Will Georgia remain as red as the clay for Chambliss?
Final thoughts and update on Georgia senate race
Fifty-eight and counting for the Democratic Party in the United
States Senate, and should incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss lose
to Jim Martin on this Tuesday’s run-off election, only one
Republican vote would be required to invoke cloture to end
filibusters.
A President Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress would
have a blank check to enact most all of their legislative dreams of
the past forty years, and, given the economic crisis, pass it all
off as “stimulus” no matter how fundamental the changes the new
laws may effect.
This column is an update to our
front pager last week which suggested that Jim Martin was on
his own, as far as getting any personal help on the ground from the
President-Elect.
It remains the case that Obama will not take the “Coverdell”
challenge and repeat the mistake made by then President-Elect Bill
Clinton in his 1992 appearances in a previous Peach State run-off
when Republican Paul Coverdell defeated then incumbent Democrat
Wyche Fowler.
However, Obama did make a radio ad touting Martin as favoring
his legislative agenda; Donna Brazile reported on ABC’s This Week
Sunday show that all 20+ Obama campaign offices remain open; and
that Obama supporters in adjoining states have been encouraged by
text message to come help turn out the vote.
So, turnout matters in run-offs, too?
Yes, we finally heard, forty-eight hours before the vote, that
yes, turnout matters. DeVine Law has yet to hear an explanation
from an “expert” as to how turnout would ever not matter (unless an
election is fixed).
Turnout means votes. We decide elections on actual votes, hence,
every winner of every election is the one who had more voters turn
out for them.
As if.
Gamecock also learned since our last report that Martin has
raised and spent more money Chambliss. The Drive-by dead-tree media
article tries to hide this fact by headlining the supposed
ominous news that the Republican raised more money from large
donors, but for those Americans that can still do math, the facts
are discernible.
Finally, more information from our Astute Political Observer
(APO) on the ground somewhere between Douglass and Decatur:
Many Georgia Democrats remain animated to vote against Saxby
based on his TV ads (that included an image of Osama bin Laden) six
years ago against then incumbent Democrat Max Cleland, especially
given Chambliss’ reported student and medical deferments during the
Vietnam War. Cleland is a quadruple amputee due to injuries
suffered while serving in that war.
Dee-Fax issue?
We are also advised that deaths of children abused while under
the supervision of the Department of Human Resources (DFCS
pronounced dee-fax) while Martin was commissioner have been used by
some of his political opponents. Ads have also reported a Martin
vote for a “whopping” 30+% tax increase amendment that never became
law.
As an attorney that has defended parents as their lawyer
children as Guardian ad Litem and before the DFCS equivalent in
South Carolina, I never could point to a case where the
commissioner was in any way at fault for the errors of case
workers.
The tax increase Martin voted for was one cent on the sales
tax.
There are many reasons to vote against Martin, but those two are
not among them.
Given new data, especially including the news from our APO near
the City too Busy to Hate, we have to temper, but not withdraw, our
view that Chambliss should pull this election out and remain as red
as the clay (pictured above).
Polls show that black turnout (which went 95+% for Martin) will
be up to 30% lower than their percentage on Election Day.
The best reasons for voting against Martin were mentioned above:
He will be a rubber stamp for the Obama agenda. That will drive GOP
turnout and the argument for divided government may persuade some
Democrats to pause.
Mike DeVine’s Charlotte
Observer,
Examiner.com and Minority
Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” - Andrew Jackson
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