By Shannon McCaffrey
Associated Press Writer
ATLANTA - Saxby Chambliss was nowhere to be seen at Sunday's U.S. Senate candidate forum. But the Republican incumbent's name was on the lips of the six Georgians looking to unseat him, followed frequently by the words "Bush administration."
The five Democrats and one Libertarian who shared the stage Sunday linked Chambliss to the country's economic and energy woes, as well as to the increasingly unpopular war in Iraq.
"The sun is setting on Saxby Chambliss," said Democrat Rand Knight, an ecologist and businessman, to applause from what was billed as a nonpartisan audience. The moderator quickly hushed the crowd of about 150.
Chambliss declined to attend the event, saying he won't debate until he knows who his opponent will be after the July 15 Democratic primary.
Sunday's 90-minute forum was the first time the Senate challengers have appeared together in what has so far been a sleeper race for the Democratic nomination. They sparred politely, answering questions on topics from health care to immigration to the federal budget deficit.
The sharpest disagreement came over contributions from political action committees, or PACS. Former television journalist Dale Cardwell and Josh Lanier, a businessman and former Capitol Hill aide, have each agreed not to accept PAC donations. Both are trailing significantly in the race for campaign cash.
Lanier said he has worked as a lobbyist and a fundraiser. But he blamed special interest money for the lack of a national energy policy and universal health care.
"Washington is viewed as a pot of money that we distribute to our friends," Lanier said.
Cardwell, who has made opposition to PACs his signature issue, said most are backed by corporations interested in their own bottom line.
"They won't have me by the neck," Cardwell said. "We need to stop cold turkey."
DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones said it was wrong to suggest that people are bought and paid for because they take PAC money.
"You know if you're ethical going in you are going to be ethical going out," Jones said. "If you're honest, you're honest, bottom line."
Jones was about 30 minutes late to the forum, saying he was delayed by a previous engagement in south Georgia.
Jones and Jim Martin, a former Georgia lawmaker and state human resources commissioner, repeatedly stressed their experience Sunday.
Martin also gave a nod to his status as a Vietnam War veteran. A bad knee kept Chambliss out of the conflict.
"I'm not going to let Saxby Chambliss defend the failed Iraq policy by challenging the patriotism of this Vietnam veteran," Martin said.
The other three Democrats played up their status as political newcomers, saying that Barack Obama's win in the Democratic race shows the country is ready for change.
"If you run the same old dog in this race, you're going to get the same result," Knight said.
While the five Democrats are battling for the right to take on Chambliss in November, Allen Buckley is already on the ballot on the Libertarian Party line. He stressed a small-government approach to issues such as education.
"Simply put, I don't think the federal government should be involved in education at all," Buckley said. "The more localized it is the better off you're going to be."
Sunday's forum was sponsored by the Georgia chapter of the League of Women Voters and the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
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On The Net:
League of Women Voters of Georgia: www.lwvga.org
Delta Sigma Theta: www.deltasigmatheta.org
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