Archive for December, 2010

It is possible, though not certain, that one of the first real differences you may notice between Gov. Sonny Perdue and his successor, Nathan Deal, will come on a Sunday. In your church pew.

If the fellow with the hymnal next to you has tucked a .45 under his armpit, you’ll know there’s been a change.

Gov.-elect Nathan Deal, right, and the exiting Gov. Sonny Perdue. John Spink/jspink@ajc.com

Believe it or not, many gun enthusiasts — the hardcore, anyway — will breathe a sigh of relief once Georgia’s first Republican governor in modern history leaves office next month.

It was Perdue who, this spring, vetoed a bill that would have explicitly given those who hold concealed-weapons permits the right to carry their firearms in unsecured areas of the terminal at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

During this year’s sweeping rewrite of the state’s gun laws, it was also Perdue who insisted that places of worship remain on a shrinking list of public venues where …

Continue reading When the gunfights return, churches — and maybe campuses — will be in the crosshairs »

You’re about to witness the evolution of a Republican position.

Late Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson was interviewed by Denis O’Hayer of WABE (90.1FM) on his support for the START nuclear treaty with Russia.

Retiring Sen. Christopher Dodd, D- Conn., left, talks with Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., as they walk to the Senate Chamber on Tuesday. AP/Evan Vucci

Listen to the entire interview here. Said Isakson:

”The problem that a lot of people don’t focus on is, we have gone since Dec. 5 of last year [without] having any human intelligence in the Russian Federation to verify that they are complying with the old START. It’s the first time in 20 years we haven’t had intelligence on the ground in Russia, and that’s a very dangerous thing.”

O’Hayer then asked if the START treaty ratification by the Senate could become wrapped in any legislative bargaining. Replied Isakson:

”The president cannot expect Congress to ratify what he wants and not deal with what the …

Continue reading Isakson and Chambliss: No tax deal, no START treaty »

The D.C. arts community is slowly coming to grips with the new order of things in Washington.

U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston, R-Savannah, who just happens to be making his case to become chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, was on Fox News this morning, calling for an investigation into a decision by the National Portrait Gallery to exhibit a work of video art that depicts a small statute of a crucified Jesus with ants crawling over the figure.

The exhibit was removed Tuesday. Here’s Kingston:

Said Kingston:

“This is a museum that gets $5.8 million in taxpayer dollars and in the middle of a high deficit, 15 million unemployed Americans, they decide to have money to spend like this…..This is a museum that, by the way, has next to it a display of the American presidents, on the other side, Elvis, and then you go through this – which is really perverted sick stuff – ashes of an AIDS victim, in a self-portrait, eating himself. Male nudity, Ellen DeGeneres grabbing …

Continue reading Jack Kingston wants investigation of ants-on-Jesus display »

In 2003, Ray McBerry quit his high school teaching job in Henry County after a mother accused him of having an improper relationship with her 16-year-old daughter, a student at a neighboring school.

A state licensing board later sanctioned the teacher, who admitted to lying to school officials about meeting the girl.

On Monday, McBerry, a former Republican candidate for governor, sued the mother of the young woman and the operators of a southwest Georgia political blog for accusing him of “child molestation” during his unsuccessful political campaign.

The suit was filed in Henry County Superior Court. It alleges that Linda Pittman, mother of Rachel Gandee, “stated falsely, with actual malice, that [McBerry] had committed the crime of child molestation” on a Facebook page.

Also named in the suit were Jeff Sexton and Thomas Knighton, operators of SWGA Politics, an Albany-based blog.

McBerry’s relationship with the young girl was an issue in the campaign — former …

Continue reading Your morning jolt: Ray McBerry accuses Henry County mom of libel »