Despite much speculation to the contrary, it appears as though Georgia will remain a red state in the 2008 Elections. Though record-breaking numbers of the state's African-American population have registered to vote to show their support for Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. John McCain still holds a 3.2 point lead in Georgia over the Democrat from Illinois. Of course, in a race this close, no one will be able to decisively determine how Georgia will delegate its electoral votes until the last ballot has been counted, and there are still potential pitfalls for the Republicans. For example, former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr is on the ballot as the Libertarian party's Presidential nominee. While it seems rather clear that a 3rd party candidate won't win this election, if Republicans in Barr's home state support him on election day, it could be enough to split the conservative vote and enable a win for Obama. The following chart from Pollster.com reveals just how rapidly McCain's lead has declined in Georgia.
Georgia's Senate race between incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss and challenger Democrat Jim Martin has been an extremely competitive one, with both sides airing vicious attack ads about the opposing candidate. In the end, however, it appears as though the state's Republican roots will hold strong. Though Chambliss only leads Martin by a 4 point margin according to pollster.com, that may be all he needs to retain his seat in the U.S. Senate.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
GA Volunteers Try One Last Push as Election Draws Closer and McCain's Lead Grows Smaller
The Atlanta Journal Constitution published an article today revealing the mounting pressure on volunteers in the state to get their candidate's message out on the weekend before Election Day:
The final push is on, and with early voting ending today, the emphasis shifts to Election Day Tuesday.
“Obama has a real shot to win in Georgia,” former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland said Thursday. “The race is closer than people think.”
The latest polls show the Obama-McCain race to be neck-and-neck — one poll showed McCain ahead by 1 point, another had him up by 5 but yet another had him down by 3. And while the race for Georgia’s 15 electoral votes is tight, neither side appears to be investing significant cash or resources to winning it in the final days. Neither campaign has announced visits by the candidates or their top surrogates. As of Thursday, neither had bought last-minute television advertising here.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Barr Predicts McCain Will Lose in Georgia
From Libertarian Candidate for President and former Georgia Congressman Bob Barr's website:
ATLANTA, GA – "Senator John McCain will not win Georgia," predicts Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party nominee for president. "His shrinking poll numbers are an indication that McCain is losing touch with the American public as we get closer to November 4th."
"Sen. McCain never connected with the fiscal conservatives in Georgia," says Barr. "His lack of a principled stand on issues such as reducing the size of government and cutting spending bothers Georgia voters. Sen. McCain can't say with a straight face he will not raise taxes or increase government spending, given his support for such extremely expensive federal government programs like the recent massive bailouts for Wall Street. Clearly, McCain has failed to attract the hearts and support of Georgia voters."
"Sen. Obama will not so much win Georgia, as Sen. McCain will lose the state," Barr adds.
"Georgia voters looking for a candidate who truly believes in limiting the size of government and reducing taxes should vote for Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party," says Barr.
Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr represented the 7th District of Georgia in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003. Barr's name will appear before 95 percent of Americans when the vote on Election Day – more than any other third-party or independent candidate.
ATLANTA, GA – "Senator John McCain will not win Georgia," predicts Bob Barr, the Libertarian Party nominee for president. "His shrinking poll numbers are an indication that McCain is losing touch with the American public as we get closer to November 4th."
"Sen. McCain never connected with the fiscal conservatives in Georgia," says Barr. "His lack of a principled stand on issues such as reducing the size of government and cutting spending bothers Georgia voters. Sen. McCain can't say with a straight face he will not raise taxes or increase government spending, given his support for such extremely expensive federal government programs like the recent massive bailouts for Wall Street. Clearly, McCain has failed to attract the hearts and support of Georgia voters."
"Sen. Obama will not so much win Georgia, as Sen. McCain will lose the state," Barr adds.
"Georgia voters looking for a candidate who truly believes in limiting the size of government and reducing taxes should vote for Bob Barr and the Libertarian Party," says Barr.
Libertarian Party presidential candidate Bob Barr represented the 7th District of Georgia in the U. S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003. Barr's name will appear before 95 percent of Americans when the vote on Election Day – more than any other third-party or independent candidate.
Monday, October 27, 2008
With Less than 10 Days to Go, will Georgia still vote Republican for President?
Though Real Clear Politics Averaging polls continue to show McCain leading by 5 points in Georgia, his margin over Sen. Obama seems to have decreased over the past 40 days. Liberal Blog The Daily Kos predicts the state may hold surprises in store for Election day, however, saying:
In one of the nastiest public races the state has seen for Senate, it appears Incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss will emerge victorious over challenger Democrat Jim Martin, with RCP averages listing Chambliss with a narrow 2 point lead. RCP's assessment of the race includes this warning, however:
The coming week will reveal how these tight races will play out in the Peach State.
I have GA on the Obama list for a few reasons. The early voting is disproportionally African-American, relative to their population in the state. For the first time in a long time AA are registered and voting at or above average relative to their population nationally. Also, what I've read really suggests to me that the McCain ground game is weak in most places, particularly a place like GA where they thought they would be safe.
In one of the nastiest public races the state has seen for Senate, it appears Incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss will emerge victorious over challenger Democrat Jim Martin, with RCP averages listing Chambliss with a narrow 2 point lead. RCP's assessment of the race includes this warning, however:
Chambliss and the state GOP are forced this year to work not only against the Democratic challenger, but also the vast voter registration drives of the Obama campaign, who had been targeting the state as a pick-up opportunity though pulled a lot of resources out of the state late in the campaign as it appeared winning Georgia would be a stretch.
The coming week will reveal how these tight races will play out in the Peach State.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Dems Still Counting Georgia as a Battleground According to Oct. 7 E-mail
The Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported today that Democrats still regard Georgia as being up for grabs in the 2008 Presidential Election, as evidenced by a new fund-raising video featuring Senator Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe.
In the clip, Plouffe comments, “You might have seen we’re now competing aggressively in the state of West Virginia, where we think we have a great chance to win. We’ve seen polls tightening in places like Georgia and North Dakota. So, we’re always on the lookout for expansion….”
This small but important statement holds greater meaning when combined with an email that was allegedly sent out by the Democratic National Committee on October 7, warning state volunteers to stay within their own boundaries. The excerpt of the email featured in the AJC article ends with the following statement:
Any further reports of volunteer requests aimed at another battleground will not be treated kindly. To avoid any confusion at all, Georgia, North Dakota, and most definitely Michigan are still battlegrounds.
In the clip, Plouffe comments, “You might have seen we’re now competing aggressively in the state of West Virginia, where we think we have a great chance to win. We’ve seen polls tightening in places like Georgia and North Dakota. So, we’re always on the lookout for expansion….”
This small but important statement holds greater meaning when combined with an email that was allegedly sent out by the Democratic National Committee on October 7, warning state volunteers to stay within their own boundaries. The excerpt of the email featured in the AJC article ends with the following statement:
Any further reports of volunteer requests aimed at another battleground will not be treated kindly. To avoid any confusion at all, Georgia, North Dakota, and most definitely Michigan are still battlegrounds.
Former U.S. Representative and Green Party Presidential Candidate Cynthia McKinney Makes a Campaign Stop in Her Home State
Green Presidential candidate and former US Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA) made a campaign stop in Atlanta at an event hosted by DeKalb County Green Party and the International Action Center, on Saturday, October 18, 2008. The event, which was announced only a few days in advance, was attended by a crowd of about 50.
"I do believe the people do have the power. It is a power that is unused and unflexed and when we flex our muscles, we actually can win," McKinney said, according to a report by Matthew Cardinale, News Editor of The Atlanta Progressive News.
Click here to read Atlanta Progressive News' full coverage of the event.
"I do believe the people do have the power. It is a power that is unused and unflexed and when we flex our muscles, we actually can win," McKinney said, according to a report by Matthew Cardinale, News Editor of The Atlanta Progressive News.
Click here to read Atlanta Progressive News' full coverage of the event.
Obama Sides with Florida Over Georgia in a 30-year-long Water Dispute
According to the Associated Press, Senator Barack Obama released a statement on October 16 which said that during his presidency, he would make protecting Florida's Apalachicola River and Bay a priority. The Illinois senator is already calling for a National Research Council study to ensure enough water comes into Florida to meet environmental and commercial fishing needs.
The Apalachicola Bay is fed by the Chattahoochee River, metro Atlanta’s primary source of fluids. Florida law makers believe Georgia uses too much water from the river system for municipal purposes. So while some optimists might be inclined to view Senator Obama's recent and unfounded concern in this matter as stemming from genuine environmental concerns, it seems more likely to this realist that Obama is after the 27 electoral votes the swing state of Florida could afford him. Georgia's 15 electoral votes are almost sure to go to McCain, so siding with the state on this matter would present Obama with no help on election day.
It seems to follow, then, that Obama would rather see the more than 5 million Americans who call metro Atlanta home denied the most basic and essential life force of water than to lose the support of those Floridians who feel strongly enough about the issue to take notice. Is this even remotely logical? I think not. The veil of environmental awareness that Senator Obama used as a guise to cover what most certainly seems to be his true interest in the matter-the garnering of electoral votes from a large swing state-is wearing awfully thin.
Georgia's GOP quickly jumped on the issue, as GOP Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson drafted the following letter to Senator Obama criticizing his sudden interest in and take on the matter:
Dear Senator Obama:
We are writing to express our disappointment with comments made yesterday by you and your campaign relating to water allocation issues in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) and Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) River basins.
As you may know, these river basins serve Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. While we appreciate your recent and sudden interest in the tri-state water issues we have been working on for the past six years, the comments by you and your campaign reflect a fundamental lack of understanding of the nature of the problems in the ACF and ACT basins, a lack of understanding of the requirements of the Army Corps of Engineers with regards to the ACF and ACT basins under federal law, and a cavalier disregard for the needs of the residents of Georgia.
According to your campaign’s statement, you “would direct the National Research Council (NRC) to conduct a study to assess the water availability, supply options, and demand-management alternatives that factor into ACF River System usage, as well as the impact of freshwater flow on the ecology of the Apalachicola River and Bay.” You also said “As President, I will make protecting Florida’s water resources a priority.”
As you may know, the Army Corps of Engineers is required under federal law to update the water control manuals for the ACF and ACT basins, and recently announced it would begin doing so in the ACT basin.
We were pleased to hear from Secretary of the Army Pete Geren personally that the Corps is moving forward with updating these manuals, because it will allow the Corps to make smarter decisions in their management of these river systems. We have underscored to him how important this action is.
As you also may know such an update would include studies to assess water supply and demand, and environmental management practices for ALL the users and stakeholder in the basins, not just those on the Apalachicola River and Bay. To ask the Corps to ignore its responsibilities under federal law in favor of the residents of Florida is a clear affront to the residents of Georgia. To state that you will make protecting Florida’s water resources a priority over Georgia’s shows that you do not care about the needs of the people of Georgia.
We have continually worked to get Georgia, Florida and Alabama together and to force the Corp of Engineers to update a 20-year-old Water Control Plan for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa and Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basins. In 2006 we held Senate hearings in Gainesville and Columbus to implore the Corps to keep its commitment to update its outdated water control plan for the two river basins.
On August 1, 2007, we met with Secretary Geren as well as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works John Paul Woodley, Lieutenant General Robert L. Van Antwerp and General Counsel Craig Schmauder. At the meeting, Secretary Geren indicated his desire to give mediation time to work before starting the update of the water control manuals.
When Secretary Geren gave his commitment to us that if and when mediation broke down and was not making progress, he would begin the update of the water control manuals, we held him to that promise. On September 28, 2007, after judges involved in the mediation announced that the talks had broken down, we sent a letter to Secretary Geren strongly urging him to honor his pledge to update the water control plan.
On October 18, 2007, Secretary Woodley told both of us by telephone that the Corps will start the process for updating the water control manual for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin.
We also facilitated meetings in Washington between the Governors of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, as well as meetings between the Governors and the Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, and Council on Environmental Quality Chairman Jim Connaughton. We continue to work with the Governors and their staffs to come to a solution so the states can take advantage of the productive talks they have had and agree on a resolution.
From Lake Lanier to Lake Allatoona, from Atlanta to West Point Lake, and from LaGrange to Columbus, we have worked to find a solution that benefits not only the people of our state, but all those who reside in the river basins. It is unfortunate that you wish to undo the good work we have done to find a solution for all the people in the river basin and instead prioritize the needs of only the people of Florida.
Sincerely,
Saxby Chambliss
United States Senator
Johnny Isakson
United States Senator
The Apalachicola Bay is fed by the Chattahoochee River, metro Atlanta’s primary source of fluids. Florida law makers believe Georgia uses too much water from the river system for municipal purposes. So while some optimists might be inclined to view Senator Obama's recent and unfounded concern in this matter as stemming from genuine environmental concerns, it seems more likely to this realist that Obama is after the 27 electoral votes the swing state of Florida could afford him. Georgia's 15 electoral votes are almost sure to go to McCain, so siding with the state on this matter would present Obama with no help on election day.
It seems to follow, then, that Obama would rather see the more than 5 million Americans who call metro Atlanta home denied the most basic and essential life force of water than to lose the support of those Floridians who feel strongly enough about the issue to take notice. Is this even remotely logical? I think not. The veil of environmental awareness that Senator Obama used as a guise to cover what most certainly seems to be his true interest in the matter-the garnering of electoral votes from a large swing state-is wearing awfully thin.
Georgia's GOP quickly jumped on the issue, as GOP Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson drafted the following letter to Senator Obama criticizing his sudden interest in and take on the matter:
Dear Senator Obama:
We are writing to express our disappointment with comments made yesterday by you and your campaign relating to water allocation issues in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) and Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) River basins.
As you may know, these river basins serve Georgia, Alabama, and Florida. While we appreciate your recent and sudden interest in the tri-state water issues we have been working on for the past six years, the comments by you and your campaign reflect a fundamental lack of understanding of the nature of the problems in the ACF and ACT basins, a lack of understanding of the requirements of the Army Corps of Engineers with regards to the ACF and ACT basins under federal law, and a cavalier disregard for the needs of the residents of Georgia.
According to your campaign’s statement, you “would direct the National Research Council (NRC) to conduct a study to assess the water availability, supply options, and demand-management alternatives that factor into ACF River System usage, as well as the impact of freshwater flow on the ecology of the Apalachicola River and Bay.” You also said “As President, I will make protecting Florida’s water resources a priority.”
As you may know, the Army Corps of Engineers is required under federal law to update the water control manuals for the ACF and ACT basins, and recently announced it would begin doing so in the ACT basin.
We were pleased to hear from Secretary of the Army Pete Geren personally that the Corps is moving forward with updating these manuals, because it will allow the Corps to make smarter decisions in their management of these river systems. We have underscored to him how important this action is.
As you also may know such an update would include studies to assess water supply and demand, and environmental management practices for ALL the users and stakeholder in the basins, not just those on the Apalachicola River and Bay. To ask the Corps to ignore its responsibilities under federal law in favor of the residents of Florida is a clear affront to the residents of Georgia. To state that you will make protecting Florida’s water resources a priority over Georgia’s shows that you do not care about the needs of the people of Georgia.
We have continually worked to get Georgia, Florida and Alabama together and to force the Corp of Engineers to update a 20-year-old Water Control Plan for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa and Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basins. In 2006 we held Senate hearings in Gainesville and Columbus to implore the Corps to keep its commitment to update its outdated water control plan for the two river basins.
On August 1, 2007, we met with Secretary Geren as well as Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works John Paul Woodley, Lieutenant General Robert L. Van Antwerp and General Counsel Craig Schmauder. At the meeting, Secretary Geren indicated his desire to give mediation time to work before starting the update of the water control manuals.
When Secretary Geren gave his commitment to us that if and when mediation broke down and was not making progress, he would begin the update of the water control manuals, we held him to that promise. On September 28, 2007, after judges involved in the mediation announced that the talks had broken down, we sent a letter to Secretary Geren strongly urging him to honor his pledge to update the water control plan.
On October 18, 2007, Secretary Woodley told both of us by telephone that the Corps will start the process for updating the water control manual for the Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa River Basin.
We also facilitated meetings in Washington between the Governors of Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, as well as meetings between the Governors and the Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne, and Council on Environmental Quality Chairman Jim Connaughton. We continue to work with the Governors and their staffs to come to a solution so the states can take advantage of the productive talks they have had and agree on a resolution.
From Lake Lanier to Lake Allatoona, from Atlanta to West Point Lake, and from LaGrange to Columbus, we have worked to find a solution that benefits not only the people of our state, but all those who reside in the river basins. It is unfortunate that you wish to undo the good work we have done to find a solution for all the people in the river basin and instead prioritize the needs of only the people of Florida.
Sincerely,
Saxby Chambliss
United States Senator
Johnny Isakson
United States Senator
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