Making Decisions

Georgia: Very interesting development. 11-year WSB-TV investigative reporter Dale Cardwell has announced that he plans on entering the Senate race as a Democrat. (HT: Tondee's Tavern) To get a sense of his acclaim and reputation, as Macon.com points out, Cardwell "is a six-time Emmy award winner and former Atlanta Press Club Journalist of the Year." As Macon.com's profile continues, Cardwell knows how to save taxpayer dollars and seek out the truth:

"He will go to Washington to do what he has done throughout his career: fight for the truth and make a positive difference in people's lives," the opening paragraph of Cardwell's biography reads.

It continues, "Dale's investigations have saved taxpayers millions of dollars and resulted in the prosecution and or resignation of numerous corrupt politicians and their appointees."

Much of Cardwell's reporting has focused on alleged government corruption involving high-profile officials, including former DeKalb County Sheriff Sidney Dorsey, former Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell, Gov. Sonny Perdue and Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine.

Very intriguing dynamic. And the respect of his peers should gain Cardwell some very positive press. It will be interesting to see how he comes out on various issues. The one issue that he has already spoken out on, as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution piece notes, is the immigration reform bill, which Caldwell calls "amnesty." You can read Caldwell's full bio and see a list of his most notable investigations here. A campaign kickoff is scheduled for tomorrow morning at 11am at his campaign headquarters. Separately, Tondee's Tavern offers an updated quick glimpse at the Democratic Senate possibilities.

North Carolina: DKos and Blue NC diarist funluvn shares with us that Congressman Brad Miller appeared in a News 14 Carolina interview this morning and said that a decision regarding a Senate challenge to Elizabeth Dole was coming soon.

Nebraska: UNO Dems asks "Where Will Hagel’s Ego Lead Him?" and offers thoughts similar to the Guru's regarding Chuck Hagel's 2008 options. Given the toughness of Hagel's potential primary, his disenchantment with the GOP, and his apparent tiring of the machinations of the Senate, a Bloomberg-financed independent Presidential ticket might be too tempting an offer for Hagel to pass up, so muses the Guru.

Maine: Lance Dutson of Maine Web Report is joining Susan Collins' campaign to run her web effort. (HT: TMB) Collins Watch picks up on Dutson's early flexibility with reality:

But Dutson (who I've corresponded with via e-mail in the past) goes overboard when he writes:

Senator Collins has set a fine example over the last decade of how to maintain integrity in a world that has caused so many others to compromise their values.

Really?

To cite but one example of behavior that doesn't exactly ooze integrity: Collins' decision to seek a third term in the first place, after pledging in no uncertain terms not to. Unprincipled, dishonor, dishonesty--those are the words that pop into my mind. But integrity?

In addition to breaking her term limits pledge, you can pile on Collins' claiming to be pro-choice but supporting Alito and Roberts to the Supreme Court, claiming to want the Iraq War to end but voting against such efforts repeatedly (and endorsing for President the field's biggest pro-ongoing-War voice), and a host of other contradictions that call Susan Collins' so-called "integrity" into question.

New Hampshire: Blue Hampshire has video and a transcript up of Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand's speech at the New Hampshire Democratic Party state convention. Terrific rhetoric, impressive record, up-by-the-bootstraps family story. Of course, the current candidates have said they would step aside for former Governor Jeanne Shaheen should she opt for a rematch against Sprintin' John Sununu. But, if she ultimately decides to sit out the 2008 race, Mayor Marchand would be a formidable challenge for Sununu.