UPDATE: scroll down for a clip.

You still have time (though it’s running out) to RSVP to see her in metro Atlanta. Click here to find out details on Saxby Chambliss’ website.

Palin’s hometown newspaper is puzzled as to why she’s campaigning for Chambliss.

& Donald Craig Mitchell of the Alaskan Dispatch blog says she doesn’t seem to be ready to settle back down into the Alaska governor’s mansion anytime soon:

“My prediction is that for at least the next two years Sarah is going to keep her show on the road because that will be a lot more fun than being Governor of a backwater state that spends most of its time as far out of the limelight in which Sarah has been basking as North and South Dakota do. During the almost fifty years it has been a state Alaska has had nine governors. Other than Sarah Palin, how many people who do not live in Alaska can name one of them? And why should they be able to? Because who cares who the Governor of Alaska is?

That is the obscurity to which Sarah will return if she goes back to her day job. In addition to being no fun, for presidential candidate wannabe Palin, that also is the rub.”

UPDATE: The 1st reports are coming in, read more after the jump (I’ll post clips of her stump speech here once they’re available).

AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin implored Georgia Republicans to back Sen. Saxby Chambliss in his hotly contested Senate runoff, telling a cheering crowd today that the first step in rebuilding the GOP begins with the Southern state.
The former vice presidential candidate made her first campaign appearance since the Republican ticket of John McCain and Palin lost on Nov. 4. Palin’s four stops for Chambliss underscored not only the stakes for the GOP in the Senate race but Palin’s popularity within the party. She has been mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2012 - a fact not lost on some Georgia voters.
Several thousand supporters waited in the cold to file into the James Brown Arena in Augusta. Vendors sold bright pink “Palin 2012″ T-shirts and “Palin for President: You Go Girl” buttons. She was greeted like a rock star with chants of “Sa-rah!”
Chambliss is locked in a runoff with Democrat Jim Martin after neither crossed the 50 percent threshold in the general election.
The race will help determine the balance of power in Washington where Democrats are just two votes shy of the 60 votes needed to prevent Republican filibusters. Georgia is one of two undecided contests. A recount is under way in Minnesota in the tight race between Republican Sen. Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has more.

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> http://vote08.freedomblogging.com/2008/12/01/palin-in-the-peach-state/8838/feed/ http://vote08.freedomblogging.com/2008/11/25/reminder-see-mike-huckabee-in-chattanooga-this-weekend/8568/ http://vote08.freedomblogging.com/2008/11/25/reminder-see-mike-huckabee-in-chattanooga-this-weekend/8568/#comments Tue, 25 Nov 2008 20:59:42 +0000 Dan Lehr http://vote08.freedomblogging.com/?p=8568

(hat tip to NewsChannel9 producer Nathan Frick)

From Huckabee’s website:

“Mike Huckabee shocked the country by winning the all-important Iowa caucuses and seven other states, while spending far less than the other major candidates. He created an army of passionate volunteers and small donors, transforming his campaign into a true movement that will endure long after Election Day.

Do The Right Thing is his amazing story, in his own words-from making commercials with Chuck Norris to meeting a Michigan woman who insisted on donating her wedding ring. But this is more than just a campaign memoir. It’s a vision for a smarter, fairer type of politics–”vertical politics”–that focuses on common-sense solutions for education, health care, the economy, and many other issues. It’s not about right versus left; it’s about taking America up rather than down.”

(AMEN on that last statement, by the way)

Scrolling down the site’s page reveals:

Yes, he’ll autograph your copy of the book.

If you go, let me know!

From the NewsChannel9 e-mail inbox:

ATLANTA—U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) today confirmed that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will campaign in Georgia with him on Monday, December 1st.

“I was thrilled when I got the call that Governor Palin would be able to make the trip to Georgia to campaign with me the day before the runoff election,” Saxby said. “Julianne and I are honored that she would take the time to travel to Georgia to tell everyone how important this election is and I know that she will receive an enthusiastic welcome everywhere we go.”

Governor Palin will join Saxby for four public rallies across the state on Monday, December 1st: 8:30 am in Augusta; 11:00 am in Savannah; 1:30 pm in Perry; and 4:00 pm in north metro Atlanta. More specific details on exact locations and how to obtain tickets will be available later this week.

Depend on me to keep you posted about those tickets. Looks like if you live in the NewsChannel9 viewing area, “north metro Atlanta’s” your best shot. Are you going to try to get tickets? If so, I’d love to hear from you!

(hat tip to NewsChannel9 producer Nathan Frick)

From Huckabee’s website:

“Mike Huckabee shocked the country by winning the all-important Iowa caucuses and seven other states, while spending far less than the other major candidates. He created an army of passionate volunteers and small donors, transforming his campaign into a true movement that will endure long after Election Day.

Do The Right Thing is his amazing story, in his own words-from making commercials with Chuck Norris to meeting a Michigan woman who insisted on donating her wedding ring. But this is more than just a campaign memoir. It’s a vision for a smarter, fairer type of politics–”vertical politics”–that focuses on common-sense solutions for education, health care, the economy, and many other issues. It’s not about right versus left; it’s about taking America up rather than down.”

(AMEN on that last statement, by the way)

Scrolling down the site’s page reveals:

Yes, he’ll autograph your copy of the book.

If you go, let me know!

It didn’t matter which side would ultimately win. Both supporters of Hillary Clinton & Barack Obama had the same vision floating over their heads: a chance to become part of what may be one of the most exciting & consequential presidential conventions in the past half-century.

Everyone who turned up at the Iron Workers’ Union Hall on Belle Arbor Avenue in Chattanooga Saturday afternoon still has more hurdles before their dream trip to Denver in August is assured. Later this month, each of Saturday’s nominated delegates heads to Anderson County — Clinton, Tennessee, auspiciously enough — for the Congressional-District-wide delegate convention. That is where four Hamilton Countians — 2 men & 2 women, a supporter of both candidates from each gender — will have a shot at a trip to the Mile-High City. Hamilton County has not sent a Democratic delegate to the national convention in several elections. All who came to caucus hope to change that.

[For the record, Republicans choose their delegates a different way: voters select them on the ballot on Primary Day].

After the jump, Vote08 hears from some caucus-goers on each side & delineates demographic differences among these delegate-designees.

Hillary Clinton had 27 delegate candidates show up, while Barack Obama had 40. Early on, the room split up into two groups [see pictures above], & both sides maintained a careful yet respectful separation.

Hamilton County was kind to Barack Obama compared to the rest of the state. The county handed him an 8% margin of victory on Super Tuesday. But the margin of difference in each candidate’s delegates — his 60 to her 50 — makes it proportionately favorable to Clinton.

While each side displayed a similar enthusiasm, the demographic differences of each group was interesting. The Obama crowd had close to twice as many people as Clinton supporters; roughly two-thirds of Clinton supporters were female, while the genders split more 50-50 for Obama, which reflects national polls. 30% of Obama supporters attending were black, while Hillary had just one African-American supporter, another ratio that matches the nationwide numbers.

In general terms, it appeared that the majority of Hillary supporters had worked on a campaign in the past, while by contrast the majority of Obama fans appeared to be first-timers for a campaign.

The Clinton camp’s lone African-American, Armelia Williams, says she prefers Clinton because she’s run the more substantive campaign and “sticks to the issues.” She says she doesn’t feel Obama has spelled out his policy positions adequately. But she says she will enthusiastically support Obama if he’s the eventual nominee. Williams says health care is the most important issue for her this election year.

Paulina Wampler of Hixson came with her husband to caucus for Obama. Wampler says she was an enthusiastic supporter of John Edwards before he dropped out, & saw him when he appeared in Chattanooga recently. She says she supports Obama because she thinks Hillary Clinton would have a tough time against the Republican nominee in the general election. She says universal health care is her top issue this year. Like Williams, she says she’ll vote for Clinton if her candidate doesn’t make it.

Mary Anglin, an attorney for Legal Aid, has been working on Presidential campaigns since Delaware Senator Joe Biden’s failed presidential bid in 1988. She believes Clinton is the most qualified to be president, & is quick to point out it’s those qualifications, & not the fact that she’s a woman, that makes Clinton her choice. Nevertheless, Anglin says she’s excited about breaking this ultimate glass ceiling in the fall.

Stephanie Teal singled herself out at the caucus by being the only person there to bring her children. She says her 6 & 8 year old daughters are big Obama fans (”they even watched the debate!”), and that became evident when the younger repeatedly waved an Obama sign to any camera pointed her way. Teal believes Obama is a much better candidate to unite the country & win over independents & Republicans. She says Iraq is one of the biggest issues for her this year, & says young people are turning out support for Obama because many of their friends are serving overseas in Iraq.

Hamilton County Democratic party chairman John Bales says today’s the first day he can finally go on the record as a Hillary supporter, though he - like everyone else there - said they would support either candidate if they become the nominee. At the beginning of the caucus, Bales rallied the entire crowd by touting the record-breaking voter numbers Democrats in Tennessee produced on Super Tuesday. Bales told Vote08 that though it would be a tight contest in Tennessee in the general, that Hillary Clinton would benefit by turnout that favors Democrats. To that the Obama crowd responded with a resounding chanting of “Yes We Can!”

After making sure their names were on the list for Clinton, Tennessee, each delegate candidate departed, dreams of the Denver Democratic convention still evident in their eyes.

JUST IN: NewsChannel9’s crew on the scene says Chuck Norris is in Chattanooga with Mike Huckabee!

Look for more details at noon on NewsChannel9 Midday & NewsChannel 9 at 5:30!

A NewsChannel9 staffer was at the rally. Read his account & see his photos after the jump:

“Republican Presidential Candidate Mike Huckabee outlined his plans for mmigration, taxes and government’s role in people’s lives before about 350 eople at the Chattanooga Convention Center this morning. He opened his remarks by comparing his efforts to the New York Giants and their Super Bowl win last night. He said that everyone crowned the New England Patriots as the champions before the game was played. But a team called the New York Giants stood in the way. “Don’t let the national media tell you who the next president will be, you tell them who it will be,” Huckabee said. He said he believes life begins at conception and a marriage is between one woman and one man for a lifetime.

Huckabee said he believes in a balanced budget and plans to do that every year, just like when he was the governor in Arkansas. He promoted his Fair Tax plan that he claims would eliminate the need for the IRS. “We have left a huge deficit for our children,” he said. He told stories of his poor upbringing that he says were similar to those in the audience.

After talking for about 20 minutes he said that next Secretary of Defense ought to be combined with the office of the Homeland Security. “It should be a person that members of Al-Qaeda and the Taliban fear, and I’ve already got that man picked out,” Huckabee said. “Ladies and Gentlemen, Chuck Norris .”

Norris then took the stage and said why he and his wife are campaigning for Huckabee. He said they didn’t know each other before Norris began reading Huckabee’s views on his website. Norris then decided that he would support Huckabee to win the White House.

Huckabee concluded by encouraging all those at the rally to call their friends, family and neighbors or send them an e-mail and tell them to vote for him. “If they say they aren’t going to vote for me, tell them the primary’s been postponed,” he joked.”

This morning Huckabee gave an interview to CNN from his Chattanooga hotel room. The clip hasn’t been posted on CNN’s website yet, but here’s one excerpt CNN has made available to NewsChannel9 in which he goes on the attack on Mitt Romney:

“He’s taken two positions on everything else from abortion to gun control to President Bush’s tax cuts to same sex marriage. So now he’s taken a double-position on whether or not I should stay in or get out. He’s the only man I know who could play tennis by himself covering both sides of the court.”

GOP Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee appears this morning for a rally at the Chattanooga Convention Center (1150 Carter Street), confirming Vote08’s prediction from January 26th. Huckabee is polling well on this side of Tennessee, & his volunteers were visible around Chattanooga this weekend.

The latest statewide poll (PDF file) from WSMV-TV in Nashville shows Huckabee is very alive in the Tennessee primary:

Mike Huckabee: 24%

John McCain: 23%

Mitt Romney: 18%

Ron Paul: 4%

Don’t Know Yet: 26%

…but as you can see, “don’t know” is the winner so far. Therefore, heeeere’s Huckabee.

Huckabee’s lead is in west Tennessee and here in east Tennessee. He has a 10 point lead in the west but just a 4-point lead here in the east. He also polls better with women than with men.

The voter shift from supporting Fred Thompson is also an interesting number to track. 46% of Tennessee Republicans say they would have given Fred their support. The polls show a fairly even shift to McCain, Romney & Huckabee from Thompson supporters, but still over a quarter of former Thompson supporters remain undecided.

So simply put, Huckabee has every reason to visit Chattanooga today.

Tennessee State Rep. Eric Watson will be welcoming Huckabee at a rally this morning at 8am. Huckabee will do interviews after the rally at about 9:15.

Should you go if you can? Absolutely. This goes for everyone of any political stripe. These events happen with the rarity of solar eclipses, and regardless of how you feel about the man it’s still a fun event to witness. This will probably be (but who knows) the last presidential candidate to visit Chattanooga until after Super Tuesday.

Depend on NewsChannel 9 and NewsChannel9.com (not to mention Vote08) to keep you up to date on what’s happening. If you’re checking this blog after you went to see him, drop us a line! We’d love to hear your story or share your photos!

p.s. What are ‘hustings?’ (see headline) Here’s a definition.

Here are the events that Vote08 knows about:

Rand Paul, the son of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, will speak in Chattanooga on Saturday at 9 AM at 1601 Rossville Avenue.

Mike Huckabee will be in Huntsville for a rally at a church on Saturday. This link has details of exactly where he’ll be.

Another “man from Hope” will be in Huntsville, too! Bill Clinton will be campaigning at Huntsville High School that same day.

& finally, John McCain makes an appearance in Nashville Saturday morning.

Are you going to go to any of these? Let Vote08 know! We’d love to hear your story & see any pictures you take! Just drop Vote08 an e-mail or post a comment right here!

As I referred to in yesterday’s post, Ron Paul won our latest NewsChannel9.com web poll among Republican candidates, winning with 26% of the votes in the unscientific poll.

So now that he’s out of the race, Chattanooga-based Ron Paul supporters say they welcome all of Tennessee’s FredHeads.

Daniel Appelget, assistant organizer of the Chattanooga Ron Paul meetup group, wants Thompson supporters to take a look at Paul’s record. Here’s an excerpt:

“…both oppose amnesty, and both agree that open borders mean the end of sovereignty in America. Both also agree that the welfare system should be overthrown….both believe in tracking down those responsible for 9/11 and bringing them to justice. Both believe that wars must be fought to win, not in a slow police action manner that drains funds and costs lives….Thompson and Paul have also agreed on many economic issues, such as balancing the budget. They have both advocated the need for better monetary policy and the need to cut back on wasteful government spending. On education, both Thompson and Paul agree parents should have the final say, not federal bureaucracies.”

This Friday, Paul supporters open the first-for-Campaign ‘08 office of a Presidential candidate in the NewsChannel 9 viewing area, in Cleveland. Paul supporters want you to attend the opening Friday night at 5:30 at the office at 3525 Keith Street.

There’s no doubt that supporters of Ron Paul are the most passionate of the campaign season. They’re also the group of supporters most at ease using alternative media such as the internet. But they have to face the fact that Paul is still not gaining the traction among voters nationally they would have liked to see at this point in the primary season. Why is that? Post a comment and tell us! And if you were all ready to vote for Fred Thompson, why will or why won’t Ron Paul get your vote? Let us know!

And don’t forget to check out this post from earlier today which has a link to a story that makes the case Fred could still win the nomination.

UPDATE: Mike Huckabee’s local supporters also have Thompson supporters in their sights. This Saturday at 10 a.m. they want to convince you Huckabee’s your new candidate at the Country Place Restaurant at 7320 Shallowford Road.