Political Rewind

Today on Political Rewind, a Georgia federal judge has blocked nationwide implementation of President Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees of federal contractors. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr was one of the seven state attorney generals who filed for the stay, arguing the administration was overstepping its constitutional authority. The second ranking Republican in the State House...

Tuesday on Political Rewind: The Republican race for governor is getting ugly. The divisive contest between Gov. Brian Kemp and David Perdue is drawing the endorsement of national figures. Former President Donald Trump endorsed Perdue's candidacy last night. In other news, the Department of Justice announces it is dropping its investigation into the murder of Emmett Till. Panelists: Tamar Hallerma...

Monday on Political Rewind: We looked at former Sen. David Perdue's announcement on his run for governor. Plus, a discussion on the legacy of longtime GOP Sen. Bob Doyle following his passing. The Panel: Jim Galloway – Former political columnist, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Rep. David Wilkerson – Democratic State Representative, House District 38 Eric Tanenblatt – Republican insider Emma Hurt...

Friday on Political Rewind: We looked at the latest news about the coronavirus. We tackled your questions about the new omicron variant, and where it is likely is it to become the dominant strain of COVID in Georgia. How will schools, public spaces and travel change in the coming months? The Panelists: Nicole Carr — Reporter, ProPublica Dr. Jodi Guest — Vice chair of the department of epidemiology...

Georgia Democrats are expressing excitement and relief now that Stacey Abrams has declared she is running for governor next year. Some Republicans welcomed the news, too. They claim Abrams will energize their base to turn out and vote against her. Longtime observers of the Supreme Court say the right to an abortion may be in jeopardy after they heard the justices' comments and questions in yesterd...

Wednesday on Political Rewind: The United States Supreme Court takes up one of its most significant cases in decades today, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The Mississippi case could overturn the landmark decision giving women the right to choose how to deal with their own pregnancies. A conservative court could abandon Roe v. Wade, which has been the law of the land since 1973. Our...

Tuesday on Political Rewind: Voters head to the polls in runoff elections in communities across Georgia. Elections include mayoral races in four cities, including Atlanta and Brunswick, Ga. The 2021 races have drawn low turnout so far. "Less than 25% of registered voters in Atlanta voted in early November, and now you know you're seeing less than half that," Emory University professor Dr. Bernard...

Monday on Political Rewind: Scientists say there is much to learn about the dangers of the new omicron variant of the coronavirus. They urge a redoubled effort to vaccinate in states like Georgia, where hesitance at getting the shots continues. Meanwhile, residents in Brunswick and Glynn County go about their lives in aftermath of the Ahmaud Arbery murder trial. According to local organizers, ther...

Friday on Political Rewind: A verdict in a trial from a small town in Georgia gripped the nation. Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan were found guilty of murder charges on Wednesday. In February 2020, the three men chased Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, in pickup trucks as he jogged in a Coastal Georgia neighborhood. Travis McMichael shot and killed Arbery durin...

Tuesday on Political Rewind: Questions about what constitutes legal self-defense and proper use of the citizens' arrest law dominated closing arguments in the trial of Gregory and Travis McMichael and William Roddie Bryan — the three white men charged with murder in Ahmaud Arbery's shooting death. Attention is on the jury as it prepares to deliberate on the evidence, but it was one defense lawyer'...

Monday on Political Rewind: Self-defense was a key argument in the pursuit of acquittal in Kenosha, Wisc., in the trial of Kyle Rittenhouse. Meanwhile in Georgia, defense lawyers in the trial of Gregory and Travis McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan" also claimed self-defense as closing arguments unfolded on Monday. Both trials have highlighted deep racial and partisan fault lines. Morehouse poli...

Friday on Political Rewind: Consequential updates to Georgia's political maps are moving through a special session of the state General Assembly. The Republican-controlled legislature is redrawing the boundaries of state and congressional legislatorial seats as part of a decennial process mandated by law. Among the changes, Republican lawmakers look likely to deny U.S. Rep. Lucy McBath reelection...

Thursday on Political Rewind: A story of addiction and recovery. William Cope Moyers is the son of journalist and presidential advisor Bill Moyers, and has memories from childhood of Air Force One and the White House. In the early '90s, Moyers followed his father’s path into a promising career at CNN in Atlanta. However, his life began to spiral out of control thanks to a substance addiction to al...

Wednesday on Political Rewind: The legislature is expected to move forward with redistricting maps likely to consolidate Republican control of Georgia’s U.S. congressional delegation for years to come.  Our panel discussed the possible consequences. Will Democratic U.S. Representative Lucy McBath find herself in a risky position as the boundaries of her 6th District are redrawn? Also, a controvers...

Tuesday on Political Rewind, defense lawyer Kevin Gough called for another Black pastor, Rev. Jesse Jackson, to be removed from the Brunswick, Ga., courtroom in the trial of the three white men charged with murder in the death of Ahmaud Arbery, a young Black man. The judge described comments made by Gough’s last week as “reprehensible.” Gough had urged Judge Timothy Walmsley to bar members of the...

Monday on Political Rewind: Race continues to be a central theme in the case of Travis McMichael, Gregory McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan — the three white men charged with murder in the shooting of Black jogger Ahmaud Arbery in 2020. A defense attorney in the case received criticism after complaining about the presence of Black pastors, including well-known names like Rev. Al Sharpton, in th...

Friday on Political Rewind: In a trial already infused with questions about racism, a defense lawyer added fuel to the fire yesterday with comments about the presence of Black religious leaders in the courtroom. Meanwhile, Sen. Raphael Warnock says Democrats have to do a better job telling voters how their big-ticket legislative agenda will improve daily lives. Plus: a look at candidates already o...

Thursday on Political Rewind: Gov. Brian Kemp goes on the offensive with the threat of a challenge from David Perdue looming in the air. His allies rallied in recent days to push Kemp as their candidate for re-election to the governor’s mansion. But, did Perdue give a signal to a group of Brunswick Republicans he is not interested in making the race? Also, help could be on the way to relieve the t...

Wednesday on Political Rewind: We spoke with a panel of mayors from across Georgia to learn more about each of their communities. Mayor Hardie Davis Jr. of Augusta said cities are the frontlines of democratic governance, so it is important to have accountable leaders. "The majority of our nation's GDP happens in and around cities," he said. "And so when you look at the things that are taking place...

Tuesday on Political Rewind: We remembered the life and political career of Georgian and former Sen. Max Cleland. Cleland served in the army during the Vietnam War, before entering into the state General Assembly and then serving as the head of the Veterans Administration under President Jimmy Carter. Cleland would go on to serve as Georgia's secretary of state and then as a U.S. senator for two t...

​Monday on Political Rewind: Gov. Brian Kemp and Attorney General Chris Carr have expanded their legal battle against the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. They filed a new lawsuit even as Georgia passed 25,000 deaths from COVID-19. Axios political reporter Emma Hurt pointed out that Kemp's resistance to the vaccine mandate falls in line with his strategy throughout the pandemic, an...

Friday on Political Rewind: Kasim Reed conceded in the race for mayor of Atlanta. The Nov. 30 runoff will see City Council President Felicia Moore face councilman Andre Dickens. Meanwhile, Gov. Brian Kemp and other Republicans on the 2022 ballot have moved quickly to trumpet the anti-Biden messaging that led to an upset GOP victory in the Virginia governor’s race. DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmon...

Thursday on Political Rewind: The jury selection tasked with deciding the fate of Travis and Gregory McMichael and William "Roddie" Bryan was announced Wednesday. The three men stand trial for murder in the shooting of 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery in February 2020. Prosecutors protested the jury selection, arguing its makeup does not match the demographics of Glynn County. Eleven white jurors and one...

Wednesday on Political Rewind: The race for mayor of Atlanta is headed for a runoff. City Council President Felicia Moore secured her spot handily. The second place spot, and a ticket to the runoffs, was undecided as the sun rose on Wednesday morning. Incumbent mayors in a number of Georgia cities fought off challenges from progressive candidates. What do the results tell us about the mood of vote...

Tuesday on Political Rewind: It is Election Day in Georgia, with important municipal races in communities across the state. Among the races, Savannah is picking a new state House representative, Marietta is voting on seats for its Board of Education and Atlanta residents are deciding on a new mayor. This year, some have taken on a more partisan edge than in past elections. "If we take those partis...