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Page 8 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE November 14, 1986
State Demo chief feels post-election high
by Richard Bono
TSI staff writers
Bobby Kahn, the executive
director of the Georgia Demo
cratic Party, hopes to capitalize
on the excitement generated by
the apparent comeback of his
party in the recent elections.
Democrats in Georgia and across
the country fared far better than
most political pundits predicted
they would. The Republican surge
that rode in on Ronald Reagan’s
coattails in 1984 was greatly dim
inished during this election.
Kahn says, however, that he
never considered the morale of
Georgia Democrats to be that
low—even with the GOP’s appar
ent stronghold.
“1 don’t think so,” he said. “A
year ago, morale was somewhat
low, maybe. The organization of
the party was not what it should
have been. But, in the course of
the year, we got out of debt, we
got organized and we computer
ized the voter’s list for candidates
to use for direct voter contact.”
A native of Savannah, Kahn,
28, said he has been interested in
politics of all his life, having
volunteered to help the campaigns
of a myriad of politicians, includ
ing one of his first efforts with
John Rousakis, the popular five-
term mayor of Savannah.
“I was the Fulton County co
ordinator for the Joe Frank Har
ris for Governor campaign in
1982 and in 1984 I managed
Judge Robert Benham’scampaign
for the Georgia Court of Ap
peals,” he said.
As executive director of the
Georgia Democratic Party, Kahn
works closely with party chair
man John Henry Anderson and
Gov. Harris in managing the par
ty’s day-to-day operation. He
coordinates an eight-person staff,
though during an election year
the staff nearly doubles. The par
ty’s operating budget of about
$300,000 also mushrooms during
election years. This year Kahn
estimates the state Democrtic war
chest was about $1 million.
Kahn, who lives in the North-
lake area of Atlanta and is a
member of the Sidney Marcus
Lodge of B’nai B’rith, said that
while he is “thrilled” at the out
come of the elections, he is de
lighted that the hectic time is
over. In fact, he is preparing for a
week-long vacation in the Cay
man Islands.
Kahn is also preparing for his
wedding April 5 to Atlantan
Susan Gold. Ms. Gold is the
daughter of Carolyn Gold, who
compiles the “10 and 25 Years
Ago” column as well as other
articles for The Southern Israelite.
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The Republican character of
metro Atlanta is thought to be a
backlash result from the Mon
dale/Ferraro 1984 presidential
bid. That ticket, observes say,
tore the Democratic party as-
sunder for being too liberal in a
rising conservative age. But, two
years later, the Democratic party
is back.
“It is our job to get the message
to the new voters that move into
these growing counties that
Democratic leadership has been
good for the state,” Kahn said.
“They are moving here because
there are jobs here. And, the jobs
were created by Democratic
leadership.”
Kahn also noted that the same
Democratic leadership has created
a favorable economic climate and
and a landmark program to en
hance public education.
The most lauded Democratic
success of 1986 is the election of
Wyche Fowler to the U.S. Senate.
“Wyche ran a good campaign.
He had a good message and was
effective in delivering that mes
sage,” Kahn said, noting that
much of the credit is due to the
campaign organization that
Fowler put together and that
campaign manager Bill Johnstone
coordinated.
“Also,” he said, “we had a
fairly calm primary and we came
out of it unified. We had the
entire leadership of the demo
cratic party of the state united
behind Wyche.”
JFS Isenberg fund speaker
an expert in family therapy
Bobby Kahn
As a Democratic party strate
gist, Kahns says the suburban
metropolitan Atlanta counties of
Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton, Che
rokee and Forsyth “is clearly
where the battleground is” for
party control.
“You’ve got a mix of people in
metro Atlanta,” he said. “New
people have moved in who always
vote Republican unless they’re
given a reason not to. We’re giv
ing them a reason to vote Demo
cratic.”
Dr. Jack Weltner, a leader in
the field of family therapy in his
native New England, will discuss
“Children Under Seige: The Fam
ily in the 1980s” Monday, at 8
p.m., Nov. 17, at The Temple.
The program is being sponsored
by Atlanta’s Jewish Family Ser
vices Inc. for its Sidney Isenberg
Endowment Fund.
The fund, established in 1985,
promotes professional and board
development of Jewish Family
Services.
The breakdown of the nuclear
family, the impact of media and
the lack of trust in the commun
ity are among the topics Weltner
will touch on as he addresses the
questions, “Who is in charge or
rearing our children?” and “What
forces are shaping our children’s
view of the world?”
A resident of Marblehead,
Mass., Dr. Weltner is a graduate
of Harvard Medical School and
has been in private practice since
1967. He is founder and director
of the North Shore Family Re
source Center as well as the Sea-
coast Family Resource Center.
Weltner’s lecture culminates a
day-long in-service workshop for
the professional staff of Jewish
Family Services Inc.
For more information call
Judith Greenstone at 873-2277.
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