The Smell of GA Republicans At Panic

In the digital era, putting good journalism behind a firewall is about as useful as a closet full of hoop skirts, so I’m just going to copy and paste Dick Pettys’ of InsiderAdvantage’s piece from yesterday about the Saxby Chambliss campaign, or lack thereof, here in full. It deserves to be set free. Sniff the glove!

What Went Wrong For Chambliss That Race Now Is So Close?

By Dick Pettys
InsiderAdvantage Georgia

(10/30/08) What went wrong with Saxby Chambliss’ campaign that his lead in a race he was expected to win handily now is within the margin of error in polling? Some Republicans already are blaming strategist Tom Perdue for an effort they claim lacked luster, organization and vision. Perdue, who acknowledged Wednesday that a runoff is “a possibility,” said the forces at play in this election were beyond anyone’s control.

“It has nothing to do with (Democrat) Jim Martin,” said Perdue. “Anybody who was on the ballot would be where he is right now.”

When the year began, no one took Chambliss’ re-election task very seriously, and, indeed, Democrats had a hard time coming up with a “name” candidate to put forward against him. One of them had such a tough time gaining traction that he hauled himself up a tower in the dead of winter to attract attention.

But this has been anything but a conventional year in national politics, and the battle for Chambliss’ seat has been exactly the same.

Unexpectedly, Martin emerged as the Democratic nominee, overpowering in a runoff the black CEO of DeKalb County, Vernon Jones, who had expected that an electorate energized over the candidacy of Barack Obama would help propel him into the berth against Chambliss.

And then, after a rather uneventful summer, the course of the campaign changed this fall with the nation’s economic meltdown and Chambliss’ vote, along with Senate colleague Johnny Isakson, in support of the “bailout” or “rescue” bill. The state’s seven Republican congressman steadfastly voted against the measure twice.

“Up until the recovery bill, I think Martin’s name ID was at 24 percent, and he had done literally nothing in the campaign,” Perdue contends. “To say the recovery bill was controversial is an understatement. I have never seen the numbers and forcefulness of the calls, even to the campaign office.

“Nobody knew that within 36 hours banks were going to start failing around the world, and that’s what happened. And for roughly 10 days, not only our country, but most of the countries in the world, were in free fall. And our campaign momentum came to almost a stop. And that’s when the national Democrats capitalized on it, and that’s when they took control of the Martin campaign,” the strategist said.

But other Republicans look at the picture quite differently.

“He (Perdue) has just run a really bad campaign,” said one GOP insider. “Chambliss gets told all the time, ‘Where are your ads” and, ‘Your ads suck.’”

That source said the National Republican Senatorial Committee offered to send a full crew of workers to help the campaign but was told by Perdue the help wasn’t needed.

Kerosene and Buttermilk BBQ Marinade

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Text Message Georgia Into The Blue?

It could happen. Now that Obama and Biden have our cell phone numbers, and they know how best to use ’em, could texting people into the voting booth come November be just the thing to turn states like Georgia from red to blue? Could be. Heck, texting could make a difference even in S.C. if you ask me, which of course no one did. From another Off The Bus driver, Sara Granger:

Assuming the goal of the (texting Obama’s VP choice) exercise was not just to inform supporters, but to mobilize them, the database of SMS contacts is the newest member of the Obama – no, excuse me – Obama/Biden arsenal. GOTV efforts begin in earnest after the convention and text messaging has been shown to be quite an effective tool for that purpose. In the 2002 South Korean presidential election, Lee Hoi Chan held the lead until Roh Moo Hyun supporters sent out text messages and email to 800,000 voters on election day, turning the tides and winning the election by a 2% margin. A survey based on the 2006 election found that voting reminders via SMS produced an increase turnout by 4%. Besides, it’s cheaper and people don’t mind that it’s automated.

Full story here. I’ll be curious to hear what Mr. T has to say about all this catching up with the Koreans stuff. We are slow down here, but come on folks, even 8-year olds have cell phones and text capability of their own now. Like I’d know anything about that trend…

OK To Cheat On Your Wife IF You’ve Been Beaten and Tortured

This whole Who’s Affair Is Valid And Who’s Is Not stuff is getting… almost as bad as the shenanigans at the AJC!

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Jewel Of The South

A PR professional in Chicago was lamenting, on his blog just yesterday, about how politicians and journalists and PR types never got together anymore to just “hang out.” Chicago must not have a party master with a little black book the likes of longtime Atlanta PR pro, Tom Houck’s.

Along with the Atlanta Press Club, Houck hosted a happy hour on the stunning rooftop garden lounge of Maxim Prime on Marietta St., across the street from CNN headquarters. When seen from such a perspective, all the many woes Atlanta struggles with daily down below seemed beautifully way off somewhere else.

What was up on last night on the rooftop was a wild mix of journalists, PR, and politicians Chicago would have drooled over. Along with a crush of election year political hopefuls, has-been power players, (former) U.S. Senators, geeks, writers, chefs, musicians, critics, Olympic gold medalists, players, shucksters, jivers, impresarios, models, aging party gals, cable TV pioneers from way back when, the latest batch of interns to oogle, anchors, reporters, crooks, liars, old money, new money, print, TV, radio, hot air talk show blowers, and, of course, media mavens and bloggers.

At one point, the rope line wait for entry was up to half hour long. And still they waited to get in. The party would ebb and flow for a good three hours, until this blogger’s heels started yelling “leave NOW.”

Way to go APC. Looks like you’re back on the very competitive Atlanta social scene map. (As long as you can stay out of that deadly dull Commerce Club.) I made a little video photo stream with you OTP’ers in mind. That’s right here. Enjoy.