8 M E T R O S P I R I T M A Y 2 3 2 0 0 2
SPRING CLEARANCE SALE ANDY JONES MAZDA
ANDY JONES ISUZU
02 B2300 TRUCK
‘02 RODEO
A/C & More
AC, CD, Bedliner, Power Pkg.
11,995
$ OR
Buy for
196/
$
Not a Lease
mo.*
$1480 down
#6977
‘02 PROTEGE
AC & CD
11,995
$ OR
Buy for
199/
$
Not a Lease
mo.*
$1425 down
#97797
‘01 MIATA L
Power Pkg., Bose CD & Spoiler
Not a Lease
249/
$
$2500 down
#2477
1.9 1000 Rate
Rebate
%$ 60 mos.
$
Payments as low as
269
mo.
Payments calculated w/$1150 down plus tax, tag, & fees. Includes all rebates @ 72 months, not a lease. Payments on 60 months may be higher subject to credit approval. See dealer for details.
‘02 AXIOM XS
Auto, Leather, CD, A/C, Full Power
mo.** #6953
‘02 TRIBUTE LX
Rate
Power and Premium Pkg.
269/
$
Not a Lease
mo.#
$3500 down
#7085
‘02 MILLENIA
#2514
Rebate
1.9 % $750 60 mos.
‘02 TROOPER
Auto, A/C, Full Power
Power Pkg., Moonroof, Leather & CD
289/
$
$2800 down
Not a Lease
mo.## #731570
#2487
Rate
Rebate
1.9 % $1500 60 mos.
All vehicles plus tax, tag and title. Offers are mutually exclusive and with approved credit, and expire on 5/28/02. *65 months @ 5.95% apr. **65 payments at 7.00% and final payment of $7575. #59 payments at 7.00% and final payment of $7225. ##59 payments at 7.00% and final payment of $9625. *Dealer retains all rebates. See dealer for details.
ANDY JONES MAZDA/ISUZU 803-202-0002 www.andyjonesmazda.com
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At the top of the rise on the Aiken-Augusta Highway in North Augusta
Opinion: Austin Rhodes
Perdue Ad Slanders Rats
I
saw the latest Star Wars movie with a bigger crowd, but the enthusiasm was nothing compared to the raucous reception given Sonny Perdue’s new production at its lavish Buckhead premier. Attempting to separate himself from his fellow GOP candidates for Georgia’s top office, Perdue pulled out the stops with a scathing satire of the reigning governor, Democrat Roy Barnes. The slick campaign video is part homey biography, part Godzilla movie, with images of a 10-story tall rodent playing the part of “King Roy” the all powerful. The video is very well done, and among other things, depicts the “King Roy Rat” stomping and slithering across the state with the all the smarminess conservatives say exemplifies the Barnes administration. The mini movie is now playing in all its glory on Perdue’s Web site (www.votesonny.com), and already has the Barnes camp walking around like somebody slapped their mama. According to the candidate, the feature was prepared fully with tongue-in-cheek. The governor’s people may not get the joke, but I can guarantee the folks who don’t like him will laugh for days. One of the greatest applause points for the film was a surprise appearance by Congressman Charlie Norwood. Norwood has made no secret of his choice in the primary, but given the egg on his face following the implosion of Cleve Mobley’s campaign, you would think the congressman might be ready to play his cards a little closer to the vest. Norwood can never be accused of being shy. The Atlanta media has already labeled the movie as “mud slinging,” and the snide manner in which WSB-TV reporter Bill Nigut reported the event should earn him a role in the sequel as yet another lower form of mammal, the weasel. Nigut’s sneering review was right at home next to the toothy vermin making his premier. The obvious historical perspective that Nigut and the rest of Atlanta’s Fourth Estate failed to mention, was the last Georgia Republican to make a such a bold cinematic comment. Mitch Skandalakis was running for lieutenant governor when he produced a TV spot showing a drugged-up actor shuffling through a rehab center. That unflattering figure was supposed to be his portly opponent, Mark Taylor. The ad was a not-so-veiled reference to rumors about his alleged use of cocaine. Taylor’s lackluster campaign was rewarded by sympathy publicity generated by the ad, and many say even Roy Barnes’ campaign was helped by the fallout. To this day Republican Guy Millner claims that ad cost him the race. If the voting public doesn’t get the joke, the “rat ad” could be the Skandalakis scenario revisited. One thing is certain, the Republican crowd attending the premier Tuesday night ate it up. The venue for the bash was an interesting choice. The last time that many conservatives gathered in the ultra-hip Roxy Theater, they were there to arrest concert-goers. The right-wing fest included former Georgia Attorney General Mike Bowers, Representative and Mrs. Bill Jackson, Mr. and Mrs. Phil Kent, and enough state Republican Party bigwigs to fill a Lawrence Welk performance. It is clear that the movers and shakers in GOP circles are squarely behind Sonny, but what about the rest of the state? According to poll figures recently collected in the Bob Barr-John Linder congressional race, it appears state School Superintendent Linda Schrenko still has a commanding lead over Perdue and also ran Bill Byrne. That fact continues to baffle the party leaders. Linda Schrenko has no money, no support among the press, and a total lack of respect from virtually every Republican state office-holder in Georgia. But like the Little Engine That Could, she continues to chug away. Unless something drastic happens in the weeks left in the evaporating primary season, she could very possibly be the Republican nominee for governor. If Linda does capture the nomination, it may well be the greatest case of “the dog catching the car” in the history of Georgia politics. The “King Roy Rat” film is clearly a direct shot by Perdue to gain traction where, so far, he has been unable to do it. As public reaction is gauged in the days and weeks to come, we may well see one of the most interesting primary finales in recent memory. To their credit, Perdue’s team has gotten everyone’s attention. Of course they have completely lost the “rat vote.” Rats do a lot of dirty, rotten, nasty things. But in their defense, they never shy away from the fact that they are, in fact, rats. Barnes’ tenure has shown us that he will never be honest about who he is, why he is, or how he is. His biggest accomplishments have been constructed in secrecy, and he remains the biggest bully the governor’s office has seen since the days of Eugene Talmadge. Will the Republicans have what it takes to bring down the Big Rat? So far, their Sylvester the Cat reputation, sadly, appears safe. — The views expressed in this column are the views of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. The archived Austin Rhodes columns can now be seen at www.wgac.com.