Fresh Loaf

— A couple of months ago, Doug at Live Apartment Fire pointed out the fatal flaws in a Wendy Saltzman report on WGCL about Atlanta sanitation workers who were allegedly hanging out at home on the clock during the day and collecting overtime at night. Maybe she was listening. Her report on the city’s failure to collect $30 million in water fees — including a cool $109,000 owed by Chastain Park amplitheater — was one of the best of the year in local TV news, he writes.

— A Gwinnett County couple are terrorized and held captive at gunpoint … by the police, who — oops — uh, went to the wrong address and busted into the wrong house. Just another reason, writes Andre at Georgia Politics Unfiltered, that state Sen. Vincent Fort thinks “No Knock” warrants are a bad, bad idea. Can we say Kathryn Johnston?

— The Majestic is undergoing a facelift and B King at Terminal Station is aghast that Atlanta’s favorite seedy diner is going … upscale? He’s got an online petition to stop the gentrification of a landmark that should stay exactly as it is. The sad thing is, I remember the Majestic before it underwent its last renovation. And I felt the same way then.

— At Going Through The Motions, the lovely Sara seeks our help to pick out a gift for her secretary, who has a back story that has to be read to be believed and is just impossible to shop for. My suggestion? The secretary is having bariatric surgery and will need a completely new wardrobe. She may not like gift cards (she is, after all, hard to shop for), but tie it to the surgery and her new beginning.

— At the Arc of Time, the experiment to take MARTA to work every day hit something of a snag the other day. First, the bus was late. Then the bus sat stalled in traffic at the worst possible moment — just after two kids settled in the back seat and began to play hip-hop music on their computer at ear-shattering volume. That’s a day getting off to a very bad start.

— Is the AJC’s Jim Wooten a bigot? Or just a right-wing fanatic who wants to impose his religious will on the rest of us? Decatur Guy poses the question at Atlanta Public Affairs after reading Wooten’s thoughts on the importance of marriage. If marriage is so great, he says to Wooten, then what’s so wrong with gays and lesbians doing the ultimate hook-up?

— And finally, Voted Off The Island is the chronicle of a native New Yorker who is new to the South and trying to adjust. Can someone please explain boiled peanuts to her? Have a great weekend, bloggerheads!

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

Bookmark It

— Another year is nearing its end, with a new year full of possibility and promise and resolutions ready to begin. Which, of course, means lots of year-end lists. DriftGrift kicks things off with his list of top blog stories of the year, the first of which hits very close to home — the firing of Ken Edelstein as the editor of this publication. Nicely put, my brother.

— And speaking of this publication, Steve Fennessy checks in at CityScape on the latest in CL’s bankruptcy. There was another hearing today at the bankruptcy court in Tampa.

— Oh, my god … can it be that what’s-her-name — the blonde wig girl who can’t sing but has Dallas Austin as her producer — was right after all? WAGA’s Dana Fowle went on the celebrity investigative beat to dig up the dirt on NeNe of “Real Housewives of Atlanta” fame. Over at Live Apartment Fire, Doug ponders whether that’s a good thing. Should I care? It’s kinda like a traffic accident; I’m fixated.

— Isn’t there just something about Nancy Pelosi that gives you the creeps? It certainly does for Politits, who has a few words of advice for the speaker of the House.

— When I think of city downtowns, I think of New York and Paris — you know, places that actually have nightlife and people in their city centers. Not the ghost town that is Atlanta. B King over at Terminal Station was downtown after a Hawks game, however, and says that for once it actually felt like a real downtown.

— And, finally, the lovely Sara at Going Through The Motions has discovered that Francine Reed is a guaranteed cure for the blues. She has a YouTube link to Frannie singing “Wild Women Don’t Get The Blues,” one of my favorites too.

Bookmark It

— The greatest pitcher of our generation — who happened to wear the uniform of the Atlanta Braves during the prime of his career — is scheduled to announced his retirement today. Former pitching coach Leo Mazzone told me one of his favorite Greg Maddux stories … there were guys aboard with first base open, and Bobby Cox went to the mound to tell Maddux to intentionally walk the batter. Maddux asked to have two pitches before they walked him. “On the second one, I think I can get him to pop to third,” he said. How could Cox possibly argue with a plan that specific? And, of course, on the second pitch, the batter pops up to third. Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci has an insightful farewell to Mad Dog on his “Inside Baseball” blog. Also, from ESPN’s Rob Neyer here.

—DriftGrift may have been taking it easy on the AJC’s Jim Wooten of late, but the sleeping dog is awakened for a new bite of “My Morning Wooten.” But DG, when a person doesn’t even get Clark Howard, it’s pretty hopeless. And I want to offer a “Morning Wooten” of my own: Jim, please stop with this “George W. Bush is another Harry Truman” bullshit. That’s like comparing Tom Thumb to Bill Russell because they both happen to wear shoes.

— Over at the Daily Kos, CLLGADEM dissects the Shameless One’s victory waltz back to the U.S. Senate. One conclusion is that paid advertising still trumps a ground game in Georgia. Another is that Jim Martin is just too nice. Good points, to be sure. But, hey, Martin was pulled into the race at the last minute and never showed any enthusiasm for the campaign. He just seemed dutiful. He also never articulated a vision for Georgia, and failed to give people a reason to jump on his bandwagon.

— Uh-oh. A Mercer University student has published an op-ed piece in the Macon Telegraph that declares it makes economic sense for women to stay home and do the housework. Amy at Georgia Women Vote thinks she’s having a Leave It To Beaver flashback. He’s young, Amy; someday he’ll realize that it’s really a woman’s world and they just allow us to play in it.

— And, finally, the fine ladies at Pecanne Log are back with their almost frightening crush on the young Mr. Wheatley. First, this. And then this. Ladies, please! Take hold of yourselves!

Bookmark It

— The state’s in financial distress, the city’s in financial distress and just about everyone I know has either been laid off or else walks around in fear of being laid off. So what’s to be done? How’s about we wipe out all the black colleges and merge them with integrated colleges? Erick at Peach Pundit thinks it’s an idea whose time has come.

— DriftGrift weighs in on that prospect and discovers what he thinks is a rare branch on the political motivational tree: Insanity. Or else a really clever Trojan horse ploy to put the Democrats back in charge.

— The election season’s finally over and the Big Sax Machine was peacocking on Fox News about how he’s single-handedly put the Republican Party back on course and how Obama’s reign of terror is really over before it hardly begun. Whew, talk about insanity. Decaturguy at Atlanta Public Affairs points out that Big Saxy is giving a self high-five. After all, he was the incumbent, he was up in the polls and he had more money; why is anyone surprised that he won? Doesn’t the fact that he was pushed into a run-off despite those advantages say more?

— Did Caribou Barbie carry the day for our shameless one? Hardly, but she did look hot in those campaign outfits that she was supposed to have returned weeks ago to the RNC. Over at Live Apartment Fire, Doug takes a deeper look into the infamous dead turkey video. It turns out the cameraman alerted her to the, er, work going on behind her. “That’s OK,” she replied. “Let people see where their food comes from.” Uh, no.

— Thankfully, as Andre notes at Georgia Politics Unfiltered, Mr. CEO is ready to rescue the Georgia version of the Democratic Party. Wow, I feel better already.

— And, finally, Gray at Left On Lanier has another lurid edition of the “world’s most inappropriate candy” Disney-style. Have a great weekend, bloggerheads.

Bookmark It

— Congratulations Georgia. We continue to go against the mainstream and managed to save democracy last night by withholding that 60th Democratic vote in the U.S. Senate. Where from here? Amy at Georgia Women Vote has already turned her eye toward the next big vote: Is there a Democrat in the house worthy of being Georgia’s next governor?

— Andre at Georgia Politics Unfiltered notes that two years ago, with virtually no money in his war chest, Martin got 42.3 percent of the vote when he ran for lieutenant governor. This year, with a substantial war chest and Obama’s troops behind him … he got 42.6 percent of the vote. That’s what happens when the only viable candidate you can find has to be pushed into the election like leading a mule to water.

— The esteemed Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight wonders if the shameless one hasn’t found the new path for Republican candidates. They can’t run on Bush’s record, they can’t run against Obama’s record yet. The Big Sax Machine spotlighted his “bi-partisanship” and Silver says Republicans may have realized it doesn’t promote their cause to act like assholes.

— At What Is Going On?, Wilson Smith offers his own post-election analysis and also has a podcast chat with DriftGrift.

— The author of the Daly Briefing is home from his stint in Iraq and pondering fate. There were certain things he didn’t blog about from the war zone, sometimes to protect his fellow soldiers and other times to keep friends and family members from worrying. Today, he discusses one of those episodes in which fate seemed to lend a hand to protect him from a mine.

— And, finally, Reporter-Cub notes the passing of one of America’s great singers, Odetta. It’s worth a look because he has a sound clip of my favorite Odetta song, the best version of “Midnight Special” I’ve ever heard.

Bookmark It

— How do you know it’s a Christmas season in hard times? When folks start tabulating the cost of all the items in “The 12 Days of Christmas.” Jason Pye has the expensive details for this Blue Christmas.

— And what is Christmas without local news stations covering the first official day of shopping? At Live Apartment Fire, Doug critiques the wall-to-wall coverage, including the reporter who did a story on finding a certain gift for her son. But is he gonna watch and figure out that his mom bought the gift, and not Santa?

— At Politits, DCup and her family are spendng the season dealing with financial calamity. They are looking for a new house and she frets over whether a landlord will rent to a couple in foreclosure. And, of course, who’s going to feed the birds that congregate around her country crib?

— Before we get to the real Christmas cheer, we have to elect a U.S. senator. Caribou Barbie comes to Georgia to stir up some good feelings about the Big Sax Machine. Andre at Georgia Politics Unfiltered notes that Palin’s hometown newspaper has criticized her for campaigning for such a “reprehensible Republican chicken hawk.” Ouch.

— At Blog For Democracy, lpackard takes us on the campaign trail with Jim Martin who, unlike Mr. Shameless, actually served in the military instead of ducking out of the draft because of an old football injury.

— Who’s going to win? Big Saxy has the money and the big-name Republicans shilling for his cause. FiveThirtyEight’s Sean Quinn is on the ground in Georgia and reports one major difference in the two campaigns: Martin’s local headquarters in Savannah were beehives of activity over the weekend while the headquarters of the Republican incumbent were open but virtually empty.

Bookmark It

— It’s Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving hangover where we begin the annual ritual of creating creative ways to use leftover turkey. Hopefully, we’ll be so tired of turkey by next Tuesday that we won’t elect one to the U.S. Senate. Sean Quinn of the great FiveThirtyEight site, did a compelling analysis before the Presidential election, based on what he saw at local campaign headquarters that he visited across the country. In short, Obama’s swirled with activity while J-Mac’s were largely either closed or deserted. Quinn is in Georgia and stopped by Martin’s office in Gwinnett County — Obama’s field workers were there with a beehive of activity. Can Jim Martin shock the world?

— The folks at Down Right remain confident the Big Sax Machine will roll to victory. He’s got the money, he’s got the world’s greatest Tina Fey impersonator coming down and there’s the annoying fact that Martin has all the charisma of a rock.

— All that has served to make the Sax Machine’s people more than a little arrogant. As Amy at Georgia Women Vote notes, the incumbent’s chief strategist has labeled Martin as “insignificant.” He also compared Martin to his dog. But does that dog have any bite?

— The media was all over the water shortage last year, but now it’s yesterday’s news. Funny thing, though. As Chad at Atlanta Water Shortage notes, Lake Lanier is about to reach an all-time low, which isn’t good news for those of us who consume its waters.

— And, finally, for those of you who still get your music from the radio, Gray at Left On Lanier has discovered a cool site for you. Type in your favorite station’s call letters, and the station’s play list is a click away.

Bookmark It

— The day before the best meal of the year, the feast that kicks off the season that inspires millions of diets each January. It feels strange to still be in the midst of an election cycle, but it’s heating up in Georgia. Or is it? Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight lends his expertise to the Georgia Senate race, and says Jim Martin is stuck in neutral. He started the run-off three points down, and he remains three points down. In order to take down the Big Sax Machine, Silver concludes, Martin needs at least one of three things to happen.

— Who to vote for? Jen B. at Blog For Democracy has already decided, as have most of us. But her reasoning includes the outrageous, an L.A. Times report on the treatment of U.S. soldiers who were injured in Iraq.

— Travis Fain brings that story a little closer to home at Lucid Idiocy. Meet Thomas Roach, 80, who is having to leave the Georgia War Veterans Home in Milledgeville because the state has decided to shut it down. That’s scandalous. Thankfully, we still have Sonny Boy’s “Go Fish” project to give us hours of fishing pleasure catching bass and brim soaked in our chemical-filled rivers and lakes.

— In the spirit of thanks, Reporter-Cub offers a compelling list of the things he’s thankful for, not the least of which are gasoline prices way under $5 a gallon and that Caribou Barbie is back in Alaska where she belongs.

— Doug at Live Apartment Fire gives thanks to television’s November sweeps, where local news directors go a little crazy with the gimmicks to get us to watch the six o’clock news. He has a YouTube gallery of some of the more insane reports, from here and beyond, that have polluted our airwaves.

— And, finally, the lovely Sara at Going Through The Motions is over her flu, although she’s still apparently suffering from delusional hallucinations. For example, she thinks the greatest 4th quarter comeback ever involved FSU and Florida. Of course, everyone knows it’s really the “Run, Lindsay, run” game when Georgia stomped Florida’s hearts in Jacksonville in 1980. But she’s a FSU alum and she saw the game when she was a sophomore, so we’ll have to excuse her on this one. Have a great Thanksgiving all you bloggerheads!

Bookmark It

— No paper likes to generate its own news, but CL did that this morning when longtime editor-in-chief Ken Edelstein was fired. Edelstein was the editor for 10 years. At his Cityscape blog, Steve Fennessy says Edelstein was let go after he protested additional cuts to “an already decimated editorial staff.” The loss of Edelstein is certainly a blow to Atlanta journalism, while CL owner Ben Eason struggles to bring his publishing empire out of bankruptcy. Former CL senior editor John Sugg also weighs in to Fennessy on what this says about the paper’s management and its future.

— There was also a major blow at the Weather Channel from their new bosses at NBC — as the struggling network was promoting its “Green Week,” the corporate beancounters fired the entire environmental unit at the Weather Channel. As pitiful a state as print journalism is in, television news is hurting as well. At Live Apartment Fire, Doug laments the death of whimsy, the kind of reports that Leroy Powell used to do so well. Stories that had no real news peg, but simply invite viewers see the world from a different perspective. And even when there is the occasional stab at it, such as WAGA’s piece on city dwellers who raise chickens in their backyard, it’s so “serious” that it’s no longer interesting.

— Speaking of inner-city chickens, the fine ladies at Peccane Log note that they used to see chicken bones up and down DeKalb Ave. as they walked their dog. Now, the bones have disappeared and all they see are discarded lottery slips. It appears that people have traded eating chicken wings for a wing-and-a-prayer lottery ticket. Another sign of the times?

— There are too many harsher reminders. At Politits, DCup writes very openly and movingly about walking the financial razor’s edge. Last week, her family filed for bankruptcy protection, and one of her initial emotions was a feeling of shame. That’s OK; the ones you have to worry about are the ones who feel no remorse. Let’s hope “the one” can turn around the economy once he takes office and stop the bleeding.

— And what of the legacy of the fellow in office right now? In his “My Morning Wooten,” DriftGrift gives wider context to a couple of more absurd claims proffered by the AJC’s resident conservative columnist. And says he can’t wait until Wooten attempts to define W’s legacy in positive terms. Perhaps it’s telling that Wooten hasn’t made a stab at that yet.

— Let’s not forget that we have a Senate run-off coming down to the wire. The Big Sax Machine had some heavy-hitters come into the state over the weekend and Andre at Georgia Politics Unfiltered has some of their fear quotes for our enjoyment. Doesn’t anyone discuss their own vision of the future these days? Or is it that they don’t have a vision, thus the fear tactics?

— And, finally, Dave at Rather Than Working gears up for the media’s obsession with all things Obama once he takes office. Like where Obama’s kids are going to school. But he leaves unanswered one burning question: which President served hot dogs to British royalty who visited the White House? Does anyone know?

Bookmark It

— The right-wing whackos will never give up. Like the email I got this morning from Janet (Folger) Porter of Faith2Action. See, the Electoral College doesn’t meet until December 15, so there’s stlll time to stop this Obama thing. He’s not even a U.S. citizen. Can’t we just wait and beat him four years from now? No way. In four years, we won’t be able to recognize what’s left of our country. The time for action is now. Oh, boy … The good news is that Obama is still our president-elect and, reports Amy at Georgia Women Vote, he’s keeping his campaign offices open in Georgia in order to help out Jim Martin.

— DCup isn’t bothered by the citizenship issue. As she writes on Politits, her concern is about trust and power. We entrust power to a president and after eight years of Alfred E. Neuman, her trust feels kicked around and abused. She has her fingers crossed that we won’t be fooled again.

— For Sid at Cracker Squire, there’s reason for hope. He likes Obama’s first two major decisions: his selection of Rahm Emanuel as White House chief of staff and his stance that Joe Lieberman shouldn’t be cast out for his case of man-love for Johnny Mac.

— How scared are the Republicans that Martin can upset the Big Sax Machine? Andre at Georgia Politics Unfiltered says the Republican National Committee is sending $2 million to help make sure Martin isn’t the 60th Democrat in a filibuster-proof Senate.

— Blog For Democracy predicts that the youth vote is going to be Martin’s secret weapon. The Young Democrats of Georgia have launched a campaign through places such as Facebook to get out the vote in the Dec. 2 run-off.

— And, finally, on a day when a former CIA bigwig visits the Wren’s Nest, they also get a call from a desperate grandmother. And then there was the pimp’s answering machine. Certainly a strange day for the house that Joel Chandler Harris built. But at least he was a certifiable U.S. citizen.

Bookmark It

— It may have felt like the first day of winter this weekend, but that didn’t stop a large crowd from gathering outside the Gold Dome on Saturday in support of gay marriage. Reporter Cub was there, with words and pictures.

— With the election of Obama as our 44th president, we’re seeing how far our country has come in terms of race relations … as well as how far we still have to go. At Left On Lanier, Gray talks about the “funny” email folks are sending around about Obama, and what it says about our attitudes on race.

— Things are beginning to heat up in the Senate run-off, which is bringing national political heavyweights to Georgia for the showdown. Some view it as right-wing whacko conservatives facing off against left-wing liberal pinko commies. It’s much more complicated than that, writes DriftGrift. And as a country, it’s time to come together with our commonalities rather than split apart because of our differences.

— No one likes to pay taxes. But B. King at Terminal Station points out that taxes are really investments in our future, and that politicians trumpeting their lower taxes have left us holding the bag to pay for all the infrastructure that’s starting to fall apart from age and neglect. It’s a case of “pay now,” or else “pay a lot more” later.

— I’m a big fan of WAGA-TV’s Suchita Vadlamani, even if I’m never up early enough to see her on “Good Day Atlanta.” She’s smart, has a great smile and is a very agreeable TV face to wake up to in the morning. But as Doug at Live Apartment Fire points out, she should leave the pole dancing to the pros. Sure, she looks hot in heels as she attacks the pole like a … you know … a stripper. Except, her “special report” on pole dancing never mentions that the roots of pole dancing go back to burlesque and strip joints. Just that it’s a great work-out. It’s also great eye candy. Of course, it’s all done in context of November sweeps. And for ratings, the sexy tease is in.

— And, finally, on the home front, Muskrat discovers the joy of reading fairy tales to his little Princess. Since she’s too young to read them herself, he feels free to “update” them with a more modern slant. Which leads his wife to ask when he decided the Grimm Brothers need to host a bra-burning party. The answer is priceless.

Bookmark It

— Sweet comic relief: Paul Bourn is now the Cynthia McKinney of the radical right. So writes Travis at Lucid Idiocy, where he also provides a link to a wickedly funny Daily Show bit on our U.S. Rep. who thinks the President-elect is the new Hitler.

— When I woke up this morning, I saw a little icon that read something like: “The election’s over, Palin’s gone and there are no polls to read; what will I do?” Very good question. Although Caribou Barbie is still running around making stump speeches, she no longer has sizzle. What to do? At Reporter Cub, there’s time to indulge. Everything you always wanted to know about the Hanged Man tarot card but were afraid to ask.

— Over at Politits, DCup is not only a blogger but she also depends on other bloggers for her “wearable art.” She shows off the way-cool jewelry that she purchased from Linda at Saoirse Daily, who has a meter that shows it’s only 66 days and 11 hours until Obama takes the oath of office.

— Once they finished getting pedicures with the young Mr. Wheatley, the fine ladies at Pecanne Log played journalists and conducted an interview with local artist Sarah Emerson, where they learn how pregnancy can stimulate creativity.

— Let’s send the lovely Sara at Going Through The Motions some love. Yes, Tina Turner rocked her world Monday night at Phillips Arena, but now she’s not feeling so well. A rough week at work and a sick co-worker can give you a knock-down, drag-out flu.

— And, finally, we may be in a post-election mode, but there’s always DriftGrift’s “Morning Wooten” to remind us of the world as it is. You know things are getting serious when he starts quoting Scripture. Have a good weekend all you bloggerheads.

Bookmark It

— Has there ever been a sillier television show than Real Housewives of Atlanta? Oh, let us kount count the ways. You can’t even call them “Buckhead Bettys” because none of them actually live in Atlanta proper. Local celebrity chef Richard Blais is keeping a blog on the show, that includes impressions on different restaurants the BBs visit, and he’s decided the show is missing one key ingredient: Drama. What? Isn’t Kim’s off-key singing, and her perpetual cigarette and glass of wine enough?

— It’s still political season in Georgia and, nationally, the right-wing conservatives are trying to regroup. DriftGrift has a thoughtful post on the battle between moderates and conservatives for the soul of the party. He also notes Rush Limbaugh’s quote that uber-conservatives want moderates to vote Republican but that “they can never be one of us.”

— And then there’s the Paul Brouns of the world. At Rather Than Working, Dave posts a letter he sent to the distinguished Congressman noting that there’s a big difference between objective opposition and just being plain stupid.

— The folks at Down Right were also taken aback by Broun, and say that comparing our president-elect to Hitler doesn’t accomplish very much. Instead, they write, let’s step back and assess how Obama handles all the burning issues he faces once he takes office.

— At Going Through The Motions, the lovely Sara also pleads for reconcilliation and partnership. And she’s also found a cool blog that tries to foster that spirit: From 52 to 48.

— And, finally, Muskrat shares the meaning behind Veterans Day, and what the little things meant to him when he was deployed to Iraq.

Bookmark It

— It’s Veteran’s Day tomorrow, which is set aside to honor the men and women who have put their lives on the line on our country’s behalf. Call a vet  and thank them for their sacrifices. At the Daly Briefing, our intrepid correspondent is back in the U.S. from Iraq. But he’s stuck in Kansas because of military bureaucracy. And will be stuck there a day longer because … well, federal offices are closed because it’s Veteran’s Day. Patience, patience.

— Strong words from Erick at Peach Pundit, who is tired of hearing Johnny Mac’s folks whine about the shortcomings of Caribou Barbie. After all, they’re the ones who plucked her out of a moose hunt to be the next vice-president, right? Erick is so pissed off that he has a petition to make Republicans who bash Palin official political lepers.

— The Republican Party is obviously in trouble and Newt Gingrich has volunteered to be the savior. DownRight is down with that notion, but not the idea that the party has to become more moderate. They argue that Johnny Mac ran as a moderate and lost, which is evidence the party has to turn even harder right. But, listen, don’t forget Newt has this little issue with, you know, family values.

— Left On Lanier also delves into the Republican Party’s post-election tug-of-war and points out that for the far-right wing, even Fox News has become too liberal.

— Georgia’s U.S. Senate run-off will be under the national spotlight. At Georgia Women Vote, Amy takes note that unmarried women came out strong for J-Mart and Obama. Will they come back for the run-off?

— And, finally, there can’t be a worse feeling in journalism than to pursue a story, miss it, and then see a competitor nail it. Live Apartment Fire follows the tale of the two Atlanta garbage men who chill out in East Point while collecting OT, and how WSB trumped WGCL in the local television news wars. But that doesn’t erase the fact that WGCL still has its ace in the hole: Dagmar Midcap.

Bookmark It

— Tuesday is history and history was made. Obama wants to unite us, but can he? On the one hand, one Republican-leaning friend confided yesterday that he’s now glad Obama is the president-elect. He was won over by Obama’s speech Tuesday night. On the other hand, someone else I know was gleefully showing off an email on his cellphone that had a picture of the Obama family set to the soundtrack of The Jeffersons theme song. Tacky, tacky, tacky. At Politits, DCup notes that she feels a bit bad for Caribou Barbie, but her tongue is firmly in her cheek.

— ATLMalcontent has a few random observations of the vote Tuesday and its aftermath. He notes the right-wing attacks have already begun. Rush has already referred to the president-elect as a “Chicago thug.” And I’ll bet he has that Jeffersons theme song on his cellphone as well. Yes, unification is a noble ambition, but …

— Still, Obama made “hope” one of his themes. When he mentioned the 106-year-old Atlanta woman who cast a vote for him, it reminded Amani at My Urban Report of his own 101-year-old grandmother.

— DriftGrift is back with a new edition of his “Morning Wooten.” He says Tuesday’s election seems to have brought back the conflict between “reasonable Jim and wacko Jim.” Uh-oh.

— Of course, on the local front is the stunning rise of J-Mart in the U.S. Senate race to push the Big SaxMachine into a run-off. Predictions are the Democrats are going to come in full throttle after Big Saxy. And he’s going to bring his own heavy ammo. Reports are Johnny Mac and Caribou Barbi may come to the Peach State to campaign for him … if she can figure out which continent Georgia is on. And Andre at Georgia Politics Unfiltered notes that the Savannah Morning News has already endorsed the Sax Man in the Dec. 2 run-off.

— And finally, one reason the Republicans got clobbered is they are selling fear rather than hope. And at the Wren’s Nest, they remind us that people once feared electricity. Even Joel Chandler Harris was worried that if he wore a wristwatch on the streetcar, the combination of the two might make him explode. So he came up with a very unique solution that involves a secret desk compartment. Don’t worry, Joel, your secret is safe with me.

Bookmark It

— And so “that one” becomes “the” one. As I type this, Barack Obama has just spoken at Grant Park and Springsteen’s “The Rising” is playing in the background. It is a song born out of 9/11 that now feels transformed and complete, just as this election has transformed our country and how we feel about ourselves. Like many of us, Amy at Georgia Women Vote, will always remember where she was when she heard the news.

— At Politits, DCup explains why she feels a sense of renewal and even hope. She talks about her experience standing in line to vote and knowing that she was part of a living history.

— Something we should never forget is how unique and special our democratic system is. Every president willingly gives up power based on the results of a popular election; there’s a serious number of countries where that doesn’t happen. At Left On Lanier, Gray waxes poetic on our election system with one sobering reminder: For Obama, the campaign was the easy part.

— For starters, there’s the Neil Boortz and Rush Limbaugh factor — these are people who get paid big bucks to be professional demagogues. DownRight reports on a Boortz visit to Macon. First, Boortz assured them that he really believes what he says. Hmmm, no defensiveness there. Then he launched into a anti-Obama rant that even made the folks at DownRight cringe: People who voted for our president-elect are so dumb they should have to pass a test in order to vote. How do you bring people together when blowhards like Boortz get paid to keep us apart? And all in the name of entertainment?

— But we can worry about that later. Right now, as DriftGrift notes, is a time for celebration. The last time he heard so many car horns sounding on Peachtree was win the Braves won the World Series.

— How did Obama pull this off? ATLMalcontent takes a probing look at the irony and bad decisions that led Johnny Mac’s campaign down the rabbit hole.

— And, finally, the scene last night at Manuel’s Tavern was crazed, reports the lovely Sara at Going Through The Motions. There was a traffic jam outside and people packed like sardines inside, cheering wildly every time Obama took a state. She eventually made her way to the Democratic Party’s bash at the Hyatt, where the scene reminded her of Dragon*Con. Today, Sara’s head hurts and she needs a nap. But she still picked out the perfect mood music for her morning hangover.

Bookmark It

— It’s the eve of the elections and I sense a vague restlessness. Elections come and go, but this one feels different. There’s anticipation and there’s unease, a collective holding of our breath tomorrow night until the results are in and we know for sure the direction our country will go. Life On The Q offers up their “Georgia Voting Guide For Queers,” complete with links to endorsements within the LGBT community. And they’re definitely looking for “that one” to take the election.

— That rings true for Catherine at Blog For Democracy, who notes the similarities between “T-O” and Matthew Santos, the president on West Wing played by Jimmy Smits. She says she used to watch the show and wish he was her real-life president. I never watched West Wing, but after Smits left office he became an assistant DA in Miami and decided to be Dexter’s running buddy. That show, I do watch. So I’m with Catherine, television character to television character.

— But what if some of us don’t get to vote? With the long lines and long waits for pre-voting, it seems possible that the volume of voters might overwhelm the polls. Which is why the lovely Sara at Going Through The Motions can’t understand why Secretary of State Katherine Harris (oops, wrong state) Karen Handel isn’t extending voting hours. And Handel’s excuse is lame — they’re doing exactly what she says can’t be done just a few miles up I-85 in North Carolina.

— Loved the moment is last night’s debate when the Big Sax Machine wagged his finger in J-Mart’s face. It was a great moment for Big Saxxy; he wouldn’t have had the cojones six years ago to do that to Max Cleland. At Down Right, the argument is made that it’s not the Sax Machine’s fault he’s lost a 20-something point lead. It’s just a sign of the times. Personally, I hope J-Mart has a metaphorical bucket of water and goes all Dorothy on him so we can collectively sing the “Ding-dong” song. Great tune for the times.

— According to Amy at Georgia Women Vote, the Bibb County Republican Party has asked Macon police for extra security at their headquarters tomorrow night. She notes that if things go as predicted, the DUI Task Force might make for a more appropriate option.

— And, finally, it was a gruesome Sunday for Left On Lanier. All he wanted to do was enjoy the Falcons pull out their can of whup-ass on the Oakland Raiders. Instead, he got bombarded by commercials. The Big Sax Machine dumps on J-Mart, followed by J-Mart dumping on Big Saxxy. Over and over and over. Where, oh, where does it all end? Hopefully, it all ends tomorrow. And if not, dude, get yourself a DVR.

Bookmark It

— Want to check out one of the best polling analysis on the Net? That would be Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight.com, and he has Georgia on his mind. He explains why, if “that one” landslides Johnny Mac in the presidential election, the Georgia Senate race becomes the most interesting election left on the board.

— It’s also getting down to trench fighting. Amy at Georgia Women Vote reports that one of her readers has received robo calls from the Big SaxMachine campaign, and another from the Georgia Chamber of Commerce on behalf of the SaxMan. And the topic of all those robo calls? Here’s a multiple choice:

a) How do we get out of Iraq?

b) How do we fix the economy?

c) How will the big guy make our lives better if we re-elect him?

d) Abortion.

Sigh.

— It’s endorsement time for DriftGrift, and he captures the sense of history that’s blowin’ in the wind. He also makes a couple of decidedly non-mainstream choices. Of course. It’s the blogosphere, not a robo-call, so that’s allowed.

— How tight is the presidential race in Georgia? At one point, “that one” had all but conceded the state. Now, Andre at Georgia Politics Unfiltered reports, the campaign is buying commercial time on local television stations.

— DCup is so into blogging that she’s created a second blog, Unglued, that focuses on the personal rather than the political. In the latest edition, the soccer mom overhears her daughter give a rather succinct, and potentially painful, anatomy lesson to her son.

— And, finally, it’s Halloween, the second best day of the year to be a kid. In the spirit of All Hallow’s Eve, which harkens back to a celebration of the riches of the fall harvest, the fine ladies at Pecanne Log take a look at Atlanta’s pagan roots. Druid Hills, don’t you get it?

Bookmark It

— The election is less than a week away and, somewhere, the real housewives of Atlanta are plotting “strategery” to protect their Benjamins from being spread around. But after last night’s fund-raiser fiasco, let’s hope their plans don’t include an A-List party to raise last-minute cash for Johnny Mac. At Politits, Dcup tells them where they, and those like them, can go.

— Spread the wealth … Joe the plumber wasn’t happy with that idea either and neither is Jason Pye. However well intended, he writes, it is a socialistic concept. Pye would rather see spending cut across the board.

— My favorite J-Mac quote from 2000, back when a maverick was really a maverick: “Sooner or later, people are going to figure out if all you run is negative attack ads, you don’t have much of a vision for the future or you’re not ready to articulate it.” Hmmm. Jill Chambers, a Republican in good standing, should take note. DriftGrift discusses her desperation tactics to keep her House seat.

— Halloween is near. People create ghoulish scenes. And … please keep the politics out of it. Amy at Georgia Women Vote is no fan of Caribou Barbie. But a noose around the neck of the clothes queen? Definitely not cool.

— Want a summation of the difference between J-Mac and “that one”? The lovely Sara at Going Through The Motions puts things into perspective with the tale of two Ashleys. I remember the Ashley moment. It’s when I began to swing towards “that one.”

— Another national tragedy that the pols seem to relish is the slow death of traditional journalism. And it’s not just newspapers. As Live Apartment News notes, WSB radio just laid off two of its most experienced news reporters. Has anyone noticed that Atlanta is a town teeming with unemployed, award-winning journalists?

—

Bookmark It

— Over in Iraq, the Daly Briefing is getting ready to come home. Which means it’s no time for complacency because that can get you killed. He makes a final trip down into a bunker when they hear explosions near their compound. When they emerge, they learn that a convoy with an Iraqi official was bombed. From the way the walls of the bunker shook when the bomb went off, he instantly knew people had died.

— On the local front, Georgia has become a battleground state as the polls show “that one” and Jim Martin have closed the gap on J-Mac and the Sax Machine. How’d that happen? While we all sat in gas lines — when there was gas — Sonny went on vacation (oops, I meant to say he went on an economic development trip) to Spain. And as Raleigh at Inside The Sprawl notes, Republican numbers had to go down every time Glenn Richardson opened his mouth.

— And, as Jason Pye points out, the Republicans do idiotic things. A prime example is how the AJC busted Sonny over the weekend because while state agencies are under a mandate to cut costs by six percent, he’s going full steam ahead on his own pet project: the $23 million “Go Fish Center” in Perry.

— With the races closing in Georgia, Bill Clinton came to Atlanta Saturday night on behalf of Martin, and Amy at Georgia Women Vote was there. She got up close and personal with Clinton, and was awed by his charisma.

— At Georgia Politics Unfiltered, Andre takes note that the daily papers in Macon and Columbus each endorsed “that one.” I ventured out into 770 territory over the weekend, and was surprised by the sparsity of political signs for Johnny Mac and Caribou Barbie. Is Georgia going to go Democratic in this election?

— And, fiinally, Amber Rhea checks out the new Waffle House museum so the rest of us don’t have to. And she wants to go back. Check out her report here.

Bookmark It

— Newt Gingrich was in Macon Wednesday, and Lucid Idiocy checks in on his various pronouncements. I remember when Newt was something of a liberal, back when he was a West Georgia College professor who played weekly poker games with a group that included Col. Bruce Hampton. Newt is proof that, like cats, politicians can have nine lives.

– DriftGrift adds a new feature, his “afternoon Jay.” And it kicks off with a $150,000 shopping budget for new work clothes. I did that with my last job. Didn’t you?

— But the lovely Sara at Going Through The Motions reminds us that Alaska is not exactly a high-fashion Mecca. I remember that from Northern Exposure, which was really filmed in Washington state, but what the heck? It was still one of the greatest television series ever. And Sara also points out that looking good is much more important for female candidates than their male counterparts. Touche.

— Poor D-Cup at Politits. She has the worst feeling ever: a co-worker who professes that they could never vote for a black man decides to cancel out D-Cup’s vote for “that one.” Don’t you just hate it when that happens?

— At the Wren’s Nest, there was a similar WTF? moment when a staffer of color began to lead a tour and a white person on that tour had a question and then a comment that has to be read to be believed. Let’s at least hope the tourist was from lower Alabama.

— And, finally, lost in all the election hub-bub … it’s almost Halloween. Which for me, means my annual birthday has arrived. For everyone else, it means trying to find that ever-elusive Halloween costume. But worry not. The fine ladies at Pecanne Log have got you covered with costume ideas galore.

Bookmark It

– The race between “that one” and Johnny Mac isn’t the only thing on the November ballot. Even beyond the race between the “Sax Machine” and “Big Ears,” there’s some more obscure, but equally important, questions to decide. DriftGrift gives the lowdown on Constitutional amendment No. 1, which preserves forests and who doesn’t want to preserve forests? But wait ’til you read the fine print.

— Sure, “that one” is ahead in the polls. But optimists thought Gore and Kerry were going to win, too. Can the Republicans steal another election? You betcha. Reporter-Cub ponders the possibilities.

— In Catch 22, there was the Major Major, who looked like Henry Fonda and never did much of anything. But at the Daly Report, there’s the one and only Sergeant Major. Daly’s days in Iraq are coming to an end. And he looks back at his favorite officer.

— DownRight, cries out, “Where have you gone Newt Gingrich? A lonely nation turns its eyes to you.” They also give J-Mac a reluctant endorsement.

— The lovely Sara at Going Through The Motions reveals that she is a Red Sox fan. She likes Greek food. She thinks she jinxes FSU whenever she shows up at a game (go to as many games as possible, Sara). But in her “this & that” post, she also has this sobering reminder: the state of Georgia will kill Troy Davis, who is likely an innocent man, next week. And whatever happened to American justice?

— And, finally, Left On Lanier has discoverd a candy that is the world’s most … well … you know … I suppose it all depends on your point of view. Is it tasty? Or tasteless? Either way, it’s definitely perverted.

Bookmark It

— Caribou Barbie’s appearance on SNL proves that she would have won the talent portion of the Miss Alaska beauty pageant if only she hadn’t brought out that danged flute. She even charmed Alec Baldwin. But as I wanted to tell the woman I saw wearing the over-sized “Palin Power” button yesterday, charm does not make a President. Or a VP. And in that train of thought, ATLmalcontent receives the “line of the day” award.

— DCup has a brief moment of pity for Johnny Mac at Politits in light of Colin Powell’s endorsement of “that one.” She says Bush not only screwed him over in 2000, he’s doing it again in 2008. But the polls are tightening and it’s too early to take things for granted. And considering what happened in 2000 and 2004, it’s not wise to make a foregone conclusion out of the presidential race. J-Mac’s not the only one who’s been screwed by the Bush regime.

— With the race tightening up and the gap between Democrats and Republicans growing smaller, even in Georgia, B King at Terminal Station writes that Georgia’s Democratic Party should be kicking itself for not fielding more candidates in the General Assembly races. Only 23 Republicans in the House even face opposition this year. What the Democrats need in Georgia is a strong leader to rally around, he argues. Problem is, there’s an acute shortage in that area.

— At Inside The Sprawl, Raleigh questions the logic of building a MARTA spur to the old Ford plant in Hapeville. Or at least building it before people actually turn up at what’s supposed to be Atlantic Station-South. Shouldn’t we be trying to put rail where people actually are? No, that makes too much sense.

— Atlanta television did an admirable job covering the suicide bomber who turned up at a lawyer’s office in Dalton, says Doug at Live Apartment Fire. Well, with one exception: WXIA apparently couldn’t afford the gas it took to send a crew to Dalton. It was the only local station that didn’t provide first-hand coverage of the tragedy.

— And, finally, either DriftGrift is transforming into a neocon in front of our eyes, or else the AJC’s Jim Wooten is transforming into a reasonable human being. It’s difficult to decide but, for the second week in a row, “My Morning Wooten” has turned into a love fest. With no vinegar.

Bookmark It

— The final debate between Johnny Mac and “that one” is in our rear-view mirror and Amy at Georgia Women Vote agrees with scores of pundits who think J-Mac came across as a pissed-off old codger.

— And Paula at Blog For Democracy has the best, and funniest, analogy I’ve yet to see. Plus a cool video to bring it home.

— DownRight makes the observation that conservatives are wondering how Obama is managing to pull ahead or pull close in most of the battleground states. One reason is J-Mac has run a bad campaign. But it’s also because the media has a man crush on Obama.

— Duane Moody usually writes about his favorite songs of the week on Fridays, and often includes a YouTube video. He’s angry because record labels are making YouTube take a lot of the music videos down, which is wrong-headed greed at work. One report I saw talked about a couple who videoed their three-year-old dancing to a song, and posted a 30-second snippet so their friends and family could check it out. The record label claimed the video violated copyrights. Now that’s just dumb.

— Speaking of which, Left On Lanier writes about a “pro-life day of silent solidarity” that was allowed in several local high schools this week. Essentially, if you’re against abortion, you don’t say a word all day. But what if the teacher calls on you to read your English essay to the class?

Bookmark It

— Sometimes, the world turns upside down. DriftGrift offers up another “Morning Wooten” and — shock, shock, shock — this time, he actually agrees with the AJC’s token conservative.

— Fortunately, Eddie picks up the sarcastic baton and runs with it at Chicken Fat. What’s good for General Motors is good for the country? Forget that, he writes, what’s good for me is good for the rest of country. He’s going on a supremely greedy buying spree and can’t wait for the government to bail him out.

— But who will be leading that government? Left On Lanier isn’t sure, but he does recognize a smear campaign when he sees one. He offers up a very funny home-kit for coming up with Republican talking points. Someone please forward to Caribou Barbie.

— Reporter-Cub supports a homeowner’s right to fight against “the man.” But his support ends when said homeowner paints his house in Florida Gator colors. ‘Nuff said.

— Ah, the good old days. Travis at Lucid Idiocy watched Mr. Smith Goes To Washington for the first time and came away flushed with both idealism and cynicism. The flick may have been made in 1940, but should be required viewing for anyone holding elected office.

— And, finally, it’s a bit of a shock that the fine ladies at Pecanne Log are only now discovering Richards Variety Store. There’s a new location in Midtown, and they were properly charmed by the little slice of Mayberry in the big city.

Bookmark It