Political Rewind

Tuesday on Political Rewind: Students, faculty and staff on 20 Georgia public college campuses are protesting to demand stronger COVID-19 protections. Demonstrators say the Board of Regents’ refusal to require masks on campus is endangering the health of workers and students on Georgia college campuses.

Acting Chancellor Teresa MacCartney has defended the state’s mask-optional policy, claiming that mandates cause divisions on campuses.

Also, a new poll of Georgia GOP voters shows Herschel Walker with a commanding lead in the race to find a Republican opponent for incumbent U.S. Senator Raphael Warnock. The poll gives Walker a lead of almost 70 points against his closest rival, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black. Can anything stop the former football star from winning the nomination?

In other polling news, Atlanta mayoral candidates Felicia Moore and Kasim Reed are in a virtual dead heat in a poll conducted for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. However, a plurality of Atlanta voters say they remain undecided less than three months until the election.

Panelists:

Margaret Coker — Editor-in-Chief, The Current

Riley Bunch — Public policy reporter, Georgia Public Broadcasting

Tamar Hallerman — Senior reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Tia Mitchell — Washington reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Monday on Political Rewind: Private businesses across Georgia face the prospect of a new federal rule requiring workplace mandates of vaccinations for workers.

President Joe Biden announced the order last week. It would require federal employees and contractors to be fully vaccinated and create new OSHA guidelines requiring private companies with more than 100 workers to mandate vaccines for employees.

The move is sparking a showdown on the political stage. Gov. Brian Kemp joined several other Republican governors in denouncing the order as an example of government overreach. They say they will sue to block the mandate. 

Former Atlanta Journal-Constitution columnist Jim Galloway said Biden might have done Republican governors a favor by giving them an issue to galvanize their voters.

"Kemp is now free to express himself as vociferously as he wants to about the overreach of federal power," Galloway said. "But if this mandate works, [Kemp] can sit there and claim victory. So, he gets to have his cake and eat it, too."

Meanwhile, faculty and students at more than a dozen Georgia public universities are planning a series of demonstrations protesting the lack of mask mandates on university system campuses.

Plus, a new poll suggests that the new Texas abortion law is sparking a backlash among Democratic women voters. Access to health care and equitable treatment are among their top priorities in the 2022 election cycle.

Panelists:

Rep. Mary Margaret Oliver – Democratic state representative (D-Decatur) 

Julie Smith – Mayor of Tifton, Ga.

Dr. Audrey Haynes – University of Georgia political science professor

Jim Galloway – Retired columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Thursday on Political Rewind: Grady Hospital and other health care facilities across Georgia have begun limiting non-essential procedures, as a rush of COVID-19 cases demand their resources. Meanwhile, there are signs the dangers of the latest surge are still not being understood. This weekend, the University of Georgia will play its first home game of the season this weekend with no mask mandates for fans who are expected to fill Sanford Stadium to capacity.

Also: Former President Donald Trump’s efforts to interfere in the outcome of Georgia’s presidential election are driving two very different agendas. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis says she’s moving forward with a probe to determine if Trump violated election laws by pressuring state officials to overturn the Biden victory. Meanwhile, Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is accusing the Justice Department of conspiring with Georgia Democrats to challenge Georgia's new election laws.

Panelists:

Kevin Riley — Editor, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Dr. Tammy Greer — Professor of political science, Clark Atlanta University

Claire Sanders — Professor of political science, Georgia College

Wednesday on Political Rewind: The death toll from COVID-19 continues to grow in Georgia. On Saturday, 220 people were confirmed dead from the virus, bringing the total deaths in the state to over 20,000. Meanwhile, the state is seeing nearly 27,000 newly confirmed or suspected cases of the virus in the past four days alone.

Should state leaders be taking more drastic action to stem the rising tide? DeKalb CEO Michael Thurmond said elected officials are making a blunder by filtering the pandemic through a political lens and staking their position there instead of where it really matters.

"The position is: People are dying," Thurmond said. "So you have to start there. 'What can I do? What positions can I take that will mitigate and reduce the spread of the virus to save human life?'"

Meanwhile, in the days since the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block a Texas law effectively banning abortion, the case has suddenly made a woman’s right to choose a top issue in 2022 political campaigns. We’ll look at how it’s playing out in Georgia.

Also: Former President Donald Trump is heading to Perry, Ga., later this month. Will his hand-picked candidate for U.S. Senate, college football star Herschel Walker, share the stage with him?

Panelists:

Greg Bluestein — Politics reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Michael Thurmond — CEO, DeKalb County

Sam Olens — Former Republican Georgia attorney general

Dr. Andra Gillespie — Professor of political science and director, James Weldon Johnson Institute for the Study of Race and Difference

Tuesday on Political Rewind: Legal experts are examining the Supreme Court’s refusal to act on a Texas abortion law. What does the move mean for the future of abortion access in states across the country? And how will abortion rights play out in 2022 election battles?

"Roe v. Wade, in fact, has been effectively overturned, even if it hasn't," Dr. Amy Steigerwalt said. "It has in a practical sense, because the abortion providers are worried that they're going to be sued. And the court has said, 'We're not going to stop this law from being put into effect and stopping those lawsuits before they happen.'"

Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump formally endorsed two Georgia Republicans: Herschel Walker for the U.S. Senate and state Sen. Burt Jones for lieutenant governor. Both men are longtime allies of the president, and his endorsement of the pair should come as no surprise.

Also: Clarke County stands as a telling example of the affects of gerrymandering on political representation in state and congressional office.

The county, home to Athens, Ga., voted for Joe Biden by 70% in the 2020 election. But two of the county's three state representatives and both its members of the U.S. House are Republicans. Our panel discusses this example of political districting as state lawmakers prepare to redraw Georgia's boundaries later in the fall.

Panelists:

Donna Lowry — Host, GPB’s Lawmakers

Dr. Amy Steigerwalt — Professor of political science, Georgia State University

Dr. Charles Bullock — Professor of political science, University of Georgia

Dr. Kurt Young — Professor of political science, Clark Atlanta University

Thursday on Political Rewind: Jazz pianist Joe Alterman is a sparkling, young talent in the jazz music scene. He has won the acclaim of some of the masters of jazz. Ramsey Lewis, Ahmad Jamal, Les McCann and more have praised his masterful, musical abilities

As long holiday weekend approaches, Alterman joined us to discuss his musical journey and the the roots of his lively and joyous tune. His fresh take on music is captured on Alterman’s new release "The Upside Of Down." Taken from two live shows in November 2019 and February 2020, the album harkens back to a time in the past when we gathered together and danced.

Panelists:

Joe Alterman — Musician, jazz pianist

Wednesday on Political Rewind: As the pandemic surges, public health officials are asking members of the public to get their COVID-19 vaccination to help stop the spread of the virus. An editorial column featured on the front page of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution echoed those sentiments, and called on readers to "save lives" by getting vaccinated.

Recent reporting revealed health care workers involved in vaccination efforts in Georgia are receiving threats and harassment because of their job.

In other news, big names in Georgia politics appeared at the annual 8th District GOP Fish Fry last weekend. It was another gathering that Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker did not attend, while his three rivals did. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger did not show, either.

Panelists:

Greg Bluestein — Politics reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Dr. Adrienne Jones — Professor of political science and director of pre-law, Morehouse College

Dr. Karen Owen — Professor of political science, University of West Georgia

Tuesday on Political Rewind: Gov. Brian Kemp announced new initiatives in the effort to get more Georgians vaccinated. Residents under the state health plan will receive a subsidy if they get the COVID-19 vaccine.

Kemp is also preparing 2,500 additional Georgia National Guard troops to assist hospitals across the state reeling from the recent surge in hospitalizations from COVID-19 cases.

In other news, Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker faces new light on his tumultuous past. An investigation by the Associated Press revealed documents detailing accusations that Walker repeatedly threatened his ex-wife and alarmed business associates with unpredictable behavior. How significant will these reports be through Walker's campaign?

Also, the Buckhead city movement is gaining some momentum. Republican states Sens. Clint Dixon and Brandon Beach are cosponsoring legislation calling for a referendum on the city's controversial succession.

Panelists:

Sen. Michelle Au — State senator (D-Johns Creek)

Leo Smith — Republican consultant and founder, Engaged Futures Group

Rene Alegria — President and CEO, Mundo Hispanico Digital

Fred Smith — Professor of constitutional law, Emory University

Monday on Political Rewind: A year has passed since the death of civil rights icon John Lewis. Now, the story of the late Georgia congressman's life, activism and political career continues in a new series of graphic novels.

Run is a sequel to 2013’s March, a captivating illustration of Lewis's early days in the civil rights movement.

Run was co-authored by Lewis before his death and tells the story of the events after the signing of the Voting Rights Act, and how Lewis persevered through gut-wrenching setbacks. Former congressional aide to Lewis, Andrew Aydin, co-authored the series with Lewis. Aydin joined us on today's show.

The three volumes of March were national best-sellers, and remains the only comic book to receive a National Book Award.

Panelists:

Andrew Aydin — Former congressional aide to Rep. John Lewis and co-author, March and Run

Jim Galloway — Former political columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Friday on Political Rewind: The COVID-19 vaccines have been crucial to protecting health as the latest surge of infections continues to roll across Georgia and other states. Despite their efficacy in limiting the spread and severity of illness, there are many stories of people who refuse to be vaccinated.

The challenges faced by today’s vaccines are not new. The history of vaccines dates back centuries. While the development of vaccines to protect against deadly diseases like smallpox, polio, yellow fever and others are among the greatest achievements in medical science, challenges confronted vaccine advocates throughout history.

Today, we explored the fascinating history of vaccines with one of the genuine heroes of global health, Dr. Bill Foege. Foege is a former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and as a young public health doctor he devised and led the campaign that eradicated smallpox.

Panelists:

Dr. Bill Foege — Epidemiologist, former director of the CDC and co-founder of The Task Force for Global Health

Patricia Murphy — Columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution