Johnny Isakson United States Senator

Senator thankful for local support

By Jon Gillooly, Marietta Daily Journal — Feb 18, 2009

A member of such senate committees as Foreign Relations and Veterans’ Affairs, Isakson spoke with optimism about developments in Iraq. He said Iraq held free Democratic elections two weeks ago, electing city council members and regional governors, among others. Isakson said 33 percent of the people who ran for office in Iraq were women.

“Six years ago, there was one candidate on the ballot in Iraq and his name was Saddam Hussein. Six years ago women couldn’t even leave their house or uncover their face or ride an automobile or get an education, but because 4,250 American men and women sacrificed their lives and over 125 Georgians sacrificed their lives, the nation of Iraq is a free democracy in a very dangerous part of the world, and our world is better off because of it. So the next time you get real upset about what’s going on, think about how lucky we are to be here,” Isakson sad.

Isakson, who lives in east Cobb, told supporters how glad he was to kick off his re-election campaign in his home county.

“You know, one of the real blessings I have had is to live in Cobb County, to go to church in Cobb County, to send my kids to Cobb County Public Schools, to be in a community that has a paper like the Marietta Daily Journal that gives you that sense of community - I’m not pandering; the

Marietta School System, which is the great capital of our county; WellStar and the great health system that we have in this community; the great transportation system that we have,” Isakson said.

He went on to applaud community leaders.

“I can’t remember when Bob (Prillaman, former WellStar Board of Trustees chairman,), started helping this county, and he has never quit. And (Bank of North Georgia CEO) Kessel Stelling, who has done exactly the same thing, and John Williams and so many people that are here tonight that are more than I can even count.”

Sue Everhart, chairwoman of the Georgia Republican Party, said she particularly admires Isakson’s accessibility, “and that: when he gets to Washington he listens to what we say in Georgia and votes accordingly, most of the time.”

Senior Cobb Superior Court Judge Conley Ingram believes Isakson is the most genuine political person he knows.

“I just like him. He’s a good friend and you can count on him, good times and bad. If you had to have a tag line it would be ‘you can count on him,’” Ingram said.

Cobb Superior Court Judge Adele Grubbs echoed Ingram in speaking about Isakson’s authenticity,

“I’ve known Johnny for 42 years and he’s the same now as he was then, and that’s what I like about him,” Grubbs said.

Earl Smith, chairman of the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum and Exhibit Hall Authority, said he and Isakson go back to the 1970s.

“My thing about Johnny is in the early part of his career, when he was elected to the House of Representatives in the State of Georgia, the industry I’m in needed some help. And Johnny, as a minority person, he was able to take this forward and make it happen, and to me that tells me everything about him. He could cross the line. He could build consensus,” Smith said.

Isakson thanked his supporters.

“Dianne and I are very grateful for all the support you’ve given us, of your time and your talents and your funds. I promise to do everything I can to be a good steward of the funds, a good steward of your time and most importantly of all a good

representative of your wishes and your hopes and your dreams, and I am very proud to be a United States senator in the greatest country on the face of this earth, the United States of America,” he said.

Others in attendance included David Connell, regional manager for Georgia Power; Cobb Board of Commissioners Chairman Sam Olens; Marietta Mayor Bill Dunaway; Marietta Schools Superintendent Dr. Emily Lembeck and Cobb Superior Court Judge Tain Kell.