27 JUN 06: DONKEY KICKS

Today marks three weeks to go before the Georgia Primary - and is it just me, or has Governor Sonny Perdue stopped running TV commercials in the last week or so? Maybe he's simply sitting back, and taking notes on the Democrats sniping at each other.

From the "attack ads" of recent days, it is now abundantly clear that the Democratic Primary for Georgia Governor could hinge on one key issue, one I never realized was so important in this state. Do voters hate large trucking companies, or not?

That's the accusation which strikes me as the strangest in the governor's race so far - a Cathy Cox commercial declaring Mark Taylor "an executive of a large trucking company." Maybe it's really the "executive" part, because it makes Taylor sound Republican.

Cathy Cox suggests Mark Taylor used has clout as Lieutenant Governor to get free prison labor for a project involving the large trucking company. But doesn't this connection only make sense - the "Big Guy" with the "Big House?"

Mark Taylor's newest campaign ad responds to Cathy Cox's finger-pointing. It proclaims: "Mark Taylor never owned a company that got prison labor." OK, but that's not what Cox said. You can be an "executive" without owning the place. Ask any head coach of the Atlanta Hawks.

To be fair, I started this drama in the middle of the fight scene. It was Mark Taylor who put the first attack ad on the air, claiming Cathy Cox voted against the lottery for HOPE scholarships years ago. I'm not sure what's more appalling for Georgians -- that vote, or the fact that it was reported in a newspaper called the "Liberal."

Cathy Cox replied to the first attack ad by saying she's always supported HOPE scholarships -- and claiming the Miller County Liberal article cited by Mark Taylor is a "fabrication" which is "grasping at straws." Which raises a good point: why aren't these candidates talking about what they'll do for Georgia farmers?

Mark Taylor even has set up a web site for you to examine Cathy Cox's record. The trouble is that neither Taylor nor Cox has been a state lawmaker for years -- and in 2006, neither Democrat dares to say they accomplished things for Governor Zell Miller.

Then came a Mark Taylor ad quoting Cathy Cox as saying she's seen no evidence Georgians are starving, because there was a sales tax on food purchases. Taylor may be right about this one - because since the sales tax went away, the obesity percentages have gone up.

The latest attack ad from Mark Taylor declares Cathy Cox voted against mandatory sentences for child molesters and rapists -- and concludes from that vote Cox doesn't think they belong in prison. Well, hold on here. What if she wants to give judges the option of lethal injection, to kill them all?

The latest slingshot we've noticed came from Cathy Cox in Sunday's Atlanta Journal-Constitution. She claimed Mark Taylor doesn't want to debate her. Well, he really does - as long as he picks the topic and spends the money to present it.

All of this is the stuff which disgusts some voters about modern-day politics. It makes you wish both candidates sat down with someone in a room and settled these differences - someone like Dr. Phil McGraw, who would call both of them childish.

By the way: Governor Sonny Perdue DOES have opposition in the Georgia Republican Primary. It's from a man whose main issue seems to be the design of the state flag. I keep waiting for him to call a news conference outside that Hilton Avenue strip mall which still flies the 1956 version -- just to see who dares to show up to support him.

E-MAIL UPDATE: A Smiths Station correspondent writes one of his occasional summaries:

Finally --some rain-

a little 2 yr old wondered away and the outcome was not good.

Reports have lee rd 2107 in Phenix City

I do not know who or whom has the right to make up Post Office lines like they do..it seems that it favors Phenix City.

How can Auburn rd be called Phenix City all the way out to the 4 way stop.. it is not - but - the Post Office in Phenix City says that it is thier's and no other comment will be given.

Come on now - Do Phenix City fire respond out there,,No

Does Phenix City Police go out there,, NO

where does this lead too...Phenix City claiming glory to anything that happens..

You say..it has to be called something -right - then call the area's outside the City's what they are known for - Use the same extra zip
codes that are already used.

this is nothing but stolen Identity

Starting from the top: I'm happy to see the rain as well. I was especially surprised when Monday's 10:00 p.m. news predicted a line of storms in northern Harris County would die before reaching Columbus - only to hear rain outside my window at 11:15.

I don't usually travel down Auburn Road, so I don't not an expert on where the Phenix City limits are. But isn't this a case where the post office uses the closest town for the third line of an address? You don't hear Nebraska corn farmers on "R.F.D." routes claiming to be confused about this.

Now the plot thickens in the WRBL mysrery. Could Mitzi Oxford really be the "meteorologist" (alleged) of their affection?

The Columbus L-E reported recently that she is no longer with the Columbus Chapter of the American Red Cross. The article stated she is now employed at Leisure Lifestyles.

As I recall several of the most popular weather casters in Columbus television history did not have degrees in meteorology!

Hmmmm - Leisure Lifestyles, eh? Oxford could do the forecast while lounging in a spa. Now that's a way to improve the ratings....

Your point is well taken about weathercasters with no degrees in meteorology. The late Doug Wallace probably wouldn't have even won any contests for throwing chalk in the air.

But I still have my doubts that WRBL would rehire a weathercaster which it dropped a few years ago. The station tried to go "retro" around 2000, right down to a chalkboard on the wall for the forecast. Why, for awhile the managers even made Phil Scoggins deliver the sports along with the news.

As it happens, Media General announced Monday it's buying the Eufaula Tribune. This adds to the company owning WRBL and the Opelika-Auburn News - and thanks to Lake Eufaula, the "Powerhouse Team" now will be hydroelectric powered.

The Eufaula Tribune publishes a newspaper only two or three times a week. Does this purchase mean it's about to become a daily paper? Will bass fishing tournaments go off the charts, if fishermen can check the moon more often?

Now other items from a Monday which might have nice for a day on the lake:

+ Mayor Bob Poydasheff filed qualifying papers to seek reelection. The incumbent told WRBL he's running on his record of the last four years, and his "vision for the future." You know - the vision filled with stacks of pennies from another sales tax.

+ The Challenger Space Science Center began a weeklong "Space-O-Rama" camp for first and second-graders. They're taught how to make rockets from wood, paper and soda bottles - so I hope all these six and seven-year-olds were checked against a terrorism watch list.

+ Our exclusive BBMI (Burkard Bulk Mail Index) recovered a bit, after dropping below 10,000 spam messages for the first time in weeks. Maybe there IS a connection with the stock market here - as all those penny stock offers aren't exploding on Mondays after all.

+ Instant Message to Warren Buffett: I don't get it. You're giving away something like 40 billion dollars -- and I'm not getting a penny of it?! Is it because Bill Gates plays bridge with you, and I'm more into poker right now?

COMING WEDNESDAY: A trip to the tag office makes someone upset....

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