How the Hell did Zell Miller go from moderate Dem to right-wing zealot?

[liberalpragmatist]

Seriously. Even today, many people say he was one of Georgia's best governors. He kept taxes low, increased social spending, appoined records numbers of Blacks, tried to get rid of the Confederate flag canton on the Ga. flag, boosted job growth, helped education, and funded the Hope Scholarships for College. He was good friends with Jimmy Carter and as late as 2 years ago was vigorously campaigning for Roy Barnes and Max Cleland.

WTF happened? Some say it's just b/c he's a political opportunist. Others say he's revealed his true self?

Personally, I wonder honestly if it might be senility? Could that be it? Or perhaps that combined with his maybe taking a liking to Bush and his fellow Repub senators to wind up hating Washington and hating the Democrats?

Even with abortion. He was pro-choice as governor. Suddenly he's anti-choice. And on gay rights, though I could be wrong, it's the same story.

What gives?

[opihimoimoi]

1. Mind Theft!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pure and Simple....they fucking stole his mind like many others... too many others.....................

Is it in the Water????

[rumguy]

2. That's a damn good question

They try to sell him a Dem who's somewhow dissapointed in how his party changed. But the's the one who suddenly changed - he went from moderate to far, far right wing. He's indistinguishable these days from a Delay or a Hannity.

He's more right wing than many Republicans are - what the fuck happened?

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. I do think it's senility and I look forward to him drooling at the lecturn

at the RNC convention.

[lanparty]

4. The Manchurian Democrat !!!!

He's a plant!!!!!

Seriously, I think the man just sold out. He realized that the real money was shilling for Republicans.

[Syrinx]

5. I think it may be the "Dennis Miller Syndrome"

He's a big pussy who got scared shitless by 9-11 and wants a "macho" cowboy to protect him.

('scuse the language.)

[liberalpragmatist]

10. That could be part of it

I think senility, maybe fish-out-of-water (by most accounts he genuinely HATES being a Senator) helped him into the arms of Bushco and the Repubs.

I think 9-11 probably played a big part in that. But remember that even before then, he was the first Democrat to break and support Bush's full tax cut scheme - the original $1.6 trillion scheme, not the eventual $1.3 trillion.

But terrorism could be the big thing, in combination with his senility. Fact is, he's really taken a far bigger turn in the past couple years. At least in '02 he vigorously campaiged for Democrats in Ga., and he wasn't always attacking his party or spouting right-wing talking points, despite generally voting with the Repubs. So maybe he drank Bushco's koolaid and than turned against everyone who was critical of the Iraq fuck-up. It's really only the last year that he's become the nutcase that he is. Before that he was just an overly-conservative Dem, and before then, a Clinton-moderate.

Thank god he's leaving.

Oh, and the media should stop saying Republicans control the Senate "51-49" - it's actually "52-48" - Zell has stopped caucusing with the Dems and would vote for Republican leadership.

[Syrinx]

17. I think I agree with everything you said

But I didn't really think he seemed senile on Meet The Press. I remember my great-Grandpa, who really was senile (is that the same thing as Alzheimer's?) who thought my checkers were "acorns." I don't think he's senile. I think he's just confused.

[liberalpragmatist]

19. Well, maybe just old-age crankiness

Only fuckingly high

[olddem43]

6. He is apparently the last of the Boll Weevils -

The old right-wing Dems who all eventually turned Repug. Strom Thurmond is the best example. The Repugs can have them.

[oasis]

7. Sellout Zell's a Lester Maddox clone. He never was a true Dem.

He's dumb as a post. I'm embarrased that he has a (D) by his name.

[Zen Democrat]

8. I agree. He is an old segregationist who went "left" when it was necessary

to get elected. Now at the twilight of his career, we see the REAL ZELL - a segregationist bigot.

[oasis]

12. "Sellout" Zell adds a tidy sum to his retirement from the Bush campaign.

He's been in bed with them since bush took office. The sidewinding snake.

[MisterP]

9. Boll Weevils: "moderates" like him, Lieberman, and the DLCers

eagerly follow the GOP rightwards. They were pro-Nixon and -Reagan, cheering when the Hard Hats billyclubbed peace protestors or gunned at students and Telegraph Ave. marchers. In short, American Fascists, similar to, but different from, their European counterparts of decades before. For one, they're more subtle: the velvet fist instead of the chain-mail one. But the results are the same.

[andino]

11. Personally

I think that he went wing-nut to load up on corporate cash before he trots his ass into retirement.

[ochazuke]

16. ditto

I was gonna post that, but you beat me to it. Watch what this bastard does after leaving the Senate. If he becomes a lobbyist for some BFEE outfit, you have your answer.

[AmandaRuth]

13. maybe they have something on him

just a thought, you know like when B Bennett spoke out against the Iraq invasion on some talk show and badda bing, his gambling was exposed, but just the gambling, holding the gambling related stuff (drink? drugs? girls?) back just to keep ole bill in line.

[coloradodem2005]

14. Zell the Zell-ot is a Zell-out.

He may have always been this way. I just hope when he leaves the boll weevils will be gone. Then, Lieberman can leave in 2006 and this will be the end of the Boll Weevil Democrats.

[Doosh]

15. we need to pull a september surprise on Zell

about an hour or so before he gives the speech at the republican national convention, we put out a press release fromally ejecting him from the party. He deserves it, fucking prick.

[VoteDemocratic2004]

25. Is there any way to toss the jackass out of the party?

He needs to be tossed out of the democratic party. Is there any way to do that?

[Proud2BAmurkin]

18. He had a book to sell. End of story.

.

[liberalpragmatist]

21. Good point

n/t

[Elwood P Dowd]

20. Money. $$$$$$$$$$$

Republicans are always probing for Democrats they can turn with money.
Makes for great PR. Look at all the Faux shows and all the right wing
radio shows - O'Reilly, Hannity, Limbaugh, Boortz - that take advantage of the ole' fool. He whored himself out. Probably got 3-4 million from someone, along with promises to be a media darling.

[physioex]

22. Right I agree...

He is financing his retirement plus get a piece of the limelight. I think LIEberman is also a Repug but hangs around to get a piece of the limelight as well.....

[Elwood P Dowd]

24. He's a slicker New England version of Zell Miller

and has several more years of experience in playing the game.

[rumguy]

23. Honestly I think they flatter him and make him feel important

He's old, maybe his mind is going a little bit - he's facing retirment and his mortality. The pukes come in and offer him a starring role and offer to pimp his book - the tired, old, increasingly bitter man takes the bait - and he goes off into right wing lunacy.

It makes him feel vigorous, important. I mean shit, before he switched I didn't know a damn thing about him.

Ego-stroking can be a powerful thing, especially to an older man who feels his power waning....

[DrWeird]

26. It's quite simple.

Cocaine is a helluva drug.

[Elwood P Dowd]

27. It's money and attention

After November, you will not hear from him again. He will be useless.

[andino]

28. Hes useless now.

n/t

[Ruffhowse]

29. Not sure if this is true, but...

I heard he had prostate surgery and is now incontinent and has to wear diapers all the time. I guess that would make an old man cranky if anything could.

[moondust]

30. Blackmail?

He did something ghastly at one time and the Pukes have him by the...nose? Probably an affair. Maybe a black child.

[Selwynn]

31. HE WAS PAID WELL.