UGA editor resigns after alcohol-fueled visit with Nathan Deal, Sonny Perdue
Note to journalism students: Ernest Hemingway lied. Boozing came after the work. Not during.
The editor-in-chief of the University of Georgia’s campus newspaper has resigned after being ejected from the president’s box – and a visit with Gov.-elect Nathan Deal and Gov. Sonny Perdue — during Saturday’s game against Georgia Tech.
Alcohol was said to be involved. Neither Perdue nor Deal are drinkers.
In an article posted in The Red and Black, the daily newspaper, editor Daniel Burnett said he had been at a tailgate party before his visit to the prestigious booth of UGA President Michael Adams:
“It’s my understanding his behavior was disruptive enough to the point he was asked to leave,” said Meg Amstutz, executive assistant to the president.
Burnett told The Red & Black he responded, “Yeah, that’s fine,” before walking out of the box without further confrontation.
“I think someone smelled the vodka,” Burnett said Monday. “I was talking to people, I don’t believe I was being disruptive. But they have the right to escort anybody out. I don’t have a problem with that.”
A spokesman for Perdue described the governor’s encounter with the student editor as “friendly and very brief.” A Deal representative said the governor-elect noticed nothing strange.
“[Burnett] asked to take a picture with Nathan, and Nathan did that. That was Nathan’s only interaction with him,” spokesman Brian Robinson said Monday. “Whatever happened that led him to be asked to leave, did not happen in front of Nathan.”
***
While we’re on the topic of UGA and strong drink, the Athens Banner-Herald reports the following:
Former University of Georgia athletic director Damon Evans is scheduled to be arraigned on a driving under the influence charge at 3 p.m. Wednesday in Atlanta Municipal Court, according to the Atlanta Solicitor’s Office.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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168 comments Add your comment
Not Surprised
November 29th, 2010
8:17 pm
I myself am a college student, and I’m not saying that I don’t drink on occasion, but some people need to know when to stop. Yes it was a football game, and yes it was at Georgia, but still. I’m sure if he had simply had a couple beers nothing would have happened. If you are going to represent yourself and a university to state officials you need to be respectful of that fact. If he wanted to party and tailgate for the game great but, he should not have agreed to go up to the box, but stayed in the student section.
ManUp...
November 29th, 2010
8:21 pm
To all those (non-alumni dawg fans) trying to downplay this with sarcastic cries of “people drink at games?!” I submit the following:
Yes, it is common to enjoy the college gameday atmosphere with a buzz, but someone in a position like editor of the college paper (ask the average student – that position is one of power and prestige at most schools) might only get ONE chance to meet powerful state leaders. Two at once is a very big opportunity. All the UGA grads I know will tout the “soft skills” and “networking” potential that a large SEC party school has over, say, a more academic mid-sized Institute of Technology. You would think this kid would be at his best ready to shake hands, make conversation and try to be remembered by someone that could become a valuable connection. The story here is that, instead, the boy got wasted and somehow, at some point, did something to offend somebody. There’s your story. Much like a Yellow Jacket slotback fumbling precious points away between the hedges only to add to UGA’s score, this tool got rowdy and fumbled away precious opportunity into embarrassment for himself, his family, his (former) newspaper, and probably his alma mater (though her hordes of drunken football fans will rationalize or “refuse to see how this is a story”).
If you can’t understand that you probably aren’t familiar with professionalism and the role of networking in society. But Lordy do you love your football!
Amanda
November 29th, 2010
8:27 pm
RLM: “They are just wasting there chances to excel.”
Well… that’s the incorrect use of “their.” Looks like you’ve already wasted YOUR chance to excel, genius.
kclubmember
November 29th, 2010
8:30 pm
You UGA people like drinking a lot of booze! I’m just saying!
the original and still the best John Galt
November 29th, 2010
8:37 pm
I’ll take a drunk over a fat, Bible-thumping teetotaler any time.
Fellow Classmate
November 29th, 2010
8:44 pm
He did nothing disruptive at the event other than smelling like he drank vodka and beer like most seniors attending their last football game do. It seems your breath smell is enough reason for the administration you have previously made hostilities with because they know you are watching and waiting for another fraternity slip up to get revenge. Now their lives will be easier without an editor who takes action and isn’t afraid of reporting the truth. -SD
buzz
November 29th, 2010
8:47 pm
shocking !!!!
Meg
November 29th, 2010
8:58 pm
The R&B lost their best today- an elegant and talented writer unafraid of investigating, rather determined to present the facts. I hope the influence he made upon progressing the paper to advocate the truth regardless of those involved continues despite his absence. Otherwise, here’s to extra time for sudoku!
Typo still there
November 29th, 2010
9:02 pm
“While we’re on the topic of of UGA”
Maybe they could hire this guy at the AJC. Even toasted he would know you only need to use “of” once. It’s been there 3 hours. Everyone gone home?
This is an absurd non-story anyhow
RosGator
November 29th, 2010
9:11 pm
Stunned!, A UGA Student and journalism major no less consuming adult bevarages at UGA Game!!
Lewis Grizzard must be turning over in his grave!
Dr. Phil
November 29th, 2010
9:16 pm
If I had to be in suite with Adams, Perdue, and Deal, I would be drunk too.
Lamar F
November 29th, 2010
9:44 pm
This BS !!…Anyone worth their salt knows that you can’t smell vodka until it becomes puke.
Boobie Bowden
November 29th, 2010
9:49 pm
Lamar F – maybe that is what happened. Another dawg who can’t hold his liquor.
Amanda
November 29th, 2010
9:55 pm
Um a lot of college students drink cheap vodka because we don’t all have parents who pay for everything. You can smell cheap vodka haha
Jim
November 29th, 2010
10:24 pm
Fellow Classmate & Meg:
If by reporting and investigating the news, you mean MAKING the news, I guess you’re right. His complaint to the IFC was made to further his own news story. So much for unbiased reporting. Karma is a bitch.
Mel
November 29th, 2010
10:36 pm
I don’t blame him. I got drunk when I found out Deal was our new governor. Hell, I may have to stay drunk for the next four years.
BobbyDawg
November 29th, 2010
10:36 pm
This sounds like a set up to me. Keep track of who gets this job. It will probably be someone who is kin to one of the top Dawgs or a good friend of one. If he wasn’t stumbling drunk he should have never resigned. I would have made them fire me and then sued them. What a joke. What’s Michael Adams gonna do next? — Go out and fire all of the fans! He should personally hire the man back and give him a raise for being a good Dawg.
Goober Govs
November 29th, 2010
10:39 pm
He must have been drunk. Why else would he want a picture with either one of those worthless pieces of crap.
Bigguy
November 29th, 2010
10:49 pm
Bet he was wearing red panties……
unbelieveable
November 29th, 2010
10:53 pm
Why any kid would waste their money on a UGA “education” is beyond me. Every time you turn around somebody associated with the school has made an arse of themselves. It’s comical.
UGAFan
November 29th, 2010
11:04 pm
OPEN YOUR EYES!!! What a set up! Everyone knows Michael Adams hates Daniel Burnett for writting the truth and not what M. Adams trys to force the red & black to write! Keep track of who gets his job! This is a joke!! I am sure Michael Adams himself called up the ajc!!!
PatAdams
November 29th, 2010
11:06 pm
Funny how no one saw Burnett acting drunk. Thats what happens when you don’t do as Adams says. Someone should look a little harder into what the real story here is!
A.Landers
November 29th, 2010
11:08 pm
It’s not like he is under age! What is the real story here???
R&B Reader
November 29th, 2010
11:12 pm
If you read the Red & Blck than you know that they lost their best today. He is one to watch – this talented writer will go far. I wish this ajc writer took the time to really find the story in this instead of posting about nothing.
UGAForever
November 29th, 2010
11:14 pm
Michael Adams is a joke!! You could really write some stories about him!!
Legend of Len Barker
November 29th, 2010
11:16 pm
The story is as it reads in the Red & Black.
Though Legend of Len Barker is not a writer for R&B (outside of a couple of submitted opinion columns), LLB is a newspapers major and Burnett was discussed this morning in a Grady class.
No one – including Burnett – is denying that he had some drinks before the game. Burnett doesn’t remember saying anything bad apparently, but folks with him say he did.
Burnett is also the outgoing editor. It’s not like he technically lost his R&B job over the issue, though this is going to be out there for any potential employers to see. Not smart and I’m certainly not crying any tears for him.
UGA Stud.
November 29th, 2010
11:33 pm
Burnett is a great writer that pissed off the wrong people.
ordinary citizen extraordinary time
November 29th, 2010
11:39 pm
Much ado about nothing
Biggus Dawgus
November 30th, 2010
12:01 am
Jim I am a UGA graduate and understand how politics works. This is a political slam because of his journalism pieces in the past. Can you please write about something that people need to read about…such as our political issue on the hill in ATL where the 2 parties are tearing up this state….heck write about all the pork barrel that still goes on (raises by Ag. commish and political deals behind closed door out of the public eye.) Good God man…be a journalist…not TMZ……
alum
November 30th, 2010
1:24 am
If you’ve heard about Burnett, you would not be surprised by this. Sure, Adams may have wanted to get rid of him, but Burnett has constantly shown readers that he prioritizes drinking over his job and being taken seriously. As a UGA alum, I’m not at all surprised by the paper forcing him to resign. His behavior has always been edgy and rude, but this is the first time he got caught. He did a poor job representing the paper, especially in this circumstance. I sure hope The Red & Black does a better job of selecting its next editor.
phil
November 30th, 2010
6:22 am
It is hard to believe that Raw Deal was not drunk when making his business decisions.
Get a life
November 30th, 2010
6:32 am
The kid is old enough to legally drink. Nobody is saying he was acting a fool. Somebody needs to tell Adams to take that stick out of his *ss.
Boobie Bowden
November 30th, 2010
6:54 am
New dawg anthem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtCjvhrrGOk
fat, drunk, and stupid
November 30th, 2010
7:01 am
is no way to go through life son…
- animal house
Let the Big Dawg Eat
November 30th, 2010
7:29 am
Go dwags! I mean dawgz. No, I mean dawgs!
Animal Control
November 30th, 2010
7:42 am
Just reasserts that Athens is a drinking town with a football problem! The only people not laughing AT you are UGAG folks laughing WITH each other. It is embarassing that no one from any level of authority at that school has any control over its employees or students/ athletes. It’s not FUNNY! It’s EMBARASSING!
Tucker
November 30th, 2010
8:59 am
Alabama fires someone for playing a song making fun of Auburn. Georgia runs off a student newspaper guy for drinking. Is this the end of the world?
Jake Scott's drankin' buddy
November 30th, 2010
8:59 am
Aw RLM, blow it out your a$$!! My God, what a hard tail you are!!
Jake Scott's drankin' buddy
November 30th, 2010
9:06 am
Yea Tuck, It’s certainly looking like the ole Nina is fixin’ tah go over the edge. ‘Bout time to do like my ole friend, Jake, and go hideout in Argentina or Brazil or Australia or just somewhere out of sight and out of mind until everybody gets over their analism.
david
November 30th, 2010
9:06 am
My senior year at UGA which was 1977 we were voted party school of the year and we celebrated by having a week of hard partying! Go Dawgs!
Jake Scott's drankin' buddy
November 30th, 2010
9:19 am
An editor of a college newspaper being “edgy and rude?” Oh, the horror……..the horror…….the horror!!
Johnny g
November 30th, 2010
9:24 am
Just more of Adams Gestapo ways…I cannot wait until we are rid of this hick and he goes back to his hillbilly roots. please retire Mr. Adams.
Jake Scott's drankin' buddy
November 30th, 2010
9:38 am
Be careful Daniel, my boy. M. Adams is a one world government loving CFR member in good standing, in addition to being a power hungry control freak. I don’t want to see you “accidentally” run off the road at 3am some morning in Madison County and wind up wrapped around a tree.
Reid in EAV
November 30th, 2010
9:41 am
I’m shocked, SHOCKED that a UGA student got drunk and became a nuisance.
William C Smith
November 30th, 2010
9:52 am
Saban is a liar. Fairley is a thug. Florida leakes confidential information. Mullen continues to recruit Newton after a supposed
offer made. Nutt talks Colorado for raise. YADA,YADA,YADA. Now this does anyone in the SEC have any values. Like I say What is sin? It is what the other guy does.
Former Red & Black Editor
November 30th, 2010
9:54 am
Dear Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s pathetic this is the best you could do to trump up news on your homepage. No wonder your paper is in the bloody red. Your coverage is wretched and advertisers don’t want to pay to have their brand on a stinking pile of crap.
Even if Daniel had made a drunken ass out of himself in the president’s box why should Atlanta residents care? It was his personal choice and it’s not newsworthy.
Go cover another gang murder or illegal immigrant kidnapping.
Ricardo Cabeza
November 30th, 2010
10:01 am
Someone under the influence dared to enter the “tower of power” during a game?? Probably just got lost on his way to pee. Not even newsworthy. Next scandal please.
Josh Lavender
November 30th, 2010
10:14 am
The stupid move here was resigning, not being drunk in the presence of the governor and UGA president. Mr. Burnett says he did nothing disorderly or wrong; nobody else seems to be claiming he was doing anything wrong either. If, as I suspect is the case, the UGA president had Mr. Burnett removed because he was worried that the editor would embarrass the university (understandable), Mr. Burnett should simply have written a letter of apology to the president and left it at that. As John Wayne once said, “You only have the right to resign when you’re wrong, not when you’re right.”
please
November 30th, 2010
10:17 am
chris S – “vodka doesn’t smell”?? pick up a bottle and take a whiff. or better yet, go to a bar sometime.
Jim
November 30th, 2010
10:27 am
Former R&B Editor – you must have stopped reading the R&B. It is essentially a tabloid rag now and crucifies student for “having a drink” daily. The amount of karma here is off the charts.
The kid obviously got too big for his britches and rubbed some people the wrong way. Sonny Perdue was a Kappa Sig after all.