Rep. Chuck Sims, Part IV -- The perspective from the local level: The 1st Cong. District & Our Local Party Chair; & Pressure is a relative thing.
Danita Knowles, chair of Georgia's First Congressional District Democrats and also of our local party here in Coffee County, commented Monday evening on the decision of long-time Democrat Chuck Sims to switch parties just days after winning re-election.
An emotional Knowles noted that she was "extremely disappointed that the representative did not tell me himself. In repeated conversations as late as Friday he talked of pressure," and of possibly "becoming an independent or serving these two years as a Democrat and [then] coming home."
Knowles went on to state that "Many of you know Chuck is a personal friend, a fellow seeker in the membership of Douglas United Methodist Church, and he has been a political mentor as well. Other than my husband, when in political turmoil, Chuck is the one I trusted to keep this 'ragin Cajun' from pulling a James Carville. Over the two years I have worked as chair of the Coffee County Democrats to rebuild our local party, give it credibility, and respect -- he has always been there. I will leave him to answer your questions about today's action."
Though clearly disheartened by today's developments, Knowles, who also serves as secretary of the Georgia Association of Democratic County Chairs, continued: "I am a Democrat because for me it is the moral, ethical, spiritual thing to do. If you are a true Democrat, hold fast -- our day will come again. I am saddened, distressed, and frustrated. But the Coffee County Democratic Party and I will peel ourselves off the floor and keep the faith."
_______________
Some of my Republican and Democratic friends have conveyed this same message of Chuck talking with them about pressure.
I commented to my wife Sally Monday night about this "pressure" talk, and rhetorically asked, pressure, pressure from whom?
-- Was it pressure from the 65% of his District who voted for him?
If so, I haven't heard about it. Is 65% not a large enough margin for Chuck? Was he getting pressure from some of the 35% who voted for former Georgia Sen. and Douglas resident Walter Ray who ran a tough campaign against the 4-term incumbent?
Maybe Chuck thinks 65% is not a large enough landslide margin. Maybe not having opposition would have increased such a margin, but switching parties, I'll bet my life he will never see such a percentage again.
-- Was it pressure from the GOP?
I don't think so. Gov. Sonny Perdue, 1st Cong. District Congressman Jack Kingston and Sen.-elect Johnny Isakson who were in Douglas on the 30-city bus tour on Friday, Oct. 29 (Sen. Saxby Chambliss did not join the tour until Nov. 1)?
Was Chuck in their midst, wishing them and their Nov. 2 mission well? No, Chuck was not in sight, and this I can also assure you: his name was neither mentioned nor on their individual or collective minds.
-- So Sid, you're saying the GOP applied no pressure locally on switching parties.
No, I most certainly did not say that. There was pressure, a lot of it, and it was from the GOP, but it was about switching parties, but it was not applied to Chuck.
Rather the pressure was put on former Sen. Walter Ray who had announced in the spring of this year that he was against Chuck, although I don't know if Walter would describe it as pressure.
The "pressure" came directly from Gov. Sonny Perdue, Rep. Glenn Richardson (speaker designate) and Rep. Jerry Keen (majority leader designate). What kind of pressure? Financial and promises of a lot of assistance. I know the finanacial details, but they will have to come from someone else.
Walter didn't give the offer -- I mean "pressure" -- any thought, and although he might deny it, I bet he enjoyed the attention from the upper echelon of the opposition party. Who wouldn't have?
-- So many it was just pressure from our local GOP, but pressure is a relative thing.
I'm not sure Chuck has a firm grasp on the obvious when he talks about pressure.
This week he should be on the high mountain top. He probably is with respect to his unexpected trip to Atlanta, still reliving the thrill of walking into the House chamber where 96 jubilant Republicans no doubt burst into a spontaneous round of cheer welcoming someone many thought would rather go down in defeat as a proud Democrat rather than jumping ship.
Pressure is a relative thing. If the pressure Chuck is talking about was from our local Republicans to switch after the GOP had just taken over state government on Nov. 2 -- and thus did not need him to add to its already large majority in the House -- then based on the calls I got yesterday, Chuck needs to brace for some real pressure.
Many of the home folk just don't understand the move. Some are not happy campers. Some are furious.
In my Part III post yesterday I quoted Chuck's statement to the Atlanta press about someone in the minority party "not going to have much say in the legislative process," and his statement that "[y]ou are not in the game if you are in a minority party . . . ."
Who are we in Douglas, Coffee and Atkinson Counties to question such assessments? We are not legislators, and are not qualfied to pass judgment on Chuck's quest in seeking bigger and better things for himself and his District by switching to the Republican Party.
But we do know this. We are the ones who brung him to the dance, and we damn sure haven't been among those who pressured him to leave us in this time of need. You sure picked a fine time to leave us Chuck.
And looking at it from big picture where days become years, the pendulum as usual will swing back our way, and we will once again enjoy our day in the sun, without Chuck in the circle of friends and Party loyalists.
Wasn't that a great quote in yesterday's Part III post by Thomas Jefferson.
"A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over . . . It is true that in the meantime we are suffering deeply in spirit . . . . If the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have patience till luck turns, for this is a game where principles are at stake."
It will take more than a little patience, but keep the faith.
In times such as this I recall one of my Scottish favorites, Sir Andrew Barton, for comfort and patience to keep the faith. Barton was in a crucial battle with King Henry VIII, and while injued, encouraged his troops to fight on, saying:
"I am hurt, but I am not slain;
I'll lay me down and bleed a while,
And then I'll rise and fight again."
An emotional Knowles noted that she was "extremely disappointed that the representative did not tell me himself. In repeated conversations as late as Friday he talked of pressure," and of possibly "becoming an independent or serving these two years as a Democrat and [then] coming home."
Knowles went on to state that "Many of you know Chuck is a personal friend, a fellow seeker in the membership of Douglas United Methodist Church, and he has been a political mentor as well. Other than my husband, when in political turmoil, Chuck is the one I trusted to keep this 'ragin Cajun' from pulling a James Carville. Over the two years I have worked as chair of the Coffee County Democrats to rebuild our local party, give it credibility, and respect -- he has always been there. I will leave him to answer your questions about today's action."
Though clearly disheartened by today's developments, Knowles, who also serves as secretary of the Georgia Association of Democratic County Chairs, continued: "I am a Democrat because for me it is the moral, ethical, spiritual thing to do. If you are a true Democrat, hold fast -- our day will come again. I am saddened, distressed, and frustrated. But the Coffee County Democratic Party and I will peel ourselves off the floor and keep the faith."
_______________
Some of my Republican and Democratic friends have conveyed this same message of Chuck talking with them about pressure.
I commented to my wife Sally Monday night about this "pressure" talk, and rhetorically asked, pressure, pressure from whom?
-- Was it pressure from the 65% of his District who voted for him?
If so, I haven't heard about it. Is 65% not a large enough margin for Chuck? Was he getting pressure from some of the 35% who voted for former Georgia Sen. and Douglas resident Walter Ray who ran a tough campaign against the 4-term incumbent?
Maybe Chuck thinks 65% is not a large enough landslide margin. Maybe not having opposition would have increased such a margin, but switching parties, I'll bet my life he will never see such a percentage again.
-- Was it pressure from the GOP?
I don't think so. Gov. Sonny Perdue, 1st Cong. District Congressman Jack Kingston and Sen.-elect Johnny Isakson who were in Douglas on the 30-city bus tour on Friday, Oct. 29 (Sen. Saxby Chambliss did not join the tour until Nov. 1)?
Was Chuck in their midst, wishing them and their Nov. 2 mission well? No, Chuck was not in sight, and this I can also assure you: his name was neither mentioned nor on their individual or collective minds.
-- So Sid, you're saying the GOP applied no pressure locally on switching parties.
No, I most certainly did not say that. There was pressure, a lot of it, and it was from the GOP, but it was about switching parties, but it was not applied to Chuck.
Rather the pressure was put on former Sen. Walter Ray who had announced in the spring of this year that he was against Chuck, although I don't know if Walter would describe it as pressure.
The "pressure" came directly from Gov. Sonny Perdue, Rep. Glenn Richardson (speaker designate) and Rep. Jerry Keen (majority leader designate). What kind of pressure? Financial and promises of a lot of assistance. I know the finanacial details, but they will have to come from someone else.
Walter didn't give the offer -- I mean "pressure" -- any thought, and although he might deny it, I bet he enjoyed the attention from the upper echelon of the opposition party. Who wouldn't have?
-- So many it was just pressure from our local GOP, but pressure is a relative thing.
I'm not sure Chuck has a firm grasp on the obvious when he talks about pressure.
This week he should be on the high mountain top. He probably is with respect to his unexpected trip to Atlanta, still reliving the thrill of walking into the House chamber where 96 jubilant Republicans no doubt burst into a spontaneous round of cheer welcoming someone many thought would rather go down in defeat as a proud Democrat rather than jumping ship.
Pressure is a relative thing. If the pressure Chuck is talking about was from our local Republicans to switch after the GOP had just taken over state government on Nov. 2 -- and thus did not need him to add to its already large majority in the House -- then based on the calls I got yesterday, Chuck needs to brace for some real pressure.
Many of the home folk just don't understand the move. Some are not happy campers. Some are furious.
In my Part III post yesterday I quoted Chuck's statement to the Atlanta press about someone in the minority party "not going to have much say in the legislative process," and his statement that "[y]ou are not in the game if you are in a minority party . . . ."
Who are we in Douglas, Coffee and Atkinson Counties to question such assessments? We are not legislators, and are not qualfied to pass judgment on Chuck's quest in seeking bigger and better things for himself and his District by switching to the Republican Party.
But we do know this. We are the ones who brung him to the dance, and we damn sure haven't been among those who pressured him to leave us in this time of need. You sure picked a fine time to leave us Chuck.
And looking at it from big picture where days become years, the pendulum as usual will swing back our way, and we will once again enjoy our day in the sun, without Chuck in the circle of friends and Party loyalists.
Wasn't that a great quote in yesterday's Part III post by Thomas Jefferson.
"A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over . . . It is true that in the meantime we are suffering deeply in spirit . . . . If the game runs sometimes against us at home we must have patience till luck turns, for this is a game where principles are at stake."
It will take more than a little patience, but keep the faith.
In times such as this I recall one of my Scottish favorites, Sir Andrew Barton, for comfort and patience to keep the faith. Barton was in a crucial battle with King Henry VIII, and while injued, encouraged his troops to fight on, saying:
"I am hurt, but I am not slain;
I'll lay me down and bleed a while,
And then I'll rise and fight again."
posted by Sid Cottingham | 6:32 AM
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