Ventura

pms laflame at mindspring.com
Sat Nov 7 09:41:33 PST 1998



>It's astonishing the micro-scrutiny this isolated oddball Ventura is
>getting on the list, while significant electoral *trends* -- like the
>revived influence of unions and blacks -- go unexamined. Is this some
>sort of Kautsky-esque reaction (electoral politics are all a crock, so
>you might as well stay entertained)?
>
>Carl Remick
>

Fun is good Carl, but seriously I've been thinking about why the black vote in Georgia was so strong. The answer seems obvious to me, though I wasn't paying real close attention.

Guy Milner, the Republican rich guy who's spent godzillions of dollars on three failed races, started out his campaign as a Democrat. His spot on education, etc, really surprised me cause they were so unlike the Milner I'd come to know and disdain. That was when the Democratic victor Barnes was running as a lefty, promiseing affordable healthcare for all Georgians, which also floored me. I hated having to vote for such a liar.

Milner was ahead when suddenly here come Zell Miller, and then Jimmy Carter, really pushing for Barnes. So Milner does a 180, and suddenly-"Roy Barnes is too liberal for Georgia". Pulls out the race card, accuseing Barnes of wanting to give jobs and college entrance based on race. Barnes says he won't stoop to answer this sort of race-baiting. I think Milner cut his own throat.

Then there's former Fulton County Chair, Republican Mitch Scandalackas(or something), a real nut-case (confirmed by his cousin-in-law, Nick, who also ran in the primary for Lt. Guv, and who eats, alone, at the restaurant I work at several nights a week). A lot of folks I know thought he'd win, though I don't remember the polls, but he had to go and call our black mayor a boob, in a tv spot.(Bill Campbell has been a big disappointment). He also just generally attached the city. Running a commercial showing his opponent for Lt. Guv. stumbling down the hall of a drug rehab center was another groovy spot. Ralph Reed had something to do with all this.

Anyway, I think these two guys did more to mobilize black voters then the supposed reaction to Clinton-bashing.

pms



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