Karen Handel and the upside of unemployment in a down economy
In this economy, most people need a job in order to thrive. But not Karen Handel. The former Republican candidate for governor may have revived her political career by quitting hers.
As a public relations disaster, the week’s aborted attempt – the phrasing is intentional — by Susan G. Komen for the Cure to sever ties with Planned Parenthood will quickly become a case study in business schools around the country.
Karen Handel, a former GOP candidate for governor , is interviewed following her resignation from Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Curtis Compton ccompton@ajc.com
The nation’s largest breast cancer charity first announced it would shut off most money to the family planning organization – whose abortion services have long made it a target of pro-life forces. Then, in the face of an unexpected wall of protests, largely Internet-driven, Komen reversed itself.
As the senior vice president of public policy hired to help turn Komen into a Planned Parenthood-free zone, Handel had been hung out to dry. She resigned on Tuesday, to no one’s surprise. Komen badly needed Handel to depart, as proof to pro-choice forces that the charity’s turnabout was sincere. And Handel just as badly needed to jump into a lifeboat and cast herself adrift – to demonstrate her own sincerity.
But Handel also needed to look good doing it. The chaos of a mass news conference, with its shouted questions, might have come across as grandstanding. Also, like most unemployed people, Handel now had to think about her budget – and renting the required hall would have been expensive.
So selected journalists and a large Fox News satellite truck were summoned to the wilds of northern Atlanta, where — at the private home of her one-time campaign spokesman Dan McLagan — Handel conducted a series of quiet, one-on-one conversations. She had nothing but good to say about her former employer, unless one read between the lines.
By giving Planned Parenthood advance notice of the split, and the loss of $680,000 in grants, Handel said Komen had allowed the family planning organization to organize a “shakedown.” All invective was reserved for the GOP villain.
“Komen is a breast cancer organization. It’s not an organization that knows guerrilla campaigning and guerrilla tactics like Planned Parenthood unleashed,” Handel said.
Handel and Komen have — or had — more in common than an employment contract. Both have deep Republican roots. Komen founder and CEO Nancy Brinker served as U.S. ambassador to Hungary during the George W. Bush administration. Both the charity and the former candidate for governor have had to cope with hardening GOP attitudes toward abortion.
Komen’s problem boiled down to efforts by anti-abortion activists, even Catholic dioceses, to cast a cloud on the charity’s pink-ribbon brand. “I was tasked with identifying options that would allow us to move to neutral ground around this,” Handel said. “I embrace the fact that I led the process.”
There was no neutral ground for Handel in 2010, when the former secretary of state sought to replace Gov. Sonny Perdue. In a GOP primary runoff, rival and ultimate victor Nathan Deal criticized Handel for approving — as a Fulton County commissioner — the direction of $400,000 in federal grant money to Planned Parenthood. Told that the cash went to cervical cancer detection, Deal responded that this only freed up more money for abortions.
On a state level, Handel opposed restrictions on in-vitro fertilization. She opposed abortion — except in cases of rape and incest. Both positions put her at odds with Georgia Right to Life, the state’s leading anti-abortion group, which declared her insufficiently pro-life. GRTL president Dan Becker noted Handel’s childless status, calling her “barren.”
After this week, Handel now has pro-life bona fides that would be hard to challenge, should she decide to run for office again. She dodged the question on Tuesday. “I learned a long time ago, don’t try to predict the future,” Handel said.
Asked whether she thought she would now be accepted by pro-life forces in Georgia, Handel was circumspect. “With Dan Becker? Are you kidding me? It does not change my relationship with that one individual one bit,” she said.
But Becker himself said he was impressed by Handel’s decision to quit. “We commend Karen Handel for being instrumental in exposing the link between Planned Parenthood and Susan G. Komen,” he said.
As I was typing these final paragraphs, the phone rang. The Christian Broadcasting Network — Pat Robertson’s outfit — was on the line. They’d read Handel’s comments on ajc.com, and wanted to put a camera in front of her.
The pro-life movement may have just found a new hero. The irony doesn’t escape Handel — or anyone else.
To read more on the topic, check out the AJC’s Atlanta Forward section.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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191 comments Add your comment
td
February 8th, 2012
8:02 pm
Look before I leap…
February 8th, 2012
7:33 pm
@Ray
None of the SGK funds went to abortions. It was earmarked strictly for breast exams and mammograms.
Do you think conservatives are that stupid or is it Dems are that naive not to know that every dollar given to PP by on outside group that pays for a legitimate health issue is just another dollar they can divert to abortion services. This is why the Federal government should cut out all their funding.
Hetch Hetchy
February 8th, 2012
8:03 pm
run for Senate, Karen, I’ll vote for you! We miss you.
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:03 pm
Will..Planned Parenthood services millions of folks a year but does perform 160,000 abortions out of the 1.2 million abortions a year so I am not sure what your point is, They do even by your standards a heck of more good than bad( although I’m not sure on the bad point) since they service millions. Take your picket sign somewhere else or better yet support low income folks who have trouble making ends meet.
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:07 pm
td, all money is fungible..I think we need to stop sending money to Israel because they perform abortions. In fact I’m going to ask my service provider next time if them are going to use the funds for abortions because abortions is what every one wants.
td
February 8th, 2012
8:08 pm
amy
February 8th, 2012
7:46 pm
if your position is that abortion is murder, i’d love to hear your position on welfare babies. the more the merrier, yeah?
How do you know this would happen? I believe that if a person knows they would have to take financial responsibility for their actions for 18 years then they would be less likely to not have the proper protection.
Look before I leap...
February 8th, 2012
8:08 pm
Will
February 8th, 2012
7:57 pm
PLanned Parenthood is the center of the abortion industry in the US. It’s a shame that so many are willing to look the other way at the slaughter.
Like most at the extreme flank, your assertion is not supported by fact.
Planned Parenthood accounts for about 1/4 of all abortions in the US and abortion is only about 3% of what they actually do.
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:09 pm
In fact if I sent money for the AJC how can I be assured that somehow some of that money will not be used for abortions. How about funds for Fox news? Do they support abortions?// OMG…I just feel so dirty.
td
February 8th, 2012
8:12 pm
Look before I leap…
February 8th, 2012
7:57 pm
“Regardless, the analysis that predicted fallout was so obviously flawed and the whole matter handled just so badly, that Handel had to go due to incompetence. Now, SGK has to reverse a major policy decision, tick off the right flank of the organization and have all of its dirty laundry in the glare of the media spotlight”
Kind of like what the Obama administration is going to do with regard to offending the Catholic church with stupid Obamacare regulations?
td
February 8th, 2012
8:18 pm
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:03 pm
Will..Planned Parenthood services millions of folks a year but does perform 160,000 abortions
Your figures are a little off. They are the leading baby killers in the country performing about 300,000 per year.
Buckhead Boy
February 8th, 2012
8:18 pm
Janet, you may be assured that Mrs. Handel will soon be hanging her high school diploma in an office at a Koch Brothers-funded “think tank”. She really does have one. That GED stuff was just an untruthful attack by her GOP opponents in 2010. It was the college part that she lied about.
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:20 pm
TD..Breast cancer is not a republican issue…it’s not a democratic issue. It’s not a wealth issue. Nancy Brinker starter the organization because her sister died at 33. It’s got nothing to do with the current president. The reason she partnered with planned parenthood is because they were the only organizations in low income areas and she felt that it necessary that even the low income white and black get exams. It was started with the best intentions ever. It has nothing to do with the current President who by the way is a black Democrat. Breast cancer has nothing to do with abortion..but you you go there fella cuz you got nothing else.
td
February 8th, 2012
8:22 pm
Look before I leap…
February 8th, 2012
8:08 pm
“The reality is that Planned Parenthood—with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion—does little in the way of screening for breast cancer. But the organization is very much in the business of selling abortions—more than 300,000 in 2010, according to Planned Parenthood. At an average cost of $500, according to various sources including Planned Parenthood’s website, that translates to about $164 million of revenue per year.”
http://townhall.com/tipsheet/katiepavlich/2012/02/08/big_business_planned_parenthood_raking_in_164_million_in_abortion_money_each_year
Your figures are a little off.
Streetracer
February 8th, 2012
8:22 pm
Seems to me that the operative discussion should be why did Planned Parenthood take grant money that was earmarked for specific functions and divert it for other things. That seems to be at least pretty close to fruad
janet
February 8th, 2012
8:22 pm
@Buckhead Boy – you may be right but I have wondered why she didn’t pursue a college degree for all of these years. She didn’t have children to stand in her way. Many women, who value education as a way of advancing their careers, manage to juggle marriage, children, job and college. But of course, I did say, they value education.
td
February 8th, 2012
8:24 pm
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:20 pm
Where have I said anything negative about breast cancer? It is a very important issue and I have done the walk and donated money for the cause because I believe in the cause. My issue is with PP and their baby killing mills.
Look before I leap...
February 8th, 2012
8:25 pm
@td
Kind of like what the Obama administration is going to do with regard to offending the Catholic church with stupid Obamacare regulations?
Non-sequitur
If you plan to start this crap again, lets save some time and stop here.
td
February 8th, 2012
8:27 pm
Look before I leap…
February 8th, 2012
8:25 pm
What is wrong you can not deal with analogies when they do not fit your political agenda?
WOW
February 8th, 2012
8:28 pm
that handel is a true DEVIL! take yo old crinkle behind and sit down. One thing I agree with this state gop is they did reject one DEVIL in handel!!!!!! Be gone!!!!!!!!!
Road Scholar
February 8th, 2012
8:31 pm
“Shakedown”? Yeah, right! The court of public opinion is a bitch, ain’t it!
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:32 pm
Let’s talk about baby killers…In our country there are 47 million who don’t have to pay federal taxes. Out of those 80 percent are families of four that earn less than 30,000 a year. Twenty percent are Romney type of folks and the other eighty percent probably food stamp folks. I can’t imagine raising a family on 30,000 but maybe TD and the other TROLLS can tell us how the government helps us but not Romney who pays 14 percent in taxes.
Sorry didn’t mean to go off topic because TD and the trolls are so concerned about breast cancer.
Look before I leap...
February 8th, 2012
8:32 pm
@td
How are my numbers off?
1.2M abortions in the US
300K is 25% of that which I have stated in two separate posts. So that number is correct.
You are using funding and cost derivatives.
I said that abortions were 3% of the procedures conducted by PP, not 3% of what they spend.
Buckhead Boy
February 8th, 2012
8:32 pm
td, you mean those “stupid Obamacare regulations” just like we’ve had here in Georgia for many years that require health insurers to cover contraceptives, and without exemption? The regulations that are so stupid that they also exist in 27 other states, and against which the Catholic Church has yet to mount a successful court challenge?
Karen
February 8th, 2012
8:33 pm
Boycott Komen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:37 pm
Buckhead Boy..Nice… I’m still waiting for the trolls to tell me where the clinics are for the low income folk.
Look before I leap...
February 8th, 2012
8:37 pm
@td
What is wrong you can not deal with analogies when they do not fit your political agenda?
Analogies are used to clarify a point or create clear understanding. Your remark serves neither purpose.
td
February 8th, 2012
8:38 pm
Buckhead Boy
February 8th, 2012
8:32 pm
You brought up a good point and I think I will start tomorrow on getting my legislature to change the rules in favor of the religious organizations. thank you.
As for the current administration, they will do some serious back peddling in the next few weeks because they know Ohio, Indiana and Penn are in play and have very large Catholic populations. Pure politics.
Ok I'll play along
February 8th, 2012
8:40 pm
@td…isn’t that how the game is played?
td
February 8th, 2012
8:40 pm
Road Scholar
February 8th, 2012
8:31 pm
“Shakedown”? Yeah, right! The court of public opinion is a bitch, ain’t it!
Sort of like that “court of public opinion” is about to make the Obama administration to back down on their contraceptive regulations?
Look before I leap...
February 8th, 2012
8:40 pm
@BB
Catholic Church has yet to mount a successful court challenge?
The courts have already settled this. They make a very clear distinction between an on-going religious concern and a secular one.
td
February 8th, 2012
8:42 pm
Ok I’ll play along
February 8th, 2012
8:40 pm
@td…isn’t that how the game is played?
You are absolutely correct. Just have to make sure everyone knows it works both ways and both sides of the argument makes people back down.
td
February 8th, 2012
8:44 pm
Look before I leap…
February 8th, 2012
8:40 pm
@BB
Catholic Church has yet to mount a successful court challenge?
The courts have already settled this. They make a very clear distinction between an on-going religious concern and a secular one.
The courts decisions will mean nothing in this case because the politics of re election is all that will matter.
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:45 pm
OMG..I actually agree with you but for different reasons. Most Catholics use birth control. When the GA law was passed there was little or no uproar. I am so sorry that I missed your picket signs about the law saying health insurance companies covering birth control.
What does this have to do with breast cancer and are you and yours going to open clinics?????????????????????????????
Ok I'll play along
February 8th, 2012
8:45 pm
I am quite sure everyone linked in here now the gamesmanship that is about to down with appeasing the Catholic church. My only question is why is the church so into this but nary a peep on say child abuse issues?
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:48 pm
Now I get it TD is trying to change the subject because he has run out of excuses for Karen…shame,shame,shame,shame,shame,shame,shame,shame.
The unfortunate thing is that the Komen Foundation was founded to help republicans, democrats, rich and poor and let us not forget that.
td
February 8th, 2012
8:48 pm
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:32 pm
People have to make choices. Why do people choose to live in single parent households with three children and only make $30,000 per year? All the actions one takes has consequences and when the government gets out of the business of helping people not to take responsibility for their actions then this country will be a much better place.
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:49 pm
the Komen Foundation was founded to help republicans, democrats, rich and poor and let us not forget that.
Attack Dog
February 8th, 2012
8:52 pm
1. Someone forgot that… leftwingnuts are Liberals, while democrackkks were known as Southern conservatives…aka Dixiecrats. 2. Handel needs to take some of the Koch $500 million for Super Pacs and $750K for Scott Walker and start a non-profit to help rather than hurt women. 3. Santorum should be the GOP front runner.
Centrist
February 8th, 2012
8:52 pm
The politics of the emotions of abortion decisions made by women are gross on both sides. Both PP and SKG do some great things for people who request their services which is often lost.
The Obama administration plays politics with the abortion issue just like the right wing of the Republican party – read about it here: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/07/opinion/brooks-flood-the-zone.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss
td
February 8th, 2012
8:53 pm
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:49 pm
the Komen Foundation was founded to help republicans, democrats, rich and poor and let us not forget that.
I think they were founded on helping breast cancer research. Maybe they should stick to that theme and support research and finding a cure.
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:54 pm
TD ..My goodness…I read your comment twice and still don’t get it…you do know it was repubs that increased the child deductible right ..not that was necessarily bad.
So how do you feel about the Komen foundation funding breast exams? Not nearly enough since that’s appalling..
Old Hippie
February 8th, 2012
8:54 pm
Handel is an embarrassment to the people of Georgia and to women everywhere.
o
February 8th, 2012
8:57 pm
@td
I am not in the business of predicting administration actions. And after your SOTU prognostications, you should get out of the prediction business altogether.
PA does have a high percentage of Catholics (something around 50%) and could prove problematic for Obama IF the majority of Catholics who would have voted for Obama switch solely due to this issue. It is unclear that is the case. If there is polling on it, I’d be interested in seeing it.
OH has a much smaller Catholic population, less than 1/4.
I don’t think IN is in play. It will is safely red for 2012. But Indiana’s catholic population is even smaller as a % than OH. About 20%.
td
February 8th, 2012
8:57 pm
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:54 pm
So how do you feel about the Komen foundation funding breast exams? Not nearly enough since that’s appalling..
They should take the money from PP and spend it more on those vans that go around. I have no problem with them helping with exams as long as they stay away from supporting the baby killing factory.
o = Look before you leap...
February 8th, 2012
8:58 pm
damn mouse!
Look before you leap...
February 8th, 2012
9:01 pm
@hl
hl
February 8th, 2012
8:48 pm
Now I get it TD is trying to change the subject because he has run out of excuses for Karen…
ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding
Ya know, I am thinking that a light bulb actually appeared over your head.
Despite funding firestorm, private donations coming into Planned Parenthood in … – Sparks Today | Amazing News
February 8th, 2012
9:02 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution [...]
Look before you leap...
February 8th, 2012
9:03 pm
oh my – gonna pop some popcorn!
The choice/consequence argument rerun is about to start!!!
This is one of my favorites!!!!!
Look before you leap...
February 8th, 2012
9:05 pm
@Centrist
I saw that – sad.
I don’t know if its because you truly have to sell your soul to rise to the top in politics or it is a matter of too many advisers yapping in your ear all day long with really bad ideas.
hl
February 8th, 2012
9:08 pm
TD..They should take the money from PP and spend it more on those vans that go around. I have no problem with them helping with exams as long as they stay away from supporting the baby killing factory….hahahahahahahahahahhaha
speechless
Look before you leap...
February 8th, 2012
9:11 pm
@td
“They should take the money from PP and spend it more on those vans that go around.”
Yeah, cuz when a woman finds a lump on her breast, it’s ok to wait weeks until the mobile unit shows up.
Does your wife read any of the stuff you post on here?