An exiting Sonny Perdue and his regrets over the state’s mental health woes
Sonny Perdue left the building on Friday. But before he did, THE soon-to-be-former governor granted exit interviews to nearly every media outlet in the state – with the exception of a particular major metropolitan newspaper.
Final assessments of himself ranged from the thoughtful – in one, Perdue warned Republicans to watch the rhetoric they use when it comes to illegal immigration – to the routine.
Gov. Sonny Perdue in one of several exit interviews. AP/David Goldman
In his conversation with Denis O’Hayer of WABE (90.1 FM), a sometimes testy Perdue defended his administration’s performance on education, transportation and the water wars with Florida and Alabama.
If some people didn’t recognize the gains, he said, it may be because they didn’t appreciate his role as the first Republican governor after 130 years of Democratic rule. Said the governor:
”Most people don’t understand that transition. It’s a little bit like an ice-breaker. I was an ice-breaker in the [sense] that there was a solid core of Democratic ice across the state.
“An ice-breaker doesn’t make the best flow in the water. But it has a purpose to do, and I think we have unlodged a lot of those obstacles that I believe will make the opportunity to govern Georgia better for the future.”
The one area where Perdue appeared to express regret was over the state’s mental health system. In October, the state reached a landmark settlement with the U.S. Justice Department, promising to spend millions of dollars to help patients move out of state mental hospitals and receive treatment in their own communities.
A series of articles in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution revealed that that dozens of patients at Georgia’s psychiatric hospitals had died from abuse.
Said Perdue:
“We had some difficulties in mental health. We were focusing on child welfare where children were dying. We did not implement as quickly the changes that needed to be made in mental health. We tried. But I became convinced – just like transportation, there was a governance issue there.
“This Department of Health and Human Resources was too large to really have a handle on all that at one time. So we led the creation of another department specifically for mental health. And the fact is we’ve made great progress in our negotiations with the Department of Justice. We avoided a monitor system such as we had in the Department of Juvenile Justice when I came in – for a number of years.
“The fact is, we’re taking care of our own. And it’s our moral responsibility. And the people with mental health disease in this state are going to be better off. I wish I could have got to it a lot sooner.”
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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59 comments Add your comment
bo
January 8th, 2011
12:40 pm
he seems like a nice guy, but I would be surprised if he is remembered for having done much meaningful. as far as GA completely transitioning to the Republcain party, that was going to happen sooner or later whether Perdue was around or not.
Don
January 8th, 2011
12:45 pm
Good riddance, Sonny. Maybe you’ll reveal in your memoirs whatever it was you did for the transportation nightmare in metro Atlanta over your eight long years in office. It sure ain’t evident on my daily commute.
This is Mrs. Norman Maine
January 8th, 2011
1:00 pm
People don’t recognize the gains Mr.Perdue because they don’t exist.
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Who_really_cares?
January 8th, 2011
1:07 pm
Sonny was a “Do NOTHING” governor.
Oh wait-he did slash education; did ignore transportation woes; did ignore budget problems until they became insurmountable. Did make GA a laughingstock over his preferred method of dealing with the drought…a state-sponsored “let’s pray for rain” day.
Oh, and he DID line his coffers really well. He ensured that he and his cronies back home will have a lovely pile o’ cash.
Good riddance is right!
khc
January 8th, 2011
1:15 pm
did any of those granted interviews ask him about his financial gains during his terms as gov
GaBlue
January 8th, 2011
1:16 pm
Actually, our mental health woes are but one necessary evil for the complete Republican takeover of the state. You can’t get what you want without sacrificing something! The Georgia GOP has sacrificed much to get to their hard-earned position of total dominance. A major factor in their success is knowing what and whom to sacrifice so that they can elevate themselves. The chasm between “doing well” and “not gonna make it” grows as the shrinking middle class, burdened with most of the taxes, is able to contribute less and less to the state’s revenues. Fortunately, the important people at the top are doing very nicely, and are not put upon to make up the difference. I’d comment on the rest of the population, but it’s clear that they simply don’t matter.
Political Mongrel
January 8th, 2011
1:18 pm
Eight years of mediocrity, missteps, fumbling, fiscal incompetence, and general ineffectiveness don’t make much of a legacy.
Ricky
January 8th, 2011
1:39 pm
A crook til the end. He profitted from the office and stuck it to the teachers and transportation. Everyone forgets about the 400 toll money taking scheme to buy land that we never heard was returned. The land that the state purchased to help his investment friends out in his home town. There is probably more hidden that we will find out about years from now. One of the worst govenors ever.
Joe
January 8th, 2011
1:44 pm
What do you expect when we elect someone named SONNY to run our state? He’s just a good ol boy out to make himself rich. And we’re getting another round of that in Nathan Deal. Karen Handel should have been our next governor, but time will tell that story.
Last Man Standing
January 8th, 2011
1:52 pm
Joe:
He was “rich” before he went into office. He will be even wealthier as he departs.
bart
January 8th, 2011
1:59 pm
Sorry, Bo, I don’t see him as a nice guy. He will be remembered as one of the most corrupt, do-nothing governors in state history. His legacy will be the dismantling of public education in our state and an administtration of unethical behavior and mediocrity.
GaBlue
January 8th, 2011
2:20 pm
Um, is it open season on Democrats now? Is this what we’ve come to? Jesus Christ.
Boooo
January 8th, 2011
2:30 pm
Wooooww! I am always amazed at the haters. Can someone name a politician that left office with less money than he/she started with?
Just Wait
January 8th, 2011
2:32 pm
If Sonny was an “ice breaker” for Republicans, it certainly seems that he and them have gotten stuck in the ice. If the past 8 years is a preview of what Republican rule is like, I’d just as soon have the Democrats back. At least they were not as pompous. The best thing I can say about Sonny is “former.”
Douglas
January 8th, 2011
2:34 pm
@Ga Blue – Oh, please, it’s been open season on Dems nationwide for quite some time now, in case you haven’t noticed.
I think Sonny’s biggest accomplishment in his 8 years as Gov was getting his helicopter license. I don’t suppose much of that flight time was on his own dime, either.
Deal may be a crook, but as we used to say ’bout ol’ Hummin’ Talmadge, he’s OUR crook. He may yet end up being a better gov than Sonny, but then it wouldn’t take all that much…
cs
January 8th, 2011
2:46 pm
Glad to see ole perdookey go but he was still a lot better than that sell out roy rat barnes.
sissyuga
January 8th, 2011
3:04 pm
I hope the door hit him on the way out.
Tony
January 8th, 2011
3:13 pm
Ice breaker huh?
His reductions to education certainly do not qualify as ice breakers. His work has done mor damage to the education of children in the state than many realize. The harm will take years to overcome. Only thing worse is that we have just elected one with the potential to do even more harm.
Self-serving governor would be a more apt term. There ar numerous examples that could be cited here. Fishing and oaky woods just to name two.
Michael in Decatur
January 8th, 2011
3:22 pm
The most kind thing I can say about him is that he was a facilitator, but not a leader. He promised anything to everyone who was mad at Barnes and the only thing he delivered was to kill the Northern Arc. And his best effort on transportation was red-lights at entrance ramps. Great. Just great.
men
January 8th, 2011
4:32 pm
He threw teachers and education under the bus
KZGuy
January 8th, 2011
4:40 pm
His only accomplishment was getting reelected and a big fat tax break. He spent 8 years kicking the can down the road. The same issues he faced and ignored exist today. I hope Luckovich has a good picture of Sonny ‘asleep at the wheel’.
Robert
January 8th, 2011
4:45 pm
If you enjoy silence, go up to any adult Georgia citizen and say, “Quick; name two accomplishments of Sonny Perdue as governor.”
SawBe
January 8th, 2011
5:05 pm
More from the bitter, angry, reality challenged community. The people in Georgia liked Purdue and thought he did a good job.
If I were governor, I would not be doing an interview with a certain metro daily either. I would not be sure that I would get a fair shake.
Tom
January 8th, 2011
5:13 pm
Pardoo…Boss Hog!
eatmotacos
January 8th, 2011
5:43 pm
@sawbe: Reality challenged community? If he did nothing else questionable, being the only Georgia resident to take advantage of the tax break he was complicit in originating and had just signed into law, is enough information to establish that he is an unscrupulous scumbag ,who betrayed the public trust. But of course, that was only the tip of the iceberg. Maybe you should occasionally read a newspaper.
Veteran teacher, 2
January 8th, 2011
6:03 pm
Sonny Purdue looked me in the eye twice and told me he would always listen to teachers, and he was very interested in doing what we thought would improve education in Georgia. The man is a liar. Actions speak louder than words, but Sonny obviously never learned that lesson. What goes around, comes around. Hey, Sonny, do you believe in Kharma? I can’t wait to see you get yours!
GAExPat
January 8th, 2011
6:09 pm
How about regretting trashing the education of many young Georgians?
Ben
January 8th, 2011
6:28 pm
Truth is Sonny (how did we ever elect someone with the name “Sonny?) was a worthless governor except for putting fishing ramps in Houston County. When the state really needed leadership, Sonny was asleep at the wheel. It took him long months to get seriously involved in the Atlanta school cheating scandal. Good Bye Sonny, we won’t miss you. The question we ask now, Is Deal any better???
Who Cares?
January 8th, 2011
6:29 pm
Typical corrupt and self serving politician. We Georgians will pay off $60,000,000.00 worth of debt for three different projects that Sonny pushed for and got approved for his home county (Houston), where he will return to. Don’t let the screen door hit you, buddy! I’m still waiting on that Cabela’s to be built in Bartow county. Oh yes, that’s right, they weren’t willing to line your pockets so you offered them minimal tax concessions to do business in Georgia, so they stopped their efforts to build a retail store that would have meant jobs for Georgians. Maybe if they would have offered to have built it in Houston county…………
Wag the Dog
January 8th, 2011
7:32 pm
The Ice-Breaker showed his true colors when he fled the state during the gasoline shortage crisis a couple of years ago. A trade mission to Spain was more important than staying home and doing his duty. How could anyone have been a governor for eight years and have so little to show for it – amazing.
....
January 8th, 2011
7:50 pm
I am waiting for people to come on here and defend him.
I mean the state elected the same…..therefore he must have done a good/great job
TopSchool
January 8th, 2011
8:08 pm
What happen to the candy-bar diet?
TopSchool
January 8th, 2011
8:09 pm
Still waiting to see how he finishes the Atlanta Public Schools investigation…
http://www.TopPublicSchoolCorruptionAtlanta.com
bart
January 8th, 2011
8:12 pm
SawBe, Perdue was re-elected which says something about the intelligence level of the GA. electorate. If you think he did such a good job, tell us 3 things he did that made our state better. He has been a very bad joke. Inexplicably, the GA voters have voted for more of the same. No wonder we are the bottom of the barrel in all measures of quality of life.
david c
January 8th, 2011
8:15 pm
I would of thought that Sonny Bubba’s biggest regret was not getting the Confederate flag back for the state. After all, that is what got the man elected.
men
January 8th, 2011
8:18 pm
He masterminded the great fish museum in his hometown.
congratulations
at the tax payers expense….
maybe he can rob the teachers one more time…….to pay for it.
Z
January 8th, 2011
8:39 pm
The man was the only resident in Georgia that was eligible for a retroactive tax break. He’s set up now down at the ports. Bookends of his tenure.
TitanicSonny
January 8th, 2011
8:50 pm
Forget the Titanic, Sonny, your are the Titanic. What a waste of 8 years.
TitanicSonny
January 8th, 2011
8:51 pm
Make that Titantic.
TitanicSonny
January 8th, 2011
8:55 pm
One last time. Forget the icebreaker, Sonny, you are the Titanic. What a waste of 8 years.
eatmotacos
January 8th, 2011
9:28 pm
There was a time when public servants, were, well, public servants. Voters have more tools than ever at their fingertips to vet a candidate for public office. Just Google Nathan Deal, and see what pops up. It would seem that would be the least one should do before casting a vote – devote just 15 minutes to read about the candidate. If one of the links on the first page reads ” Nathan Deal: Among “15 Most Corrupt Members of Congress” , shouldn’t that give you some pause. If you read the documented facts on his conduct as an elected official, how could you possibly vote for him? Are voters really that lazy?
SONNY THE LIAR
January 8th, 2011
10:07 pm
….SONNY did nothing for the Georgian Economy….just what tax break he gave Georgians. He brought an computer store to Jackson County. Up yours Sonny! They hire illegals and they hire their own people not Jackson County folks. 8 years and you screwed our education folks over…..and you screwed our transportation system over….and you screwed our economy up. Good Riddance and dont ever show your fat ass out in public again. And don’t go preachin in churches again either….scumbag. You came to my church in 01 talking up a good game….but you my friend are the the epitomy of evil! I can’t believe I voted for you in 01.
red clay
January 8th, 2011
10:14 pm
Good bye Sorry Sonny!!!!
Glad you are leaving office.
Not educated beyond my intelligence
January 8th, 2011
10:19 pm
The biggest gains during his administration were to the Houston County economy and in Sonny’s pockets…
fulldawg
January 8th, 2011
10:38 pm
George E. – You can’t leave fast enough
Stewie
January 8th, 2011
11:24 pm
ONE area of regret, Sonny?
YOU are our biggest regret…hayseed swindler and buffoon.
say what?
January 8th, 2011
11:25 pm
That Northern Arc project will rise again. With the push for businesses and colleges to move North of spagheti junction and along GA 400,these people will need to be able to get around 285 and to remain out of Atlanta. The expansion of the airport in Gwinnett will help to keep tourist money out of Atlanta and the Atlanta airport. I have never met a Republican who did NOT hate Hotlanta (i.e, the Black Mecca of the South) and its democratic leadership and citizens. Deal will continue this push to make Gwinnett more important and useful than the culturally-diverse Atlanta. Amazing that Sonny did not push for the govenor’s office to be moved to some lake front property.
Go Fish!
January 8th, 2011
11:42 pm
sonny’s big accomplishment—his go fish program in his home county—it cost Ga taxpayer millions, but his buddies got a lot of cash—party on!
Furious Styles
January 9th, 2011
1:39 am
Don’t worry Sonny. You’re not getting any younger, you’ll soon be one of those mental health patient’s yourself. Then you really regret not doing anything about it.