Political Breakfast With Denis Ohayer

We’ve heard for months Georgia could be in play in the presidential race. A visit from President Trump is the latest evidence of that. So, what are the best battle plans for the campaigns? The state makes slow progress in the Coronavirus battle, but Federal health officials say we could do more. And the Governor mounts a last-minute public push to get all Georgians counted. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer welcomes Republican strategist Brian Robinson, and former Cobb County Democratic chair Michael Owens, who’s filling in for Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The allegations were appalling, and denied by those accused. But the accusations that women at a Georgia immigration detention center were subjected to hysterectomies without consent have raised a new election issue for candidates in both parties. Meanwhile, those candidates with enough money have flooded all kinds of media with messages they hope will actually reach voters still struggling with a pandemic. And a man who helped re-shape downtown Atlanta is leaving the institution where he made that happen. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer digs into it all with Republican strategist Brian Robinson and former Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard, who’s filling in for Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Presidential politics and public health collided as never before, when journalist Bob Woodward released audio, in which President Trump says he deliberately played down the threat of the Coronavirus. With less than two months before election day, candidates stepped up their get-out-the-vote efforts. And speaking of votes, the Secretary of State said about a thousand people voted twice in this year’s primary elections. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer welcomes Republican strategist Brian Robinson and former 7th Congressional District Democratic candidate Nabilah Islam, who’s filling in for Democratic strategist Brian Robinson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Georgians found themselves bombarded by lots of numbers in the last week--coming from everyone from public health officials, to economists, to political pollsters. But much of that information might only create a more muddled picture of where we’re headed. It’s very 2020. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer sorts it out with Republican strategist Brian Robinson and former Cobb County Democratic chairman Michael Owens, who’s filling in for Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Georgia no longer has the nation’s highest rate of new Coronavirus cases--but it's in second place, despite some other more encouraging signs. Uncertainty continues over the best path forward for Georgia's public schools ad universities. Renewed protests around the nation—including Atlanta—were one of the themes of the Republican Convention. And the state’s top elections official, who’s a Republican, walked a tightrope with GOP members of Congress about mail-in absentee voting.  WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer digs into it all with Republican strategist Brian Robinson and former Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard, who’s filling in for Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Georgia’s governors like to say this state is the number 1 place to do business. But the current governor pushed back when the White House task force branded Georgia as number one for its rate of new Coronavirus cases. The debate over school and college re-openings intensified as case clusters emerged in those places. And polling shows the state’s two U.S. Senate races are, at least for now, quite different when it comes to how competitive the parties are with each other. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer explores it all with Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It was a week that saw several different kinds of unprecedented things: of course, Kamala Harris became the first African-American woman—and first South Asian woman—to be selected as the vice presidential candidate for a major American party. Here in Georgia, for the first time, a candidate who has endorsed a conspiracy theory called QAnon is likely headed to Congress. And the daily death toll from COVID-19 in Georgia reached new record highs. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer gets some insights from Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Schools are opening in Georgia, but the often-emotional debate about whether—and how—to do it safely is already well underway. And the toll in COVID-19 cases, rates of positive tests, and deaths continues to rise. Governor Kemp signs a controversial police protection bill. And while President Trump trashes mail-in absentee voting—except in Florida—there’s a growing dispute between the state’s top elections official and one Atlanta area county. Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson are back, with WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With coronavirus cases still extremely high, hospitals in many parts of Georgia sounded the call for intensive care for themselves. Schools and colleges struggled to figure out how and when to reopen, with the calendar--and the virus--not on their side. And voters in the late Congressman John Lewis’s district will get to choose his successor—even if that person might only serve for a few weeks. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer delves into it all with Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After it took almost four months to reach to 75,000, Georgia’s number of confirmed Coronavirus cases doubled in less than a month. With hospitals in many parts of the state under stress, and people still facing long delays in getting their test results, the political and legal crossfire continued, too. The only pause came when Georgians paid tribute to two giants of the civil rights movement, who continued to lead to the very end. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer got some thoughts from Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A united Georgia response to the Coronavirus might be a fond wish, but it’s not happening—even as case numbers spike and hospitals are stretched. The governor and Atlanta’s mayor traded shots; the governor again banned local governments from requiring masks—even as more cities did just that; and some school districts decided to open with online learning, despite funding cutoff threats from the president. Meanwhile, Georgia’s controversial new abortion law was blocked in Federal court. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer looks into all of it, with Republican strategist Brian Robinson and former Atlanta City Council president Cathy Woolard, who’s filling in for Tharon Johnson this time.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It was a week of mourning in Georgia: over lives lost in a weekend of gun violence--including that of an 8-year-old girl—and the lives lost to a Coronavirus outbreak that has worsened after the state re-opened. Georgia’s governor faced what one might call a masked rebellion in several cities, and called the National Guard into Atlanta. Meanwhile, school students, teachers, staffers and parents struggled to understand what this fall will be like in classrooms and on campus, while the Trump administration pressured schools to put kids back in front of teachers. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer again welcomes Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Georgia’s COVID-19 case numbers continue to soar, the warnings from public health leaders here continue to darken. But the debate over how best to keep from getting there has intensified—with leaders in some cities publicly confronting Governor Brian Kemp. Meanwhile, the governor and officials at every level in the state try to figure out how to adjust to state budget cuts that will affect us all. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer talks it over with Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Georgia lawmakers ended their 40 day session, but not before passing a tight budget, allowing liquor delivery and making history with a hate crimes bill. Host Lisa Rayam talks with Emma Hurt and Emil Moffatt about the end of the 2020 Georgia legislative session. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After resisting the idea for years, Georgia lawmakers suddenly moved fast to pass a hate crimes bill. Meanwhile, some grim Coronavirus numbers raised the question of whether the state re-opened too fast. And the Secretary of State promised some fixes that will speed up the long voting lines in some counties—but there’s a battle over reaching absentee voters who don’t want to stand in line. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer wades into it all with Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A much anticipated hate crimes bill now includes police as a protected class in Georgia. It's a hurdle lawmakers have to tackle while also cutting 11 percent from the state budget. In this Coronavirus remote edition, host Lisa Rayam talks with Emma Hurt and Emil Moffatt about these and other issues that are getting attention at the state legislature.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After the Fulton County District Attorney announced charges against two Atlanta police officers involved in the killing of Rayshard Brooks, the debate over new rules for law enforcement continued, while the Atlanta department saw an outbreak of blue flu. Meanwhile, the Coronavirus served notice to Georgia that it hasn’t gone anywhere, and there’s a new chapter in the fight for one of Georgia’s U.S. Senate seats. Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson join WABE political contributor Denis O'Hayer for this edition of the Political Breakfast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

State lawmakers return to the Georgia State Capitol for 11 days to finish the 2020 legislative session amidst protests, voting problems and renewed calls for a hate crimes law. Covid-19 had put the session on hold. WABE's Susanna Capelouto guest hosts this episode and talks with politics reporters Emma Hurt and Emil Moffatt about what to expect this week.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Primary election day turned into primary election week, as vote counting continued. But with runoffs and November looming, the scramble to fix this week’s mess is on. The surviving campaigns check the numbers and plan for more battle, while the battle against the Coronavirus isn’t over—and those numbers could change everything again, even as the Legislature returns tries to figure out how much the state has to spend. WABE political contributor Denis O'Hayer talks it all over with Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson and Republican strategist Brian Robinson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Primary day in Georgia was unlike any other. But even those trading blame for all the problems agree on one thing: they don't want anything like this to happen again. This bonus edition of the Political Breakfast looks into the delays, glitches, and frustration that confronted so many voters. It originally aired live on 90.1 WABE on June 10, 2020. WABE political contributor Denis O'Hayer welcomed Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Brian Robinson, along with University of Georgia political scientist Charles Bullock; Gabriel Sterling from the Secretary of State's office; and WABE reporters Emma Hurt and Emil Moffatt.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.