Ben Carson talks Confederate flag, discovers hush puppies
Neurosurgeon and GOP presidential hopeful Ben Carson is OK with the Confederate battle flag being flown at NASCAR races, but he's still no fan of the emblem.
Carson was in scenic Randleman, N.C., on Monday where he picked up the quasi-endorsement of NASCAR legend Richard Petty and was asked about the flag. From the Associated Press' Steve Peoples:
He also acknowledged the flag remains "a symbol of hate" for many black people and compared it to the Nazi swastika.
"Swastikas are a symbol of hate for some people, too. And yet they still exist in museums and places like that," Carson said, describing the decision about flying the flag "a local issue." ''If it's a majority of people in that area who want it to fly, I certainly wouldn't take it down."
Carson stopped for lunch in Lexington, where he sampled some of the town's famous barbecue and had an historic encounter with fried cornbread. AP again:
A spokesman later confirmed that Monday was Carson's first time eating hush puppies, a popular southern side dish.
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In a bid to gather up libertarian supporters from a becalmed Rand Paul campaign, U.S. senator and GOP presidential candidate Ted Cruz has snared a certain former Libertarian candidate for president. From the Washington Post:
On Tuesday, Cruz released a video showing eight former Ron Paul liberty movement supporters -- a number of them from Iowa -- who are now backing Cruz. The campaign announced that former Congressman Bob Barr will chair a Liberty Leaders for Cruz" coalition comprised of libertarian-leaning Republicans.
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As he seeks the post of House Majority Leader, Rep. Tom Price, R-Roswell, could become the reward exacted by the rump group of conservatives that ousted John Boehner for allowing Kevin McCarthy to ascend to the speakership without embarrassment on the floor.
The Washington Examiner's Timothy P. Carney explains:
So, Tea Partiers have some leverage, but they also couldn't really install their own speaker. When I spoke to House conservatives last week, they made it clear they wanted something in exchange for going along with McCarthy after McCarthy wins the [closed-door] caucus vote. Specifically, they said they wanted a leadership role to go to one of them. It looks like such an offer is taking shape, as Paul Ryan has lined up behind Tom Price as House majority leader.
Price had a good day Monday, as well-regarded conservatives Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, got behind him. Then last night Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash., who defeated Price for the No. 4 leadership post in 2012, backed out of the race. That leaves Price and Majority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., battling for the majority leader post.
House Republicans meet today to discuss a way forward amid the internal turmoil. Leadership votes could come as soon as next week. Speaking to our Channel 2 Action News colleagues on Monday, Rep. Jody Hice, R-Monroe, backed Price:
"I'm really excited about that. I think it'd be good for the Georgia delegation. It'd be good for Georgia. And so we're going to be supporting Congressman Price for sure."
Price also picked up an endorsement from across the Capitol, as Sen. David Perdue, R-Ga., sent a statement this morning:
"I'm confident that our Georgia House members will help select a new speaker who will fight for Georgia's values and conservative principles. I'm proud my friend Tom Price has thrown his name in the ring for Majority Leader. Having worked with Tom on the most recent budget process, I've been very impressed with his focus on solving our debt crisis and his commitment to advancing a conservative alternative to Obamacare, and I think he would be an excellent choice for House Majority Leader."
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It seemed like Erin Hames would play a quieter, behind-the-scenes role after she left her gig as Gov. Nathan Deal's top education adviser and took on consulting roles.
But our colleague Ty Tagami reports that Hames was front and center at two of Deal's education reform commission meetings last week. From Tagami:
Hames is working for both Deal and for the Atlanta Public Schools through her new consultancy, ReformEd. She was hired by APS to keep the city's schools out of Deal's proposed Opportunity School District, which would take over failing schools if voters change the constitution next year. She also appears to be continuing the work she started months ago with Deal's Education Reform Commission, representing the governor's interests as the panel mulls changes to funding policy and other educational issues.
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Mike Huckabee's presidential campaign snagged a couple of Georgia backers from the departed Scott Walker. Team Huckabee tells us state Reps. Tom Kirby, R-Loganville, and Brad Raffensperger, R-Johns Creek, have signed on with the former Arkansas governor, after previously supporting Walker.
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Harvard University professor Larry Lessig, the longest of long shots for the Democratic presidential nomination, has hired an Emory professor (and former stand-up comedian) to be a part of his campaign team. From Lessig's release:
Drew Westen, message consultant – Dr. Westen is a clinical, personality, and political psychologist and neuroscientist, and professor in the departments of Psychology and Psychiatry at Emory University. He is founder of Westen Strategies, a political and corporate consulting firm. He formerly taught at the University of Michigan, Harvard Medical School, and Boston University, and is the author of one the most influential books about political psychology and messaging, "The Political Brain" (2007).
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Over at Georgia Health News, Andy Miller reports that a preliminary investigation indicates that an unusual grouping of kids with the same disease doesn't constitute a cancer cluster:
The cancers revived fears in the community that there is a connection to where they live, and raised fears of a link to industrial contamination in the Waycross area.
