Gov. Perdue seems guided by the notion that folks can't dislike you if they don't know where you stand.

When it comes to declaring where he stands on the important issues of the day, Sonny's mantra has been: "I know nuthink!"

Unlike former Gov. Roy Barnes, who rarely ducked a chance to show support for his own legislation, Perdue seems guided by the notion that folks can't dislike you if they don't know where you stand. Thus, he publicly played coy with such GOP must-haves as tort reform and his own HB 218, an economic development initiative dubbed the "secrecy bill" by a wary press.

As soon as tort reform passed, however, the gubna declared his undying support for the measure. One lawmaker said it reminded him of "a rooster taking credit for the sun shining."

On the other hand, by keeping an arm's length from HB 218, Sonny has left some of the bill's early backers bad-mouthing him for hanging them out to dry with an unpopular piece of legislation. The distancing act likely won't work: Sonny may play the know-nothing, but it's no secret where the secrecy bill came from.

(Scott Henry of Creative Loafing, 3-31-05, in announcing Gov. Perdue the winner of the The Sgt. Schultz Award.)