Will Dale Cardwell try to outflank Saxby Chambliss on immigration?

Larry Peterson | Sunday, July 15, 2007 at 12:30 am


Maybe. Maybe not.

But this early in the exhibition season, it probably doesn't hurt to let folks know it's in your playbook.

Chambliss, Georgia's senior U.S. senator, is up for re-election next year. He leads all comers in the polls, but his popularity has dipped a bit, mostly because of the immigration issue.

Eager to help Georgia farmers keep their access to foreign workers, he helped lead a recent, ill-fated effort to broker a deal in the Senate.

In the end, Chambliss voted against the resulting bill, lamenting that it did too little to secure the border.

He took heat from conservatives for even considering a measure that would have granted amnesty to illegal immigrants.

But he seemed immune from political consequences.

A successful challenge in the GOP primary is unlikely, and Democrats seldom nominate folks who back crackdowns on illegals.

Enter Cardwell.

He's a former Atlanta TV newsman and one of at least three people seeking the Democratic nomination, or talking about doing so.

He recently teed off on Gov. Sonny Perdue for giving money left over from the governor's re-election campaign to a political action committee. PACs collect cash - often from special interests - and funnel it to candidates.

Under a recent State Ethics Commission advisory opinion, Perdue's transfer appears to be legal, although Cardwell says it didn't used to be.

But Cardwell's real target isn't Perdue. It's Chambliss, the guy he wants to run against.

Cardwell claims PACs, which contributed about one-third of all money donated to Senate campaigns last year, are a corrupting influence.

What does that have to do with Chambliss?

"Political action committees," he said at a recent press conference, "are the reason we don't have a secure border today. PACs leaned on ... politicians like ... Saxby Chambliss."

And, Cardwell contended, they told Chambliss to create an "amnesty bill" to assure donor corporations continued access to cheap, illegal immigrant labor.

Even though Chambliss voted against the bill, Emil Runge, Cardwell's spokesman, doesn't cut him any slack.

"He was pushing the bill," Runge said. "He did a press conference with (U.S. Sen.) Ted Kennedy."

Kennedy, D-Mass., was a leading co-sponsor of the bill and, of course, is the sort of guy some conservatives love to hate.

But let's leave the question of alleged PAC influence over Chambliss for another time.

The bigger question might be whether Cardwell would be any tougher on illegal immigrants.

Runge didn't answer that directly.

He did say Cardwell believes "the first thing is to secure the border" and make sure existing laws "are upheld and heeded."

Sounds sorta like Chambliss.

Sure, Runge says, but "Saxby was for amnesty before he was against it."

That's a faint echo of John Kerry's much-ridiculed 2004 claim that he voted for a bill before he voted against it.

But, as parliamentarians say, back to the previous question.

Will Cardwell go beyond Chambliss in pushing proposals to crack down on illegals?

It's too early to go there, Runge said.

Hmmm ...


Georgia's McCain backers soldier on

Despite bad news, John McCain's key Georgia supporters are digging in. Clint Murphy, of Savannah, a member of the GOP presidential candidate's statewide steering committee, says he's more committed than ever.

"Remember," Murphy said concerning the U.S. senator from Arizona, "this guy has overcome tremendous obstacles, starting with his more than five years as a POW."

Recently, McCain has hit more obstacles.

He's slipped in the polls, and money problems have triggered staff layoffs. Among those axed: Tucker Bounds, the contact for the Savannah Morning News and other newspapers.

Murphy said the committee talked to McCain through a conference call on Tuesday.

"We're all hanging in there," he said.

Murphy said the campaign's current focus is on South Carolina, New Hampshire and Iowa, where key early contests could give the winners momentum.

Meanwhile, he said of McCain's Georgia cadre, "we're lying low and keeping our powder dry" until closer to Georgia's Feb. 5 primary election.

Members are talking their man up and trying to build a network of supporters.

Murphy stresses that the primaries are a long way off yet.

"I still think you are going to see magic happen," he said. "As for me, I'll do anything they need. I'll drive the bus if I have to."

http://www.savannahnow.com/node/325215