his latest television ad and this one will be seen in Georgia.

The 30-second ad will be running nationally on cable networks and on local channels in select states. Georgians will see it on cable.

Democrat Barack Obama last week launched his first ad of the campaign in 18 states, including Georgia.

The new ad from McCain is called “Purpose” and highlights McCain’s Lexington Project, which is aimed at creating energy independence by 2025.

McCain spokeswoman Gisele Roget said Friday that the campaign wants to emphasize McCain’s ability to collaborate across the political spectrum.

“John McCain is someone who’s always worked across the aisle,” Roget said. He “is someone who puts his country first, and unfortunately, that’s not what you get with Barack Obama.”

Here’s the ad:

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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More on guns

Friday, June 27, 2008, 11:43 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the right of Americans to have guns on Thursday. A new state law taking effect Tuesday will give Georgians with carry licenses the right to take weapons on MARTA, into state parks and into restaurants that serve alcohol.

Now comes a new state study committee led by pro-National Rifle Association senators to study the state’s “complex firearms laws and recommend new legislation for the 2009 session.”

Three of the four members of the study committee backed the new Georgia gun carry law.

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle announced Friday that the committee will be led by Sen. Mitch Seabaugh (R-Sharpsburg), a strong firearms rights supporter. Seabaugh sponsored the resolution creating the committee.

According to the resolution creating the study committee, it will “examine Georgia’s firearms law and the way these laws are applied in our state to ensure that the constitutional right to bear arms and the right to self-defense are properly protected.”

-James Salzer-

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Franklin’s presence boosts Reed event

Friday, June 27, 2008, 11:01 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Kasim Reed held a fund raiser for his potential 2009 mayoral bid and the woman he hopes to succeed was on hand.

Reed, a Democratic state senator from Atlanta, had 250 people in a ballroom of the downtown Hyatt Regency. And while Reed declined to tell us how much money he raised Thursday night, he was clear that Mayor Shirley Franklin was there as his friend and said Franklin has not endorsed him — at least not yet.

“The mayor was kind enough to come and stay with us for my speech,” Reed said Friday. “I was really gratified to have her there.”

Reed said he wants to earn Franklin’s support.

“I don’t want to take anything for granted,” he said. “I don’t view her presence there last night as that. She was there as my personal friend. It was a very important event for my campaign. And that’s how I view it.”

Reed announced in March that he was creating an exploratory committee for a possible mayoral bid.

Also running is Atlanta City Council President Lisa Borders, and those who have expressed an interest include city council members Mary Norwood and Ceasar Mitchell.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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McGuire joins appeals court race

Friday, June 27, 2008, 10:40 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Former Republican state Sen. Perry McGuire of Douglasville has joined the race to replace Judge John H. Ruffin Jr. on the state Court of Appeals.

McGuire’s qualifying for the race means five attorneys will battle for the slot. Ruffin is retiring.

Qualifying ends today and the election is in November.

Also running are Bruce M. Edenfield of Atlanta, Christopher J. McFadden of Decatur, Mike Sheffield of Lawrenceville and Sen. Michael Meyer von Bremen (D-Albany) to run for election this November.

Sheffield, a criminal defense lawyer, ran for a seat on the appellate court four years ago in a race won by Judge Debra Bernes.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Plouffe: Georgia ‘very competitive’

Thursday, June 26, 2008, 04:22 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

David Plouffe, Barack Obama’s national campaign manager, just told reporters on a conference call that the Democratic presidential candidate plans to fight for Georgia’s 15 electoral votes.

Georgia, Plouffe said, is “a big state with a lot of electoral votes,” and one that he said is in play.

“We think Georgia is very competitive,” Plouffe said.

He specifically disputed the notion that Obama will make a show of competing in red states like Georgia just to force Republican John McCain to spend money defending what normally is safe turf.

“There is not a head fake in any of these states,” Plouffe said. “There is a path to victory in each of these states. We’re playing aggressively in states we think we can win.”

Obama last week launched the first television ads of the general election here when went up on the air in Georgia and 17 other states.

Plouffe referenced a poll released last week by Atlanta-based Insider Advantage that showed Obama and McCain essentially tied, as McCain’s 1-point lead fell within the margin of error.

That poll, Plouffe said, reflected their own belief on the state of the race here. “That’s where we think it is,” he said.

No Democrat has carried the state in a presidential election since 1992 and the state hasn’t been competitive since 1996.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Franklin eager for convention

Thursday, June 26, 2008, 03:14 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

She’s yet to learn exactly what her duties will be, but Shirley Franklin’s role at the Democratic National Convention will likely be high-profile.

The Atlanta mayor is one of three co-chairs of the convention, to be held in late August in Denver. U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is the chairwoman, and joining Franklin as co-chairs are Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius and Texas state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte.

In an interview Thursday, Frankin said she’ll be supporting Pelosi in “whatever role is required.”

“I’m more excited about the convention and the nominee than I am about myself,” Franklin said. “I want to be focused on winning an election.”

Franklin will also be an Obama-voting delegate to the convention after she the state party chose her for one of 11 slots designated for party leaders and elected officials. Franklin said she doesn’t know if she’ll have a speaking role at the convention, but said it hardly matters.

“I have offered to the DNC to serve in any role they would like,” she said.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Barr on the ballot

Thursday, June 26, 2008, 02:49 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Bob Barr is now officially a presidential candidate in Georgia.

The former Republican congressman, now Libertarian Party candidate for president, filed paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office on Thursday to add his name to the slate of candidates in November.

While the Libertarian Party gets automatic ballot access here, just like the Democrats and Republicans, the law requires an official statement of candidacy to be filed.

Barr completed that task surrounded by about two dozen supporters in Secretary Karen Handel’s office.

Barr did not have to do it in person, but given that it’s his home state, and a state where he could have the greatest impact, it makes sense.

And, by the way, in case you’re wondering: Barack Obama and John McCain have not yet filed the same paperwork, because they’re not officially their parties’ nominees yet. That won’t happen until after the conventions in August and September, respectively. Barr won the Libertarian nomination at his party’s convention in May.

—Aaron Gould Sheinin

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More on that Obama trip

Thursday, June 26, 2008, 02:35 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

We’ve just received a copy of an e-mail that’s making its way around Atlanta’s Democratic circles that seconds those rumors of a pending visit from Barack Obama.

Regular readers know that talk of a trip here from the Democratic presidential nominee-in-waiting has been circulating for a few weeks. On Tuesday we were told a date: July 7. Now, according to the new e-mail, we have a time: 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

We still don’t know a location. But this e-mail repeats the Tuesday tip that Obama’s trip is primarily going to be about raising money.

Obama’s campaign has yet to confirm that the candidate will be visiting.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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‘Cooter’ at Manuel’s tonight

Thursday, June 26, 2008, 02:07 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Ben Jones, the former congressman, perhaps better known as “Cooter” on the “Dukes of Hazzard,” will be at Manuel’s Tavern tonight signing copies of his new book.

Jones, who represented Georgia’s 4th District, will sign copies of “Redneck Boy in the Promised Land,” at the popular hangout for journalists and politicians. It’s at 602 N. Highland Ave. NE.

It doesn’t cost anything to get in, and they’ll be selling copies of the book.

As Cooter might have said, “Y’all come.”

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Georgia Democrats have a minor gender issue

Thursday, June 26, 2008, 11:28 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Democratic National Committee has found Georgia to be one of nine states that is out of compliance with party rules on the demographic make-up of its delegation to the national convention.

The party has complicated goals states should meet to ensure diversity in the delegations. But there are also hard rules that say the three standing committees to the national convention have equal number of men and women. And that’s where Georgia’s issue is.

The state party has four seats on each of the three standing committees, which are Rules, Platform and Credentials. Martin Matheny, spokesman for the Georgia Democratic Party, said the problem appears to be that there are three women and one man from Georgia on the Rules Committee, and three men and one woman on Credentials.

The issue, Matheny said, came about because the Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton campaigns dictated who they wanted on which committee. So, Matheny said, the party is working with the campaigns to get one woman and one man switched before the convention in August.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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List of appeals court hopefuls grows

Wednesday, June 25, 2008, 04:57 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The number of attorneys qualifying for a seat on the Georgia Court of Appeals has grown to four.

Over the past two days, Bruce M. Edenfield of Atlanta, Christopher J. McFadden of Decatur and Mike Sheffield of Lawrenceville joined Sen. Michael Meyer von Bremen (D-Albany) to run for election this November. The winner would succeed Judge John H. Ruffin Jr., who is retiring.

Sheffield, a criminal defense lawyer, ran for a seat on the appellate court four years ago in a race won by Judge Debra Bernes.

Qualifying for the Court of Appeals seat ends Friday.

— Bill Rankin

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Senate debate Sunday

Wednesday, June 25, 2008, 01:35 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

So far, Georgia’s five-way race for the Democatric nod to run against Republican incumbent U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss has been a civil affair. The only face-to-face appearances have been a few, relatively polite public “forums” where the candidates addressed a moderator who posed the questions.

Sunday’s debate at Atlanta’s Fox 5 TV, however, could get a bit hotter.

Candidates will get to ask each other a question in the 1-hour debate that begins at 5 p.m. and will be carried live on Fox 5 and simulcast on its website.

DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones, former state lawmaker Jim Martin, former WSB-TV reporter Dale Cardwell, Atlanta businessman Rand Knight and retired businessman Josh Lanier of Statesboro all plan to attend.

—Jim Tharpe

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Poll finds Barr siphoning votes from McCain

Wednesday, June 25, 2008, 09:39 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

While a poll released late Tuesday by the Los Angeles Times and Bloomberg showed Libertarian Party presidential nominee Bob Barr drawing only 3 percent support, the data show that much of that is coming at the expense of Republican candidate John McCain.

The new national poll shows McCain trailing Democrat Barack Obama 37 percent to 49 percent when the race is just between the two major party candidates. But when Barr, a former Georgia congressman, and independent candidate Ralph Nader are added to the mix, Obama’s margin jumps to 15 percentage points, 48 percent to 33 percent.

Unfortunately for Barr, he trails Nader in the poll. The former Green Party candidate gets the support of 4 percent in the poll of more than 1,100 registered voters nationwide.

But Barr is continuing to gain media attention, which could result in a rise in the polls. He’s been on CNN in the past week and his campaign announced late Tuesday that he would be on ABC’s weekly political program “This Week,” on Sunday, July 6.

That will be perhaps his most high-profile media appearance yet.

—Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Obama to Atlanta?

Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 08:52 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Those rumors of a Georgia visit from Barack Obama are starting to gain traction as we’re hearing that July 7 trip to Atlanta is in the works.

Details are still sketchy, but we’re hearing that at this point it will primarily be a fund-raising visit.

The Obama campaign declined to say whether the rumored trip is for real.

We’ll have more as it becomes available.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Austin Scott staying in the House

Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 04:52 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Rep. Austin Scott’s name popped up as a potential state Senate candidate when one of Gov. Sonny Perdue’s floor leaders, Sen. Joseph Carter (R-Tifton) signed up to run for a superior court judgeship on Monday.

Turns out Scott (R-Tifton), is staying right where he is.

Scott, who has been in the General Assembly since 1997, contacted Political Insider to say he’s going to run for re-election to the House.

Scott, chairman of the House Governmental Affairs Committee, faces two Democratic challengers in his bid for another term.

—James Salzer

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Leebern learns his lesson

Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 03:47 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Donald Leebern, long-time member of the University System Board of Regents and a leading political donor to Georgia’s top politicians, has apparently learned his lesson about filing reports on time.

Leebern, a Regent since 1991, was recently fined $37,750 by the State Ethics Commission for failing to file 2005 and 2006 reports disclosing his business interests, as required by law.

The reports showed that over that period, one of Leebern’s businesses sold $90,000 worth of bottled water to the university system he helps govern.

This year, he didn’t take a chance on missing the June 30 deadline. He filed his personal financial disclosure late last week.

By the way, Leebern’s report showed water sales to system schools rose to $52,435, up from $49,794 in 2006 and a little over $40,000 in 2005.

— James Salzer

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Martin up with first ad

Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 11:22 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Former state legislator Jim Martin has become the first Democratic U.S. Senate candidate in Georgia to put a campaign ad on statewide TV.

The 33-second ad, entitled “Honor,” began running on TV statewide Tuesday morning, said Martin campaign spokesman Ellery Gould.

The ad touts Martin’s time as a serviceman in Vietnam and his fight against mortgage foreclosures during part of his time as an 18-year veteran of the state Legislature. The ad concludes with Martin stating: “It’s time someone stood up for the middle class again.”

Martin, the best-funded of the Democratic field is running against former WSB-TV reporter Dale Cardwell, Atlanta businessman Rand Knight, retired businessman Josh Lanier of Statesboro and DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones.

Here’s the ad:

— Jim Tharpe

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Backers hope Barr is the bomb

Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 10:27 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Get ready for a Barr Bomb.

No, you don’t need to stock up on emergency supplies. But, if you want to support Libertarian Party presidential nominee Bob Barr, the former Georgia congressman hopes you’ll have a blast (sorry.)

The Barr Bomb is an idea borrowed from the Republican presidential campaign of Ron Paul, a hero to many Libertarians, and from whom Barr hopes to siphon votes and cash.

Paul’s backers helped the Texas congressman raise millions in a single day with “Ron Paul Money Bomb.” The idea is harness the power of the Internet, which Paul’s supporters are exceptionally adept at, and raise tons of money online in a single day. The goal is two-fold: raise cash and raise awareness by making a splash (or a blast, in this case) with a big number.

The Barr Bomb is scheduled for July 2 and pledges are being accepted now at BarrBomb.com.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Dennis Miller finds Barr, well, normal

Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 10:18 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia’s own Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party candidate for president, was on the syndicated radio show of comedian turned conservative pundit Dennis Miller on Monday and the former “Saturday Night Live” standout came away seemingly impressed that Barr was not a flame-thrower.

“You’re being much more measured than I imagined you to be,” Miller told Barr at one point. “You seem much more even-handed than I thought you were going to be.”

The bloggers at Liberty Maven thankfully captured the audio of the interview and you can listen to the full interview here.

In it, Barr and Miller cover a lot of serious ground, ranging from government surveillance to the Supreme Court’s recent decision on detainees at Guantanamo Bay. At one point, Miller asks if Barr finds himself more closely aligned with either Democrat Barack Obama or Republican John McCain. To summarize Barr’s response: No way.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Knight picks up endorsement

Monday, June 23, 2008, 04:34 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Georgia Association of Educators on Monday endorsed Democrat Rand Knight for the U.S. Senate.

Knight is running against DeKalb CEO Vernon Jones, former Democratic lawmaker Jim Martin, former television report Dale Cardwell and retired businessman Josh Lanier for the Democatic nomination to take on Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Libertarian Allen Buckley in November.

The Board of Directors of the GAE approved the recommendation, passed by the GAE Fund for Public Education Committee, to endorse Rand Knight for U.S. Senate, and has recommended Knight’s candidacy to the National Education Associations’ Fund for Children and Public Education.

“The recommendation was based on (Knight’s) commitment to strengthen public education for 1.6 million Georgia children by opposing private school vouchers and tuition subsidies; improve the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; prepare students for jobs of tomorrow; protect and strengthen Social Security; reduce the cost of health care and improve access; and respect the rights of school employees as full participants in educational improvement efforts,” Jeff Hubbard, President of the GAE, said in a prepared statement.

Knight, an Atlanta businessman, was previously endorsed by the state AFL-CIO.

“I am, of course, both flattered and humbled by the show of confidence from the GAE,” Knight said. “When I get to D.C., I’m going to fight to bring the changes necessary to improve our public education system.”

— Jim Tharpe

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Senator qualifies for appellate seat

Monday, June 23, 2008, 04:19 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

State Sen. Michael Meyer von Bremen (D-Albany) on Monday was the first lawyer to qualify for what is expected to be a crowded race for a seat on the Georgia Court of Appeals.

The seat is open because Judge John H. Ruffin Jr. is not seeking re-election.

Qualifying for the state appeals court seat ends Friday.

— Bill Rankin

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Lawmaker to get school-choice award

Monday, June 23, 2008, 03:13 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

James Salzer reports that Senate President Pro-Tem Eric Johnson (R-Savannah) is scheduled to be presented the Alliance for School Choice’s National Legislator of the Year Award Tuesday in Savannah.

That probably puts him out of the running for any awards from public school groups, like the Georgia Association of Educators.

Johnson championed legislation creating a private school voucher program for students with special needs, such as learning disabilities. He also has been a long-time supporter of legislation allowing more taxpayer-funded choice in education.

The Alliance is a Washington D.C.-based non-profit organization that advocates for vouchers and tax credits for parents to send their children to private schools. Vouchers advocates have been fighting for legislative support for years in Georgia and in other states, but they gained little ground here until Republicans began taking over the statehouse six years ago.

Groups like GAE have traditionally fought vouchers, saying they will weaken public schools by taking money out of public systems. Supporters of vouchers say the public school systems need the competition private schools provide to make them better.

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Knight brings the pun

Monday, June 23, 2008, 01:41 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

It’s still a few weeks until the Democratic primary to determine which Democrat will win the right to run against incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss in November.

No one is making predictions in the five-man field that includes former TV reporter Dale Cardwell, DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones, former state legislator Jim Martin, Atlanta businessman Rand Knight and retired businessman and former U.S. Senate staffer Josh Lanier. If one of the five does not win outright in the July 15 contest, there will be a runoff three weeks later.

However, a clear crowd favorite for the best political slogan has emerged at two U.S. Senate forums in recent weeks. At an Atlanta forum two weeks back and one last week in Athens, candidate Knight was given an enthusiastic round of applause — despite moderator warnings — when he vowed: “The sun is setting on Saxby Chambliss. It’s Knight time.”

Before Knight can deliver on the slogan, however, he must first get past candidates who are much better known than himself. Cardwell was a frequent face on WSB-TV for years. CEO Jones is in the news weekly. And Martin has been a fixture in the Democratic party for years.

None of that mattered much to organized labor, a key group underpinning most successful Democrat campaigns. The state chapter of the AFL-CIO took at pass on the better-known Martin and threw its support behind the newcomer Knight.

— Jim Tharpe

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Obama voter drive continues

Monday, June 23, 2008, 01:35 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

If you’re taking MARTA through Atlanta this week, you might run into some of Barack Obama’s local supporters.

Fans of the Democratic presidential nominee-in-waiting will be fan out to local MARTA stations as part of Obama’s voter registration drive. And no, you don’t have to be an Obama supporter to register.

Today, Tuesday and Wednesday they’ll be at the Inman Park station from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Today through Thursday they’ll also set up at the Midtown MARTA station at noon for a lunch-hour registration drive.

Every Monday through Thursday volunteers will also register voters at Woodruff Park and Broad Street Plaza downtown from noon to 3 p.m.

— Aaron Gould Sheinin

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Perdue to lose ally

Monday, June 23, 2008, 11:11 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

James Salzer reports that Gov. Sonny Perdue is unexpectedly losing one of his floor leaders in the state Senate.

Sen. Joseph Carter (R-Tifton) is giving up his Senate seat to run for a superior court judgeship. Qualifying for such nonpartisan seats starts today.

Carter had already qualified to run for re-election to his Senate seat. Nobody signed up to run against him. So now Perdue’s staffers are working to decide how to elect his replacement with the state’s primaries only three weeks away. Among those mentioned as a possible candidate to replace Carter is state Rep. Austin Scott (R-Tifton).

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Gone fishing

Monday, June 23, 2008, 09:00 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Ladies and gentlemen:

Summer’s here, and it’s time to take a little time off. My colleagues at the state Capitol and elsewhere will be filling in with the occasional post, so don’t stop checking in.

If you’ve got news, don’t hesitate to pop an e-mail to our political team: editor Susan Abramson at sabramson@ajc.com; staffers Aaron Sheinin at asheinin@ajc.com; James Salzer at jsalzer@ajc.com; Ben Smith at bsmith@ajc.com; and Jim Tharpe at jtharpe@ajc.com.

Back at you soon.

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Running mate or not, Sam Nunn’s made his way back to the spotlight

Sunday, June 22, 2008, 03:00 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

One afternoon last week, Barack Obama gathered his new circle of national security experts into a conference room at The Liasion — an apt name for a Washington hotel if ever there was one.

In characteristic, low-key fashion, former senator Sam Nunn of Georgia avoided the TV lights and journalistic nagging. He participated by telephone.

Much has been made of 69-year-old Nunn’s presence on the presumptive Democratic nominee’s list of running mates — a fact confirmed by the Obama campaign. The prospect has roiled the blogosphere more than any other possibility save Hillary Clinton.

The odds are against an Obama/Nunn ticket. But any debate misses the point. What’s certain is that we’re witnessing the return of a formidable Southern presence to the inner circles of public policy-making — after a decade of, if not exile, then a self-imposed withdrawal from the spotlight.

Nunn retired in 1996 as one of the most influential voices in Washington on the topic of national defense. “When he left the Senate, he wanted to do other things,” said Arnold Punaro, who was Nunn’s chief of staff on the Armed Services Committee.

Nunn didn’t slow down, but his focus narrowed. He began, with Ted Turner, the Nuclear Threat Initiative, a private group that tackles the important problem of “loose nukes” and other mass threats. He remains chairman of a prestigious think-tank on strategic affairs. The former senator still hobnobs with the likes of Henry Kissinger and George Shultz.

But Nunn dropped out of the average Georgian’s daily frame of reference. And his deep differences with the Bush administration over its conduct of the war in Iraq forced his profile even lower.

The ex-senator’s re-emergence began in early 2007, with an op-ed piece in Wall Street Journal that carried the bylines of Democrats Nunn and former defense secretary William Perry, and Republican secretaries of state Kissinger and Shultz. The bipartisan quartet called for “a world free of nuclear weapons.’’

The next month, an article in the New York Times Magazine detailed Nunn’s private efforts to keep nukes out of the hands of terrorists in a post-9/11 world.

The article, entitled “The Stuff Sam Nunn’s Nightmares Are Made Of,” earned Obama’s attention. The Democratic candidate mentioned it a few weeks later, at a D.C. fund-raiser.

“Sam Nunn is to the nuclear proliferation issue what Al Gore is to the global climate change issue,” Ed Kilgore, another former Nunn staffer and a prominent Democratic blogger, wrote last week.

The objections to Nunn as a vice presidential candidate are several. The Democratic left, and gays in particular, remember him as one of the authors of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that prevents homosexuals from openly serving in the military. (Nunn recently said the policy deserves to be revisited.) More cold-blooded strategists say Nunn’s age could muddy a generational contrast between Obama and Republican John McCain.

But Kilgore, in an interview, said he’s noticed a consistent theme in the on-line discussions of Democrats: “I’m just stunned that people who hate the idea of [Nunn] on the ticket also say he ought to play a role in the Obama Administration.”

Photo credit: Bloomberg News

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Because what you don’t know about a politician can’t hurt you

Sunday, June 22, 2008, 01:33 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

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