Political Breakfast from WABE

This week on Political Breakfast, Donald Trump and Joe Biden hosted two competing presidential campaign rallies in Georgia over the weekend. 

Democratic Strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican Strategist Brian Robinson join host Lisa Rayam to compare the turnout and excitement at both events – as both candidate's approval ratings aren't reflecting the same energy. 

Both Trump and Biden say the path to the White House in 2024 runs through Georgia.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former President Donald Trump’s last Republican challenger, Nikki Haley, has bowed out of the race ahead of Georgia’s presidential primary on Tuesday. Now the campaign is turning to the General Election, with Trump and President Joe Biden set to hold competing rallies in Georgia on Saturday. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas also discuss a busy qualifying week at the state capitol and more.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this special edition of Political Breakfast, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strateigst Tharon Johnson sort through some of the bills and issues that were getting tossed around on the all-important Crossover Day under the Georgia State Capitol.

Immigration and sports betting captured their attention, but so did the overall buzz that filled the halls of the Gold Dome on this monumental day.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lawmakers scramble to keep their bills alive on Crossover Day. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas discuss some of the major bills that are still making their way through the legislature and those that didn't make the cut this session. Plus a conversation about immigration with WABE's immigration and communities reporter Emily Wu Pearson.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's Political Breakfast, we're joined by special guest, DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond, who is also an author and longtime historian!

His new book is titled, 'James Oglethorpe: Father of Georgia, A founder's journey from slave trader to abolitionist.'

It's been a decades-long journey for Thurmond.

In 1996, he was part of a delegation that traveled to England to celebrate the 300th birthday of British native Oglethorpe, who founded the British colony of Georgia in 1733.

Thurmond starts by telling host Lisa Rayam and strategists Brian Robinson and Tharon Johnson that the idea for the book struck while Thurmond explored the legacy of Georgia’s founder at his grave in London.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this Edition of Political Breakfast, we discuss the tragic murder of nursing student Laken Hope Riley on the UGA campus and the subsequent politicking that has followed.

The suspect arrested in the murder case, 26-year-old Venezuelan national Jose Ibarra, unlawfully crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in 2022.

Now, Governor Brian Kemp is calling out the Biden Administration for allegedly not protecting the nation's borders properly. State Republicans are also calling for new and stiffer immigration laws.

Is this an appropriate response?  

Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson take on some tough questions from host Lisa Rayam regarding the immigration issue.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The “First in the South” Republican Presidential Primary is this Saturday in South Carolina. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas speak with South Carolina Public Radio's Maayan Schechter about the primary and more. Plus, a roundup of what's been happening at the Georgia Capitol.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's Political Breakfast, Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Atlanta Civic Circle Director Saba Long discuss Atlanta's housing crisis. Wages have not grown with housing costs. There's also an overall scarcity on the market. 

Are rent control and restrictions on landowners the solution? Or is it building more housing?

With Atlanta's population expected to grow to around eight million people by 2050, Democrats and Republicans are now taking up the issue under the Gold Dome.

Democrat Donzella James introduced Senate Bill 125 earlier this month. It would allow local cities and counties to set their own rates.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As a judge considers whether to disqualify Fulton County district attorney Fani Willis from the election interference case, Republican Strategist Brian Robinson and Atlanta Civil Circle Director Saba Long weigh-in on Willis's testimony during last week's hearing.

Willis is accused of having an improper relationship with Nathan Wade, who's the special prosecutor working on the case.

A political conversation is also brewing about headlines describing Willis as combative, defiant and angry, in her testimony to defend her ability to lead the Georgia election interference case.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis took the stand in an Atlanta courtroom Thursday to defend her ability to continue helming the Georgia election interference case involving former President Donald Trump. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas discuss what ended up being a dramatic day in court. Plus, a roundup of the week's news from the capitol and a conversation with WABE business reporter Marlon Hyde about Georgia's film tax credit, a bill that could make it harder to organize a labor union and more.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Georgia's long-serving Democratic U.S. Rep. David Scott has a challenger in the party's May primary. 

Democrat Marcus Flowers raised more than 16 million dollars to challenge alt-right Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and represent Georgia's 14th Congressional Distict. He lost in the general election in November of 2022. 

We discuss the chatter surrounding the opposition to Scott. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Political Breakfast, Atlanta and politics mixed with the Super Bowl. 

Besides the 75-yard touchdown the Kansas City Chiefs pulled to win in overtime Sunday night, Atlanta's own R&B singer Usher put on a star-studded halftime performance at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He represented with Atlanta performers and singers, even shouting at the end "I turned the world to the A." 

Strategists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson and host Lisa Rayam also discuss Super Bowl ads that played the political field. 

And the group turns back to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp stressing that Republicans need to move away from the 2020 election and issues like the age of Joe Biden and Donald Trump. We take a dive into the internal GOP debate on the future of the party. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Advocates are calling a bill headed to Georgia Governor Brian Kemp’s desk a step back from years of criminal justice reform. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas speak with criminal justice reporter Chamian Cruz about Senate Bill 63, which would add more than two dozen offenses to the list of charges requiring cash bail while limiting charitable bail funds from securing the release of no more than three people a year from jail.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's Political Breakfast, the team talks about a new book called 'Find Me the Votes' by investigative journalists Michael Isikoff and Daniel Klaidman.

They share intimate details about Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis "the person" and her prosecution of former president Donald Trump, and 18 co-conspirators, in their alleged plot to overturn the 2020 election results. 

The book also focuses on the Georgia Republicans who resisted Trump, and endured notorious threats on their families and on their lives.

A note of disclosure: The book was released before accusations were made against Willis and her special prosecutor Nathan Wade having a romantic/improper relationship. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on Political Breakfast, the gang discusses the fallout of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis acknowledging her personal relationship with Special Prosecutor Nathan Wade. Willis also called motions to disqualify her from the Georgia election interference case "meritless." 

Plus, Atlanta rapper and activist Michael Render, known as Killer Mike, was just arrested at the Grammys in Los Angeles after sweeping the ceremony with three awards. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Georgia Senate has passed a bill that would allow sports betting, but a last minute addition could complicate its ultimate passage. WABE politics reporters Rahul Bali and Sam Gringlas also discuss efforts to recruit poll workers and speak with health reporter Jess Mador about a slew of health related issues, including a possible Medicaid expansion and the $636 million Georgia is getting from a major opioid drugmaker settlement.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A note of disclosure: This episode was recorded 2 days before the antisemitism bill was signed into law.

GOP Governor Brian Kemp has signed a bill into law that officially defines antisemitism.

Supporters say now Georgia prosecutors and judges can more easily define antisemitism as discrimination or a hate crime. 

Democratic State Representative Esther Panitch, the only Jewish member of the General Assembly, co-sponsored the measure.

"I do know that prosecutors and investigators need to be taught what the definition means and how to discern between things that may be anti Semitic and things that are not necessarily anti Semitic."

The GOP is a united front in support of Israel's war on Hamas. But some Democrats are opposed. 

Strategists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson break down the divide, and how some opponents are concerned that the law simply censors criticism of the Israeli government and violence towards Palestinians. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this edition of Political Breakfast, the team analyzes how both the Republican and Democratic parties will leverage the abortion issue during this election cycle.

Plus, Brian and Tharon swap theories on what Governor Brian Kemp stands to gain by taking a staunch conservative stance on immigration.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Republicans under the Gold Dome have pounced on misconduct allegations lodged against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, the lead prosecutor in the Georgia election interference case. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has joined a motion seeking to disqualify Willis from the case. Also this week, WABE politics reporters Sam Gringlas and Rahul Bali speak with their colleague Stephanie Stokes who recently published a story in partnership with ProPublica titled: "When families need housing, Georgia will pay for foster care rather than provide assistance."

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this week's second episode of Political Breakfast, Georgia politicians are starting to kick up dust under the Gold Dome week 3 of the legislative session.

Republicans and Democrats are both moving forward with hot-button issues.

Host Lisa Rayam asks strategists Tharon Johnson and Brian Robinson what kitchen-table issues are being pushed so far.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.