Chambliss: "The Other Folks Are Voting"

Via John Cole, the Politico reports on Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss' candid assessment of what motivates Republicans in his state:

The Republican is outwardly confident, but there's urgency in his voice as he tours North Georgia, trying to boost turnout in his predominately white base: "The other folks are voting," he bluntly tells supporters.

Just in case anyone was confused about who those "other folks" are, Chambliss gave this quote to the New York Times:

The development is not lost on Mr. Chambliss. "There has always been a rush to the polls by African-Americans early," he said at the square in Covington, a quick stop on a bus tour as the campaign entered its final week. He predicted the crowds of early voters would motivate Republicans to turn out. "It has also got our side energized, they see what is happening," he said.

Former Sen. Max Cleland, who was beaten by Chambliss in 2002, expressed concern in an interview with the Huffington Post about a "white backlash" to Barack Obama in the South. But he also touted the "historic numbers in terms of registration, African-Americans and young people" that is changing the region's political landscape in "fundamental" ways.

Comments

[carex]

10:25 PM on 11/03/2008

Chambliss is an embarrassment.

A modern day George Wallace, deserving of scorn for his dirty tricks and bigotry.

[catsanddogs]

03:18 PM on 11/03/2008

After all the time and years spent writing him and getting back replies that sound as if he didn't even read what I wrote....I can now add racist to all the adjectives I use to describe him.
Hopefully this state will be done with him soon.

[Mike169]

11:30 AM on 11/03/2008

Save the white politicians!

[zg1968]

11:00 AM on 11/02/2008

This is why Georgia will always be a poor backward hillbilly state.

[sboucher]

10:35 PM on 11/03/2008

Ummm...seems to me you're revealing your own poor backwardness. We in Georgia are thrilled to be considered a swing state, and believe it or not, there's an awful lot of us that are thoughtful, intelligent, and very forward. Your statement is objectionable.

[fedupnVa]

10:42 AM on 11/02/2008

Sen. Chambliss is a bum. After what he did to a true hero, Max Cleland, he needs to be sent back to Georgia on a rail. It is not going to be a good year for old angry white men or their party.

[Kerris]

04:37 AM on 11/02/2008

"They see what is happening," he says.

Mygod. Not since I watched footage of voter suppression of "N.egroes" in the documentary Eyes on The Prize have I seen or heard such outright and terrifying expression of white fear of the black vote.

They. Those Others. They are voting. The implication being they are doing something wrong. Something underhanded. Something tricky. En masse.

"The other ones" must somehow be twarted....

Mygod what has this country come to?!

[frumke]

01:44 AM on 11/02/2008

52 yo white male in a batleground state (FL), and I am proud to say that my entire family voted OBAMA. That includes my parents in their late 70's. Hopefully we can turn this red state blue.

Regarding Mr. Chambliss, I'm trying to figure out just how backward is he??? If this is what he says in public, I shudder to imagine what he says in private.

[testerwebbdemocrat]

01:35 AM on 11/02/2008

Democrats, this is that 60th Senate seat. You could have it, if you're not too slow. If you would come off of just a little of that $100mil surplus you have, and bring the heat to Georgia, you can HAVE it, and get rid of this Rat Scum.

PS I voted in north ATL Wednesday, and I didn't see ONE person in line that was going to vote for Suxby. Literally every person I know (even my right wing boss) voted for Martin.

[planetjeffy]

11:24 PM on 11/01/2008

Chambilss represents the worst of racist American politics. We are beyond the "race thing" and Chambiss must go.

[morbie5]

08:17 PM on 11/01/2008

It's not just whites. What a surprise that in the deep south black people vote dem upwards of 90 percent and white people vote GOP upwards of 70 percent in presidential elections. Who would have ever thought people vote down racial lines in Georgia! At least Chambliss is honest about it.

It isn't just the south either. Rep Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick holds a seat in a district that covers parts of Detroit and parts of Grosse Pointe. Her district is 32 percent white and 62 percent black. I guarantee you it isn't the white vote that keeps her in office.

[BigPictureReg]

12:47 PM on 11/04/2008

You are slightly confused. You seem to be comparing the voting patterns of a minority group with the outright race baiting of a national level politician. These are hardly similar events.

Just when did African-Americans vote just color, where so often that is not the choice that is or has been available to be made?

When colorless action exists as an alternative on a ticket, African-Americans will exercise that choice, regardless of party. Saxby Shameless' actions are clearly not colorless.

Further, his party affiliation is not coincidental.

John McCain has refused to acknowledge family reunions where other members of the reunions are McCAIN slave descendants!!!! His brother Joe McCain attends these same reunions. John McCain has asked not to be questioned in public about these relationships.

You have only to view a comparison of scenes between the RNC convention and the DNC convention to comprehend the choices made by others that might someday become clearer to you.

WAKE UP!

[apwerner]

08:05 PM on 11/01/2008

I hate it when people keep saying that Obama voters are African-Americans and young people. There are many, many women, men, whites voting for him - myself included. I'm afraid the republicans are fooling themselves if they think this is the only group voting for Barack.

[LoRiseAntlers]

11:10 PM on 11/01/2008

Exactly.I live in a small town in Northwestern Missouri.There might 30 African-Americans in this entire county and about 50% of the county is for Obama,and the majority of that support is from people older than 35.

[bola47]

11:28 PM on 11/01/2008

old white jewish veteran here and i already early voted for obama. take that you racists in georgia!

[jacksinn]

02:10 PM on 11/03/2008

Thank goodness you are only talking about the racists in georgia because I'm a white guy living in Augusta who voted for Obama and Martin.

[lmvd3]

06:04 PM on 11/01/2008

Oh, you mean like "that one"?!? Well, guess what?
This white voter is voting for "that one", and so are millions of my white friends.

Obama/Biden 2008

[Dunelm]

05:54 PM on 11/01/2008

I am white and am sickened by the racism that is still around. Also, I am retired. It is time for our generation to get out of the way--the future is what matters--many Republicans are just not putting their country first.

[jeanne193]

05:31 PM on 11/01/2008

Saxby, I am a white person in Georgia, but where you are concerned I am proudly one of the "other folks." You know, the "other folks" who aren't jerks like you.

[Essentialboom]

12:37 PM on 11/04/2008

Well Said

[robeson]

05:30 PM on 11/01/2008

Sometimes a half a loaf is not better none.