Georgia Republicans Are Eating Their Young

Georgia Democrats may have perfected the art of the circular firing squad, but we have nothing on the Republicans. Over at Peach Pundit, they are bashing the Governor and one another with vigor.

Right now, on the heels of a legislative session that redefined the words "intra-party battle," they are working as hard to lose as they once did to win. There was a time when the Georgia GOP was masterful at having their fights behind closed doors and then presenting a united front. No more. And who gets to pay the price for their fight? The Governor and the taxpayers. The taxpayers get to pick to the quarter of a million dollar tab for the special session, and the Governor has officially assumed the position of the Georgia GOP whipping boy. Well, sometimes love affairs do end badly.

But, are they being more calculating than we suspect? What do they have to lose by making Gov. Perdue their punching bag? The answer is other than looking like hypocritical idiots, not a whole lot. Perdue doesn't ever have to worry about getting elected again in Georgia, and whoever thinks that Sonny will get the VP nod from the Republicans is reading my personal wish list. I mean, does the GOP really want to bring Sonny and his Oakey Woods baggage to the Presidential race? I doubt it. Besides, the South is not the place the Republicans need help. At least not yet.

No, it makes a world of sense that party insiders are beating up the Governor, and in the process hope to save the reputations of their future gubernatorial candidates, Richardson and Cagle. Sounds like vintage Rove/Reed to me.

The question is, what will Democrats do in response? We have taken some positive steps. This session, with a few exceptions, we did a good job of holding our caucus together. We managed to look positively sane as Richardson, Cagle and Perdue engaged in their threesome. Now, Georgia Democrats need to seize the moment, plan the strategy and walk through the giant fissure the GOP has created. Nationally, in the November elections, the Republicans did a good job of beating themselves. The same thing can happen in Georgia if we are willing to work together, raise money and allow them to implode.

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