Better late than never: Barack Obama helps Jim Martin in the Georgia runoff
A familiar cast of characters has been stumping for Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss and his opponent, Democrat Jim Martin, in the Senate runoff election in Georgia.
Sen. John McCain traveled to Georgia to campaign for Chambliss, and so did former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. Two other former candidates for the Republican presidential nomination, including former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, plan to do the same.
Martin, too, has had his fair share of high-profile surrogates. Former President BIll Clinton campaigned for him in Atlanta this week, and former Vice President Al Gore will hold an event on Sunday on Martin's behalf.
But missing from the fray has been another important Campaign 2008 face (and the man about to become the most powerful leader in the world): Barack Obama.
That is, until now. Obama has taped a radio ad for Martin, and the rumor is that a television commercial will soon follow. Funny though, how the Georgia radio ad happened to leave out the word: "Democrat." Must be just an oversight.
In the radio spot, which you can listen to below, Obama begins by thanking those who voted for him in November.
"But the elections aren't over," Obama cautions. "In Georgia, there's a runoff on Tuesday, December 2, and I want to urge you to turn out one more time and help elect Jim Martin to the United States Senate."
Although Obama has not announced plans to campaign in the state, he has sent a team of 100 field operatives from his presidential campaign to help with Martin’s grass-roots turnout.
Chambliss beat Martin 49.8% to 46.8% on election day, but since he didn't win 50% of the vote, a runoff is set for Dec. 2. Democrats need to win the two undecided Senate races -- in Georgia and Minnesota -- to have a coveted filibuster-proof 60-vote Senate majority.
-- Kate Linthicum
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Andrew Malcolm's immigrant parents repeatedly stressed the importance of active participation in a democracy. Early lessons included learning the alphabetical list of states by watching televised roll calls of national political conventions. That childhood exposure led to a lifelong fascination with politics, including 40-plus years of covering them and a brief stint practicing them as press secretary to Laura Bush in 1999-2000. A veteran foreign and national correspondent, Malcolm served on the Times Editorial Board and was a Pulitzer finalist in 2004. He is the author of 10 nonfiction books and father of four.
Johanna Neuman is a veteran Washington correspondent for both The Los Angeles Times and USA Today, having covered presidents and politics as far back as Ronald Reagan. A former president of the White House Correspondents Assn., she authored a book on media and foreign policy, “Lights, Camera, Wars.” Most recently she was co-author of the 
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WE HAVE MORE TO DO:
Democrat Jim Martin is in a runoff against Bush Republican Saxby Chambliss for the Senate seat from Georgia. Bush's Saxby Chambliss voted against spending a few measly dollars to provide health care coverage for Georgia, and Americas needy children. But he supported wasting hundreds of billions of your dollars, and the life BLOOD of Americas finest on an unnecessary war in Iraq.
At a time when 47 million of you have no health insurance coverage, and over 100 million of you with insurance are just one major illness away from complete financial destruction. Bush and Saxby Chambliss voted to make the heart break of bankruptcy relief even harder for all of you to use.
You see, Bush and Saxby Chambliss, and his family don't have to worry about their health care coverage. They have the finest health care coverage your tax money can buy for them. Courtesy of you. The American Tax payer. In fact, no one but the super rich can afford the health care coverage you the tax payer provide for Saxby Chambliss, and his family for FREE! with your tax dollars.
He supposedly works for you. But he doesn't think you and your family should have access to the type of taxpayer supported FREE health care that you provide for him, and his loved ones for FREE!. Doesn't that just make you BURRING MAD!
Vote for JIM MARTIN for US senator from Georgia. Vote for JIM Martin who will be on your side. Vote for JIM MARTIN who will work with President Obama and a majority congress for you. Vote for JIM MARTIN most of all for your-self, your family's, friends, and loved ones. Vote for JIM MARTIN for a better America, and a better World.
Don't let Saxby Chambliss make a chump out of you by tricking you into voting against your own best interest. Saxby chambliss is NOT! on your side. He's not one of you. He is on George Bush's side. And we all know what a catastrophe the Bush Chambliss administration has been the past 8 years.
Contact all your family and friends and do every thing you can to see to it that JIM MARTIN and GEORGIANS! take that senate seat back for Georgia, and America. No matter where you live in America. This is important to you. President Obama will need all the help, and power you can give him to try and fix this catastrophic mess that the Corrupt Bush Chambliss administration has created.
As I said before you will have to vote in overwhelming numbers to overcome the Bush Chambliss "Let Them Eat Cake" vote fraud machine. Vote early if you can. Then help everyone you can get to the polls and vote for JIM MARTIN. You and your loved ones don't have to be Saxby Chambliss's victims anymore.
I know you will get it done. Just like you did for President Obama.
God bless all of you
jacksmith - WORKING CLASS... :-)
Posted by: jacksmith | November 21, 2008 at 09:26 AM
"Finally!" Kate, you haven't been paying attention. Barack has had 100 other more important matters on his calendar, and it's a wonder that today, November 21st, he's able to stump for Martin at all. Jeez!
Posted by: Mark Sconce | November 21, 2008 at 11:16 AM