Before dropping out, Chambliss had mixed feelings about running again
The first serious indication I got from Sen. Saxby Chambliss that he wasn’t planning to run for re-election next year came two weeks ago, during an interview at his local office in Cobb County. I put some of it in my write-up of the meeting, and I could have written a whole column about his mixed feelings about running for a third term in the Senate. But I had to balance space considerations (that piece was for the print edition of the AJC) and interest in what the “Gang of Six” member had to say about the fiscal cliff, debt ceiling, etc., so I kept the re-election talk in my column limited and placed at the end. Plus, he gave me no reason to believe he’d announce his intentions for 2014 so soon.
Looking back, and in light of his statement today that he’s leaving due in largest part to “frustration, both at a lack of leadership from the White House and at the dearth of meaningful action from Congress,” I thought I’d publish his entire remarks about whether he’d run and how he’d arrive at the decision:
ON WHETHER HE’S GOING TO RUN FOR RE-ELECTION:
What I’m doing right now, what I do at the end or beginning of every election cycle, we’re evaluating where we are and what our goals are. And the difference … this is an eight-year decision for me. It’s two years plus six years. That’s a lot different form a two-year decision. And if I thought the next eight years were going to be filled with contentious debates and the wrong way to govern that we have just gone through in the last two months, it would have a significant impact on my decision. But yeah, right now my plans are to run.
We’re in good shape financially from a campaign standpoint. Got a lot more money to raise, but we’ll do that. …
First of all, I’ve never backed off from a fight. And I’ve never backed off from my principles of trying to solve problems. Anytime you do that, then you’re going to create controversy. You can’t govern in the way you have to govern under our Constitution without antagonizing or making folks unhappy with you. I don’t worry about that. Obviously I’d love to have everybody happy with me, but I could go up and vote no on everything and you wouldn’t see the opposition activity that is stirring around out there now. But I’m not going to do that. I’m going to do what I think’s right for the country. When I voted for TARP in ‘08, it was the right thing to do. And people are still upset about that. But what they fail to realize is what both Johnny [Isakson] and I said when we voted for it: In the long run, this will not only settle down the financial community, but we’ll [the government] make money. And we’ve made money on TARP. It was kind of a no-brainer back then. And as things have gone forward from that on the other issues that folks have gotten upset about, it was the right thing to do.
So I don’t worry about that — well, I say I don’t worry about that: Obviously you always worry about your political future. But the thing that’s really been encouraging to me, with all the activity stirring around, I have people now instead of stopping me in the grocery store and saying, ‘Let me tell you about my problem,’ they stop me wherever I am and say, ‘Look, we’re reading all this stuff, just know we’ve got your back — those of us who are by far the majority are behind you and appreciate what you’re doing, we just don’t talk to the press or pick up the phone and call you.’
And on the fiscal cliff issue, it’s pretty easy to tell when somebody calls your office whether it’s been generated by an email or something because they’ll reading a script. And by far, the negative comments we got, folks were reading a script.
So, when you take it all into account — I mean, I’m flying back to D.C., I [went] back last week, I had six people stop me in the airport who just, I didn’t know any one of ‘em. But they just came over and said, ‘Look, we just want you to know we appreciate your vote the other day, we appreciate what you’re doing.’ You know, that just doesn’t happen regularly. [Earlier that week] at Lillian Lewis’s funeral, I had five or six people come up and say the same thing. And I’ve had offers of fund raisers from around the country, as well as around the state, from folks, some of whom had never supported me before, because they appreciate doing the right thing. So at the end of the day, we’ll be fine. But we’re going to think things through like we always do, but I think I know what the answer is.
ON WHETHER GRIDLOCK IN WASHINGTON WOULD BE ENOUGH TO MAKE HIM LEAVE:
This’ll be, what, I just concluded 18 years. And when I first got elected to Congress, we were in that wave of Republicans that took over the House, took over the Senate, those were fun times. [Newt] Gingrich was our leader, he had good ideas, we really passed good positive legislation. Sometimes it got done, sometimes it didn’t, although out of the Contract with America, I think we got seven out of the 10 provisions passed. Those were fun times. The time we went through at the end of the year, and really leading up to that — I’ve been working on this fiscal crisis now for two and a half years. And the bumps in the road we’ve run into … in the past couple of months wasn’t as much fun as what it was in ‘95, ‘96 and going forward.
You want to look forward to getting up and going to work in the morning. I really looked forward, in those early years, to getting up and going to work. Sometimes now I think, gosh, we got to get up, we got to face this fiscal battle again tomorrow.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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358 comments Add your comment
td
January 25th, 2013
7:41 pm
“Senate for 12 years is a blight on Georgia.”
I can not believe a progressive could make that statement when they have just recently lost (died in office not voted out of office) a murderer and a grand wizard of the KKK.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right
January 25th, 2013
7:43 pm
Tealiban, I’d rather see the GOP talk like children than have your party of Democrats keep talking to your idiots.
Michael H. Smith
January 25th, 2013
7:47 pm
You and with “your nameless references”, now dare to talk about being… what, man enough!?
Get over your pathetic over bloated self and your socialist liberal spin on things.
If you can show where I or anyone on this thread blamed anyone party, please post it
No need to, you and your ilk have already posted it for me so all can read it.
As I said my weekend was made already. Thanks!
Michael H. Smith
January 25th, 2013
8:00 pm
Just Saying..
January 25th, 2013
6:15 pm
“Oh and I don’t mind my label….as it rightly reveals the bad contents.”
Something we can all agree on
Yes, good it is to see all agree to the bad contents of you and your socialist ilk. Confession is good for the soul.
Michael H. Smith
January 25th, 2013
8:11 pm
Ah… obama lost in court for overstepping his power.
Politico
January 25th, 2013
8:17 pm
md
Nothing about your choice concept or your program “blows my mind”…. You give yourself to much credit for your intellect
Just saying that you might want to look in the mirror when speaking your gospel
Politico
January 25th, 2013
8:19 pm
MHS
Lie much or just on the blog?
Michael H. Smith
January 25th, 2013
8:23 pm
I’ll leave the lying to you, on this blog and everywhere else, considering the job you’re doing here.
Serious Robuck
January 25th, 2013
8:32 pm
td, you’re a card.
Michael H. Smith
January 25th, 2013
8:37 pm
I doubt anyone is ever going to send them all home and Romney’s “self deportation” comments were, well I will leave it alone.
Just as well you did leave Romney’s “self deportation” comments alone with your “inferences” since you obviously missed what a bad economy, cause by both parties, did in reality to cause millions of illegal aliens to self-deport.
But hey, go ahead with your big idea to seal the border while the facts say most illegal aliens are here by way of visa overstays, not illegal border crossings. And, you want to give out more visas?
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 25th, 2013
8:42 pm
Documents published online for the first time Thursday indicate that the FBI opened an inquiry into New Jersey Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez on August 1, 2012, focusing on repeated trips he took to the Dominican Republic with longtime campaign contributor and Miami eye doctor Salomon Melgen. The DC reported in November that Menendez purchased the service of prostitutes in that Caribbean nation at a series of alcohol-fueled sex parties.
Information made available to Schwartz and Levine at that time included allegations that some of Menendez’s prostitutes were as young as 16.
sicko
MrLiberty
January 25th, 2013
8:53 pm
Saxby’s biggest concern was likely how soon he would need to get out of the country to avoid criminal prosecution for his time in office. I wonder if they will all head to Paraguay again? I understand that Bush has bought a huge ranch down there. Likely the country must have a weak extradition treaty. Obama is going to need somewhere other than Hawaii when he goes.
wallbanger
January 25th, 2013
9:03 pm
Why is it that the only people that are being considered for the Chambliss post are the same or usual suspects? Why isn’t there new and exciting blood on the scene? I mean, we need a charismatic leader with great rhetoric too. We need someone to extoll the virtues of studying hard, staying in school, working two jobs while in school, and looking for gratification in the future instead of in the moment. I think people are ready for someone who talks to them like adults.
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 25th, 2013
9:45 pm
In honor of our dearly departed RINO -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o3gJC5fPB0
Cletus
January 25th, 2013
9:51 pm
Goodbye Saxby and good riddance. You were a weak, ineffective Senator for the people of Georgia. Thank you for stepping aside and giving someone else who is interested in actually doing the job a chance. My money’s on Tom Price.
Buzzy
January 25th, 2013
10:03 pm
Of course, many Republicans will see this as a good thing. Get a real right wing extremist to replace Chambliss.
But isn’t this the same party that says it wants to broaden it’s base? They want to appeal to women and other minorities? They think they can do this with talk and PR alone. It won’t work. I love it because the Republicans get closer every cycle to marching themselves off a cliff. They can’t help themselves.
Lynnie Gal
January 25th, 2013
10:15 pm
Saxby is a sane man so he is bailing out of the “stupid party”. All that’s left of his party are angry middle aged white men living in their mother’s basements.
Just Saying..
January 25th, 2013
10:30 pm
“Senator, I am so sorry to see you go. I was a Regan Republican, but when I saw the religious right moving in I knew we were in trouble. That group was nothing compared to the Tea Party infusion. I have voted Democrat in elections since Regan. I want the Republican party to be a viable party. We are based on the two party system. I don’t agree with all your positions, but I do respect your willingness to work across the aisle and not follow the Grover Norquist party. Your party needs more like you, not less. Thank you for your service.”
Well said…
Don't Tread
January 25th, 2013
10:39 pm
“You can’t govern in the way you have to govern under our Constitution without antagonizing or making folks unhappy with you. I don’t worry about that.”
Well Saxby, you can’t vote to pass unconstitutional laws without making folks unhappy with you either. But apparently you’re not worried about that, either. (Neither are the Democrats.)
Just Saying..
January 25th, 2013
10:44 pm
“There is one clear, overriding lesson from November: We didn’t have enough votes,” Mr. Priebus said.
Relax, guys. He’s only the RNC chairman.
He can’t possibly know as much about politics as you do…
getalife
January 25th, 2013
10:47 pm
“4. We must stop being the stupid party. It’s time for a new Republican party that talks like adults. It’s time for us to articulate our plans and visions for America in real terms. We had a number of Republicans damage the brand this year with offensive and bizarre comments. We’ve had enough of that.
5. We must stop insulting the intelligence of voters. We need to trust the smarts of the American people. We have to stop dumbing down our ideas and stop reducing everything to mindless slogans and tag lines for 30-second ads. We must be willing to provide details in describing our views.
6. We must quit “big.” We are not the party of big business, big banks, big Wall Street bailouts, big corporate loopholes, or big anything. We must not be the party that simply protects the well off so they can keep their toys. We have to be the party that shows all Americans how they can thrive. We are the party whose ideas will help the middle class, and help more folks join the middle class. We are a populist party and need to make that clear.
7. We must focus on real people outside of Washington, not the lobbyists and government inside Washington. We must stop competing with Democrats for the job of “Government Manager,” and lay out ideas that can unleash the dynamic abilities of the American people. We need an equal opportunity society, one in which government does not see its job as picking winners and losers. Where do you go if you want special favors? Government. Where do you go if you want a tax break? Government. Where do you go if you want a handout? Government. This must stop. Our government must pursue a level playing field. ” Jindal.
Just Saying..
January 25th, 2013
10:49 pm
Looks like Sarah Palin is newly available…
bu2
January 26th, 2013
12:32 am
“Jindal was telling the GOP to quit using the 30 sec sound bites and scripted slogans, they only work on the low information Dem audience, that the GOP, independents, and smarter Dems want some meat in their stew. It was a slap at Romney for failing to provide details about the things he was proposing.”
Absolutely right about Romney. That’s why the late breaking vote went heavily to Obama. Romney didn’t give them enough specific reasons he would do better.
Bruno
January 26th, 2013
12:59 am
Kyle–Thanks for keeping the place open tonight. Your late-nighters really appreciate it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLKiMbC6s2k
Bruno
January 26th, 2013
1:11 am
Man am I glad that I grew up in the 60s and 70s.
“Song of the Wind” from Santana. Neil Schon plays beautifully on this number.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qj0zGxDxXVM
Bruno
January 26th, 2013
1:17 am
No one can make his guitar cry like Carlos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5AUm_xaE9A
Bruno
January 26th, 2013
1:23 am
New thoughts
Will purify my mind
And clean my body
New lives
Will fall together like an endless story
All the love of the universe
Will be shared by all that’s living
And I don’t really care
About tomorrow
Today
Is all I really need to find the answers
I’ll find the constant flow
Of all the harmony
Everybody needs a helpin’ hand
Everybody needs a helpin’ hand
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4b6Ey7O2Y4
Michael H. Smith
January 26th, 2013
4:14 am
Just Saying..
At least your copy and paste skills are improving, even while your honesty hasn’t.
Keep on telling the world it’s just those old Republicans. The rest of us don’t believe you but you can convince yourself if no one else.
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
January 26th, 2013
6:32 am
Ain’t it great how Obozo brought us all together?
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
January 26th, 2013
6:34 am
Romney didn’t give them enough specific reasons he would do better.
——–
He certainly couldn’t have done worse than Obozo.
Low-information voters went for the sure thing–the monthly government check.
Whirled Peas
January 26th, 2013
8:02 am
It is time we had some new blood in there. Herman Cain, it’s your turn to stir the puddin in Washington.
Tealiban Party
January 26th, 2013
8:29 am
Tiberius – pulling the tail of the left AND right
January 25th, 2013
7:43 pm
Tealiban, I’d rather see the GOP talk like children than have your party of Democrats keep talking to your idiots.
Then you must be especially pleased with the rhetoric coming from the GOP over the last decade.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 26th, 2013
8:31 am
“WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama violated the Constitution when he bypassed the Senate last year to appoint three members of the National Labor Relations Board, a federal appeals court ruled Friday in a far-reaching decision that could severely limit a chief executive’s powers to make recess appointments.
The decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit marked a victory for Republicans and business groups critical of the labor board. If it stands, it could invalidate hundreds of board decisions over the past year, including some that make it easier for unions to organize.”
When you can’t get the DC Court of Appeals to agree with you, you’re pretty much wrong with your actions.
And to think this Incompetent used to teach Constitutional law.
Tealiban Party
January 26th, 2013
8:36 am
Lil’ Barry Bailout – OBAMAPHONE!!!
January 26th, 2013
6:34 am
Low-information voters went for the sure thing–the monthly government check.
We can see who the low information voters are LBB.
Top 10 Best (And Worst) Education States and How They Voted
http://www.happyplace.com/19076/election-infographic-shows-most-educated-states-voted-for-obama
indigo
January 26th, 2013
8:39 am
The Catholic Church strongly believes life begins at conception and the fetus most definitely is a person. Until, of course, they get hit with a lawsuit demsnding a large amount of money. Then, they start backtracking faster than you can say “money talks and BS walks”.
Tealiban Party
January 26th, 2013
8:44 am
From the Washington Post…
“Presidents from both parties have made hundreds of recess appointments when the Senate has failed to act on nominations. Ronald Reagan holds the record with 243. Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush, made 105…” (Obama has made 29…)
And suddenly its unconstitutional used by an incompetent….
Lil' Barry Bailout - OBAMAPHONE!!!
January 26th, 2013
8:47 am
Tealiban apparently confuses attendance at liberal-oriented institutions with wisdom (not to mention common sense).
Just look at Tealiban’s failed messiah–went to multiple “elite” universities, taught constitutional law at another, and yet doesn’t understand the clear meaning of the Constitution as regards recess appointments!
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 26th, 2013
8:49 am
TP – Those appointments were made when the Senate was out of session. Completely lawful and legitimate. Do you even understand the issue?
indigo
January 26th, 2013
8:52 am
Barry
As always, you and other cons are the only ones here who call Obama “messiah”.
Sad really.
Your hopeful messiah, Romney, just couldn’t cut it with the voters.
But wait!!!
Republican legislatures are now devising ways to cheat their way to the White House.
You may get your own “messiah” yet!!!
Jack ®
January 26th, 2013
8:59 am
I don’t know why Chambliss wanted the job in the first place since he appears to be an intelligent man. And I don’t blame him for wanting to get out of the turmoil created by Obama and those that support his efforts to bring Marxism to this country.
the red herring
January 26th, 2013
9:02 am
Saxby was a nice enough guy but went along with too much spending. My vote will go to whomever will fight to rein in spending and balance the budget. Obama’s spending spree will continue—over 6 trillion in his first 4 years—even more than that in his next 4. SS disability on track to be broke by 2016—his answer is extend unemployment more than 2 years and get on disability when that runs out. it’s another form of income redistribution. the ant and the grasshopper were perfect examples of how the country is being run—problem is we (the taxpayer) are the ants. the tea party has it right—less government/less spending = less taxes = improved economy. we have more government and more spending than we can afford. we spent 20% of GDP to run the country before obama and in 4 years we now spend 25%—we can’t afford his socialistic ideas it is as simple as that—if we try we become a third world country.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 26th, 2013
9:06 am
Why is it that liberals myrmidons like Tealiban can’t tell the whole story when trying to defend their disaster of a President?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 26th, 2013
9:09 am
Of course, asking a liberal to understand the Constitution is like asking a 4 year old to understand it.
indigo
January 26th, 2013
9:16 am
Barry – Tiberius
Obama will appeal this to the Supreme Court.
I can’t wait to see your angst when the Court sides with him.
Tealiban Party
January 26th, 2013
9:22 am
Here’s some more to the story for Tiberius….
“..Mr. Bush made 171, including those of John R. Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations and two appeals court judges, William H. Pryor Jr. and Charles W. Pickering Sr.
Nearly all of those appointments would be unconstitutional under the rationale of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.”
Perhaps you, LBB, and Aesop can point me to your old Wingfield posts about how outraged and unconstitutional these appointments were. Waiting…..
Aesop's Fables and other Lib Economic Theories
January 26th, 2013
9:37 am
Nobody sued Bush in court?
Isn’t Romper Room in session now?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 26th, 2013
9:40 am
Tealiban, you forgot to mention that the Senate wasn’t actually in recess during Obama’s recess appointments in question.
That’s the whole point of the article.
Oops!
Nice try, though.
Rafe Hollister preparing for an Obamanist America
January 26th, 2013
9:46 am
Obama’s illegal appointments were made while the Senate was in “pro-forma” sessions, and were not officially adjourned. This has never been done before. A clear violation of the Separation of Powers clause. I believe the Appeals court voted unanimously, so the chances that the Supremes will slap down the entire court is doubtful. The Supremes may let it stand and not bring it up, as the Constitution limits “recess appointments” to emergency type situations, when the Senate is between sessions or in complete adjournment.
Just Saying..
January 26th, 2013
9:47 am
“…the Senate wasn’t actually in recess during Obama’s recess appointments in question.”
Because a sham one minute Senate session meets the legal definition of good faith.
For a Republican…
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
January 26th, 2013
10:24 am
No, Just Saying, because when you’re the opposition party and you have no other way to defend this country’s Constitution from assault, you do what is necessary to stop that assault.