11 OCT 10: You Take the High Road
For some TV viewers, the countdown stands at 22. They have to endure 22 more days of finger-pointing, negative-charged campaign ads. Some of the commercials almost make me wish the final campaign debates were "moderated" by Jerry Springer - with a table of fresh food in front of the candidates, for them to throw.
It may be hard to notice amid all the noise, but both Georgia and Alabama have U.S. Senate races to settle in three weeks. The Georgia race gained surprising attention the other day -- because the two main candidates have NOT run negative commercials. I haven't even heard them say anything bad about the Georgia football coach....
In fact, the incumbent Senator seems to be the only one running TV commercials. Republican Johnny Isakson says in one ad the U.S. has reached a "crossroads" between "big government" and the "private sector" under President Obama. Has anyone bothered telling him our country has been at this crossroads since Franklin Roosevelt, about 75 years ago?
The closest thing to an "attack ad" I've seen from Johnny Isakson mentions President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. But the incumbent doesn't even show the President's picture - only the White House. Maybe the Isakson campaign really believes those claims that Mr. Obama can put voters under hypnosis.
Johnny Isakson's TV commercials have yet even to name his opponents for U.S. Senate, much less put them down. In fact, I'd love to see a survey where Georgians are asked whom his opponents are. Can you name them? If you've already completed early voting and still can't do it, you have my deep sympathies....
The Democrat in the Georgia U.S. Senate race is Labor Commissioner Mike Thurmond. Yet I haven't seen a single TV commercial promoting him. Perhaps that's because his campaign's "YouTube Channel" doesn't have any. Saving all your money is sound advice in a bad economy, but will that win an election?
GPB reported the other day Mike Thurmond's Senate campaign has raised only about $130,000. In this day and age, it's hard to win a statewide election in Georgia with less money than a backup infielder in Atlanta earns in a year.
The Democratic Party has come to the rescue of other Georgia candidates in recent weeks - airing attack ads against Nathan Deal and Mike Keown. But you get the impression when it comes to the U.S. Senate race, Democrats consider Mike Thurmond a lost cause. At least Thurmond will know how to find a local Career Center come January.
Yet both Johnny Isakson and Mike Thurmond have not stooped to posting insults or negative comments against each other on their campaign websites. I commend them for leaving the satire to bloggers such as myself....
To be fair, we should not overlook Georgia's Libertarian candidate for Senator. Chuck Donovan actually has an "attack ad," taking Johnny Isakson to task for voting to bail out banks. Maybe that's why you haven't see the ad on Columbus television - too many Synovus employees would be offended.
Oh yes - we mentioned the U.S. Senate race in Alabama. Incumbent Richard Shelby and Democrat William Barnes haven't bothered running any campaign commercials in Columbus. Barnes probably lacks the money - while Shelby probably assumes he's put enough money in pork-barrel spending in east Alabama already.
And what does it say about the Alabama election when controversial former candidate Dale Peterson makes a commercial not for William Barnes - but against Georgia's Roy Barnes? He's waiting for the SWAT team personnel to finish their training near Fort Benning, before sneaking his rifle across the state line.
-> Sunday night brought a thrilling moment in one form of online poker. Read what happened at our other blog, "On the Flop!" <-
BLOG CORRECTION: After further review of the InBox, we have a reversal. In the three-week period ending Friday, Michael Weaver of the National Alliance actually e-mailed us FOUR times compared with two from C.A. "Brother Love" Hardmon of the Grassroots Unity Movement for Change. I overlooked several messages which were not specifically for this blog -- and not even a write-in campaign for Mayor would guarantee his speeches appear.
C.A. Hardmon is trying to close the message gap -- but I need to make some phone calls before posting his latest e-mail. We'll see if they're possible on this Columbus Day. But while we wait, we'll check Sunday headlines:
+ Columbus had a high temperature of 88 degrees F., only one degree off the record high. Considering it was 10-10-10, wouldn't a low of ten degrees Celsius have been more appropriate?
+ WTVM reported the annual "Bikes and Badges" motorcycle ride was held in Harris and Troup Counties, benefiting Georgia Sheriff Youth Homes. One home near LaGrange allows troubled boys to work on a farm, "bailing hay, installing fences...." In other words, they eventually could be shipped from Georgia to the U.S.-Mexico border.
+ The LaGrange Daily News noted the 50th anniversary of a campaign visit to Warm Springs by then-Presidential candidate John Kennedy. Imagine if Mr. Kennedy ran for President in 2010, instead of 1960. His meetings with Marilyn Monroe would have been analyzed for weeks on Fox News Channel by now.
+ The weekly Associated Press college football poll ranked Auburn in seventh place, while Alabama dropped to eighth. It's almost enough for Auburn football fans to put their Tommy Tuberville collectibles in the attic once and for all.
+ San Francisco rallied in the ninth inning to edge Atlanta 3-2 in the National League baseball playoffs. The winning run scored on Brooks Conrad's third error of the game. Can someone arrange a consoling phone call from Lauren Conrad, before tonight's fourth game?
+ Instant Message to everyone living on Nina Street in Columbus: Have you ever thought about holding a Columbus Day block party? Or did you realize the Nina was one of Christopher Columbus's three ships? I really don't think your street was named after jazz singer Nina Semone.
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