Fresh Loaf

NOT FUNNY Aides recently told Obama about our unicorn cover

Tomorrow, CL staffers will hunker down in front of TVs and laptops to witness and participate in a historic moment in our nation’s history — Rick Warren leading a large crowd of people in  prayer. No wait, I mean, we’ll be liveblogging the inauguration of Barack Obama, the nation’s first African-American president!

If you’re stuck at work or sitting at home and looking for a place to comment, make snide remarks, celebrate, or even commiserate, this is it. We go live at 10:45 a.m. and plan to type until we’re so full of hope and change we’re inspired to become decent, law-abiding citizens.  We’ll have polls, funny photos of large men on mopeds, and maybe even some special guests. (Vernon Jones, call us back!)

It’s been a long eight years. And the next four — hopefully eight? — will be tough. But regardless of your politics, it’ll be a ceremony you won’t want to say you missed.

(Photo by Joeff Davis)

Bookmark It

President-elect Barack Obama today is traveling by train from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. for Tuesday’s inauguration. And “Georgia 300,” the train car carrying Obama and his family, has Georgia roots.

From the Associated Press:

The car was first built by Pullman Standard for the Southern Railway, when the car was known as the General Polk and used by railroad officials.

Georgia Railroad later acquired it in 1954, and [John Heard, the car's current owner], who is president of First Coach Rail Inc., bought it in 1986. It was a prized purchase for a man who recalls seeing the car as a boy in Atlanta.

Heard has made a series of electrical and plumbing upgrades to the car over the years.

“It had deteriorated and I completely rebuilt it,” said Heard, of Fernandina Beach, Fla.

Here are some interior shots of the train car.

(Photo by Tony Bucca used with permission)

Bookmark It

Jeez, guys, didn’t you read that he was taking a train to Washington, D.C.?

The Georgia Public Interest Research Group has just released its analysis of the state Department of Transportation’s wishlist for President-elect Barack Obama’s proposed stimulus funds. And the group says the state agency’s list favors asphalt over rails.

The Georgia Department of Transportation’s wish list requests:

• Georgia would spend only 34.3 percent of funds on public transit/intercity rail projects.

• The state DOT has allocated 69 percent of the two billion dollar highway project funds to the maintenance needs of the state’s infrastructure. This is a higher portion than most other states but would still leave many bridges and roads in a state of disrepair while building new highways.

• GDOT also lists three bike/pedestrian projects in Fulton County: West End Rail Multi-use Trail ($2.2 million), Fourteenth Street ($7.6 million), and Downtown Atlanta Pedestrian ($6.7 million).

There are some worrisome aspects to these high-dollar and ambitious wishlists, too.

(more…)

Bookmark It

The Washington Post reports President-elect Barack Obama has asked CNN’s Sanjay Gupta to become the next surgeon general. Gupta, who does a commendable job performing heart surgeries neurosurgery (thanks, mom!) when he’s not practicing journalism, lives in Atlanta with his family.

From the Post:

Gupta has told administration officials that he wants the job, and the final vetting process is under way. He has asked for a few days to figure out the financial and logistical details of moving his family from Atlanta to Washington but is expected to accept the offer.

UPDATE: Rick Sanchez has been asked to accept the role of New Media Czar. Wolf Blitzer to become deputy undersecretary of beards! We just might get some Atlanta folk in this administration!

(Thanks to Andisheh for bringing this to my attention.)

Bookmark It

According to Stateline, cash-hungry zombie politicians are already tossing ‘bows to compete for “Obamabucks” — the huge pile of at least $500 billion the president-elect hopes to dole out for infrastructure investments that he says will spur the economy. And cities and counties want the bulk of the loot.

The disagreement over the stimulus money partly reflects the increased tension between state and local governments during a worsening recession.

Many city and county leaders already are upset at state officials who are slashing aid to local governments to cover budget gaps. Their anxieties over being shortchanged were heightened Dec. 2 when 48 current and incoming governors met with President-elect Barack Obama to ask Obama to direct much of the stimulus money to states.

….

“We must make sure that the funding is spent quickly, and not stuck in federal or state bureaucracies,” said Miami Mayor Manny Diaz, president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The mayors have submitted a $90 billion infrastructure plan to the transition team.

State officials doubt that channeling the money to cities and counties would save time. More to the point, they believe that state governments should oversee the money, because they can determine transportation priorities for the entire state, not just one area.

According to some reports, the Georgia Department of Transportation is asking for $3.4 billion from the incoming Obama administration. In Atlanta, Mayor Shirley Franklin has requested assistance for sewer repairs and the Beltline, among other projects.

Bookmark It

No one loves “free” money more than state and local governments. And Georgia’s are no exception.

Anticipation surrounding  President-elect Barack Obama’s $500-billion proposal to re-invest in the nation’s infrastructure continues to build, and cities, counties and states are already starting to drool.

In Georgia, the state DOT has already outlined $3.4 billion worth of road, bridge and rail projects — including more than $1 billion for cash-strapped MARTA.

After the jump, read about some of the projects Peach State lawmakers hope the incoming president will deem worthy of the taxpayer coin. We’ll have more on Atlanta’s potential projects later, as well as some interesting thoughts from one Democratic insider who says we — or more like some of our elected officials — may have already shot ourselves in the foot when it comes to trying to kiss Obama’s ring. (If you’d like to know what’s on the wish lists of 427 U.S. mayors, including six in Georgia, visit this PDF.)

(more…)

Bookmark It

Latest rumor coming over the transom is that Pres.-elect Barack Obama may name a former Georgia governor U.S. Attorney for the state’s Northern District.

While that in itself is pretty eye-opening, it’s surely not music to the ears of some state politicos. Word is one in particular has been lawyer-shopping. Even we are not crazy enough to name names on that one.

Anyone have some good-ole fashioned speculation they can add?

Bookmark It

The Associated Press reports:

CHICAGO — President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday named New York City housing commissioner Shaun Donovan to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development, turning to a former Clinton administration aide with a national reputation for developing affordable housing.

Donovan’s appointment was something of a surprise. Most speculation has centered around Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, Miami Mayor Manny Diaz or Bronx borough President Adolfo Carrion Jr.

Atlanta Housing Authority CEO Renee Glover was rumored to be on a shortlist for the cabinet position.

Bookmark It

Polling organization Rasmussen Reports says:

The majority of voters in Georgia (53%) say Republican Governor Sonny Perdue is not doing enough to help them through the economic recession, though he still earns fairly positive reviews.

The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey in the state found that one in four voters (25%) say the governor is doing enough for Georgians, while another 22% remain undecided.

…

Still, more than half of voters (57%) approve of the way Perdue is handling his job as governor, while 39% disapprove.

The menz like duh govnuh. The ladies say “meh.” Also:

The early frontrunners among Republicans for the 2010 governor race in Georgia are Casey Cagle and John Oxendine. Cagle is currently serving as lieutenant governor, and Oxendine is the state insurance commissioner. Both men are favored by 14% of Republicans.

Among Democrats, former Governor Roy Barnes leads the pack of 2010 contenders with 28% support. Twenty-two percent (22%) of Democrats would consider voting for Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin for governor.

Check out the full rundown of responses. Among them: Barack Obama will do a better job as president than George W. Bush and native son Jimmy Carter.

Bookmark It

Got plenty of links to go with that freshly roasted Honduran coffee … mine that is…

Nafiza “Soulja Girl” Ziyad is asking a judge to drop her charges related to her now infamous freestyle battle with an elderly, gray-haired lady riding MARTA. The defense motion cited in the AJC says the video, which went viral and has been watched over 600,000 times, “exposed her to extreme distress and embarrassment.”

Wait till she sees the REEEMIX:

–

• Jury deliberations begin in the Brian Nichols case.
• Not all are opposed to Gwinnett County’s mandatory recycling program.
• Braves GM Frank Wren busy talking deals on day one of Baseball’s winter meetings.
• More Clayton county students could find themselves in single-sex classrooms next year.
• Illinois Guv arrested on corruption charges.
• Five suspected 9/11 planners recant their offer to confess.
• President-elect Obama’s plan to bring broadband to the masses is hailed all over, and his web 2.0 press machine is all over it (the praise, that is).
• If media were complicit in hyping the housing bubble that drove the economy in the last five years; are they being complicit in making things seem gloomier than they really are now?
• More Media Briefs: Jay Leno to stay at NBC … Arianna Huffington is IWM’s person of the year … Time’s top 10 magazine covers of the year.
• Just because: Remember in Back to the Future when Marty McFly goes into Doc Brown’s house and the automated robotic arm drops another can of dog food onto Einstein’s bowl, which was already overflowing? … Feed your dog with an iPhone.

Bookmark It

Rumors are like carnivorous pigeons — it’s best to shoot ‘em down before they cause trouble. (ba dum bum)

There’s been talk in some circles that Bev Scott, CEO and General Manager of MARTA, might leave the transit agency to take a position with Pres.-elect Barack Obama’s administration. Scott, a 30-year transit veteran, joined MARTA late last year and was a sought-after talent — so much so that the agency’s board paid $455,609 to former GM Richard McCrillis to step down early. In October, she was elected chair of the American Public Transportation Association.

Last night at 8:30 p.m., Scott — who was still at work — returned a call I placed to ask her about the rumors. She left this voicemail:

Hi, Thomas, Bev Scott of MARTA, here. I’m not interviewing for a position in the Obama administration. I don’t want to suggest — I have had several people that have contacted me, I’m not trying to suggest it was Pres.-elect Obama (laughs) — but they’ve talked to me [to see] if I had an interest in being considered for something.

You got me here in Atlanta (laughs). I said this was my last system and I’m gonna give it everything I can. I love the region and the people. We got a lot of challenges in front of us. I’m not getting it started and not seeing it through. Thank you very much for the call. Not doing any interviewing for anything. OK, take care, sir. Bye bye.

Bookmark It

Incoming White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is known for his street-smart tactics and now, his sense of humor. He’s also missing a part of the most expressive finger on his right hand thanks to an on-the-job incident at  Arby’s. (Seriously.)

Earlier today, someone posted this image on the Tumblr social network, adding that it was sent by a friend who works on The Hill in D.C.

Emanuel’s offices were closed for the Thanksgiving holiday so we couldn’t confirm if this was his handiwork. If it’s a prank, well played, my Beltway friend!

(Screenshot from Tumblr)

Bookmark It

It’s not a visit from Pres.-elect Barack Obama to help U.S. Senate Democratic nominee Jim Martin, but it’s something. Below, listen to the ad that’ll brainwash every single Georgian over the age of 18 to visit the polls on Dec. 2 and vote for Martin in his runoff against incumbent Republican Saxby Chambliss.

It might now be safe to say the Peach State won’t be getting a visit before the runoff. The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza interviewed several anonymous Democratic operatives who say that a visit to Georgia may just not be worth the political risk.

I know, I know. I too am feeling a little…I don’t know…empty. But we’ll carry on, my fellow Atlantans. Be strong. Take comfort in this photo of a kitten.

Bookmark It

Former presidential candidate Fred Thompson has endorsed U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss in his runoff race against Democratic candidate Jim Martin. Big surprise there, eh?

But there was also this in the e-mail announcement, sent to reporters by Chambliss’ campaign, by Will Andrews of Thompson’s PAC:

The Georgia seat is key to all of these battles and many more. Barack Obama is going to Atlanta to drum up support for his Democrat candidate. The unions and ACORN and every other left-wing group is on the ground working night and day.

Night and day! Eating only Socialist food rations that we’ll all riot over on Jan. 21, 2009. Yo, Will! Let us know when Obama’s coming, please. Everyone here is saying it’s unlikely.

Bookmark It

The blog Strange Maps lays a map of southern cotton production in 1860 atop a map of county-level Presidential election results from November 4:

(Hat-tip: Andrew Sullivan)

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

U.S. Rep. Paul Broun, R-Athens, last week compared President-elect Barack Obama to Adolf Hitler. He was responding to a July 2 speech in which Obama proposed expanding the Foreign Service, Peace Corps and Americorps.

“[W}e’re going to grow our Foreign Service, open consulates that have been shuttered, and double the size of the Peace Corps by 2011 to renew our diplomacy.

“We cannot continue to rely only on our military in order to achieve the national security objectives that we’ve set. We’ve got to have a civilian national security force that’s just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded.”

—    Obama’s speech in Colorado Springs

Right-wing pundits and bloggers have quoted the phrase “civilian national security force” to insinuate Obama wishes to assemble an oppressive national police force.

“That’s exactly what Hitler did in Nazi Germany and it’s exactly what the Soviet Union did. When he’s proposing to have a national security force that’s answering to him, that is as strong as the U.S. military, he’s showing me signs of being Marxist.”

“You have to remember that Adolf Hitler was elected in a democratic Germany. I’m not comparing him to Adolf Hitler. What I’m saying is there is the potential.”

— Broun, as quoted in a Nov. 10 interview with the Associated Press. He later said: I regret saying it that way” but “ do not apologize for stating the obvious.”

Bookmark It

(h/t to Scott Freeman’s post on this here Fresh Loaf blog )

Bookmark It

As results came in election night, some conservatives were warning that Barack Obama’s presidency would prove a disaster for America. The morning after, talk-radio hosts and bloggers echoed those concerns.

“To me, it feels like the devastation of 9/11 again. And I feel like I just want to say to everybody, ‘Welcome to the end of America as we know it.’”

— Republican Zoe Walker, interviewed by GPB News at Sen. Saxby Chambliss’ campaign party

“Some of you people really drank the Kool-Aid. This guy is just a shyster who was born in Kenya. I’m not going to partake in this affront to my sensibilities. I refuse. Kumbaya my ass.

— Election-night comment left by “gamefan” on PeachPundit.com

“If you look at Nazi Germany, how many Jews said, ‘Oh, c’mon he won’t do that?’”

— Radio host Glenn Beck, warning listeners about Obama’s agenda

Bookmark It

In what is widely considered a colossal display of bad taste, Murfreesboro Post columnist Stephen Lewis has compared Barack Obama’s ascent to the presidency to the “movin’ on up” jingle from “The Jeffersons.”

Both Romenesko and Gawker have called out Lewis on his idiotic column. The Gawker post also alludes to a similar though unrelated display of alleged racism toward Obama, this one with Georgia roots.

Bookmark It

Peach Pundit has a post about the death of Zoo Atlanta’s pregnant elephant, likening the tragedy to the devastation that befell the Republican Party on election night.

In other news, a donkey assumed dead in a catastrophic 2004 landslide (well, not really) was discovered alive and grinning late Tuesday.

Bookmark It

Due to technical difficulties, I wasn’t able to take part in last night’s live blog, so I’ll recap some of observations from the Democratic bacchanal at the downtown Hyatt. As I arrived, the Rev. Joe Lowery was onstage offering encouragement to an excited crowd in a downstairs ballroom. I was told Senate candidate Jim Martin had stopped by a little earlier and that I’d just missed Mayor Shirley Franklin. I was surprised Shirley had left before the election was called, but her son, Cabral, told me she was helping babysit his kids. I guess after a hard day as mayor, it’s nice to go home and just be grandma.

However, I did see state Attorney General Thurbert Baker; DeKalb CEO-elect Burrell Ellis; Atlanta Councilman Kwanza Hall; Fulton County Commission Chairman John Eaves; and state Senate Minority Leader Robert Brown, D-Macon. In an unexpected sighting, former Fulton Commissioner Michael Hightower — who spent some time behind bars a few years back for taking bribes from a developer — was making the rounds and shaking hands. A relieved-looking U.S. Rep David Scott, fresh from re-election, came in just after the presidential race had been called for Obama, as the DJ played “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now.”

A little later, I found myself sipping scotch in the Obama suite while watching McCain’s concession speech next to former Congressman Buddy Darden. Also there were state Sen. David Adelman, D-Atlanta, who chaired Obama’s Georgia campaign, and fellow Sen. Doug Stoner, D-Smyrna. Both had cruised to election earlier in the day.

Back downstairs, a giant conga line had formed as ecstatic Democrats celebrated the historic victory. Hanging at the back of the ballroom, just watching the revelry, was Clayton County Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell, looking dapper as always. Leave it to Eldrin to find the happenin’ party.

Bookmark It

Ann Louis Nixon Cooper, the 106-year-old Atlantan whom President-elect Obama referred to in his victory speech, turns out to be quite a lady.

The Shelbyville, Tenn., native moved with her dentist husband to Atlanta in 1922 — when she was either 19 or 20. She knew W.E.B. Du Bois, John Hope Franklin and other 20th African-American intellectuals. She also was active in community activities, including a tutoring program at Ebenezer Baptist Church.

Obama used the sweep of Cooper’s life to launch into a call-response evocation of his “Yes We Can” mantra:

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America — the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

Bookmark It