[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 85 (Tuesday, June 9, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S6355]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING JIM WOOTEN

  Mr. ISAKSON. Madam President, it is a distinct honor and privilege 
for me to stand on the floor of the Senate to pay tribute to a 
gentleman I went to college with, a gentleman who has reported on 
politics and government in Georgia for the better part of the last 35 
years, a gentleman who recently announced his retirement at the end of 
this month from the associate editorial page responsibilities at the 
Atlanta Journal and Constitution.
  Mr. Jim Wooten, born and raised in McRae, GA, veteran of Vietnam, 20 
years in the Georgia Air National Guard, former President of the 
Georgia Press Association, lifetime trustee of the Georgia Press 
Association's educational fund, has made a tremendous contribution to 
our State and to the public lives of all our people. I rise to pay 
tribute to him.
  One of the greatest tributes of all that I can share is what happened 
on Monday, at lunch this week. I had a luncheon with the Board of Cox 
Enterprises. The Cox newspapers own the Atlanta Constitution, as they 
do the Palm Beach Post and the Dayton paper. They own many other 
businesses. It is a huge privately held company.
  At that luncheon, unsolicited by me, the name of Jim Wooten came up 
and, one by one, the leaders of Cox Enterprises talked about the 
tremendous contributions that Jim Wooten has made to their newspaper.
  As one who was first elected in 1976 and has been written about many 
times by Jim Wooten, I wanted to add my tribute to his journalistic 
talent and the contribution he has made. I am not sure I know of any 
other writer I have read who has reported on what is going on in 
politics in our State, who has gotten it right more often--in fact 
always--than Jim Wooten.
  Conservative? Yes, he is conservative. But he is pragmatic. When he 
writes his opinions on the editorial page of the Atlanta Constitution, 
it makes a difference in the minds and attitudes of Georgia's people.
  I say job well done to Jim Wooten. I hope his retirement is 
successful and rewarding in every way he wishes it to be, and I thank 
him very much for all the contributions he has made to the lives of all 
Georgians and, in one case, to this Georgian.

                          ____________________