Bill Shipp types ‘-30-’
Just got off the phone with Bill Shipp, who confirmed that — after more than 50 years of political journalism in Georgia — he’s written his last column.
“All good things must come to an end,” said Shipp, 75.
Shipp joined what is now the AJC (the Constitution was a separate paper at the time) in 1953.
A younger Bill Shipp at the state Capitol in 1956/AJC staff
At his peak, Shipp was the most influential newspaper columnist in Georgia, and cut a half-century swath through Georgia politics that put him in the middle of the South’s many post-World War II convulsions – the Civil Rights movement, the assassination of Martin Luther King, and the Republican revolution.
On-and-off friend Zell Miller, while lieutenant governor, once stalked up to Shipp’s glass-walled newspaper office on Marietta Street and threatened to whip the writer’s posterior. As governor, Jimmy Carter felt Shipp’s barbs – but also relied on the newspaperman to put out the word on his presidential ambitions.
Carter’s successor, George Busbee, gleefully chucked the columnist, fully clothed, into the swimming pool at the Governor’s Mansion.
And on the day after his election as the first Republican chief executive of Georgia in 130 years, Sonny Perdue in 2002 made Shipp the topic of his first order as governor-elect. Perdue barred members of his staff from speaking with the Democratic-leaning Shipp. Which pleased the columnist to no end.
As late as Saturday, in a speech to the state GOP convention, Secretary of State Karen Handel — a GOP candidate for governor — declared Shipp to a force that Republicans must reckon with. His last column would be published four days later — offering a rare but restrained compliment to Perdue for vetoing a capital gains tax cut.
Shipp’s greatest contribution to political journalism may have come at the end of his career. After leaving the AJC in 1987, Shipp struck out on his own with a newsletter that he took to Internet in 1994 — the first journalist in Georgia to do so.
“That’s what I’m proudest of,” Shipp said in a 2006 interview. Shipp sold the venture in 2000 to former state lawmaker and entrepreneur Matt Towery, but continued his twice-a-week columns, carried in 60 state newspapers, until this week.
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44 comments Add your comment
Bill Shipp to Retire — Peach Pundit
May 19th, 2009
1:42 pm
[...] Jim Galloway has the news. [...]
Keith
May 19th, 2009
2:01 pm
Way overdue. For the past 2 or 3 years Bill had become a bitter old man and it was very hard to read his diatribes. Now of we could just talk some sense into Evander Hollyfield.
Jeff`
May 19th, 2009
2:31 pm
Keith, if you would stop having relations with that goat for a couple of seconds, you wuold realize that a giant has just laid down the mightiest political pen in Georgia history. But somehow I bet that you will just keep violating that poor animal, and will blissfully ignore the smart folk as they carry on their lives, only momentarily sickened at the vulgar display of your everyday behavior.
Tom Houck
May 19th, 2009
2:36 pm
My journalistic hero. Bill has been a great columnist and friend for decades. His political knowledge is the best of the best. Georgia and indeed the nation will miss his perceptive thoughtful look at the world of politics. I know Bill may say he is out-of-here, but I still think he’ll be around to continue to serve us with his instutional thoughts.
Keith
May 19th, 2009
3:58 pm
Guys, in his day Bill was on his game… but I stand by the comment that he should have retired about five years ago while he was still on top. It’s sad to watch someone… athlete, journalist, whatever… keep plugging away when it’s over.
Fay
May 19th, 2009
4:01 pm
I suspect Keith has never read any of Bill Shipp’s columns, regardless of your political leanings, his column was never in the “diatribe” category as Keith states. Bill Shipp was informative, to the point and respectful in all of his writings. I will miss reading him in the DeKalb Neighbor. Best wishes on his retirement.
Ralph
May 19th, 2009
4:05 pm
Shipp has been senile for quite awhile. It’s about time he retired. Or we to remember his long past glory or his more recent embittered and less than professional years?
Adi
May 19th, 2009
4:06 pm
The end of an era, sadly. Agree with him or not, those of us in the other Georgia have depended on him for these many decades to help wade through the mire, and now we’re left to flounder. Nobody else can say so much so acerbically, with so few words. First the AJC won’t deliver out of its immediate environs, now this. A sad year for Georgia journalism.
John
May 19th, 2009
4:13 pm
Bill Shipp was the greatest political writer in Georgia in our lifetime. He knew the people, knew the issues, and knew his readers. He was the only statewide political columnist that foresaw the crumbling of the Bo Ginn machine in the Democratic runoff of 1982 and was one of the very few that realized the extent of Roy Barnes’ problems before his defeat in 2002. Was he controversial at times? Absolutely. The last column that he wrote, which appeared across the state last Saturday, hit very close to home for some Georgia political figures. However, he said what needed to be said even though no one agreed with him all the time. Matt Towery, Dick Williams, Rick Allen, and others followed in his footsteps but none could replace him. Bill Shipp is a giant who will be missed.
Kay
May 19th, 2009
4:19 pm
Keith and Ralph the truth hurts, I for one I’m going to miss Bill Shipp. Have fun in retirement Mr. Shipp.
Greg
May 19th, 2009
4:21 pm
Does that mean he’ll stop using other columnists’ blogs for his postings?
Mac
May 19th, 2009
4:25 pm
Yeah, that Bill Kovach was a real genius, shoving Shipp out the door, along with a lot of other great talent. Bill … Shipp, that is … had the last laugh. His work will be missed.
Keith and Ralph, the famous typing fleas. Must work for Sonny Puredoo.
DaveDawg
May 19th, 2009
4:50 pm
I agreed with most everything Bill wrote. I guess that makes me senile at age 37. Anyhow, who is going to hold Georgia’s double-speaking political morons accountable now? I really looked forward to his take on things, especially the bone-headed stuff that we’ve become accustomed to under the Gold Dome of late. There are a handful of others, but none with the insight AND distance — it’s a delicate balance and vital to good political opinion writing. I don’t want to waste my time reading the thoughts of an insider who liklye has allegiances. There is going to be a huge void. C’mon Bill, keep writing columns at least through 2010!
ladyliberty
May 19th, 2009
6:55 pm
Shipp had a lot of insights but respectful he was not! What a hoot that “Fay” calls his writing respectful without fail. Has she read –what one column? a dozen? Try the last 35 years. There have been plenty of vicious personal assaults.
Keith
May 19th, 2009
7:21 pm
I’m no fan of Sonny Boy, but it got old listening to Shipp bash Sonny when he was still on the Georgia Gang, and in his columns continually.
nece
May 19th, 2009
9:53 pm
I’ll miss reading Bill Shipp’s columns. He is a great writer and knows state politics better than anyone. If you walk through the cafeteria in the Sloppy Floyd building you’re just about guaranteed to hear a group of folks talking about the “latest Shipp column.” Good luck and thank you, Mr. Shipp!
JL
May 19th, 2009
10:30 pm
Bill Shipp is one of the few honest and fearless journalists of the old school in this state Now giant corporations own most traditional media outlets, and their writers and editorialists make due with milquetoast journalism for fear of jeopardizing their own paychecks, and most bloggers do not have the insight, discipline, self-control and proven track record necessary to gain credibility.
What will we do without Bill? Who can we turn to to protect us from these greedy, self-dealing politicians?
Vic
May 20th, 2009
5:12 am
Quitter!
HEDGEPRUNER
May 20th, 2009
6:18 am
I personally know the Shipp family, his son Ernie was one of my best friends until his death when he was 25 , I will never forget how devastating that was for Bill & Renot and his 2 younger daughters. I didn’t always agree with Bill’s political opinions but he was a gifted writer and a very intelligent insider into Georgia & the national political arena, thanks Bill for all the wonderful insightful material you gave us for all those years, enjoy your retirement…God Bless you. David Adams
senatorgoofy
May 20th, 2009
6:52 am
Now if only Bookman would resign….
Shipp Reader
May 20th, 2009
7:09 am
Wow! What will Bobby Kahn do now to get out his diatribes and lies? Kahn has been the writer of this column for such a long time anyway!
Road Scholar
May 20th, 2009
7:20 am
Bill Shipp amazed me with the consistantly accurate writing and his fantastic writing style. His vision regarding the future of Georgia politics was insightful, unlike the rantings of today’s writers and tv commentators (entertainers). I for one will miss your weekly columns. Any hope for a monthly report?
Bill, thank you for all that you have done and will do. I hope that you aren’t totally done. Unfortunately the recent death of your wife robbed you of your best friend for your retirement.Take care and God bless.
Joey
May 20th, 2009
8:02 am
Years ago Shipp was very good. Certainly the best that Georgia had for many years. But when Georgia trudged into being a two party state, Shipp chose a team.
After making that choice his loyality was steadfast. The Democrat Party was more important than political behavior. Sadly this lead to his commentary being seriously devalued.
Ted Striker
May 20th, 2009
8:03 am
I’ll miss Bill Shipp’s writing. Good writer, good guy. Hope he still contributes his opinions from time to time in whatever method he chooses.
Adittohead
May 20th, 2009
8:09 am
I only read Marxist Bookman for comic relief…Only inside Atlanta is Bookman taken seriously… Outside Socialist Atlanta…Bookman is a joke.
Adittohead
May 20th, 2009
8:10 am
The really good writers at the AJC have taken leave & been bought out.
Adittohead
May 20th, 2009
8:12 am
When will that Marxist Jim Gallaway retire to Cuba.
Slow Freddie
May 20th, 2009
8:42 am
Jeff, do you always find it necessary to make a childish and insulting comment about a poster with whom you disagree? Apparently, your mom didn’t spend enough time teaching you to be civil while having a conversation or offering your opinion.
Shipp and I are contemporaries in age, military service in Europe, having lost our wives about the same time, etc., but he has been an old crab for several years and his writings reflect it.
Lefty
May 20th, 2009
9:05 am
Great…He should have retired years ago.
He was old and senile and all he wanted to do
was bash Purdue and all Republicans. Good riddance.
Jerald Stover
May 20th, 2009
9:11 am
Joey, you said it best. Shipp should have retired years ago. He is just a bitter senile old man, now.
Road Scholar
May 20th, 2009
9:33 am
Any truth to the rumor that there are pictures of Cagle in a compromising situation? Back surgery, yes. Reason for not running for Gov, No.
DirtyDawg
May 20th, 2009
9:40 am
Hell, if you think Bill might have been bitter about the how Sonny and the rest of the Republican Party have ruined this state…have taken her back to the 1850’s, then you haven’t met me. Bill Shipp was, and is, a class act that I hope will continue to contribute to the effort to turn our State around and set her back on the road to Progress(ive). Shoot, even my most conservative of friends know Sonny deserved every criticism…a guy too stupid to rise in the ranks as a Democrat, but got lucky just as soon as he turned-coat.
The only thing I wish is that Bill would have called a spade a spade when it came to Kathy Cox’s ineptitude and/or deceit when she blithely turned over (aka, sold) control of Georgia’s elections to Diebold…the timing of which remarkably coincided with the, so-called, Republican Revolution and Sonny’s good fortune.
Good luck Bill…you did all you could to tell the truth about this bunch of cretins, there were just too relentless and once the rest of Big Media threw in with them, it was over.
PS – Roy Will Return!
1stGeorgiaPeach
May 20th, 2009
9:40 am
I would rather have heard the news that Cynthia Tucker was giving it up instead of Bill Shipp.
jabster
May 20th, 2009
9:40 am
Bill Shipp jumped the shark when Perdue was elected. While I am no fan of Sunni Perdue, the amount of ad hominem, red herring, and other hack journalism (sic) thrown at Perdue by Shipp was pathetic. Methinks that Shipp bet on the wrong horses in the ‘02 state election and has been grinding an ax ever since against Perdue specifically and the GAGOP in general.
Bill–you don’t like Sunni Perdue. We get it, already. His hatred of Perdue was so complete that I got to the point of ignoring anything he said about Perdue, knowing it would be personal.
Bill Shipp has to be a textbook example of how NOT to end a journalism career.
Brian
May 20th, 2009
9:48 am
Congrats on a well deserved retirement Mr. Shipp. As a Georgian for the past 10 years, it’s been a pleasure to read your columns and watch your televised appearances. I hope you find retirement to be more fulfilling than you could have hoped.
Grumpy
May 20th, 2009
9:59 am
Bill Shipp will go down in Georgia journalistic history as THE best political analyst and pundit of ALL time. He’s forgotten more about what great political journalism is than most so-called political journalists today will ever learn. The proof is how many elected and appointed officials absolutely hate the man. And they hate him for a good reason: he exposed them for the narcissistic, corrupt and shallow creatures many of them are.
Jerry Bowman
May 20th, 2009
10:11 am
Shipp may have once been a great political writer, but he hasn’t done much in the last ten years except be a shill for the democratic party. He hasn’t been relevant in a long time. I hope he lives a long and happy life – in full retirement.
Alan Ulman
May 20th, 2009
11:44 am
To so many of us who make the hard choice whether to read political news or sports news first every morning Bill has been a treasure. All the best to him.
apcblog.org » Blog Archive » Retiring Bill Shipp’s Last Column Runs Today
May 20th, 2009
12:04 pm
[...] After more than 50 years as one of the most influential journalists to cover politics in Georgia, Bill Shipp has written his last column, AJC reporter Jim Galloway reports. [...]
Guy Davis
May 20th, 2009
12:09 pm
For so long as Democrats controlled all levels of government in this state Bill Shipp directed his provocative contributions toward participants in the only political game in town. His commentaries have been primarily directed at Republicans in recent years because Democrats had become largely politically irrelevant to the decision making process. When a single party so dominates state government that it can legislate without constructive debate on matters of grave public policy the stalwart vigilance of the Bill Shipps among us perform an invaluable service in expressing contrary views and opinions which force us all to at least consider alternatives. Bill Shipp met that responsibility very well indeed!
Dick Hodges
May 20th, 2009
1:05 pm
Although I did not always agree with Bill’s not-very-hidden political views, I agree that he has been one of the very best, perceptive and knowledgeable reporters and columnists I have known and read over a period of more than 60 years closely observing and participating in the Atlanta media scene. His hard-hitting columns with unique and courageous insights will be sorely missed by all who find politics interesting…and important.
Ray
May 20th, 2009
2:29 pm
Good riddance. Shipp is entitled to think what he wants to, but should learn to express himself without the snide, condescending, know it all attitude that he had. Did anyone see his finger pointing tirades on The Georgia Gang? This obese collectivist should have retired years ago.
Chris Broe
May 20th, 2009
2:58 pm
RU saying that Bill Shipp is a real journalist? I never heard of him till he appeared as a troll on Wooten’s blog about six months ago. I thought he was an andy alias. or bookman being a jerk. or a probe from the woman to woman blog. Wow. My bad, sir.
You know, U people will read anything. Worse, you’ll believe anything. One person with any talent at all could advance any agenda. You’re truly are sitting ducks for the proper words. I wouldn’t have believed it until now.
Justin
May 20th, 2009
3:19 pm
To Dittohead…. I wonder what lurks “outside socialist Atlanta” LOL