Push turns to shove in Barr-Linder race

Atlanta Journal-Constitution ^ | 08/13/02 | DOUG NURSE

[Kennesaw]

Push turns to shove in Barr-Linder race

By DOUG NURSE Atlanta Journal-Constitution Staff Writer

The Bob Barr-John Linder race has gotten cartoonish. A video clip circulating Monday shows a protester dressed as Yosemite Sam in a crowd listening to Barr speak in Canton Saturday. The costumed man, John Harris, 35, of Marietta was making light of a recent Barr mishap -- a gun that accidentally fired at a supporter's home. Harris wore an oversized foam cowboy hat and a button with the words, "Bob Barr's Official Gun Safety Trainer."

Harris is approached by man in a light blue shirt identified by the online newsletter politicalvine.com as a Barr staffer. He appears to shove Harris, sending the rootin', tootin' protester reeling backwards.

Harris, who said Monday he still had a headache from the altercation, filed a simple battery complaint with Canton police. Harris said he supports Linder, Barr's opponent in the Aug. 20 Republican primary, and went to the event looking "to make a statement."

A Canton police officer was present at the event, which came during a stop on a Barr bus tour of the 7th District, but didn't arrest anyone. In fact, Harris was the one escorted from the scene. Assistant Police Chief Dennis Appling said the department would review the complaint.

Barr's campaign was incensed at the video, posted at www.politicalvine.com/Sam/SAM1LOW.htm. A campaign spokesman said the Web site's operators are backing Linder.

"This is a two-second clip from a 30-minute event," said Brian Walsh, who would not identify the staffer involved. "It doesn't show Canton police walking him away. It doesn't show him knocking people in the head with his hat. Canton police were there and a television crew was there and they didn't consider it any sort of problem."

Linder campaign manager Bo Harmon said Harris is not tied to the campaign and Linder doesn't plan to make an issue of the incident.

But Linder's campaign did e-mail to reporters politicalvine's account of what happened.

[AMDG]

Actually, this district is very affluent and well educated, probably more affluent and better educated than parts of South Texas.

[chainsaw]

Evidently Barr is well schooled in handling firearms. He was handed a loaded gun which he didn't know wasloaded. The gun was never pointed at anyone. It went off and damaged a window or something like that. Inexperience could have gotten someone injured, or possibly even killed.

[Theodore R.]

Sorry, maybe the ad men did not check the education level and wealth of that GA congressional district before making up the latest Barr ad. From outside GA, it seems that Barr should win, for he has far more name recognition than Linder.

[Theodore R.]

Well, a district would not need a particularly high level of education to surpass the educational level in south TX.