Good show Jack, real good show.

U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston of Georgia's First Congressional District

From Jim Galloway's Political Insider in the AJC:

[U.S. Rep. Jack Kingston of Savannah, Georgia] is a Republican. In Florida, members of the GOP have been known to crucify those who fall into Obama’s embrace. In Georgia, a few have tried to pretend that the president simply does not exist.

Two weeks ago, after Obama announced an $8 billion loan guarantee for two new nuclear plants in Georgia, U.S. Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss celebrated with a press release praising “the administration’s approval.” No mention of Obama by name.

They didn’t want to be seen in the same sentence with the president, much less the same room.

So in this climate, acceptance of a White House invitation to a 15-minute speech — followed by a lift back to work [in Washington D.C. aboard Air Force One] — can be characterized as something close to courageous. Or reckless, depending on your point of view.

Kingston wasn’t the only prominent Republican in Obama’s presence on Tuesday. Gov. Sonny Perdue, in pursuit of a $400 million federal education prize, was there to greet the president when he landed.

But the governor is not up for re-election this year. Kingston is.

“[Obama] was doing some other events that were pro-stimulus program. I felt that it would be hypocritical of me to participate in that,” Kingston said. “But when the president comes to your area to talk about jobs and the economy, and you have a 10 percent unemployment rate, I think it’s a positive thing. If he’s sending out an olive branch, I want to accept it.”

Pressure not to consort with the enemy exists among both Democrats and Republicans, Kingston said. “Both parties are going to do everything they can to get their base out by sometimes exaggerating how bad proposals are on the other side,” he said.

But the anger — and thus the danger — comes from within the GOP. Ask Kay Bailey Hutchison, the stimulus-tainted U.S. senator from Texas, who on Tuesday couldn’t even push two-term Gov. Rick Perry into a run-off.

“You’re darned if you do, you’re darned if you don’t,” Kingston said. “As soon as you start taking a step in the middle direction, your own base jumps on you. But I still think you have to do that. That’s part of getting the job done.”

Common interests exist, Kingston said. Obama’s emphasis on trade could help the port of Savannah. His stance on nuclear power is attractive to many Republicans in Georgia.

Then there’s the president’s commission on how to cut federal spending. “We may not agree where or how, but it’s important for Republicans to be at the table with him,” Kingston said.