Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin pleaded Monday with local voters to re-elect U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss when they go to the polls today.
"We all have Georgia on our minds," the Alaska governor told an enthusiastic crowd of several thousand at James Brown Arena. "Georgia, the stakes are so high. America is depending on you."
Mr. Chambliss faces Democrat Jim Martin today in a runoff.
A win by Mr. Chambliss not only benefits Georgia, but also "Alaska, Hawaii, Maine," and the rest of the nation, Mrs. Palin said.
Senate Democrats are two seats shy of the 60 needed to block Republican filibusters.
A win by Mr. Chambliss would deny President-elect Obama easy passage of bad tax, economic and energy policies, Mrs. Palin said.
"This is for my kids and their future," she said. "We need Saxby back in Washington."
Mr. Chambliss introduced Mrs. Palin to a rock star-like ovation. Though he didn't overtly attack his opponent, the senator did say his re-election will act as a stop-gap measure for bad legislation coming from the White House.
The Augusta Chambliss rally was the first of four across the state Monday. Mrs. Palin also visited Savannah, Perry and Atlanta before heading to a meeting with Mr. Obama in Philadelphia.
Mr. Chambliss has said he believes turnout will determine the victor today, and Monday's rallies were designed to encourage Republicans to head to the polls, said Chambliss press secretary Ashley Nelson.
"We believe Mrs. Palin's presence will increase enthusiasm for the election," Ms. Nelson said.
Gov. Sonny Perdue also spoke at the rally and encouraged the crowd to call 10 friends and ask them to vote for Mr. Chambliss.
After the rally, Evans resident and Zaxby's franchise owner George Deuhring said he intends to call 10 friends and pointed to an "I voted" sticker on his jacket.
He said he believed Mrs. Palin helped Mr. Chambliss' cause.
"When she speaks, it comes from the heart," he said. "You could sense the enthusiasm level rising."
Reach Donnie Fetter at (706) 868-1222, ext. 115, or donnie.fetter@augustachronicle.com.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
the uneducated will follow anyone., just goes to prove that augustans follow the light, and don't think on their own.
i betcha!! chambliss gets his butt kicked
i will start a strike against zaxby's, any person who has any intelligence should not go to this restaurant/oil pit.
Palomino - get a life and go support your candidate on the other page. There's enough negativity in this world already.
Do I have to turn in my Columbia and Harvard graduate degrees and my 145 IQ? I'd hate to have to do that, but I am one of those Augustans you whine about...
I'll take that bet.
I will support Saxby but I'm sick and tired of the negative adds on both sides. These folks need to understand I want to know what (if anything) they would do to make my life better not how bad the other person is or what he/she has or has not done. I will be so glad when today is a memory.
You're right Uncle BS. The 8 year campaign of negative adds from one side closed with a two year span of negative adds from both sides. Of course, sometimes the adds were negative because they were the truth and sometimes they were negative just to aggravate. I wouldn't be surprised to see campaigning for the next election begin on Jan 20 of next year.
The campaigning started Nov 5
Ignorance is the dumb rappers in atlanta showing up in public to solicit some of the "yall owe me somethings" minorities' vote. Got to have a nasty worded rapper song with a primitive beat to get em to vote. All we need is a dictatorship
Palomino - Now we don't have to worry about you dumbing down the crowd at Zaxby's anymore. Thanks for staying home.
The unfortunate thing that I see is that Democrats have to resort to name calling to express their opinion. It is very rare that verifiable facts are used. So, palomino9 please boycott Zaxbys, it just means there will me more room for the healthier ignorant to eat.
Go out and vote today for Jim Martin. That is the best answer to the Max Cleland's assassin and his circus star. For lunch go anyplace but Zaxbys. Do this forever!
Saxby = Big Spending, Big Government, Pro Amnesty SOCIALIST............. Martin = Moderate Democrat........... Vote for what you want
Typical dems, someone voices an opinion that's different than theirs and they want to boycott that person's business for life. Through his work at the Chamber of Commerce and his support of various charities across the CSRA, George Deuhring has given back to our community in ways you'll never know, but that doesn't matter a bit to you folks does it.
Yup, let the frightwingers dine at Zaxby's. They'll die sooner from all that cholesteral.
What happened to RSVP? How many folk showed up for this rally with the Alaskan Moose Hunter. Estimates range from 1300 to 3000 depending on whether you are listening to a red or blue state report. Maybe it should have been held at the a junior high school gym.
Gov. Palin once again has proven she is an upstanding and dignified lady...To those complaining about the moose hunting settle down...She is in no way infringing upon your local squirrel, deer, chit lings, turnip green or collard green consumption.... palomino is this sort of like the pot calling the kettle black..."the uneducated will follow anyone., just goes to prove that augustans follow the light, and don't think on their own"....
Typical reporting halffull, if you were there, you would have seen the attendance was over 3000, if you get your information from the far left press, there were only 6 people and they were all reporters from the left wing press. How do you think the Obama voters have been informed for the past year?
It is such a shame to read these post. I wanted my daughter(13) to understand what both parties stand for and see different opinions but this is nuts. We should all be glad that we have people in America trying to make a difference. The way you all are bashing everyone is TERRIBLE !! Stand up for what you think is right but don't trash talk another person because their views are different. We are all AMERICANS, aren't we? Be good to your neighbor by respecting their opinion. Be proud that there are a lot of good people in this great land and let's all strive to make it a better place for our children. I know it has to feel bad to be so angry, BE HAPPY, BE GRATEFUL, LEAVE THIS PLACE BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT. GOD BLESS THE USA !!!!
to show you what kind of people we are dealing with ( like these liberals who want to share their ignorant, hateful opinions)-check out the article about the white female student in Minn. who was beaten by 3 black girls for wearing a McCain button on election night...this is the kind of hatred and ignorance we are going to be dealing with, such as our local--"Palomino" reader.
IT IS POTHETIC!!!!!!!!!
Drop the stupid Zaxby's Saxby's comparisons, they are in no way
related.
Martin needs his own Maverick. He couldn't even fill a Zaxby's yesterday....
And they find 2 white guys with a pile of weapons wanting to assassinate Obama. Nuts are nuts, doesn't matter who they voted for.
PT, in addition to her other extensive mental deficits, evidently can't count. No way was there 3000 people there. I am guessing between 1500 and 2000. The floor was about a quarter full (they saved half for the camera stage and behind), about a 4 15x15 sections on the 1st tier on either side at about 85% full and a smattering in remaining seats. The upper deck was largely empty. The most amusing part was the need for the traveling entourage. When we were all sitting there waiting, all the signage was non-Saxby. "GA loves Palin", "Save my Gun", "We love Mavericks", and a small herd of Fair Tax dupes. Then this crowd off out of towners (which they acknowledged) was sheparded in and they held Saxby signs. No one gives a tihs about Saxby Chambliss nor should they. Sadly, he may still win.
Democrats now predicts that Martin wins in Georgia. 08:15 Tuesday. Just couldn't resist this.
I believe everyone here knows my political leanings by this point. That said, I don't believe that I want the dems to have a filibuster proof majority. Call me crazy, but I believe in the checks and balances. I also believe that Martin may be a better candidate, but that Saxby Chambliss is a better representative of the population of Georgia.
stewart, I was not an Obama fan but never would I think of beating someone up because of their choice. That is a jungle attititude of a bug city. Palimino go back and drink another cup of coffee, coke or piece of chicken at Zaxby's.You may enjoy it.
Chick-Fil-a kicks Zaxby's a$$ btw.
"The Filibuster proof majority" is a silly bogeyman. He has one now to the extent that he supports issues that Repubs like Olympia Snowe, John McCain and Lindsey Graham want. Moreover, this puts the Blue Dog Democrats in a position of enormous power since if the ones who are fiscal conservatives side with the Republicans, the filibuster block is lost. Whether Saxby wins or loses has no real impact on checks and balances in real terms. The GOP needs to start admitting it has problems rather the looking for victimhood in the MSM, the bogeyman du jour or whatever else the demented minds of people in that audience would have thought up.
(though you are correct re: Chick-Fil-A vs. Zaxby's)