Political Breakfast from WABE

Latest Episodes:

COVID-19 Vaccine’s Slow Rollout; Congresswoman’s Growing Controversy Jan 29, 2021

Show notes

Just as the COVID-19 pandemic shows its first signs of levelling off in Georgia, a new and more contagious strain appears, further intensifying the race to vaccinate, along with the debate over whether the state can do more for its public health department. Meanwhile, a brand-new Georgia congresswoman is under increasing scrutiny. We’ll navigate all this and more in this edition of the Political Breakfast. Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson join WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer.

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Gold Dome Scramble: Follow The Money - Georgia Budget Priorities and Pitfalls Jan 24, 2021

Show notes

Governor Brian Kemp presented at $27 billion dollar budget to lawmakers who will now get a chance to make minor changes. Host Lisa Rayam talks with WABE politics reporters Emma Hurt and Emil Moffatt as well as education reporter Martha Dalton and health reporter Sam Whitehead about what made it into the spending plan and what was left out.

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New Faces; Same Fights Jan 22, 2021

Show notes

There’s a new president in the White House, two new Georgia Senators at the U.S. Capitol, and a new legislative session underway at the Georgia Capitol. But the problems they face are not new--especially the spiraling numbers of COVID-19 cases, and the struggles to mitigate the impacts of the pandemic and its economic fallout. We’ll look at the chances for new hope on this edition of the Political Breakfast. Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson join WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer.

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Gold Dome Scramble: Georgia's Blue Wave Stopped At The State Capitol Jan 17, 2021

Show notes

Georgia's legislative session has started with Republicans still in control of all branches of state government, but Democrats are making their new found statewide election power known. Host Lisa Rayam talks with WABE Politics reporters Emma Hurt and Emil Moffatt about the first week of the 2021 legislative session.

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Impeachment, COVID-19, and the Wait for Vaccines Jan 15, 2021

Show notes

Now that the United States House has voted to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time, does this mark the beginning of a new era in American politics—or the continuation of the toxicity of the last four years? Georgia and its leaders played a prominent role in the historic process. But Georgia also faces a health-care crisis, as the state tries to get COVID-19 vaccines distributed, while hospitals are stretched to the limit. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer welcomes Republican strategist Brian Robinson and former Atlanta City Council President Cathy Woolard, filling in for Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson.

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Is Georgia Now a "Blue State"? Jan 07, 2021

Show notes

Following the pivotal Jan. 5 Senate runoff elections in Georgia, in which Democrats Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff beat incumbent GOP Senators Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue, a deep dive into whether Georgia is now a "50/50" state, or just plain "blue."

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An End To 2020; Some Hope For 2021 Dec 30, 2020

Show notes

As we approach the end of 2020, a year of pandemic that is unprecedented and challenging in so many ways, there are also signs of light and hope. We’ll explore the nuances in this edition of the podcast. One of the major stories of 2020 continues into 2021 as many voters head to the polls in Georgia’s critical U.S. Senate runoffs. And as the City of Atlanta prepares for its own election year, leaders are already caught in a fierce debate about how to respond to the spike in deadly violence the city is seeing. Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson dig into these issues and more with WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer.

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Christmas Present From Congress; Campaigns Roll On Dec 22, 2020

Show notes

Federal stimulus funds will soon be coming to many Georgians, but the flow of political campaign advertising money this year hasn't stopped—and neither have the visits from the very top ranks of both the Democratic and Republican parties. As they battle for both of Georgia’s Senate seats in January, some House Republicans continue to try to undo the last election. All this as the coronavirus surge poses big challenges for the health-care system. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer talks it all over with Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson.

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Live with Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger Dec 17, 2020

Show notes

In the last few weeks, Georgia has welcomed an outgoing president, a president-elect, an outgoing vice president, teams of outside lawyers and their conspiracy theories, and hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising cash for the two Senate runoffs on Jan. 5. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer welcomes Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson, along with our guest for this special live edition: Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger.

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Fever Rising Dec 11, 2020

Show notes

It was a week of risings around here. The sharply rising numbers of COVID-19 cases in Georgia, the rising political heat brought by outgoing president Donald Trump on rising numbers of state political leaders, and the staggering rises in the dollars spent by the campaigns—and their outside support groups—on the two January 5th Senate runoffs. WABE political contributor Denis O’Hayer gets some insight into all of it from Republican strategist Brian Robinson and Democratic strategist Tharon Johnson.

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