Political Breakfast with Denis O’Hayer

A look at the latest news from the Georgia state legislature--including the battle over how to change the state's voting machines and rules; a lawsuit over the current voting system and the 2018 election; a bid to for a state takeover of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport; and a controversy involving House Speaker David Ralston.

After a slow start, Georgia lawmakers have some tough negotiations ahead on complicated issues; Stacey Abrams looks set for a Senate race (and maybe more); and there's talk of a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. atop Stone Mountain.

A look at how new Georgia Governor Brian Kemp began the work of putting together a governing coalition, and how Georgia's two U.S. senators might be in a unique position to help end the U.S. government shutdown stalemate.

A look at the new legislative session in Georgia, and the impact of the 2018 elections.

A year-end look at 2018: the big events, and some of the ones that we didn't notice or forgot--and what they might mean for Georgia in 2019.

A look at the Governor-elect's efforts to reach across the aisle--and across the street to Atlanta City Hall; some of the issues facing the incoming Kemp administration; the decision by Vice President Pence's chief of staff Nick Ayers to return to Georgia; and the Atlanta United victory that ended Atlanta's championship drought.

A look at Georgia runoffs, the legal battles over future elections, and the recent indictments in connection with the big ransomware attack on Atlanta's government computers.

A look at the continuing legal fights over the gubernatorial election; Georgia's lost bid for Amazon's HQ2; the lessons we've learned from each--and more.

Bonus Breakfast: Georgia Elections 2018--Day After

One last look at the campaign strategies of Georgia gubernatorial candidates Brian Kemp and Stacey Abrams.

It’s getting toward the end of October; scary people will soon be knocking at your door--and then there are the trick-or-treaters! Yes, the political campaigns have launched their ground games, with volunteers trying to visit as many homes as possible--perhaps even yours. But, with polls showing a neck-and-neck race for governor, what else will it take to win? That question--and a lot more--are on the menu for another Political Breakfast! Our regulars, Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson, both got to-go orders this time. Joining WABE political contributor Denis O'Hayer for this edition: former Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard, and former State Senator and former state Republican chairman Chuck Clay, who is now with the law firm of Hall Booth Smith.

From the number 14 hipster city in the United States, it's an oh-so-hip edition of the Political Breakfast! According to new polling, the Georgia governor’s race remains virtually tied, while outside help pours in to both major party candidates. We’ll check to see if the fight over Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination will affect how Georgians cast their ballots. And a couple of streets with old Confederate names got new ones. WABE political contributor Denis O'Hayer is your host. Joining us again: Brian Robinson, a Republican strategist, and former deputy chief of staff for Governor Nathan Deal. Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson is back, too. He’s a former national southern regional director of the Obama 2012 campaign.

While the U.S. Senate was fighting over how to handle allegations against a Supreme Court nominee, here in Georgia there was a court fight on paper--paper ballots, that is. Meanwhile, the people on the November ballot for governor—which won’t be on paper—tried to figure out which messages will convince voters who haven’t made up their minds already. In Atlanta, the Gulch will stay the Gulch—at least for now, and some state lawmakers go public with their fears that the nuclear power plant expansion has run into a gulch of its own. It’s all on the buffet for this Political Breakfast. Joining WABE political contributor Denis O'Hayer:  Brian Robinson, a Republican strategist, and former deputy chief of staff for Governor Nathan Deal, and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson, who is a former national southern regional director of the Obama 2012 campaign.

It’s been another couple of weeks of “we’ve never seen anything like this before” in politics at the local and national levels. A new book and an anonymous White House official describe President Trump as off the rails, even as he blasts his own attorney general for the indictments of two of his supporters in Congress. More progressives have joined Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams in the re-shaping of the national Democratic Party. Federal investigators are demanding travel and expense reports for former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed’s entire time in office. So much for the quiet end-of-summer news cycle. Brian Robinson, a Republican strategist, and former deputy chief of staff for Governor Nathan Deal, and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson, former national southern regional director of the Obama 2012 campaign, join host Denis O'Hayer.

In the coming years, when you catch a flight from Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which has been owned by the City of Atlanta, will someone else be in charge? In fact, “who’s in charge here?” is a pretty good question about a lot of what’s gone on politically in these parts lately. The two major party candidates for governor accused each other of failing to be in charge of their own finances; a school superintendent appeared to go on a racist rant; Georgia Tech’s president felt compelled to promise he'll work really, really hard to stop financial abuse at the Institute. That's just some of the giant buffet for this edition of the Political Breakfast. And we’ve got the band back together! After weeks of sitting on the sidelines, Brian Robinson is back. He is a Republican strategist, and former deputy chief of staff for Governor Nathan Deal. Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson is on hand, too. He is a former national southern regional director of the Obama 2012 campaign.