A lot of us elected new local officials, and a lot of us just like to bitch about what our elected officials are up to - talk about them here:

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

Answers

Here's my bitch:

Ralph Reed, former head of the Christian Coalition and current leader of the Georgia Republican Party (which seems like a pretty big step dpwn the political ladder, to me) is useless.

I'm a pretty moderate gal, but my man is a card-carrying member of the Federalist Society. I tag along to most of the Georgia Republican events as there is usually liquor and good people watching. I decided to pass on a some kind of hoo-ha dinner tonight, though - it will just be Ralph Reed bitching about the Clintons and the new Georgia flag.

I mean, Ralph. We live in GEORGIA. You are head of the GEORGIA Republican Party. You're wasting time on the Clintons, who have nothing to do with anything in Georgia, and in the meantime, you're running a schizophrenic woman against our current governor.

Not my idea of a fun meal. Between the hoo ha over the Clintons and the tacky people they the GRP always has dressed as Johnny Reb, I can't see how these people think they will ever gain a major statewide office.

And it would be so easy - I mean, Thurbert Baker (atty general)? Mark Taylor (lt. gov)?? USELESS and so defeatable. Instead, he's running crazy people against the impossible-to-defeat Roy Barnes.

Max Cleland? Totally defeatable, if they groomed the right candidate. I swear, I'm a Democrat, but the ineptitude of the GRP drives me nuts.

(And thankfully, I was able to refrain from making a crack about Georgia's fine, fine fourteen-fingered Senate delegation. Because Zell Miller, mean hillbilly that he is, is doing a mighty fine job.)

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

Of course, you should only get to bitch if you voted.

Which I didn't. Not for lack of trying -- I went and filled out my nice little absentee ballot request form, and in response Fulton County claimed I was no longer registered, the DAY before the New York City elections. Mark Green is probably more pissed at them than I am for not getting back to me sooner.

Raise your hand, though, if you're awfully glad not to be within Atlanta city limits. I figured Shirley Franklin for a winner way back in June, on her charisma alone, but she's got a finger-in-every- pie past (and, in Atlanta, those are damn dirty pies) and a nasty task ahead of her. And what's up with her ex-husband? Sometimes it seems they split up just so he could get his hands on the airport money.

But yeah, the GRP is surprisingly incompetent for a state that's only gotten more conservative in the last decade. I'm surprised Newt's not trying for a comeback; he's been out of the public eye long enough to have done penance, and his military-fiction tendencies fit much better with 2001 than they did 1994.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

Ah, Shirley Franklin. I had to change my residence to Cobb COunty when I registered my car, or I would have voted for mayor of Atlanta.

The think with Shirley Franklin is that she is SO part of the Atlanta establishment. Bad airport deals, strip clubs, and a crap-ass sewage system. Robb Pitts (who is so self-important, he has two B's), is more conservative, but he is definitely lacking in moral fiber. In fact, had he been elected, I would be able to say that the mayor tried to cop a feel of my ass.

(And what is UP with the crazy woman who was running for mayor of Atlanta because she had received a message from God, only to drop out of the race and abandon her two small children on the side of a Kentucky highway this past Monday night?)

Anyway. The best thing Atlanta has going for it is Cathy Woolard, the new city council president. She kicks ass, she gets the job done (ie, city services), and she has no greater political agenda that she's using her current position to obtain.

But this isn't all about Atlanta, folks - I know y'all have got some crazy political things going on in your state!

(And PG, how miffed was I when I found out that I had inadvertantly missed an opportunity to attend a luncheon where Ann Richards - ANN RICHARDS! - was keynote? VERY.)

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

See, T, I spent forty minutes interviewing Robb-with-two-B's, and he went nowhere near my ass. This either means that (1) you move men to sin and lechery or (2) journalists are held in such low respect they're not even feel-worthy.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

Shirley Franklin. She had a hip-hop campaign song. I didn't vote, but I thought about it.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

I live in a city that enjoys electing anchormen as mayor.

Two news anchors, running against each other.

I'd much rather decide betwen two movie actors running for president.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

During the Atlanta campaign, I kept getting things from Shirley Frnaklin in the mail asking me to donate money. If I were to have donated $100, I'd be an official Shirley Franklin Sister Friend.

Keli, wasn't Jerry Springer once mayor of your fair city?

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

Yes! He was a news anchor first as well. And then he bounced a check from the city's account, that check being written for services recieved from a whorehouse across the river.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

If he's gonna be out whorinn', the least he can do it keep it real, Ohio style!

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

Heh. Well the city of Cincinnati and the county that surrounds it is run by an extremely conservative Republican Sherrif, not unlike the sherriff in Smokey and the Bandit. There are no whorehouses in this area of Ohio, none! All sinning is done across the river! You want oprn? You must drive halfway to Dayton or Columbus to buy such a thing. Titty bars? Hit the next county.

I did just about die laughing the other week though, when all the news stations were asking patrons of the Hillbilly Heaven bar to see their doctor for a TB test. But then, that wasn't in the Cincinnati vicinity, either.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2001

Of course, Keli, we need not mention the fact that Larry Flynt would have it some other way, eh? Hamilton County. Arguably, one of my favorite places to be, but. . .the politics! Argh. Y'all can just come up to Columbus for your smut needs.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

WG, have you seen this yet?

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

I'm moving from Columbus to the greater Cinci area in the next several months and I dread it. Cincinnati's a cool city, but the politics scare me. I was at Miami when the Mapplethorpe hooha went down. Cincinnatians up in arms over an art exhibit. Good lord. And the Springer thing....I so thought that was an urban legend, but it's all true. And that's astounding. I think I'm going to miss Columbus.

-- Anonymous, November 30, 2001

T, I just got the RCW story assignment for it.

Where do you go for local news? I've sucked the usual top three (the AJC, Creative Loafing, and the Business Chronicle) completely dry, and it doesn't seem as though there are any other alternatives, other than SoVo. At least not on the Web.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2001

Girl. Fulton County Daily Report.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2001

Also, try the Atlanta Business Chronicle. And the DeKalb News Era.

-- Anonymous, December 13, 2001

Okay, last question: what's the word on Vernon Jones? I'm getting a generally positive vibe on him -- when's the last time Dick Williams praised a politician known for environmental bills and domestic- partner benefits? -- but I'm curious.

-- Anonymous, December 17, 2001