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Oxendine: Get ready for ‘lies, rumors and more lies’

12:31 pm May 8, 2009, by jgalloway

John Oxendine’s Republican campaign for governor is warning supporters to prepare for a wild ride. “Lies, rumors and more lies — get used to them,” they’ve been told.

The following paragraphs are from an e-mail that just hit the in-boxes, hinting at nefarious attacks being readied by his primary opponents:

Given the past several weeks, we realize that nothing is to be taken for granted when it comes to who might want to run against John in the primary. There are, however, a few facts and a few points we wanted to be sure we communicated with you, our grassroots leaders:

John Oxendine is in this race and will not be dropping out – period. John Oxendine is in it to win it. No matter how many times the opposition tries this tired and lame rumor, it will not alter reality. John Oxendine will be the nominee of the Georgia Republican Party for Governor in 2010.

John Oxendine is committed to a positive, issues-oriented campaign, which empowers the grassroots of the Georgia Republican Party and the taxpayers of Georgia. Team Oxendine has been told to expect a series of personal, negative attacks from at least two of our opponents. Regardless of how negative any opponent goes, John and Team Oxendine will never, ever attack the personal life of one our opponents – we plan to stick to the issues.

Lies, rumors, and more lies — get used to them. You will be subjected to them on an almost daily basis it appears. Because John is a solid, Ronald Reagan conservative, who will offer positive solutions to Georgia’s issues, our opponents and the status quo will avoid entering into debates on the issues. All that will be left is to lie and spread rumors. We will hold the line and stay positive.

At least, Oxendine will stay positive — up to a point. The newsletter is lengthy, and dwells on the state insurance commissioner’s high standing in the polls. And the fact that he doesn’t need to raise as much money as his competitors because he is so well known. (That kind of statement might be interpreted by some as a warning not to expect much out of the June 30 round of campaign finance disclosures.)

The newsletter closes with a shot at both Nathan Deal and Karen Handel, by asking whether Republicans want a proven winner.

Or, are we going to nominate a person who only announced after Casey [Cagle]dropped out of the race and decided that Georgia needed them to run or the Governor’s chosen one?

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter.

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32 comments Add your comment

Jeff

May 8th, 2009
12:44 pm

Ox STILL hasn’t refuted any of my analysis on SWGA Politics in the series ‘John Oxendine and Liberty‘.

ready2rumble

May 8th, 2009
2:06 pm

Funny how Ox is going to stay positive, yet start the attacks in this email. How about his attacks on Clint Austin a few weeks again.

Solid Ronald Reagan conservative? Wasn’t he a democrat during Reagan’s tenure?

ANT

May 8th, 2009
2:37 pm

Ox is a fraud and political hack who loves to parade out in front of the media to get his pat on the back.

Ben

May 8th, 2009
2:53 pm

“Lies, rumors, and more lies — get used to them.” Ox’s campaign has engaged in a campaign of lies, rumors, and more lies for months. Can’t have it both ways, Johnny!

Copyleft

May 8th, 2009
2:53 pm

I think it’s nice of Mr. Oxendine to warn people in advance of what his campaign will be offering!

“Get ready for lies and rumors” indeed.

Buford T Pusser

May 8th, 2009
3:18 pm

The indictments from this campaign are going to be really, really fun to watch post campaign melt

MrLiberty

May 8th, 2009
3:34 pm

What we don’t need to get ready for is principles, sound economic solutions, committment to small government, or any of the other things that this state desperately needs to get it through these tough times and to restore freedom and sanity. Any candidate who espouses those things will be drummed out of the running quite quickly by the media (AJC included) and the leadership of their party (unless they are Libertarian).

Will Jones - Atlanta

May 8th, 2009
5:01 pm

Is Oxendine, member in “good-standing” of the Gay Old Pervert party, trying to “light a back fire?” His antics and crimes in state-issued cars made it into the news for everyone to know of him.

Warnings by his camp of “lies, rumors and more lies” suggests there’s much even more reprensible to expose of his immature, pathetic character.

JDE

May 8th, 2009
5:35 pm

Oxendine doesn’t stand a snowballs chance in hell of winning and here’s why:
1-He has a feminine voice; no offense to ladies(I’m married to one) but Georgians don’t want a squeaky voiced Gov. That’s perceived as being weak.
2-He is a lifelong politician and has no plans to change that obviously. Besides “public service” was else has he done to turn a profit, build a business, drum up new business,etc?..things small business owners do on a daily basis. Read his bio. Not once has he worked outside in the “real world”. Bet he’s never heard of a shovel and would need instructions on how it works.
3-The guy is just not likable. Period. Ever heard him speak to people when the cameras weren’t rolling? Well I have and believe me the guy is about as personable as Jeffrey Dahmer.
4-Give me time; I’ll think of some more.

By the way, I am undecided and not committed to any candidates at this time.

Outhoused

May 8th, 2009
6:15 pm

No one who currently holds elective office will get my vote in the upcoming state election!! That does mean I may not vote for some offices but I am damn tired of these selfish idiots who do nothing for the voters of the state but only do it to you!!!

Thu Beav

May 8th, 2009
6:29 pm

+1!
I am ready to vote for anyone but Johnny.
He is a fraud and a sissy.

BA

May 8th, 2009
9:02 pm

This coming from a man who drive to every fire with his emergency light flashing and siren blaring? Can’t this state find a decent Republican to is either not beholden to the Baptist’s or a sameless self-promoter (Oh, I’m sorry, that eliminates all GA Republicans…yes, I am a staunch member of the GOP who is sick of the state Party)…I almost long for the day’s of Roy, we could make fun of him without it hurting us, too bad we got what we wished for…Zell, will you pleaseeeeeeeeeee come back??????????????

Frank

May 8th, 2009
9:14 pm

Zell come back? Are you kidding he can’t make up his mind about which party he belongs to.

BA

May 8th, 2009
9:20 pm

Unfortunately Republicans in this state are addicted to spending, wanting to raise user fees/taxes/fines to massivly expand state government. Why is it the Fla and Tenn have no state income taxes, yet GA can’t find enough state revenue to cover our expenses? Our ‘Republican’ state assembly might as well just be tax and spend Democrats. There is never a spending bill that they have the b*lls to reject. Our republicans are beholden to every special interest (most notably the Southern Baptists) and refuse to cut any spending. We have one of the highest state income taxes in the South, we have the personal property tax, we have north-east like sales taxes…but none of that is enough for the spineless cowards.

Come on people, let’s write in Clark Howard, he will economize the state’s budget…unfortunately most of the Southern Baptists would be offended by a Jewish governor…such a shame that we are beholden to such…Oh yes, for you Southern Baptists, I belong to the evil religion of Roman Catholicism (I know, go and pray since you all know the Pope is Satan incarnate)…

BA

May 8th, 2009
9:22 pm

So what, Zell is not beholden to a party, he votes his conscience. We could use more people like him! And beside, he moderates the part of Obama.

DVW

May 8th, 2009
9:38 pm

“And beside, he moderates the part of Obama.” Huh?

moleman

May 8th, 2009
10:14 pm

Whoever pushes our tax dollars to the right developers, road builders, corporate farmers and other connected groups will win. They’ll bible thump with one hand and sling mud with the other, spending millions running for a job that pays a few hundred thou. State politics as usual.

Will Jones - Atlanta

May 8th, 2009
10:38 pm

Max Cleland, Atlanta-born, Silver Star-winner, served honorably, quit the 9/11 Commission coverup proving his integrity…reflecting well on his Georgia roots.

Let’s make him governor to push Our State back into the front ranks of America where we belong.

Let’s have no more of the draft-dodging Gay Old Perverts in Georgia.

Joseph Courtney

May 8th, 2009
10:40 pm

A Ronald Reagan conservative?
Is that one who uses American’s tax dollars tp fund and train death squads who torture and murder priests, nuns, peasant farmers, labor activists, teachers, and anyone who happened to be related to any of the above, or who dared to look at these thugs the “wrong” way, as occurred in El Salvador and Guatemala duirng the 1908s?
That was Reagan’s shameful legacy. He was not a nice man, or even a good man.

Ricscotay

May 8th, 2009
11:38 pm

No. A Regan Conservative is one who knows that the way of the Jimmy Carter liberals is the way to the poor house of world pushovers.

herbK

May 9th, 2009
3:08 am

Oxendine’s career, like perdue’s career, has been built on lies and deception. That is the defacto standard for ‘politicians’, which is why they are not true leaders. When you can lie to the public about what you will do, who needs problem solving skills?

now wait a minute

May 9th, 2009
7:58 am

“ready2rumble”, I’m not an Oxendine supporter, but remember that Reagan was also a Democrat before he was a Republican. “BA”, Southern Baptists have nothing against Clark Howard or the Jewish people, in fact we admire them (including a certain Jewish carpenter named Jesus). And, “BA”, Southern Baptists don’t hate Roman Catholics either (I know we’ve welcomed Catholics joining us in worship in my church and I don’t object when I am not granted communion when I’m at a Catholic church, I still enjoy the worship experience and fellowship).

The REAL GodHatesTrash, Superstar

May 9th, 2009
9:23 am

Dumberthananoxendine is a worthless superstitious self-centered adolescent moron.

That’s not a lie or innuendo, that’s a FACT.

The REAL GodHatesTrash, Superstar

May 9th, 2009
9:24 am

Dumberthananoxendine makes Perdoofus look like a goddam Churchill.

State Employees Against Oxendine

May 9th, 2009
9:35 am

Here’s the truth: If you are a state employee or are related to a state employee, don’t vote for John Oxendine. He says if he’s elected he’s going to come in and fire a bunch of state employees so that they will “get religion.” That’s bleeding water from a rock. State employees have been wrung out dry (pay cuts in form of furloughs, no raises, rising health insurance premiums) and are just doing their best with very limited resources. That he can’t acknowledge that is a major reason to not vote for him if you are a state employee.

ncgreybr

May 9th, 2009
12:56 pm

Since I haven’t been keeping up with him, what are the “lies” that Oxendine is fearing?

Jimmie Davis

May 9th, 2009
2:56 pm

It is ironic that the Oxendine campaign is claiming that lies and rumors will be spread about him while his team is starting whisper campaigns about other candidates. Maybe that’s how he plans to keep the race “clean” and about “issues.”

As for “lies, rumors and more lies,” I decided to look at open.georgia.gov to see how Commissioner Oxendine has run the Department of Insurance so that I could get an idea of how he would run the Governor’s Office, and State for that matter. Although there are not too many accessible statistics, they do have spreadsheets for travel expenditures. After reviewing Oxendine and his agency’s travel expenditures for Fiscal Years 2007 and 2008, I noticed something interesting regarding Oxendine’s travel. In 2007, Oxendine spent $25,215.66 in State taxpayer money on his own travel, and approximately $510,716.16 among 147 employees that received travel pay (there were 288 total employees). However, it is interesting to notice that in the FY-2007 expenditures, the Chief Insurance Deputy (who had a higher salary than Oxendine) only had $5,840.40 in travel expenditures and the Deputy Insurance Commissioner (3rd highest salary in the agency) only had $1,854.69. I wonder why Oxendine had so much in travel costs, while the other two highest paid individuals in the agency had substantially less, but are arguably just as important to the administration of the agency. I am pretty sure the Chief Ins Deputy and Deputy Commissioner are not elected and were not planning a 2010 run for Governor, but I could be wrong.

Since I am not involved in politics and was really just curious about crunching a few numbers this morning, I will not bore readers with FY-2008 analysis. However, it is essentially the same except that agency travel costs increased to $568,113.22 among 148 employees who traveled (there were 295 total employees in 2008).

I guess we will find out if there are any “lies, rumors or more lies” related to this use of Georgia taxpayer dollars so Commissioner of Insurance Oxendine could to his job…or is it campaign?

Jimmie

Frank B

May 9th, 2009
4:47 pm

I’m a lifelong Republican yet I just can’t warm up to any my party’s current candidates for Governor, particularly John Oxendine. We need a good, old-fashioned Republican, one in the Teddy Roosevelt mold, for example, who can connect with blue collar workers and has the nerve to challenge his own party’s leaders when things go oh so wrong, as they have under the Perdue-Cagle administration. I haven’t seen any TR-type leader among our party’s lawmakers in quite some time, with the possible exception of Senator Jeff Chapman, who has consistently refused to be a Republican team player b/c the team is playing the wrong game. Unfortunately, Chapman, who has irked the party’s upper escehlon with his stance on eminent domain and the Jekyll Island development deal (steal?), is not a candidate for Governor and has shown no interest in joining the race. I may have to sit out the 2010 election, unless one of the Democratic candidates can turn my head. No sign of that happening, so far….

Jeff

May 9th, 2009
4:57 pm

Frank,

May I introduce you to John Monds?

He, or maybe Ray McBerry, will probably be your best bets from the stances you describe in your post.

Bart Simpson

May 10th, 2009
12:41 am

Ole, dumb ox is nothing but trailer court trash in ATL. This man has swapped wives with a state senator… Check it out, it’s all public record…. Just what Georgia needs, another used car salesman…. Oh wait, John boy ain’t worked a day in his adult life outside of government….

Get A Grip

May 10th, 2009
7:11 pm

First, let me say “Bravo” to the Johnson camp for sending you out in numbers.

I, too, am undecided at this point. However, I would like to set the record straight on several issues and questions many of you have raised.

As far as Mr. Oxendine’s travel expenditures, do you not feel it is important for the man who WAS ELECTED to visit areas hit by floods, tornados, etc.? I bet you’d be the first to bitch if he didn’t show up personally on your doorstep if something happened in your neighborhood, now wouldn’t you? I have seen Mr. Oxendine speaking to real estate agents to educate them on the importance of the right coverage for each individual property they sell or lease. Um, do you know he wears 3 hats?? Not only is he the Insurance Commissioner, but he is also the Safety Fire Commissioner, AND he oversees Industrial Loans. Hmmm, I suppose if you wore three hats you too would have a hefty travel expense sheet yearly. (BTW, there have been more tornados, fires, and floods since 2007.)

Hmmm, I’m thinking many of you who are yelling that Mr. Oxendine “ain’t worked a day in his adult life outside of government” has no clue he owned his own law practice long before he got into politics.

Someone asked if anyone had heard the way he talked to people when the cameras are off. I have, I had a long and extensive talk with him in a hallway of the State Capitol. Although he needed to be in a meeting, he called his secretary and told her he needed to let them know he was going to be be late because he wanted to answer my questions. Wow, what a rude man! I guess we’d much rather him act like other politicians and require an appointment for the general public to speak with him.

He’s gay??? Oh my word! How in the world did anyone come up with that?? Because he has a soft voice? He’s married, his wife is EXPECTING a child, he has several children, and he has beautiful women who work in his office…holy cow, I guess that means Brad Pitt is gay too!

If the state employee who wrote would take a minute to listen to what Mr. Oxendine said, not read the cliff notes, he states he thinks middle management has become too comfortable in state governement because generally when there is a changing of the guards, they fire all of the heads, the middle management goes on as normal and nothing gets changed. Perhaps if a department needs change, it is smart to look at those who are directly supervising the employees who have direct contact with the public and make real change.

Like I said, I’m still undecided, but I am doing my homework. I’m reading everything all of the camps are putting out, and seriously, I am more impressed with Mr. Oxendine than a woman who does not have a college degree or a has-been Senator who thinks the world should bow to him.

Ben

May 10th, 2009
7:18 pm

State employee, I’m with you. I work for the state also the way I feel is anybody but a republican including Oxendine. I know people that work for him say he’s a whiney little azz. If Roy Barnes runs I know tons of state workers that vote in a heartbeat for him. The republicans have ticked off the whole state goverment, teachers and all. You might not think 100,000 people is alot but it is on election day. :) Were tired of the republicans they take care of their rich friends and screw everybody else.