Let's Help Jim Martin in Georgia

While the biggest part of this November's historic election is over for the nation it is not over here in Georgia. We have a run off between the bastard Saxby Chambliss and Jim Martin.

It will be enough for me to see Saxby Chambliss defeated just because of what he did to Max Cleland in the Georgia Senate Election in 2002. Using Max Cleland's support of unions for the Department of Homeland Security workers as an excuse Chambliss ran what is arguably the most disgusting and insulting ad against Cleland. Max Cleland is a triple amputee from Vietnam and the ad accused Cleland of being unpatriotic and showed him alongside pictures of Saddam and Osama bin Laden. It is widely held that the ad was the primary cause for Cleland to lose his Senate seat to Chambliss.

Here's what Senator John McCain - like Cleland, a man who suffered a horrific ordeal in Vietnam - had to say about Chambliss' ad back then:

"I'd never seen anything like that ad. Putting pictures of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden next to the picture of a man who left three limbs on the battlefield -- it's worse than disgraceful. It's reprehensible."

Reprehensible though it may be, it was apparently not enough to stop Senator McCain from campaigning with Saxby Chambliss.

McCain (R-Ariz.) will come to Georgia on Thursday to help Chambliss. Though details were still being confirmed Monday morning, McCain will likely appear in Cobb County on Thursday afternoon. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee will also come to Georgia for Chambliss, and an invitation has been extended to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who has not confirmed.

It's very sad to see this from McCain. As he said, what Chambliss did in attacking Cleland's courage was reprehensible. And it should be condemned, then, now and forever.

I should also note that Saxby Chambliss is no friend to veterans. His contempt for veterans in the political arena is matched only by his opposition to them on the floor of the Senate, voting against funding for the new GI Bill, traumatic brain injury research, proper amounts of time between deployments, and dozens of other initiatives. Not only does he not support veterans but he most conveniently recieved six deferments from doing his part in Vietnam.

Now, Chambliss is facing Jim Martin, an Army veteran who served one tour of duty in Vietnam. Neither candidate reached 50% in the November election, so there is a December 2 runoff scheduled. Barack Obama is sending aides to Georgia to work on the campaign, which will undoubtedly come down to turnout. The more ads that Jim Martin can run will be a bigger turnout for him. We really need to put Chambliss in his place.

You should also consider that a Democratic win in the Georgia Senate race was not predicted but a win by Jim Martin would put us one step closer to a Super majority and it would neutralize Joe Lieberman. Enough Democrats in the Senate and the representation on the Homeland Security committee might be changed enough to the Dem side to put any chance of Holy Joe launching a jihad against Obama impossible. Think about it.

So so this Veterans' Day, support our veterans and our military by supporting Jim Martin. Show that Chambliss' attacks against those who have given so much for their country will not be tolerated.

On the web:
Jim Martin for U.S. Senate