Chambliss’s Win in Georgia Shows Obama’s Diminishing Coattails

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Atlanta features one of the best and largest number of universities in the United States.

Atlanta, GA of AK 4:47AM May 29, 2010

Atlanta features one of the best and largest number of universities in the United States.

Atlanta, GA of AK 4:47AM May 29, 2010

Chambliss almost won (well, by Georgia rules) even with Obama's Get-Out-the-Vote effort and with a Libertarian candidate getting several percentage points. Traditionally, those Libertarian voters side with the Republicans. Realistically, Martin really didn't have a chance unless the Republicans stayed home en masse, was was extremely unlikely... Especially since Georgians were fully aware that they could be putting in Democrat number 60. I know of plenty of people who either changed their vote for that reason, or stayed home altogether. This much more an anti-Dem. monopoly vote than a pro-Chambliss one.

M. Monax of GA 3:37PM December 10, 2008

Like another post states, this article is flawed in theory and after reading it one can only assume it is from the pen of a republican still bitter of the Obama/Biden win. Give it up. It's a done deal buddy.

Mary Lamb of MO 5:55AM December 05, 2008

Saxby's opposition to amnesty or "pathways to citizenship" (AKA amnesty) for illegal aliens is also popular and helped him win in Georgia. He has a rating of A+ from the group NumbersUSA on this issue. Opposition to illegal immigration remains strong, as evidenced by the fact that Georgia's fourth largest and fastest growing county is looking to join forces with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to help enforce immigration laws. It would be bad public policy and bad politics for Mr. Obama to try to gut immigration enforcement and push for a "comprehensive immigration reform" amnesty scheme.

Stan of GA 8:49PM December 04, 2008

There was an undervote of over 80,000 in the general election in Georgia -- that is, of all those Georgians who voted for president, 80,000 of them did not bother to vote for anyone for Senator. It's assumed they were people who felt had only one "hoss" in the race -- and obviously didn't give one flip about the rest of the election. Shame on them.
Not surprisingly, they didn't bother to turn out for the senatorial run-off, either.
It didn't help one bit that the national Democratic party pretty much wrote off Georgia in the presidential election. A real 50-state strategy? -- bullfeathers! I'm an active non-Atlanta-area Georgia democrat, and we even had to have our Obama yard signs locally printed. We worked hard. But there was limited support or interest in this state from the national party or Obama himself --they literally threw us to the dogs. But in spite of that, it was a relatively close presidential race here.
Similarly, I didn't expect Obama to set foot in Georgia and help rally the black vote for Jim Martin -- and he did not. That could have made a tremendous difference in the outcome. Of course he's a bit busy now -- and is taking the tack of being a bipartisan, centrist, in the interest of getting people together to get things done. Guess that makes sense, given the mess he's inherited.
Anyway, given all that, this lopsided republican win was entirely predictable -- I predicted it would be between ten and twenty points -- dangit, I hate winning those kinds of bets.
The national Republican party, on the other hand, threw everything and everyone in their effort to save Saxby -- and they certainly turned out their base, in droves.
Okay. I give up.

A Frustrated Democrat of GA 5:43PM December 04, 2008

Nowhere in the country is the FairTax so dearly loved than in Georgia. A growing number of other states, including South Carolina, Florida, Michigan and Oklahoma come close but Georgia has a whole lot of very passionate FairTaxers. Democratic Senate Campaign Committee ads distorting the Chambliss sponsored FairTax revealed how little DC political operatives understand about the growing grassroots support of this issue. It backfired on them and hurt Mr. Martin. He tried to ditance himself from the attack ads but then told Georgia papers that the ads were "true". FairTax.org hosted a "truth Rally" and invited Mr.Martin but he stayed home and Mr. Chambliss, Mike Huckabee, talk star Neil Boortz and others came. FairTaxers believe that pending FairTax legislation can save the economy by attracting huge foreign investment and by dramatically increasing take home pay (so people can pay mortgages). Congress and wealthy tax lobbyists believe (rightly) that it strips them of the ability to trade tax favors for contributions. It sets up a classic us versus them, Washington vs. hometown America struggle for which Mr. Martin ended up on the wrong side. Call it the "FairTax factor".

Ken Hoagland of TX 3:21PM December 04, 2008

Obama has a high bar of expectation, raised against the worst global financial crisis in history. Obama was INSTRUMENTAL in creating the crisis, what with his work with ACORN, and when the tide of popularity turns AGAINST him, all his crooked transgressions are going to start trickling out like an unexpected nose bleed, in the traitorous and fickle main stream media.
The office of the president really doesn't have much power to manipulate the normal business cycle (which may last 100 years or more) but as the chosen leader, the US president always takes the blame or the credit. A notable exception was Ronald Regan who actually IMPROVED the economy by cutting taxes and deregulation, etc. We're going to be hearing a lot more about him, in the dark years to come.
Obama is a political dead man, even before his first day in office. Wait and see.

Sam Barqes of TX 12:15PM December 04, 2008

"Blacks turned out in Atlanta and most of the rest of the nation to vote for a black man. Period. Most have no clue how government works other than what they can get from it."
I'm doing everything I can to resist the notion of whites from the Deep South as racist clods, but darn it Clyde, you're making it hard.
P.S. -- When it comes to getting from the government, I'd rather own a corporate farm, be a defense or Homeland Security contractor or have an high executive position within a bank. CORPORATE welfare is where the real money is.

Northern Pike of WI 12:10PM December 04, 2008

Whatever you may think about this article, the majority of Georgians are extremely HAPPY that Chambliss won. We DO NOT every want the specter that loomed over our country to happen. We may be a red state, but we enjoy freedom here that many states do not.
As for Obama supporting Martin, WHO ELSE would he support. He has to maintain a low level image right now because he is in the president-elect position and has to watch himself. BUT he sent help for Martin, didn't he!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Roxanna of GA 11:04AM December 04, 2008