An update and also other factors to be weighed from the Political Insider on Cathy Cox's decision (?) to run for Governor.

The 12-10-04 ajc's PI:

Cox talks, but only on the phone -- and some Democrats worry about the GOP's cross-hairs

On Thursday, Secretary of State Cathy Cox was huddled with her budget trolls, prepping for a closed-door presentation before Gov. Sonny Perdue. The man she hopes to replace two years hence.

So she was unavailable to discuss the phone calls she's been making, to let Georgia's Democratic hierarchy know that she intends to challenge Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor for the '06 nomination for governor.

We hear Cox has called former Gov. Roy Barnes (who would not confirm the conversation), Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin (unavailable), Attorney General Thurbert Baker (ditto) and several top legislators to let them know of her decision.

And to get some of them off her back.

By the end of the month, we're told, Cox intends to file the necessary paperwork that will allow her to raise some cash. As of now, she plans a single fund-raiser in early January.

But her money operation will quickly go on hiatus as of Jan. 10. State officials are barred from accepting campaign contributions while the Legislature is in session.

So what would be the point of announcing so early? To organize, and to freeze uncommitted players who might otherwise be gobbled up by Taylor. And to put the kibosh on a can't-we-all-get-along movement that would divert Cox into the race for lieutenant governor.

That movement continues today, despite Cox's phone calls. And could be — pardon the imagery — the elephant in the room when the state Democratic party's leadership gathers next week to mull over their November wounds.

One concern driving the effort to avoid a Cox-Taylor primary clash is that the winner would be too injured to take on a well-funded Perdue, a Republican, in the November general election.

There's another worry as well, especially among African-Americans. With both Cox and Taylor exiting their offices, Republicans would be free to concentrate on ousting two more Democrats holding statewide office: Attorney General Thurbert Baker and Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond.

But Thurmond told us that a Cox-Taylor fight might not be as bad as some think. And could be a cure for what ails the shrinking party.

"There needs to be a debate about the direction of the party. This could provide it. It might be worse if some sort of deal was made. We can't cure the party in a smoke-filled room," he said.
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The PI reported that supposedly Ms. Cox called Roy Barnes, Shirley Franklin, Thurbert Baker and several top legislators to let Georgia's Democratic hierarchy know about her decision to run.

This made me wonder about two things. First, why didn't she call me?

Second, I thought what about the Big Guy, why didn't she also call him. But then I remembered that line from my 10-24-04 post:

"Cathy and Mark don’t even talk,” says a Cox adviser.

Now I understand. To call someone you have to talk with someone. Maybe if these two "did" e-mail she could have sent him a message, maybe one of the free Yahoo greetings type things, along the line of "Thinking about you . . ."