originally published July 16, 2008

Ben Emanuel is on vacation.

Midyear Conviviality: The Athens Area Chamber of Commerce, under the care of Doc Eldridge, enjoyed a mid-year get-together at the Melting Point Thursday evening, July 10, and a good time was had. Squat provided the jazzy background to the evening and among the hardworking businesspeople there were just enough politicians to lend flavor: Mayor Heidi Davison, Tax Commissioner Nancy Denson, State Senator Bill Cowsert, his brother-in-law, former State Senator Brian Kemp and commission candidates Mike Hamby and Red Petrovs. Nascent Rupert Murdoch emulator and Dean of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication Cully Clark, who is overseeing UGA's purchase of the northeast Georgia TV station WNEG-TV, was also on hand, recalling his days as an almost-champion high school debater. Ace Banner-Herald government reporter Blake Aued was in the crowd, but he was off duty. Thanks to the sponsors' heavy lifting in helping to pick up the tab.

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Electronic Confusion: When you voted Tuesday, July 15, did you search about fruitlessly for commission candidates and school board candidates and Democratic candidates for Congress and the State Senate? Well, never fear. You'll get your chance to vote in those races in November. Remember, the Commission is now non-partisan, like the school board, so there's no longer a primary in those races. In the Congressional race Bobby Saxon had no opponent in the Democratic Primary, nor did Sherry Jackson in State Senate District 46 or Tim Riley in State Senate District 47. In November, Saxon will face off in the 10th District Congressional race against Paul Broun or Barry Fleming (This is written before the primary, but you'll read it after the primary, so you'll know.) In the same way, Sherry Jackson will run against either Republican Bill Cowsert or Republican Tommy Malcom for the Senate District 46 seat, and Tim Riley will run against Republican Ralph (The Knife) Hudgens in the Senate District 47 race.

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War of Wills: Being young and careless, drinking and driving, needing to go somewhere at night, and walking along the road to get there; decades of growth in Athens without building sidewalks: these things add up to a lethal mix. June in Athens proved that, with three hit-and-run accidents in three weeks. It's not news that pedestrians and bicyclists don't fare well in car wrecks, or that young drivers don't always appreciate the effects of ethyl alcohol on human reaction times. And we won't even speculate on the state of mind of drivers who, realizing or suspecting they just ran someone over, keep right on going.

But there is a war of wills on our roads. Drivers, backed by power and speed, see the asphalt as a domain for their machines. Some pedestrians, sick of walking in ditches, dare to step onto the asphalt. You have to admire their nerve, while questioning their judgment - especially if they wear dark clothes at night. Even respectful, unhurried drivers - and those appear to be rare - can be caught short by an unseen pedestrian who appears out of nowhere. Pedestrians: wear white at night! Drivers: take it easy!

Let the wars of wills continue… but bloodlessly. [John Huie]

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Department of Kiss-Ass: To: Republican Candidates, From: John Oxendine, Date: 29 June, 2008, Re: Campaign 2008. Please find enclosed a contribution to your campaign. It comes with my best wish for victory. You have demonstrated your leadership in our party and your love for our great state with your campaign.

Both Ivy and I welcome the opportunity to campaign with you, in person, in your district. Please contact my campaign manager, Kathryn Ballou at 404-872-1740 to arrange. I have stated that I feel each of you are men and women of integrity and I am very supportive and proud of your campaign.

It is my honor to report that I am pleased to be in a position to make a contribution to every incumbent Republican member of the General Assembly, who has an opponent. Additionally, I have made a contribution to every Republican challenger to a Democrat in both the House and Senate.

It is my hope that this total contribution of $26,750 will, in some small manner, help contribute to our party maintaining our majority under the Gold Dome in 2008.

I have asked you to honor me with your nomination in 2010 as governor and I am excited to work with any candidate who might welcome my support. I strongly feel we need a united conservative party as we move forward. Allow me to reiterate my pledge to each of you, I will be a governor who is accessible, who listens, and who will make every effort to demonstrate respect for each of you as individuals and the General Assembly as an equal branch of government. [John Oxendine - State Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine, in case you didn't get it, is a Republican candidate for governor next time.]

Pete McCommons

Send your City Dope to ben@flagpole.com.