Mark Taylor has chosen "The Big Guy" theme for his campaign, and today we learn that reference may have more to do with status than size. I haven't noticed any of those babies in his commercials having silver spoons in their mouths, but Mark Taylor apparently has one, and now his campaign says it helped convince an Albany bank to give him a million dollar campaign loan. First we thought it was a loan from Taylor, then we thought it was secured by a zero-face value life insurance policy. That made no sense. Now, today, we hear that the Taylor trust fund eased any concerns the bank might have had about being paid back.
How can a "Big Guy" who has lived with the safety net of a trust fund, someone who can walk into a bank and walk out with a million dollar check, know what it's like to be a "Little Guy" in Georgia? (And by the way, notice that there are no "gals" at all in this discussion.)
Most Georgians can't relate to what it would be like to have a million or more sitting in a trust fund, so I wonder how they feel about a candidate whose trust fund apparently helped leverage funding for his campaign? Could the answer to that question be why today is the first time we have heard about the trust fund-loan connection?
And where's Mark Taylor's voice in this? In fact, where is Taylor's voice in this entire campaign? I don't hear from him in his commercials. I don't hear him respond to these important and legitimate questions. I hear Miller. I hear Dent. I hear others affiliated with his campaign leveling the harshest of criticism at Cox. Today, we hear from Taylor's lawyer. (A move that actually made me pay more attention to this story.) But where's Taylor? Can he speak for himself?
If there's no problem with this transaction, then why didn't Mark Taylor fully disclose what happened from the beginning? Didn't The Little Guys have a right to know? Or is this just another one of those backroom deals "The Big Guys" make?
Friday, May 26, 2006
How Can Mark Taylor Relate to "The Little Guy"?
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10 comments:
If it's not Big Deal, then I have to wonder why the campaign's attorney is the one responding. Voters had a right to know about the nature of this loan, and the Taylor campaign was, shall we say, less than candid. The question now is whether we want a governor who doesn't know what it's like to be a Little Guy.
By the way, Sonny's no better, actually worse, on this score. Based on today's revelations, Cox is the only non-millionaire in the race, and guess what? Most Georgians will never see a million dollars all at once, and only a tiny percentage could walk into a bank and walk out with a million dollar personal loan. Want to criticize her for shining a light on this? Cox is telling Georgians what Taylor failed to reveal, and what we all certainly had a right to know and consider. Did he think that he was not going to be confronted on this? I've got to tell you, Jen, if I were a stock holder in that bank, I would not be thrilled to discover that this loan was made when the bank's financial picture was showing a loss over three quarters.
Cathy's support is deep and durable and will sustain her through the primary and the general election. It seems like the Taylor campaign thinks if they keep repeating that she's losing ground, it will somehow make it so.
Taylor spent his now controversial million on three weeks of television and made some gains in the polls. Big deal. Most Georgia voters are not even tuned into this race yet. When they do tune in, their going to find a lot to like in Cathy Cox.
"Cathy's support is deep and durable and will sustain her through the primary and the general election"
That's why she is being asked to return many of her former supporters' contributions.
Sonny Perdue = Bubba I
Mark Taylor = Bubba II
Bubba I > Bubba II
A vote for the visionless Bubba II in July = another 4 years of the reactionary Bubba I, who is one of the biggest Bush lap dogs.
Real Democrats shouldn't forget Bubba II's cry of,"Cathy's too liberal for Georgia." Don't reward Bubba II for using the word "liberal" like a Republican would use it.
"Cathy's support is deep and durable and will sustain her through the primary and the general election."
I think you meant to say Cathy's support used to be deep and durable.
getreal- Fair point, and I thought long and hard about that, but it appears that the gloves are off and that no one took me up on the cease fire offer. Besides, I don't think that my comments on this leave Sonny at an advantage: he's a "Big Guy", too, richer and no stranger to the backrooms of politcs. Plus, I think that it is fair game to respond to Taylor's campaign. How Taylor has handled this loan, especially the piecemeal way the detail were revealed bothers me as a voter. It smacks of backroom deals that I don't want to be standard practice of those who govern.
Tim and Decatur: I can't say that I know exactly how you feel, but I respect your positions. For what it's worth, I voted against the amendment, have spoken publicly in opposition to it and see this whole episode as a republican political ploy. And if it makes its way onto the ballot again, I will vote against it- again. Both from personal and professional perspectives, I hate the idea that our state constitution is being used to limit as opposed to expand and ensure civil liberties. This is obviously a wedge issue that has already worked: it threatens our best hope to unseat "Sunny Perdooo." It's that last part I think we have some control over.
I continue to support Cathy because I do still believe that on other issues like healthcare, education and public safety, she offers the best opportunity to help lead Georgia out of the proverbial cellar. I think that another Perdue administration would be devestating to this state. I can't imagine what he would do if not checked by the desire for re-election. We see what his buddy Bush did. And I can't see Mark beating him in November. Can you? Remember the Rat ad? Can you imagine what Perdue is going to do to Taylor? He'll make our little bantering seem like child's play.
If the loan isn't an issue, then why has the Taylor campaign repeatedly changed their story on it? Even Bill Shipp on "Georgia Gang" questioned why were we first told that it was a simple personal loan? Next thing you know it was secured by a life insurance policy but then it was found that the life insurance policy had no cash value. Then it changed to something else, then to something else. If everything's on the up and up, then why lie about it not once, but at least three times?
The fact remains. Every day, ordinary Joe Citizen, regardless of creditworthiness, can't walk into their hometown bank and secure a loan under those same circumstances.
Jo, I realize that you don't know anything about how to secure a loan. Which is maybe why you're so willing to overlook the fact that this is highly unusual, as is the fact that Taylor has been caught in a couple of lies here.
Do yourself and Mark a favor, learn a little something about substance so that you can at least prop up the rhetoric that you've been taught to spout by the Taylor campaign. This isn't a race for class president here.
So, I'm a prick? Just because we don't see eye to eye on this race? You like to dish stuff out, but then you can't seem to take it. when someone questions you. That's really mature, Jo.
Keep it up. You only make our job easier. Because despite what you said, it's you who is hurting your candidate. You've got a lot of growing up to do.
Someone really should pull you aside and commend you for your passion for politics. But they should also encourage you to work in a more positive way. That's the problem with smear artists like you and Kimberly. No one will ever take you seriously until you actually debate substance - not emotion. You're being a detriment to Mark Taylor and even more so to the Democratic party.
Oh and Jo........more people like Cathy Cox than will ever like you or I. Don't believe all of the campaign rhetoric, because you'd better believe it when I say that Mark Taylor himself knows Cathy's got a great record of service.
Even if she loses this race, she's going to get over 40% of the vote - that's a lot of folks. Many of which she's personally affected in some positive way. And you would desperately need those folks in Nov. or Mark Taylor has no shot at winning.
So, I don't know what your personal vendetta is against Cathy. But one thing you're going to learn about politics is that there are all sorts of candidates and issues that bring people together - even those you might disagree with strongly. Today's enemy camp might be your best friend two years from now. It's never wise to burn bridges. Because one day, you might actually need Cathy's support or my vote.
And like it or not, Cathy's going to be a dominant force in Georgia's Democratic politics for many, many years to come.
But if you're going to go in tossing out accusations of racism (as you've done towards Cathy on another blog) or resort to name calling, then you're going to have to expect a negative response.
Peace.
Ok Jo, I tried. Have a nice life.
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