Political Insider

I ran into Gov. Nathan Deal at a gathering of State Farm agents at the Capitol a few minutes ago.

They haven’t been dropped yet, but several bills about to raise the issue of whether those who receive unemployment benefits should be required to pass a drug test.

Tipped off by my friend Austin Rhodes in Augusta, I asked the governor whether he favored the idea. Deal answered with a nuanced “yes.”

Said Deal:

”It is something that I certainly would entertain. I think the problem that you have is making sure that they are administered fairly and you don’t have political overtones.”

The governor reminded me that he’d supported similar requirements on the federal level for welfare benefits, and added:

”I don’t think it’s ever been statutorily addressed with regard to unemployment, and there obviously would be some potential challenges if that’s the case.

“You obviously have to address who’s going to pay for it, and obviously you don’t want repeated testing to be done.”

Most people …

Continue reading Nathan Deal: ‘I could support drug tests for unemployment benefits’ »

It worked last year for the Sunday sale of alcohol. Maybe the local-vote option will work for those who want to see lottery-driven gaming machines in Georgia. From the Savannah Morning News:

Hoping to overcome Gov. Nathan Deal’s objections, state Rep. Ron Stephens is tweaking his plan to add video games to Georgia’s lottery.

The Savannah Republican’s goal: A politically acceptable way to bail out the state’s ever-more-financially strapped HOPE scholarship program.

His new wrinkle is to let the state allow lottery video games in communities where the governing bodies seek them.

As an incentive, Stephens says local governments could negotiate a piece of the proceeds.

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On the presidential front, Newt Gingrich ran away to join the circus on Tuesday. Or something close to it. From the Associated Press:

For all the big ideas, Gingrich’s campaign still has something of an improvisational feel. He ventured to the San Diego Zoo on Tuesday without bringing or notifying the reporters …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Local votes on video gaming machines? »

Randy Evans, the Atlanta attorney and long-time associate of Newt Gingrich, has posted a long, long defense of the viability of former U.S. House speaker’s campaign for president at Newsmax.com. It includes these paragraphs:

Indeed, in Nevada, Gingrich proved that when deployed, his ground operations could outperform the Paul army. Second, that while in the next two major races Romney’s ability to outspend by 5 to 1 in attack ads and drive down turnout will have real impact in Arizona and his other home state of Michigan , the approach of Super Tuesday — with10 states and 437 delegates at stake – makes this less likely.

With the key primary battlegrounds of Georgia (Gingrich’s home state), Oklahoma, Tennessee and Ohio and the key caucuses Alaska, Idaho, and North Dakota, Romney’s the negative attacks are likely to have the diminished impact they had in South Carolina.

Moreover, the Gingrich “dream team” endorsements of Gov. Nathan Deal and Herman Cain in Georgia, Thompson in …

Continue reading Randy Evans on why Newt Gingrich’s campaign isn’t finished »

Over at Time magazine, Michael Scherer has found this friendly October interview that GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum gave to an evangelical blog called “Caffeinated Thoughts” – in which Santorum goes deep into his feelings about contraception:

Starting at the 18:00 mark, after a moving description of what his disabled 3-year-old daughter has taught him, Santorum says this:

“One of the things I will talk about that no President has talked about before is, I think, the dangers of contraception in this country, the whole sexual libertine idea. Many in the Christian faith have said, ‘Well, that’s okay. Contraception’s okay.’

“It’s not okay because it’s a license to do things in the sexual realm that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”

There’s more. Click back to Scherer or watch the YouTube video.

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

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Continue reading Rick Santorum on the dangers of contraception »

Earlier this month, we told you that Gov. Nathan Deal’s No. 2 appointment to run the Georgia National Guard last year didn’t meet the requirements spelled out by state law.

The Georgia code mandates that an assistant adjutant general have five years’ Guard experience. Joe Jarrard, a retired lieutenant colonel from Dahlonega with 20 years’ service in the U.S. Army, has a Bronze Star and a tour of Iraq duty in his background. But Jarrard doesn’t have a Guard background.

David Petraeus wouldn’t qualify, either, a spokesman for Deal pointed out.

Last week, the House Defense & Veteran Affairs committee had a hearing on HB 800, the bill intended to set everything right – by approving five years’ national military service as a substitute for Guard service. The committee approved the legislation over the voiced objections of two retired leaders of the U.S. Army Reserve, Major Gen. Robert C. Hughes and Brig. Gen. William T. Thielemann.

The two generals wrote the following Feb. 10 …

Continue reading A letter of protest from two retired Guard generals »

A spokeswoman for Herman Cain confirmed this morning that the former GOP presidential candidate was approached by ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” to appear on this season’s competition
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But Cain nixed the idea. “He can’t dance in an eight-count. He can only dance in a nine-count,” said Lisa Reichert, Cain’s executive assistant.

Nine-count. Get it? 9-9-9.

“Dancing with the Stars” has learned the advantages of mixing the quick-step with politics. Its 2010 season featured Bristol Palin, daughter of Sarah Palin, and former U.S. House majority leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas.

But wait, there’s more. USA Today reports that show producers were also eyeing Michele Bachmann.

Competitors for the 2012 season are to be announced Feb. 28. No doubt an attempt to compete for attention with that day’s primaries in Michigan and Arizona.

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.

Continue reading Herman Cain nixes appearance on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ »

Restore Our Future, the super PAC affiliated with Mitt Romney, brings its TV ad campaign to Georgia on Wednesday with a $132,090 statewide buy, we’re told. That’s light, but a significant challenge to other campaigns – home-boy Newt Gingrich in particular.

Slightly more than half of the money will be spent in metro Atlanta, where Romney was strongest in the 2008 GOP race for president. The details:

– $77,140 in metro Atlanta: $12,940 at WXIA-TV; $7,400 at WGCL-TV; $35,800 at WSB-TV; and $21,000 at WAGA-TV.

– $12,585 in the Augusta market; $240 in Chattanooga, all on WDSI-TV; $9,075 in Savannah; $5,525 in Macon; $4,475 in Albany; $19,475 in Columbus; and $3,575 in the Greenwood-Greenville, S.C. market.

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Newt Gingrich’s daughter, Jackie Gingrich Cushman, will be in the campaign’s Atlanta headquarters from 11a.m. to 1 p.m., greeting volunteers and supporters working the phone banks. Address is 3110 Maple Drive, Atlanta 30305.

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Newt Gingrich will apparently be touching …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Mitt Romney super PAC drops $132k in TV ads — half in metro Atlanta »

Before they get too worked up over President Barack Obama’s budget for 2013, Republicans might want to take note of these two paragraphs from a press release issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineer:

The budget contains $2.8 million in the Investigations Appropriation for the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project (SHEP). The funding will further the harbor deepening pre-construction engineering and environmental analyses leading to a “Record of Decision,” which completes the Corps’ approval process.

(Last week, the expansion project also received $2.5 million in federal funding following the release of the Corps’ Headquarters work plan for fiscal year 2012 appropriations to the Army Civil Works program.)

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.

Continue reading Federal 2013 budget includes another $2.8 million for Port of Savannah dredging »

No details yet, but we’re hearing that the super PAC allied with Mitt Romney, Restore Our Future, has purchased a first round of TV ads in Georgia, three weeks out from Super Tuesday. Light buy, starting Wednesday.

Channel 2 Action News in Atlanta confirmed a purchase on Monday afternoon. Apparently, Romney forces are the only ones liquid enough at this point.

Also this afternoon, the Romney campaign released the names of three more Georgia Republicans who’ve joined his camp:

– Former attorney general Mike Bowers;

– State Rep. Tom Weldon of Ringgold;

– and Douglas County school board member Janet Kelley.

- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider

For instant updates, follow me on Twitter, or connect with me on Facebook.

Continue reading Mitt Romney ads set to begin Wednesday in Georgia »

The editors of the influential National Review this morning are calling on former U.S. House speaker Newt Gingrich to exit the GOP presidential race, citing a surging Rick Santorum:

Gingrich’s verbal and intellectual talents should make him a resource for any future Republican president. But it would be a grave mistake for the party to make someone with such poor judgment and persistent unpopularity its presidential nominee.

It is not clear whether Gingrich remains in the race because he still believes he could become president next year or because he wants to avenge his wounded pride: an ambiguity that suggests the problem with him as a leader.

When he led Santorum in the polls, he urged the Pennsylvanian to leave the race. On his own arguments the proper course for him now is to endorse Santorum and exit.

As if February wasn’t going to be desolate enough for Gingrich.

Also today, yet another poll has Santorum catching Romney. This one is by Pew Research Center for the People …

Continue reading National Review editors call on Newt Gingrich to exit race »