Ouch:
http://politics.blog.ajc.com/...
If you’re David Perdue, the first-time GOP candidate and well-traveled business executive running for U.S. Senate, you have to be wondering if politics has its own, very separate language – something wholly apart from English.
In yet another, recent interview with the editorial board of the Macon Telegraph, Perdue is in the middle of a bull session on world economics, when the topic of China comes up. The newspaper has kindly posted the sound.
The specific topic is China’s “long view” of its future:
Perdue: “This is a culture that thinks thousands of years [ahead]. Guanxi is a term over there. It’s called relationship, friendship. This isn’t like you and I just met and we go to dinner, we’re friends. They’re talking about families, generations, centuries. I’ve had that rice paddy, you’ve had that rice paddy, my grandfather – that’s guanxi.
“When they talk about friendship, that’s what they mean. The answer is, of course, we’ve been naïve. We see the world through the ugly American eyes – and that is, the world revolves around New York City or Washington D.C.”
Unidentified interviewer: “We’re arrogant teenagers.”
Perdue: “Absolutely. And you know what? The rest of the world gets it. My friends in India, right now – I spent a lot of time in India – my friends in India, my age, are really, really angry. And they’re angry because they feel they’re subsidizing our artificially high standard of living. They can’t borrow a third of what they’re spending. But we get away with it, because we’re the dollar – we’re the $16 trillion-a-year economy….”
And so the campaign of GOP rival Jack Kingston, using former candidate Karen Handel as its bulldog, pounced. From the press release:
“David Perdue just can’t seem to keep his arrogance in check,” said Handel. “First, he belittles Georgians who don’t have a four-year college degree and haven’t lived overseas. Then, he patronizes the grassroots core of the GOP. Now, he’s insulting Americans in general.”
But politics wouldn’t be politics if there wasn’t a comparison to that fellow in the White House. Continues Handel:
“David’s comments remind me of Michelle Obama’s absurd statement made after her husband’s election that it was the first time in her adult life that she felt proud to be an American….” - Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 7/2/14
Yeah, this guy's really not ready for prime time. He's also trying to avoid that rumor that he favors raising taxes by being against this:
http://politics.blog.ajc.com/...
For months, the Jack Kingston campaign and various conservatives have attacked David Perdue for supporting an Internet sales tax.
In an interview with the AJC on Wednesday, Perdue said they have his position all wrong.
The controversial Marketplace Fairness Act, which has passed the U.S. Senate and not received a vote in the House, would empower states and municipalities to collect sales taxes from e-tailers that do not have a physical presence there. Taxpayers now are supposed to report the purchases and pay up on their tax returns, but few do.
The bill has the backing of many local leaders — including Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal — and brick-and-mortar retailers. Some conservative groups have denounced it as an effective tax hike.
Perdue has been complimentary of the concept. Take this answer in January at a candidates’ forum put on by the Georgia Municipal Association, where Perdue appeared to break from the pack and endorse the bill:
“Being the only retailer up here, I can tell you – I’ve seen both sides of this conversation. Look, one of the things the federal government does – or should do, frankly – is make sure all players in our free enterprise system play on an even playing field. Here’s where, because of technology, they’re not. Frankly, I think whether you have brick-and-mortar, or Internet sales, we should have the same rules apply to both. That’s from a retailer.”
The crowd applauded, Perdue recalled Wednesday. The AJC and other media reported he had endorsed the bill. Perdue said that was based on a truncated answer:
“What I really believe is I think the FairTax solves the problem because it creates a level playing field. What I was saying was, as a retailer I support that. So the advantages of the FairTax can be seen in several different places, and I think that’s one of ‘em.”
The FairTax is a national 23 percent sales tax to replace the income tax that both Perdue and Kingston support. So he would not support the Marketplace Fairness Act?
“No. I think this is where they take an issue and break it down and take it out of context. The way to solve the imbalance between Internet and brick and mortar is the FairTax. … That’s the problem — they try to solve these things incrementally. [The FairTax is] a holistic solution.” - Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 7/3/14
Yep, things aren't going too smoothly for him. But of course, he's hitting Kingston on this:
http://politics.blog.ajc.com/...
Welcome to July. It’s three weeks until the U.S. Senate runoff and the pro-David Perdue Super PAC is pulling out the big guns.
Citizens for a Working America recently bought another $500,000 of airtime in Georgia, bringing its runoff investment to $1 million. At least some of the spending will be dedicated to the above 15-second ad, passed along by our friends at Channel 2 Action News.
It is all about Khalid Satary, a Palestinian felon accused of funneling campaign money to Kingston via illegal straw donors. Kingston has said he didn’t know Satary and returned the disputed funds after the press started asking questions. (More background here and here.)
CWA’s donors are unknown at this point.
Speaking of guilt-by-association, the Jack Kingston campaign had some fun with Monday’s news that French bank BNP Paribas pleaded guilty to money laundering for clients wishing to do illegal business with Iran, Sudan and other nations hit with sanctions for supporting terrorism. The bank will pay a record penalty of nearly $9 billion.
The Kingston camp reminds us that David Perdue has between $100,000 and $250,000 invested in an Equity Index-Linked Note with BNP Paribas. It’s a small part of Perdue’s extensive holdings — and infinitesimally small for the bank. - Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 7/1/14
The runoff is July 22nd so expect more of this shit. Meanwhile, Michelle Nunn's (D. GA) father, former Senator Sam Nunn (D. GA), is helping raise money to get ready to take on either Kingston or Perdue:
As we approach our July 4th Independence Day celebration, many Americans are concerned about our governance and decision-making in Washington, DC.
I am often asked these days, "Isn't the rancor and partisanship in Washington a lot worse than it was when you served in the Senate? Can we do anything about our dysfunctional government?" My answer to these two questions is yes – yes. I am, however, optimistic that we can make positive change.
So what can we do? My answer is that unless we wait for a catastrophe to wake us up – we must elect men and women in both political parties who look beyond scoring the next political point, who set aside rigid ideological approaches and who listen to other views and work together to solve problems. We have that opportunity in Georgia this fall when we choose our next United States Senator.
As you know, our daughter Michelle has now won her party's nomination with a healthy 75% of the vote in the Democratic Primary.
Michelle believes strongly in the power of individuals to join together in creating constructive change. She believes that the American spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, when unleashed, can solve tough problems and create extraordinary possibilities. She also believes that our nation needs leaders who understand that solving America’s problems will require difficult choices and a willingness to listen to and consider ideas from members of both political parties and from sound thinkers outside government.
I regret that campaigns today are too long and too expensive, but this is a fact during this election cycle. I hope that you will consider providing financial assistance to Michelle if you haven't gotten involved. If you have given, I hope that you will consider reaching a little deeper.
Let's do our part to help solve Washington dysfunction – send Michelle and a dose of common sense to Washington with a contribution today!
https://secure.michellenunn.com/...
All contributions – including small ones are enormously important and together with volunteers provide the energy and enthusiasm that fuel successful campaigns. My bottom line is that Michelle welcomes your contribution in any amount – and your support will be both helpful and inspiring to Michelle and to thousands of volunteers that work every day in Georgia on her behalf.
If elected, I am confident that Michelle will bring integrity, courage, common sense, a willingness to listen, and a focus on problem solving to her Senate responsibilities. Thank you for your support in helping make it happen.
As we remember those who made our freedom possible, and those who continue to protect it – I hope that you and your family have a wonderful Independence Day celebration!
Sam
Click here to donate to Nunn's campaign:
https://secure.michellenunn.com/...