Roy Barnes: On stem cells and another run for governor
Roy and Marie Barnes, as many of you know, have built themselves a grand house on Whitlock Avenue in Marietta, complete with a bronze replica of the state seal set into the floor of the foyer.
This at the same time the former Democratic governor, ousted in 2002, has shifted from “hell, no” to something close to “maybe” when it comes to the 2010 race for that other mansion on West Paces Ferry Road.
This morning, my AJC colleague Rachel Pomerance took a tour of the new Barnes abode, for an upcoming Private Quarters feature.
Talk about home design eventually gave way to politics. Again, Barnes pointed out that the past six years mark his longest respite from 26 years of public service. “It’s been very pleasant,” he said.
And yet. Pomerance reports that Barnes continues to look askance at Republican rule at the state Capitol. For instance, on Wednesday, Barnes worried about S.B. 169, a bill to restrict embryonic stem cell research in Georgia. The measure comes up for a state Senate vote on Thursday.
Restrictions on embryonic stem cell research — President Barack Obama just lifted federal prohibitions — would send the wrong signal to biotech companies and to the state’s research universities, the former governor said.
It would render Georgia a “laughing stock in the nation,” he said.
As for whether or not he’ll run for governor, Barnes spoke of being “torn,” but also said he’ll make a decision in the next few weeks. And in fact, conversations with Democrats here at the Capitol indicate that Barnes is under some pressure to make his call as soon as possible — so other potential Democratic candidates can settle in, or settle out.
Newspaper publisher DuBose Porter of Dublin, for instance, is ready to formally announce his candidacy.
“I keep hoping that there will be some knight in shining armor,” Barnes said. “I don’t want to shirk a duty.”
Now, it’s not exactly a coincidence that Barnes also shows up in a piece on Saporta Report, a new business blog:
“They don’t realize that North Carolina is eating our lunch in economic development,” Barnes said. “North Carolina has had a bipartisan effort to improve education.”
North Carolina’s foreclosure rate is half that of Georgia. And North Carolina has a cohesive economic development strategy and a forward-looking transportation policy, he added.
“I can go to Charlotte and travel to Raleigh by train, but I can’t go from Alpharetta to Atlanta by rail,” said Barnes, who is disturbed by how Georgia’s national stature has slipped in recent years.
“We’ve stopped emulating progressive states like North Carolina, and we’ve started emulating lesser states like Mississippi,” Barnes said. “And in some ways, Mississippi is ahead of us.”
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32 comments Add your comment
Georgia on my mind
March 11th, 2009
6:53 pm
I just hope Georgia can survive another 18 months under our current “leadership” so that Governor Barnes can come in and try to straighten things out and return our state to some sense of decency, sound management and respect for the law.
Sir Winston
March 11th, 2009
8:42 pm
Please, some lib network or lawfirm, or paper, or blog, give this putz and Mark Taylor a job doing something. Better yet, have those two and Carter on GPB. They could drone on ad naseum about whatever. Georiga Trend and the Urinal Constipation could run stories for months. It would save the state Billions and give “Big Jim” Galloway something to do. Peace.
Daisy Duke
March 11th, 2009
9:41 pm
So Barnes is waiting for a Knight in Shining Armor. Translated that means, HIM. What is wrong with a 3 Star General or the House Democratic leader? “Plez don’t throw me in the briar patch.” If he really doesn’t want to run and he really is sincere that he wants what’s best for Georgia, he will throw his support and money behind a Democrat that can actually be elected.
Billy Bearden
March 11th, 2009
10:31 pm
Roy –
PLEASE RUN AGAIN!
I so enjoyed your final few months in office, beginning in January 2001 till Nov 2002. I attended dozens of your campaign appearances all over the West Georgia area. You never came over and shook my hand or thought to wave to me, but it always seemed like we were so close. I gave up many hundreds of hours to be near you. Lost 2 jobs and nearly sacrificed a great marraige just so I could attend your events.
Perhaps the fact I was standing with a pole that had a 1956 Flag attached to it was a small deterrent, or that you were just too busy.
“The Flag is not an issue” was the quote you gave to CNN in Oct 2000. LIE. The Mercedes Plant. LIE. Ga Schools dropped from 49th to 50th. Helping get your buddies rich via the Northern Arc.
Your blatant arrogance destroyed the Ga Dem party for the 1st time in 132 years. Your arrogance was rewarded by a Kennedy Family 2nd Place runner up Lantern.
Even your old pal Nathan Dean saw the light and changed his views on the Flag and restored some of his dignity and political legacy.
The Flaggers are gonna have great fun with your “Secret-meeting-toscrew-the-citizens-of-Georgia” buddy austin scott, and we would surely ‘Share The Love for Old Times Sake’ with you, like back at Murphy Campus in Waco.
PLEASE RUN AGAIN !!!!
PS
Aww, only 212,200 people out of 8,000,000 voted for your ugly blue rag. Was the total and complete destruction of your party worth it?
Sir Winston
March 11th, 2009
11:03 pm
Allrighty Roy supporters, lets have the rebuttal. Ya know, democrat ‘a democrat. Peace!
Cynthia McKinney
March 11th, 2009
11:22 pm
Shirley for GOV.
Huh
March 12th, 2009
12:27 am
Sir Winston,
Jim is one of the best reporters this city has. Also, “libtard” is perhaps the most overused word in the far-right lexicon. It’s been used so much in such a short period of time, it’s stale. Please find a new word and actually write something interesting.
Sir Winston
March 12th, 2009
2:17 am
Huh, you liberal minded midget, I have not used the term “libtard”, ever. I will now. In YOUR honor, of course, you LIBTARD. You are an arse. Peace.
georgia
March 12th, 2009
6:53 am
When you get a chance how about you GET OVER YOURSELF!!!!! Quit toying around and get in the race and get beat worse than you did in 2000 and we can finally be through with your self aggrandizement.Knight in shining armor?you are a joke.State seal in your foyer,,,,tasteless and tacky!!!!!
Barry
March 12th, 2009
9:08 am
Roy you lost your race for governor because you forgot to work the streets and do grass rooots campaigning in the state, especially in the metro Atlanta area. Whoever was your campaign strategist need to be hog tied and whipped. You had no strategy. Therefore, if you decide to run, please be a little more strategic than just running T.V. ads for GOTV. You got to go grassrooots. Your political arrogance in this regard left us with this crazy Democrat who turned Republican as our Governor. If your are not going to do grass root campaingning, then do not waste Democratic voters time and effort and stay out of the race. We need a serious campaign contender who can ply the field operations game well.
Ringold
TheDublinLad
March 12th, 2009
9:10 am
As for whether or not he’ll run for governor, Barnes spoke of being “torn,” – Torn? Torn, is he? and “I keep hoping that there will be some knight in shining armor,” Barnes said. Whoever could that be? “I don’t want to shirk a duty.” WHAT A CONDESCENDING AND HYPOCRITICAL SENSE OF SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY!!! Sorry, Roy, but my gag reflex has set in.
Huh
March 12th, 2009
9:27 am
Sir Winston,
Sorry, I saw other trite phrases — “Urinal Constipation” — and immediately grouped you with the recently lobotomized who use them. My fault.
SISSY SAXBY
March 12th, 2009
10:09 am
Funny how none of the comments has addressed the substance of what Barnes said. It is a fact that Georgia has fallen behind. Why do you think our unemployment rate is ABOVE the national average for the FIRST TIME?
Just keep making fun of Roy Barnes – that will solve the problem.
Copyleft
March 12th, 2009
11:47 am
Like him or hate him, Barnes’ comment on stem-cells is 100% correct.
Georgia is once again looking stupid by pandering to the religious nuts in the face of legitimate science.
Coastal Cavalier
March 12th, 2009
2:09 pm
History will not be on Ole Roy’s side. Prior to the passage of the Busbee Protection Amendment in 1976, a lot of former governors ran for office after sitting out at least one term. The last one to win was Gene Talmadge in ‘46. Ellis Arnold, Marvin Griffin, Carl Sanders, Lester Maddox, etc all tried and all failed miserably.
King Roy
March 12th, 2009
3:32 pm
Where has Roy been for the last six years since he and Bobby Khan almost single handily destroyed the Democratic Party in Georgia?! Knight in Shining Armor? I disagree, more like a polished turd.
Nat Certified
March 12th, 2009
3:46 pm
Yeah, where exactly have you been? I know. You have been sitting on the sidelines for the past six years, until recently when you starting throwing stones at everyone under the gold dome in an attempt to fuel your greedy ego. You have not done anything to rebuild the Democratic Party. The Democrats are in the Minority Party. They are not responsible for the horrendous legislation that the states Republican Leadership has passed. The Minority Party has been working tirelessly to hold the Republicans accountable and have fought hard for all Georgians. For the past six years, you have been focusing on building your on personal Governor’s mansion, state seal and all. I’d just assume that you stay there. You have already taken the party down one time, is that not enough? And stems cells? Why not comment on the national board certification bill rather than the stem cell bill since the teachers were the ones you angered in the first place?
Nat Certified
March 12th, 2009
3:48 pm
Yeah, where exactly have you been? I know. You have been sitting on the sidelines for the past six years, until recently when you started throwing stones at everyone under the gold dome in an attempt to fuel your ego. You have not done anything to rebuild the Democratic Party. The Democrats are in the Minority Party. They are not responsible for the horrendous legislation that the states Republican Leadership has passed. The Minority Party has been working tirelessly to hold the Republicans accountable and have fought hard for all Georgians. For the past six years, you have been focusing on building your on personal Governor’s mansion, state seal and all. I’d just assume that you stay there. You have already taken the party down one time, is that not enough? And stems cells? Why not comment on the national board certification bill rather than the stem cell bill since the teachers were the ones you angered in the first place?
Aaron Burr V. Mexico
March 12th, 2009
3:55 pm
I we elect Barnes, Michael J. Fox will stop the spazzing. Like when John F. Kerry (He served in Vietnam, by the way) said that if we elected him that Chirtopher Reeve would walk again. Does anyone remember that liberal lie? Just for those interested in the subject, Adult stem cells are showing the most promise. But i understand the libtard proclivity to be on the side of aborting life. Implanted or otherwise. We must not stop with the baby killing, ever.
Wonder Donkey
March 12th, 2009
5:13 pm
Does he plan to run as an independent? After trashing the Democrats, I don’t see him getting into their primary.
Copyleft
March 13th, 2009
12:53 pm
Silly namejacker is still silly. (And still impotent!)
Non-voting Democrat
March 16th, 2009
9:10 am
Right, Roy Barnes of “implement electronic voting statewide” fame. Hmmm, Roy, did you figure out how much the Diebold programmer will cost you to win this race? Or maybe that’s why you haven’t yet decided to hold the Democratic party in Georgia hostage once more…..the programmer hasn’t set his price?
Silly Roy……he thought the FIRST $54 million was all the bribe he needed.
And, then, Cathy Cox thought the next $50 million would buy her the Governor’s mansion!
But, now, by golly, Roy’s good buddies Kathy Rogers and Chris Rigall are inside Diebold! Guaranteed Roy Win – for the right price.
ProudToBeAmerican
March 16th, 2009
9:24 am
I have been wondering where the heck Gov. Barnes was.
Georgia desperately needs his leadership again. The current Gov. Perdue and his backwoods antics have rolled Georgia back into the stone age and is prohibiting the states’ growth. It was Gov. barnes that started building and funding the water reservoirs that would have stabilized Lake Lanier and Perdue stopped the construction and funding when he took office and now you see where we are every summer (in a drought). Last summer we only had a 60 day supply of water due to Perdue’s lack of foresight all the while he poured millions of tax payer money into having fishing tournaments-talk about out of touch! Perdue was slow to extend unemployment benefits for out of work Georgians and now he wants to put the brakes on stem cell research! Perdue has done nothing to curtail the traffic problem that cripples the city and surrounding metro areas. Major companies have passed on moving jobs into Georgia because of the traffic issue even when they have been given tax incentives because they fear their employees won’t make it to work without sitting in traffic jams day after day! IF BARNES RUNS FOR GOVENOR, HE HAS MY VOTE ALREADY! I WISHED THERE WAS AN ELECTION TODAY!!!!!!
Mary Aukerman
March 16th, 2009
2:25 pm
Governor Roy, We need you back again. I know first hand that you truly had Georgia’s best interest at heart. I can’t wait until you do get back in office and get Georgia rolling again. You were the best thing Georgia had and we need you back again.
Jefferson Davis
March 17th, 2009
5:18 pm
Hell NO we ain’t fergot!
sim
March 18th, 2009
8:45 pm
Howdy there Roy. Remember all those teachers who voted for you and got you elected? Come now–sure you do–you know all those teachers you screwed? I wouldn’t count on them this time. By the way, has destroying tenure and putting all our teachers careers at the whim of a bunch of nitwits made any difference in our standings? Yes! We dropped form 48th to 49th! Good job, Roy.
Enoch
March 19th, 2009
8:40 pm
The AJC runs nice pics of King Roy’s new house with a convenient link to his run for governor. But…no the AJC is not partisan…or if it is…only on the editorial page.
Right.
Hal Sanders
March 20th, 2009
10:06 pm
Damn, what a nice house! Politics must pay very well!
James
March 21st, 2009
2:23 am
Roy Barnes was a good Governor who stood by his principles. This state would be very lucky to have him serve once again as our Governor.
dixie twister
March 22nd, 2009
8:09 pm
Roy, I hope that if you decide to run it will be for all the right reasons. Remember Roy never took money for his time in office. He felt it was a honor to be a part of Ga Politics. As for Shirley running for office. She is ok but cant run the City, her son in law is in Prison for Murder and she supports Kasim Reed. She should move back to her home in PA. We must get Karen Handle out of office. She is a horrible figure for Politics in GA.
Charles Smith
April 15th, 2009
3:51 pm
But,,,
my opinion is that why does it have to be republican or democrat,
i am so sick of party, party party,
what about for the people people people
stand on issues and platforms and take it to the people
Nadine Moore
October 14th, 2009
12:43 am
Preosperity returns with Roy Barnes. All of my friends who are teachers and were disgurntled with you at the time realize now that you were able to see the big picture of the NO Child Left Behind coming down the pipe. You never asked a teacher to consider furlows, all you asked was that they be patient until we could digest the impact of the federal legislation, NCLB. You never considered a sales tax increase, but as soon as this administration took office, they wanted to impose 10 cents on a dollar. think about it Georgians, had so many of not been so impulsive and caught up in a political parties attempt to hijack religion as if a political party had a monopoly on religion, Mr. Barnes could have completed his second term and life in Georgia would have been different. Mr Barnes is people over politics. I agree with Charles Smith. Let’s forget about the parties and think about how better off we were under Governor Barnes. Let’s vote him back into office and watch him do an evern better job. He has had time to think about the things he would have done differently and I believe that he surround himself with people who are for the people and not with people who are assisting him just so that they can get a job.