Once upon a time, there was a White House press secretary who had a fine way with words. When his president said one thing on Monday and contradicted it on Tuesday, Ron Ziegler declared the former statement to be "inoperative."
Hold that thought.
Last week, one of our number was with former governor-turned-agriculture secretary Sonny Perdue in Michigan – part of his third RV tour across the country. A brewing trade war was on the minds of farmers who have profited by doing business with China. Soybeans and such.
“I’m convinced the president will not allow agricultural producers to bear the brunt of any kind of trade retaliation efforts,” Perdue told reporters.
On Monday, Perdue was off the road and in a Cabinet meeting in the White House. We didn't see the ag secretary in any photos, but President Donald Trump called him out by name during a discussion about who would suffer in any economic confrontation with, say, China. From the official White House transcript of the president's remarks:
"But if we do a deal with China, if during the course of a negotiation they want to hit the farmers because they think that hits me, I wouldn't say that's nice. But I tell you, our farmers are great patriots. These are great patriots. They understand that they're doing this for the country. And we'll make it up to them. And in the end, they're going to be much stronger than they are right now…
"Sonny Perdue is here. You understand exactly what I'm saying. There will be a little work to be done. But the farmers will be better off than they ever were. We'll take a little while to get there, but it could be very quick, actually. But I say, it's not nice when they hit the farmers specifically because they think that hits me."
Consider all previous statements to be inoperative.
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A University of Georgia study says the legalization of medical marijuana appears to lead to less prescription opioid use, and could help curb the national opioid epidemic. From the Athens Banner-Herald:
UGA researchers studying Medicare records found that states that had legalized marijuana dispensaries saw a 14.4 percent drop in the use of prescription opioids among Medicare Part D patients between 2010 and 2015. States that allowed only home cultivation saw a reduction of about 7 percent.
Medicare Part D is an optional prescription drug benefit plan open to people — mainly those 65 and older — enrolled in Medicare, the federal health insurance program for people 65 and older.
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Here's a late-breaking donation worth noting: Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank, a frequent contributor to Democratic candidates, chipped in $2,500 to Republican Geoff Duncan's campaign for lieutenant governor.
The Home Depot co-founder donated to Duncan's campaign this week, and the contribution was noted in his post-deadline paperwork. His Home Depot counterpart, Bernie Marcus, earlier endorsed state Sen. David Shafer's campaign for the No. 2 job.
Duncan, a former Georgia Tech pitcher, has also picked up another notable supporter: Barbara Dooley, the GOP activist and wife of former UGA coach Vince Dooley. “When a Georgia Bulldog endorses a GT baseball player like me, you know the momentum is on our side,” he said.
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Our AJC colleague Bill Rankin has a scoop in today's print edition: The Trump administration will tap Georgia Supreme Court Justice Britt Grant today for a vacancy on a powerful federal appeals court in Atlanta. The Georgia native, who served in the George W. Bush administration and worked for Gov. Nathan Deal in several capacities over the years, has long been on the president's radar. Trump included Grant on a list of possible U.S. Supreme Court picks last year.
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On a somewhat similar topic: As state Court of Appeals races go, there's one that could get pretty hot between now and May 22. The race to replace John Ellington, has attracted two candidates. Ken Hodges is a former Dougherty County district attorney who was the 2010 Democratic candidate for attorney general. He now calls Ringgold, Ga., home.
But it's the other candidate, Ken Shigley, a former president of the State Bar of Georgia, who's the first out with a TV ad – a $75,000 cable buy that will run through April 30. A sign that he's chasing an older, GOP-oriented crowd: It will air on Fox News, CNN, MSNBC and the Weather Channel and during Braves games. You can watch it here:
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Meanwhile, the organizers of the Advocacy for Action PAC are calling on Gov. Nathan Deal to find diverse candidates to fill vacancies on the state's highest courts. The group wrote a letter to The Daily Report arguing that the push for more inclusivity should start at the Judicial Nominating Commission, which has two minorities among its 21 members. Wrote the group:
"If our top elected official holds the belief that championing diversity somehow equates to less than qualified individuals serving as members of the JNC, we have some work to do."
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Lucy McBath, one of four Democrats challenging U.S. Rep. Karen Handel for her seat in the 6th Congressional District this year, is out with a new op-ed in Vanity Fair that hints at where her campaign messaging might end up in the weeks ahead.
McBath, we've written, became a nationally-known gun control advocate after her teenage son was shot dead by a white man after quarrelling over the volume of the music playing in his car. The first chunk of McBath's op-ed discusses her late son Jordan, the Parkland shooting and her decision to run for office. But in the last two paragraphs McBath pivots to health care:
"My story doesn't begin or even end with one subject. I am passionate about access to women's health care; as a two-time breast cancer survivor, I know how critical it is for women to have access to preventative care, including mammograms.
"A more stable family—and overall society—can be measured by the health and well-being of women and children. And the economic and social advancement of women depends on coverage. On the campaign trail, I will be sharing my experience and discussing how it directly contrasts with the experience of our current member of Congress."
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell kicked off business in his chamber yesterday with a brief tribute to Zell Miller, his former colleague who died last month while lawmakers were away on recess. McConnell, R-Ky., said the Democrat was a "kind and honorable man and a committed public servant." Miller, according to McConnell, served "with grit and determination, never afraid to buck partisanship in favor of his principles."
U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson weighed in on Miller, too, touching on Governor Miller’s decision to name Isakson, who ran against him in 1990, as chairman of the state board of education.
“I’ve worked with a lot of people. I’ve known a lot of people. But I’ve never known a better one,” Isakson said.
