Governor Kemp gets out his pen to sign or veto bills the Legislature sent him in the past few months. But some of those new laws mean he’s got some major future homework. Meanwhile some other Republicans and quite a few Democrats are already thinking about their political futures. And…oh, yes...there was that Tiger guy and his win for the ages in Augusta. It's tee time for another Political Breakfast! WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer returns with Brian Robinson, a Republican strategist, ...
Apr 19, 2019•46 min•Ep. 35
Georgia’s legislature lurched to its close for the year. So, as the old saying goes, it’s all over but the shouting. But there’s plenty of shouting--about everything from abortion, to the new election machines, to medical marijuana. And the Gold Dome isn’t even the only place where voices are raised, so we bring some calmer ones to serve up this edition of the Political Breakfast. Brian Robinson is back: he is a Republican strategist, communications consultant, and former deputy chief of staff t...
Apr 05, 2019•42 min•Ep. 34
Gwinnett County voters opted not to get on board the MARTA train. So what’s next for the traffic-smothered county? Meanwhile, at the State Capitol, big fights over abortion and an airport takeover headed into their final rounds. And on a visit home from the U.S. Capitol, Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson went after President Trump for his continued attacks on the late Senator John McCain. Those are just a few of the selections on the menu for this Political Breakfast. Our regulars are back: Brian R...
Mar 22, 2019•38 min•Ep. 33
It’s a mad, mad, mad, mad world under Georgia’s Gold Dome right now--even more than usual. It’s that crossover time of year, when bills hit a critical deadline. One of them, the proposed state takeover of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, made it through the Senate ahead of the deadline. And it happened just as a new indictment was handed down in the investigation of corruption at Atlanta's City Hall. And it’s voting time, too, at least in Gwinnett County, even though it’s not ...
Mar 08, 2019•36 min•Ep. 32
That slow start to 2019 in Georgia politics didn't last long. Midway through the legislative session, there's plenty of sound and fury at the state Capitol--over how to change the state's voting machines and rules; a lawsuit over the current voting system and the 2018 election; a bid to for a state takeover of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport; and the debate over House Speaker David Ralston's use of a rule allowing lawyer-lawmakers to get cases delayed so they can attend to the...
Feb 23, 2019•45 min•Ep. 31
Now that all those Super Bowl visitors have left, Georgia political leaders have to get back to the task of hashing out our own homegrown issues--you know, the ones we didn’t want all those strangers to know about. There are some difficult negotiations to be had on everything from casino gambling, to Medicaid expansion, to proposed rules for new hospitals (and some of those issues could get thrown together!) Then, there's talk of a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the top of Stone Mount...
Feb 08, 2019•38 min•Ep. 30
Georgia starts 2019 with a new Governor, a new Legislature, some new members of Congress, a new transit agency for the Atlanta area--but coming to town for Atlanta’s Super Bowl, the same old Patriots. You remember them. Suddenly, that other team with its new old home in LA has a whole lot of new fans in the ATL! Meanwhile, Democrats and Republicans continue their old no-gain scrimmage in DC. At least the Saints are staying in New Orleans (even though their billboards aren’t), and we can enjoy a ...
Jan 25, 2019•46 min•Ep. 29
New lawmakers are coming to the Gold Dome, including governor-elect Brian Kemp. How will shrinking Republican margins in the legislature affect this year's priorities? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Jan 10, 2019•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 28
It’s the end of 2018 already! But we in Georgia managed to jam a whole lot of political news into just 365 days. So what did we learn this year? And which of the happenings from this year will be affecting us in 2019—and maybe even beyond? Settle back with the holiday beverage of your choice and explore it all with us on a special edition of the Political Breakfast! WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer is back; so are Tharon Johnson, a Democratic strategist and former national southern regio...
Dec 27, 2018•35 min•Ep. 27
Georgia had a little earthquake recently, but apparently that's not going to keep Nick Ayers from leaving the Trump administration--and a very big job offer--to come back home. Meanwhile, Norfolk Southern will soon call Atlanta home; Governor-elect Brian Kemp makes his first major speech (without anything exploding behind him) a few days after he paid a peacemaking visit to Atlanta's City Hall and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. And who would have guessed a couple of years ago that a wildly popular ...
Dec 14, 2018•44 min•Ep. 26
As we hurtle toward the winter solstice, we’re still not finished with the fall elections! But the state is getting ready for a new tenant in the Governor’s mansion, while the candidate who came very close is launching what could be a long winter’s legal fight. That's just some of what’s on the menu for a new Political Breakfast, hosted by WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer. For this edition, Brian Robinson is back with us; he’s a Republican strategist, public affairs consultant, and forme...
Nov 30, 2018•40 min•Ep. 25
Now that Amazon won't be getting a private MARTA car, maybe we can reserve one for the Political Breakfast! While we wait for that, we bid you welcome to another un-subsidized edition. It’s a sumptuous feast this time, to say the least: the continuing legal and political war over the governor’s race; runoffs for a couple of other top posts; a special session of the legislature; and--oh, yes--that "thanks-but-no-thanks" from Amazon, followed by the delivery of the sweeteners Georgia was ready to ...
Nov 16, 2018•45 min•Ep. 24
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Nov 07, 2018•26 min•Ep. 23
Political strategists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson join host Denis O'Hayer on stage before a crowd of hundreds at Emory University's School of Law. As the midterm election draws near, heavy hitters like Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, Mike Pence and Donald Trump head to Georgia to campaign for gubernatorial candidates Stacey Abrams and Brian Kemp. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Nov 02, 2018•1 hr 29 min•Ep. 22
It’s getting toward the end of October; scary people will soon be knocking at your door--and then there are the trick-or-treaters! Yes, the political campaigns have launched their ground games, with volunteers trying to visit as many homes as possible--perhaps even yours. But, with polls showing a neck-and-neck race for governor, what else will it take to win? That question--and a lot more--are on the menu for another Political Breakfast! Our regulars, Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson, both got...
Oct 19, 2018•36 min•Ep. 20
From the number 14 hipster city in the United States, it's an oh-so-hip edition of the Political Breakfast! According to new polling, the Georgia governor’s race remains virtually tied, while outside help pours in to both major party candidates. We’ll check to see if the fight over Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination will affect how Georgians cast their ballots. And a couple of streets with old Confederate names got new ones. WABE political contributor Denis O'Hayer is your host. Jo...
Oct 05, 2018•41 min•Ep. 19
While the U.S. Senate was fighting over how to handle allegations against a Supreme Court nominee, here in Georgia there was a court fight on paper--paper ballots, that is. Meanwhile, the people on the November ballot for governor—which won’t be on paper—tried to figure out which messages will convince voters who haven’t made up their minds already. In Atlanta, the Gulch will stay the Gulch—at least for now, and some state lawmakers go public with their fears that the nuclear power plant expansi...
Sep 21, 2018•34 min•Ep. 18
It’s been another couple of weeks of “we’ve never seen anything like this before” in politics at the local and national levels. A new book and an anonymous White House official describe President Trump as off the rails, even as he blasts his own attorney general for the indictments of two of his supporters in Congress. More progressives have joined Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams in the re-shaping of the national Democratic Party. Federal investigators are demanding trav...
Sep 07, 2018•43 min•Ep. 17
In the coming years, when you catch a flight from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which has been owned by the City of Atlanta, will someone else be in charge? In fact, “who’s in charge here?” is a pretty good question about a lot of what’s gone on politically in these parts lately. The two major party candidates for governor accused each other of failing to be in charge of their own finances; a school superintendent appeared to go on a racist rant; Georgia Tech’s president felt compell...
Aug 24, 2018•50 min•Ep. 16
It's back to school time! And today's lesson is: Don't get yourself indicted on corruption charges. We saw that happen to a sitting member of Congress in Washington, D.C.--and to a former top aide in the Reed administration in Atlanta. We'll look at the local implications from both of those events. Meanwhile, Stacey Abrams and Brian Kemp are launching their general election battle; we'll check out their strategies. And, a stunning story from Pro Publica alleges some Mar-a-Lago friends of Preside...
Aug 10, 2018•34 min•Ep. 15
After a brief summer hiatus, we’re back! And what a few weeks it’s been. The primary runoffs have come and gone and November’s general election contests are finally shaping up; the federal corruption investigation into Atlanta City Hall has expanded; the Trump Administration's trade fights continue to make waves in Georgia. All that and more on this week's menu. Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson ( @TharonJohnson ) and Georgia Republican Party chair Chuck Clay join Denis O'Hayer ( @denisohayer...
Jul 27, 2018•37 min•Ep. 14
Summer has officially started, but the political news hasn’t slowed down one bit! The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to opine on Georgia’s fight over water and rivers with Florida as Justice Anthony Kennedy announces his retirement; with less than a month until the primary runoffs, we check in on the races; and we’ll consider what a surprise primary result in New York could mean for Georgia. All that and more on this week's menu. Former Atlanta City Council President, Democrat Cathy Woolard ( @...
Jun 29, 2018•36 min•Ep. 13
What's been the fallout from the secret recording of Lieutenant Governor Cagle, one of two candidates left in the Republican primary runoff for governor? A look at that question a week after the tape's release; Democrats deal with runoffs of their own in the suburbs north of Atlanta; Cobb County tries to resolve a $30 million budget shortfall; and Atlanta could help host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. All that and more on this week's menu. Cobb County Democratic Pary Chair Michael Owens and former Geo...
Jun 15, 2018•43 min•Ep. 12
Who will come out on top in the Republican gubernatorial primary? A look at that race with still weeks to go before the runoff; Democrats look for some party unity for their unified ticket; Fulton County homeowners cope with a property tax spike; all that and more on this week's menu. Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson ( @TharonJohnson ) and former Georgia Republican Party chair Chuck Clay join Denis O'Hayer ( @denisohayer ) for a wide-ranging political conversation. Produced by Sam Whitehead ...
Jun 01, 2018•32 min•Ep. 11
With just days to go before next week’s primary elections, we’ll look at how the race for Georgia governor is shaping up; the fallout from former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed's decision to withhold information about a federal subpoena from city council and the public; a major credit rating agency has weighed in on what could happen if voters decide to create the new city of Eagle's Landing from the city of Stockbridge. All of that and more on this week's menu. Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson ( ...
May 18, 2018•39 min•Ep. 10
With just a few weeks to go before the May 22nd primary elections, we’ll look at how the races are shaping up; Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms addresses the state of the city after a tough first 100 days in office; and time is running out for Governor Nathan Deal to make decisions on which bills to sign or veto. All of that and more on this week's menu. Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson ( @TharonJohnson ) and former U.S. Congressman, Republican Lynn Westmoreland ( @Westmoreland_GA ) join D...
May 04, 2018•41 min•Ep. 9
UPDATE: In the time since this interview was recorded, Marc Urbach announced he'd ended his campaign. This is it! The final interview in our series of conversations with all the major party candidates running in contested races for Georgia governor in the May 22nd primary elections. Republican Marc Urbach is an historical writer and speaker who lives in Dunwoody. He’s a former public school teacher in Gwinnett County and ran for president in 2016 as a write-in candidate. Check the feed Wednesday...
May 02, 2018•37 min•Ep. 8
We're just under a month away from the May 22nd primary elections! This bonus episode of Political Breakfast continues our series of interviews with all the major party candidates for Georgia governor running in those elections. Republican Hunter Hill is a former state senator and was elected to represent a district in Fulton and Cobb counties in 2012. He resigned to run for governor last year and currently heads a leadership development company. Check the feed Wednesdays and Fridays in the week...
Apr 27, 2018•36 min•Ep. 8
November's midterm elections are months away, but the primary elections are right around the corner. This bonus episode of Political Breakfast continues our series of interviews with all the major party candidates for Georgia governor running in the May 22nd primaries. Republican Clay Tippens a former Navy SEAL and tech company executive. Check the feed Wednesdays and Fridays in the weeks leading up to the primaries for more interviews. Produced by Sam Whitehead ( @sclaudwhitehead ). See omnystu...
Apr 25, 2018•36 min•Ep. 8
There are a lot of candidates vying to win their party's nomination to run for Georgia governor. This bonus episode of Political Breakfast continues our series of interviews with all the major party candidates in competitive races for that office in the May 22nd primaries. Republican Michael Williams is a certified public accountant and has represented a district in Forsyth County in the state senate for the past four years. Check the feed Wednesdays and Fridays in the weeks leading up to the pr...
Apr 20, 2018•37 min•Ep. 8
