Political Insider

By chris Young

September 10, 2008 8:21 PM | Link to this

I readily understand that Broun would be afraid of having to debate Bobby Saxon. There is good reason. A side-by-side comparison of the two leaves him looking weak. Now he looks not only weak, but also scared. People meet Maj. Saxon, they will likely vote for him. People from either party hear Broun and scratch their heads. Hence, Broun hides. Just a short time ago, during his first campaign for Congress, Paul Broun was a strong supporter of debate. He openly mocked his opponent for not debating him, even allowing a bobble head doll to be placed in Whitehead’s seat at a debate as a stand-in. On June 25, 2007, political reporter Blake Aued noted, “Whitehead faced heavy criticism from pundits - including (Tim) Bryant, (Athens) Banner-Herald Executive Editor Jason Winders, editorial page editor Jim Thompson and Flagpole editor Pete McCommons - for canceling his press club debate appearance.” I’d like to hear comment from this paper now that Broun has retreated from his previous position of the importance of open debate in a Democracy. Do you have that bobble-head handy?

By chris Young

September 10, 2008 8:37 PM | Link to this

I readily understand that Broun would be afraid of having to debate Bobby Saxon. There is good reason. A side-by-side comparison of the two leaves him looking weak. Now he looks not only weak, but also scared. People meet Maj. Saxon, they will likely vote for him. People from either party hear Broun and scratch their heads. Hence, Broun hides. Just a short time ago, during his first campaign for Congress, Paul Broun was a strong supporter of debate. He openly mocked his opponent for not debating him, even allowing a bobble head doll to be placed in Whitehead’s seat at a debate as a stand-in. On June 25, 2007, political reporter Blake Aued noted, “Whitehead faced heavy criticism from pundits - including (Tim) Bryant, (Athens) Banner-Herald Executive Editor Jason Winders, editorial page editor Jim Thompson and Flagpole editor Pete McCommons - for canceling his press club debate appearance.” I’d like to hear comment from this paper now that Broun has retreated from his previous position of the importance of open debate in a Democracy. Do you have that bobble-head handy?

By chris Young

September 10, 2008 8:39 PM | Link to this

I readily understand that Broun would be afraid of having to debate Bobby Saxon. There is good reason. A side-by-side comparison of the two leaves him looking weak. Now he looks not only weak, but also scared. People meet Maj. Saxon, they will likely vote for him. People from either party hear Broun and scratch their heads. Hence, Broun hides. Just a short time ago, during his first campaign for Congress, Paul Broun was a strong supporter of debate. He openly mocked his opponent for not debating him, even allowing a bobble head doll to be placed in Whitehead’s seat at a debate as a stand-in. On June 25, 2007, political reporter Blake Aued noted, “Whitehead faced heavy criticism from pundits - including (Tim) Bryant, (Athens) Banner-Herald Executive Editor Jason Winders, editorial page editor Jim Thompson and Flagpole editor Pete McCommons - for canceling his press club debate appearance.” I’d like to hear comment from this paper now that Broun has retreated from his previous position of the importance of open debate in a Democracy. Do you have that bobble-head handy?

By Will Jones

September 10, 2008 9:38 PM | Link to this

So Broun, willing to identify himself in the same party, as Bush and Cheney - who treasonously committed 9/11 seven years ago (Viz: “The New Pearl Harbor,” Griffin, PhD); as George H.W. Bush - who murdered John Kennedy to send us to die for the pope in Vietnam; and as John McCain - married to the Mob, who named a Hitlerian lying hypocrite as his running-mate, proves himself a hypocrite? Knock me over with a feather.

http://www.theamericanfundament.blogspot.com

By fortunately for Broun

September 10, 2008 10:52 PM | Link to this

Most of the voters in the 10th district don’t care how corrupt and elusive their congressman is as long he wears his religion on his sleeve and has an R by his name.

By RJ

September 10, 2008 10:59 PM | Link to this

Paul Broun is making a big mistake. He may think his strategy is sound but the voters of that district will receive it not only as affront but outright arrogant. This is not the election year to be cute. Voters are tuned in.

By Abie Linkun

September 10, 2008 11:51 PM | Link to this

Just look at the bloggers who criticize Broun: a dope who posts his bloviations THREE times and a 9/11 smoking loon who thinks Bush engineered the terrorist attack and his daddy murdered JFK.

Looks like Broun will be re-elected handily so why should he “debate” the crazy crowd?

And, for those deluded enough to think that the man ducking debate when he’s ahead in the polls is a G.O.P. phenomenon in Georgia, go back to 1970 when Jimmy Carter, his campaign run by the now-dead frat boy Jordan, refused to debate Carl Sanders and, in fact, smeared the former governor as a race-mixing friend to Negroes.

By Will Jones

September 11, 2008 2:46 AM | Link to this

Read “The New Pearl Harbor”, and know with absolute moral certainty, as Citizen Juror, that Bush and Cheney committed 9/11.

Carter’s gubernatorial campaign was contemptible…and so is any claiming love of Our Country while refusing to gain knowledge from the pristine and patriotic scholarship of Emeritus Professor David Ray Griffin, PhD.

Were Carter a true man and American he never would have engaged in the anti-American tactics he employed to gain office, and he would have used his term as president to excise the cancerous Fifth Column, which financed Hitler, oversaw Operation Ratlines - getting 30,000 Nazi SS away from the Nuremburg War Crimes Trials through the Vatican’s “basement” to Latin America and some into our Knight of Malta-led CIA, killed Kennedy and King under Nixon and GHWBush, and has, thanks to Carter’s failure, gone on, with the help of a corrupt Mossad faction of false Jews in the State of Israel, to commit 9/11 to send us to die in false war again, for heroin, oil, and the Saudi “royal” family.

Our Founders’ prophetic Whig Truth is knowable. Divine Providence blessed their holy endeavors in creating this New Israel. Liars and hypocrites are also knowable.

Broun is a hypocrite for refusing to debate after making the same charge against his former opponent.

Any who say otherwise is a liar.

By Honor our troops

September 11, 2008 11:26 AM | Link to this

Abie Linkun, why is Maj. Saxon too crazy to debate? Because he served our country for a decade during the Cold War and rejoined the National Guard with his wife after September 11? Because his Bronze Star isn’t good enough for you? For his service to our country alone, he’s a worthy enough citizen that folks should get a chance to assess him, standing toe-to-toe with Paul Brouu, debating real issues.

By The Snark

September 11, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this

First we have Palin ducking the press, now this. Republicans, you ought to really worry that you are fielding candidates whose only chance of winning is to not answer questions in public.

By karen

September 11, 2008 1:36 PM | Link to this

What the news doesn’t say is that Broun participated in a dozen debates leading up to the primary and has already stood next to Bobby Saxon and debated him FOUR times this summer! I think some honest and balanced reporting is in order.

By Gary

September 11, 2008 1:57 PM | Link to this

Hmmm. correct me if I am wrong, but hasn’t Broun already debated several times this year? I remember reading something about it not long ago after his primary was over. Anyway, why is it that when Republicans refuse to debate everyone becomes up in arms, but when the Messiah himself refuses to debate McCain it is hardly mentioned and when it is we are dubbed as racist or politics as usual for bringing it up. Doesn’t sound like change I can believe in. Also I see Palin has an interview with Charles Gibson from ABC…..doesn’t seem like she is ducking the press to me. When will Joe Biden get on the air and discuss things? I haven’t heard him being interviewed since becoming the VP selection.

By RJ

September 11, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this

Karen, Either you are grossly uninformed or deliberately distorting the truth.

The debates you are referring to occured during the Republican Primary. Broun has not debated Saxon, his Democratic opponent. The hypocracy charge is leveled at Broun because he accused his Republican opponent of arrogance when he refused to debate him.

The voters in the District deserve to know the policy and vision difference between the two candidates. Broun does not deem it necessary because he is counting on the Republicans to blindly support him simply because he is the Republican candidate. Regardless of party affiliation, all voters in the District are being disrespected. The more elected officials are able to get away with not being answerable to the people the more arrogant they become and we have no one to blame but ourselves.

By Swing Voter

September 11, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this

Why would Broun debate Saxon?

Broun won reelection in July.

Voters are tuned in…to television. Without an incumbent present people will not be watching and the debates probably will not be aired on tv. A hand ful of people listen to the radio and even fewer read these blogs. When push comes to shove, the person with the most television commercials airing in prime spots will win. Saxon does not have the money to produce commercials…forget about getting ads on television.

I wish the democrats could get a good candidate in our district. Sure I vote the issues, and I am one of the 4 or 5% of the country that pursues information on the candidates in an election. I also vote for the candidate that works hard enough to earn my vote. Broun, while I do not agree with him 100% (or really 80%) of the time atleast works for me and my neighbors while on the hill and in the campaign office. Saxon obviously doesn’t…which tells me a few things. He doesn’t know what he is doing and does not care.

By Different Swing Voter

September 11, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this

Well, that ought to make pleasing you (Swing Voter) rather difficult.

Hard work on the campaign trail shows itself without requiring you to go snooping around the fundraising numbers on websites and without really investigating a candidates issues statements.

I do agree with you on one thing. Saxon’s performance. Most of it does come from investigating, but my opinion would usually be made up closer to the election…and I know I will not be hearing anything from his campaign anyway.

I live in the 1st and Bill Gillespie is done. Not that Jack Kingston will ever lose his seat…even the Democrats like him. Gillespie is pathetic though.

I had high hopes for the Democrats that are military vets. I think military and assumed they know how to put up a fight. I guess I was wrong. You can not fight a war without the money. We are talking about winning hearts and minds, but (it seems) these guys lost their minds and that is why they are running in the first place.

Broun is a good candidate and a horrible congressman. He has been in the spot light since last July. Saxon is a horrible candidate and would be an even less desirable congressman.

By Enough

September 11, 2008 6:38 PM | Link to this

Gary, How can you be so misinformed about so many things. 1)Broun has not debated Saxon. He debated a state rep. from Columbia County who ran against him in the primary. 2) Obama agreed to three debates of the summer; McCain wanted 12, one per week, which is so excessive that it could not be serious; 3) Biden has given at least three interviews. Palin, zero. But yes, you’re right she’ll be on This Week, which I genuinely hope she does well in so I’ll be less concerned about the prospect of her becoming President of the United States if McCain wins and his health fades.

By RJ

September 11, 2008 7:51 PM | Link to this

The choice between Broun and Saxon is clear. If that District wants a noise maker it should elect Broun. If it wants someone who stands a chance of accomplishing things for the District then it should elect Saxon. Why? Because Congress is dominated by the Democrats.

By karen

September 11, 2008 10:03 PM | Link to this

RJ, it is you who is “grossly uninformed or deliberately distorting the truth.” Sure, the debates between Broun & Saxon were leading up to the primary but he DID indeed debate Bobby Saxon: in Greene County, Putnam County, Habersham County & Stephens County. Check your facts.