Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2008 > July > 16 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USCardwell endorses Martin
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former WSB-TV reporter Dale Cardwell, who finished third in Tuesday’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary, has endorsed Jim Martin in the runoff.
Martin, a former state lawmaker, finished second in the primary to DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones.
Cardwell told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Martin “is an honorable man who has a lengthy record of serving Georgians” and encourages his supporters to back Martin in the Aug. 5 runoff.
“He represents our best opportunity to defeat Saxby Chambliss in November,” Cardwell said of the Republican incumbent.
Cardwell’s 78,000 votes are more than two-and-a-half times the 29,000-vote difference between Jones’ first place finish and Martin’s second.
The challenge for Martin, and for Jones, will be to persuade their voters to return to the polls for the runoff. Messages left with Atlanta businessman Rand Knight, who finished fourth on Tuesday, and with retired businessman Josh Lanier, who finished fifth, were not immediately returned Wednesday.
In an interview, Cardwell also challenged the media “to do its job” and “compare the backgrounds, the criminal backgrounds and the public-record background of these two men and do their job, because t hey didn’t do their job before today.”
Jones and Cardwell have been adversaries for years, dating to Cardwell’s time as a reporter. Cardwell often aired stories that were highly critical of Jones and his administration.
When Cardwell qualified for the Senate race in April, he accused Jones of having been to jail “a couple of times,” of pointing a gun at a woman and for being accused of passing a bad check.
There is no official record that suggest Jones was ever behind bars in DeKalb County. He has had a warrant taken out for bouncing a $7 check. He was also the subject of an arrest warrant, later dismissed, for allegedly pointing a gun at a Doraville woman.
Cardwell also recounted the circumstances of a 2005 rape accusation against Jones — which was withdrawn, though the woman never recanted.
Jones on Wednesday dismissed Cardwell’s complaints, and Cardwell himself.
“Dale Cardwell is irrelevant, and is the type of reporter that would stain the good name of all of the Duke Lacrosse players,” Jones said.
Jones more directly refuted Cardwell’s complaints in the past.
“Every one of those so-called controversies that you guys have reported have turned out to be baseless and reckless and erroneous and just false, ” Jones said when he qualified for the campaign in April.
Cardwell’s choice of Martin, however, is also sure to raise questions. During the primary campaign, Cardwell was often critical of Martin’s tenure as director of the state Department of Human Affairs and slammed Martin’s willingness to accept campaign contributions from special-interest groups.
On his campaign Web site, Cardwell calls Martin a “‘convenient-crat,’ who found the courage to enter the race only after a handful of political ‘insiders’ promised they’d deliver him bucketfuls of special interest ‘PAC’ contributions; contributions Dale Cardwell and Barack Obama have refused because special interests have paralyzed Washington and control most of our elected officials.”
—Aaron Gould Sheinin
Jim Galloway is out of town, but will return soon. 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; and Ben Smith at bsmith@ajc.com.
.JPG)
-1.JPG)
Services »
Comments
By GoodScout
July 16, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this
Good God, everyone get out and support Martin in the runoff! If the Democrats put a crook, pervert and opportunist like Jordan on the ballot in November, there’s no chance of throwing that slandering sleezebag and Bush buttocks-boy Saxby Chambliss out of office.
By RandKnight2010
July 16, 2008 12:55 PM | Link to this
Dale Cardwell just revealed himself to be no different from any other politician. His whole campaign was about his opposition to special interests and the influence of political PACs.
Dale criticized Martin continually for being in the pocket of the liberal PACs and now once Dale’s own chances of victory are over, he gets behind the man he was so critical of.
If Dale wanted to show how different he was, he should have sat this one out.
I am truly disappointed and will not be supporting Martin in August.
By Adam
July 16, 2008 12:57 PM | Link to this
2nd and seconded! And GoodScout forgot arrogant.
By Matilda
July 16, 2008 1:13 PM | Link to this
Vernan Jordan is a Republican. What’s worse, he’s a Republican who cloaks himself in the Democratic label to defraud the working class people of Georgia into thinking he shares their values. He doesn’t. Like all truly successful Republicans, he’s only looking out for himself. Frankly, I’m ashamed that the officials of the Georgia Democratic Party have not kicked him out. That he has been able to come this far by repeating a lie is a disgrace, and further evidence that his is indeed a Republican.
By GeorgiaValues
July 16, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this
Of course Dale is backing Martin…
Liberal Values = Liberal Friends
By Dylan
July 16, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this
Vernon is a womanizer, and in my opinion very crooked. I am very happy he no longer serves as our CEO. I hope he gets his clock cleaned in August.
Also if he loses I will get to see him prowling the women at local bars, coffee shops, gas stations, malls, clothing stores, and other places he frequents.
Good luck Jim!
btw I voted for Cardwell and will support Martin.
By Dylan
July 16, 2008 1:16 PM | Link to this
Vernon is a womanizer, and in my opinion very crooked. I am very happy he no longer serves as our CEO. I hope he gets his clock cleaned in August.
Also if he loses I will get to see him prowling the women at local bars, coffee shops, gas stations, malls, clothing stores, and other places he frequents.
Good luck Jim!
btw I voted for Cardwell and will support Martin.
By Dylan
July 16, 2008 1:16 PM | Link to this
Vernon is a womanizer, and in my opinion very crooked. I am very happy he no longer serves as our CEO. I hope he gets his clock cleaned in August.
Also if he loses I will get to see him prowling the women at local bars, coffee shops, gas stations, malls, clothing stores, and other places he frequents.
Good luck Jim!
btw I voted for Cardwell and will support Martin.
By Obama's girl
July 16, 2008 1:17 PM | Link to this
If Jones is swept into office because of Obama’s draw, Obama’s victory will be bittersweet, indeed.
Jones appears to be mentally ill, or fatally flawed.
By JDP
July 16, 2008 1:19 PM | Link to this
Dale Cardwell is simply a liar. I cannot believe how he has turned his back on his own campaign message.
What a complete fake and phony.
By Disappointed
July 16, 2008 1:20 PM | Link to this
How can I, a Democrat, support someone who had voted for Bush twice.Not once but twice and is proud of the fact! I tend not to believe anything that Jones says. And when I received the flyer in the mail with his picture next to Sen Obama with yes we can! I thought ‘no I can’t. Once again he is showing his true colors and he is not to be trusted.
By Gary
July 16, 2008 1:22 PM | Link to this
Jim Martin could not even beat little ole Casey Cagle in the open Lt. Governors race in 2006. What gives anyone the idea that he can beat a well funded sitting GOP Senator that has a machine of a voting bloc in South GA which is the swing part of the state? Also in all of the major polls, Saxby is leading by nearly 20 points over both Jones and Martin.
On another note Dale Cardwell, like Barack Obama, proved to be just another politician when he promised to be something else. If he truely cared, he would not endorse anyone and then run as an independent. That would have made people truly believe in him. The endorsement is proof that he is nothing but another Atlanta liberal Democrat.
By dwight
July 16, 2008 1:25 PM | Link to this
Hey Adam and Matilda: Quit calling Vernon Jones Vernon Jordan. Vernon Jordan is someone totally different than the guy who finished ist last night in the Democratic Senatorial Primary.
I just want to point out the distinction.
By dwight
July 16, 2008 1:25 PM | Link to this
Hey Adam and Matilda: Quit calling Vernon Jones Vernon Jordan. Vernon Jordan is someone totally different than the guy who finished ist last night in the Democratic Senatorial Primary.
I just want to point out the distinction.
By Tee
July 16, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this
I am a DeKalb County Resident, an Obama Supporter and would not vote for Vernon Jones as County Dog Catcher.
Jones is an opportunitist. Jones’ supporters are telling citizens of Sumter County, Georgia who we devastated by a tornado to vote for Jones because he helped them. DeKalb County Citizens helped our neighbors and they don’t owe Jones anything.
Vote Jim Martin for Senator…
By Tee
July 16, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this
I am a DeKalb County Resident, an Obama Supporter and would not vote for Vernon Jones as County Dog Catcher.
Jones is an opportunist. Jones’ supporters are telling citizens of Sumter County, Georgia who we devastated by a tornado to vote for Jones because he helped them. DeKalb County Citizens helped our neighbors and they don’t owe Jones anything.
Vote Jim Martin for Senator…
By Tee
July 16, 2008 1:35 PM | Link to this
I am a DeKalb County Resident, an Obama Supporter and would not vote for Vernon Jones as County Dog Catcher.
Jones is an opportunist. Jones’ supporters are telling citizens of Sumter County, Georgia who we devastated by a tornado to vote for Jones because he helped them. DeKalb County Citizens helped our neighbors and they don’t owe Jones anything.
Vote Jim Martin for Senator…
By Matilda
July 16, 2008 1:41 PM | Link to this
Dwight and all: MY APOLOGIES! Sorry. Slip o’ the brain after a long night. Vernon JONES is a Republican and a liar. (I never met the Jordan fellow, but I have met the liar Jones.) Thanks!!!
By Raiderbeater
July 16, 2008 1:41 PM | Link to this
Vernon Jones should be a convicted felon if he was any other black man.
By gradybaby
July 16, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this
People, God gave you all something called a BRAIN! USE IT OR LOOSE!! Sometimes I waste my time readings blogs, but honestly I wouldn’t take any of your opinions to HEART and make a decision based on this trash! It’s just opinions and everyone has one! READ SOMETHING, BE INFORMED INDIVIDUALLY!! MAKE UP YOUR OWN DAMN MINDS!! In the weeks to come, we will see all kinds of CRAP intended to scare you in to believing what THEY want you to beleive!! STAY FOCUSED, AND PLEASE READ!!!
By OkeyDokey
July 16, 2008 2:08 PM | Link to this
As an Obama supporter I was one of those hoodwinked by the phonecalls and posters of Jones with Obama and voted for Jones. After finding out that he was actually bragging about voting for Bush I could have kicked myself for not doing my homework. After praying for another chance to correct myself there is a runoff..see sometimes our prayers are answered in our time. Jim Martin will receive my vote during the runoff.
PS: Mr. Martin; instead of just criticizing Bush in your ads please let the public know that Jones is a Bushite during this runoff!!
By Corey
July 16, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this
Do we get the types we elect because we Americans read at a 6th grade level? Just wondering. It is something to think about. Peace.
By Truth
July 16, 2008 2:10 PM | Link to this
Dale was a lazy and felt his name recognition would carry the day.
He, as with his “been in jail a couple of times” comment proves, is a liar.
Vernon is a crank and a crook but Dale slimes people with little care for the facts, because it’s easier than actually working. Dale has shown his slimey side and when he reappears on CBS 46 I hope they and you remember.
Rand was an honest guy and Im sorry he lost.
By Rarl Kove
July 16, 2008 2:30 PM | Link to this
This is off topic, but I read today that the Urinal Constipation is laying off 200 workers. How long will they stick with their liberal slant? The paper is dying from a bad case of liberalism. I love it.
By LocalNewsVoice
July 16, 2008 2:43 PM | Link to this
Come on folks. What did you expect out of Dale “Stone Philips” Cardwell? This guy was a joke from word go! He couldn’t even cut it on LOCAL news….was NEVER going to get a national gig….so, he “ran” for the Senate. I never met a single person who thought he could win (even when he was the only candidate)….he HAS to endorse somebody….it’s the only way to keep his name in the mix for 1 more day! Today is the last day you will ever read about this guy….mark it down!
By Georgia Values
July 16, 2008 3:00 PM | Link to this
My father ,Saxby, wants to run against Vernon Jones, they have lot in common as they are both crooks so the voters can pick between a Black Crook & a White crook.. That Martin guy is a fool who wants to serve their country when they can be a draft dodger. Dad, I’m getting back to shaking down special interest, you’ll be proud of me.
By Matilda
July 16, 2008 3:15 PM | Link to this
Georgia Values, so what you’re saying is… let me get it right now: Vernon Jones is SAXBY DARK! Hahahahaha!
By John
July 16, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this
This race is a no-brainer. The only hope for a Democratic senator is to nominate Jim Martin. If Vernon Jones is the nominee, Saxby Chambliss will have one of the biggest landslide wins in Georgia history.
By Georgia Values
July 16, 2008 3:21 PM | Link to this
By the way my father spent the money to close the borders on subsidies for out of state farm interest.. Got to keep those sugar, corn, cotton & race horse farmers happy.. We need more Mexicans so they can do the work Blacks won’t do. My bud Teddy & I are going to make them legal so you little people need to get used to it.
By Churchill
July 16, 2008 3:24 PM | Link to this
Matilda, you are a racist. John, Saxby is going to win in a landslide, anyway. Peace.
Viva McCain
By Rarl Kove
July 16, 2008 3:27 PM | Link to this
I am voting for Mr. CEO Jones in the run off. I encourage all republicans to do the same (If and only if you crossed over yesterday. They will not let you otherwise, I think.).
By Chuc
July 16, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this
It too puzzles me how Jones could vote twice for Bush. I heard his explanation during the debates when he said that supporting the troops was his primary motivation. Well, the first vote came prior to the troops going to Afghanistan and Iraq. So that does not make much sense to me. If I can ever figure that out (and it makes some sense to me), I may just support Jones in August.
By Georgia Values
July 16, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
Matilda “Georgia Values, so what you’re saying is… let me get it right now: Vernon Jones is SAXBY DARK! Hahahahaha!”.. for a woman you are pretty smart, are you a stupid liberal also?
By Adam
July 16, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this
I was in a hurry, and did not notice the Jordan/Jones mixup until after I clicked on Post.
I may have voted for VJ in 2000, but he is now on my vote against at any cost list along with Cynthia McKinney.
By Tired of False facts
July 16, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this
To dissapointed, Dylan, Matilda and all the rest, the comments you made let me know the you do not know Mr. Jones you all only read the blogs about him. I can see that not one of you is concern with the economy, gas prices, foreclosures, cost of food and voting for someone who has a track record of accomplishing these things. The only things that you are concern about is him showing up on a picture besides Obama or who he is dating(Dylan) but could not see through the racist Dale Cardwell even though he stated all that about Jim Martin he would still rather endorse him because of the color of his skin(He said he endorses Obama) since he lost the race lets see how much he talk about Obama.People,have you all ever asked the question who Dale Cardwell voted for or Jim Martin in the 2000 or 2004 election, no because you don’t care and black people you are falling in the boat that they set up for you to fall in. Example: Dale wooed you all, but look what side of the fence he ended up on. Left all the black people looking like fools.
By Matilda
July 16, 2008 5:04 PM | Link to this
Tired of false facts: ME TOO!
You are full of false assumptions about the commenters here. I have met Mr. Jones in person. He swaggered into the event with his entourage of large thugly (though admittedly handsome) men and petite young (teenaged-looking) girls demurely following behind holding the literature. He moved boldly into my personal space, looked me up and down in a way that made me blush while slipping me his card. I watched him work the room playing each individual as if he was his or her new best friend. I also know he misappropriated funds while Dekalb CEO and abused his power and position to help his friends and build a “network” if you will, not unlike the beginnings of Tammany Hall in the old days of New York.
I also know he had well-paid personnel tearing down signs of his opponents, and have it on good authority that, although he OPPOSES EQUAL RIGHTS for everyone - by his own admission - he has been known to switch teams when the mood is right. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.)
Most narcissists will switch for a night here and there, but it’s the aversion to EQUAL RIGHTS I find appalling, especially since his people resort readily to the RACE CARD when they cannot explain why Mr. Jones should not be labeled A REPUBLICAN, when his issues fall right into the Republican sphere, right down the line, and his support of President Bush without apology confirms it.
In any case, I’m voting for Obama, so I guess your SAD LITTLE RACE CARD won’t play in this hand. Try again when you get some fresh material from your HQ.
By Tired of False Facts
July 16, 2008 5:32 PM | Link to this
Matilda, that’s it he slip you a card and made you blush and because he was treating everyone else in the room as a human being and you got no extra attention it made you mad, so here you are writing all the false facts. Did you receive any misappropiated funds from him directly to you? Did he pay you any money to tear down opponents signs(which very few signs was put up by his opponents) white people have been looking out for each other forever that’s why their employees are mostly white, the unemployment rate is the highest among black males,and you think some of them is not qualified.If his friends are qualified for a job and apply, what are you saying that he should not hire them because he know them( that would be the definition of unequal rights in which you are accusing him of) you are so concern about who he voted for, Who did you vote for? Pres. Bush won Georgia by a land slide so he would’nt have been the only Georgia that voted for him, I begg you all to start asking the other candidates who they voted for, you will be surprised.
By Analchord
July 16, 2008 5:47 PM | Link to this
I like Jones a lot, folks, this man is something special and he represents the changing of the guard that’s going on everywhere in the great country.
This is NOT your father’s country. We’re here and we’re black, and we’re brown, and we’re married with children, and we’re homeless with children and we’re everything except big round-headed fat bellies like Cheney.
Jones 08: It’s about healthcare, education, and jobs.
I whole heartedly endorse Jones. You should too.
Jones 08: He’s a tall American. I like that. I like that real good.
By Matilda
July 16, 2008 6:00 PM | Link to this
Tired of false facts: Vernon Jones is a Republican in Dem clothing. Your own assertion that he’s just looking out for his buddies is more evidence. There are more than 9 million people in Georgia and a man who’s only in it for himself and his buddies does not represent CHANGE. We have Saxby to NOT represent the rest of us already, thanks.
Heh. Yeah, if I don’t swoon from the attention it must be because I’m jealous. Uh-huh. Nice attitude, I’ll bet the ladies swoon over you too. Heh.
The Stone Mountain and Lithonia chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women endorsed Rand Knight, NOT Vernon Jones, and what’ll ya bet a few of those ladies have met Mr. Jones and his special “human being” vibe too.
But more importantly, your continued use of the RACE CARD loses you credibility with each instance. Are you seriously saying the people of Georgia should elect this man our Senator because “white people have been looking out for each other forever?”
Lame lame lame! Don’t you have anything positive to offer? Does he promise to plagerize someone else’s energy ideas or something? Will he actually promise to vote with the Dems in Senate at least one out of 10 times? Or will you turn and attack me with nothing yet again?
By Analharmony
July 16, 2008 6:12 PM | Link to this
You got that right! Healthcare, education, and jobs! Only VJ care about them things. Aint nobody else mentioned them. Jones the only one offered me a job in years. I need me some of that healthcare to. Jones 08!
By Matt_C
July 16, 2008 6:41 PM | Link to this
GeorgiaValues -
Honest to God you have to be the most Ill-informed voter in the state. Read what you wrote and continue to post on these things, unreal, get the facts so you don’t look foolish.
I am a unapologetic liberal and have Values just as you do, GA Values are what voters value, not what YOU WISH all voters valued. It’s our state - not your church. You want to make the minority at the whim of the majority, move to the middle east if you want to live in a religious state. People like you are slowly detaching the religious right from ‘mainstream America’ and when you lose that, you lose your ability to sway elections.
Go Home and turn on your CBN and stop spewing completley false information.
By Matt_C
July 16, 2008 6:54 PM | Link to this
Let me chime in with my total agreement with Matilda -
Vernon Jones and his army of Hoodrats have made threats to other candidates and their families in this race not to mention he has paid people off the street a dollar a sign to yank Knight’s signs among others. He hardly is winning over educated, intelligent voters, why must he choose these idiots to send out into the street for him creating a horrible ghetto image of his campaign??
Vernon Jones has no business being in the Democratic Primary, and disgusts me and thousands of other Progressive Democrats, GA Values are what we each value, I’m sick and tire of the radical right hijacking that term, don’t lable your hate values as ‘GA Values’. Speak for yourself.
Oh and Jones IS a switch hitter- I know he struggles with this and would easily explain why he throws gays under bus each time he gets the chance. My guess is he will step out of the closet in which is rather large feet are already sticking out of sometime real soon -
“tired of false facts” - go back to grammer school and learn how to form a complete sentence, not to mention spell.
By Rarl Kove
July 16, 2008 8:10 PM | Link to this
Obama and Jones have the same view on the CURRENT situation in Iraq. I cannot tell a difference between the two.
By Georgia Values
July 17, 2008 7:46 AM | Link to this
Rarl Kove —-Dad, Saxby, whats to thank you for all your work getting Vernon nominated. As we all know when it gets down to a white or black crook in Georgia the white crook wins. That $5,000,000 war chest will come in handy.. Just remember you DRAFT DODGERS have to stick together. Dad wants you to stop by next week & go for a jogg with him if you have time,, got to spend some of that special interest money..
By pricesstatewaterheatercori
August 19, 2008 6:40 PM | Link to this
The www.ajc.com is cool site, good job, owner. And look at this http://carolinecs.150m.com/state_electric_water_heaters.html > state electric water heaters