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20 OCT 04: COX BROADCASTING
Tuesday marked two weeks until Election Day - and to watch local TV, you'd think the top Democratic candidate in Georgia this year is Cathy Cox. She's appeared in so many commercials, I'm starting to wonder if John Kerry is thinking about changing potential first ladies.
Georgia Secretary of State Cathy Cox traveled to the River Club downtown, to talk with a group of female lawyers about the upcoming election. Step 1: learn the name and phone numbers of the Democrat Election Board members. Step 2: call them with your challenge as soon as possible.
Cathy Cox came to Columbus as a statewide poll showed her even in a race against Governor Sonny Perdue. That's a political race, you understand. If they met in a footrace, Ms. Cox probably would blow Mr. Perdue right off the track.
Cathy Cox told reporters she's only thinking about the upcoming November election right now. But after that's settled, she says she'll take a "serious look" at possibly running for Governor in 2006. Of course, we remember 2000 -- and the November election might not be settled until the middle of December.
Cathy Cox admitted to reporters the commercials for the "Georgia Invests" web site are bringing a good response. The Secretary of State has been seen inside the Georgia Dome, at Centennial Olympic Park, in front of armored trucks - hey, wait a minute! How much DO all these ads cost?
(The most curious ad to me is the one with older people holding bulls-eyes at Centennial Olympic Park. You know right away something's different -- because that can't possibly be the audience Target stores really want.)
Read the fine print in the commercials, and you'll learn NO Georgia tax dollars are spent on all those ads. They're paid for by the "Investor Protection Trust." We think this title also could apply to the Atlanta Falcons offensive line....
A check of the Investor Protection Trust web site reveals it was created after a settlement of securities fraud cases in several states. It's somewhat like the well-known "tobacco settlement" - only here, the money really is used on something related to the settlement.
Secretary of State Cathy Cox explained the TV ads inform Georgians that her office handles securities complaints. She says her title doesn't really tip people off to that fact. Of course, Ms. Cox could do what John Oxendine does - changing his
state title based on why he's coming to town.
But it seems to me that these investment scam commercials allow Cathy Cox to test-drive a campaign for Governor, without spending a penny of her own money. Why, it almost sounds like some of the students at Auburn University....
Now some other quick notes from a gloomy Tuesday:
+ The Columbus Chamber of Commerce called a news conference to announce new ownership for Kendrick's Pecans. For some reason, not even a news release was written about Intermet's decision to shut down.
(Kendrick's Pecans apparently will remain as is, only with a new owner called "Columbus Gourmet." Someone had to take that title, after Miriam Tidwell sold her restaurant.)
+ Yet another forum was held on the proposed one-cent city sales tax - but WRBL reported only about ten people showed up for it at Reese Road School. With that much interest, it's no wonder we haven't seen any TV commercials promoting it.
+ A small plane crashed near the Atlanta birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King, Junior. One so-called "witness" told an Atlanta TV station it set a car on fire - but that never happened. He sounds like one of those downtown guys who offered me genuine 14-karat gold necklaces on street corners years ago.
+ Instant Message to the new H.H. Gregg store: Nice try with that new commercial -- but what do you mean, "Columbus is a big sports town?" Have you seen how many empty seats there are at a Riverdragons game? Do you realize how few "winners" Shaw High has had at McClung Memorial Stadium?
COMING THURSDAY: An e-mailer challenges my "savvy"....
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