I miss Joe Frank Harris

I miss Joe Frank Harris. You know, the guy who was Governor of Georgia from 1983 through 1991.

Oh, I know where he lives in Cartersville, and I have his telephone number. We talk and visit occasionally. What I really mean is that I miss politicians like Joe Frank.

When I got elected to the State House in 1972, taking office in 1973, I took Sam Nunn’s seats (the district he had represented, and when I got the House Chamber, the chair he sat in).

So, there I was, 30 years old, full of good ideas, in my seat and ready to do the people’s business. To my left was a tall, well-dressed, quiet (that would be refreshing in today’s political world, wouldn’t it?), thoughtful and very polite fellow from Cartersville by the name of Joe Frank Harris.

Joe Frank. Even back then, I thought that the double first name was, well, really southern and that to my mind was really good. And talking about southern, to Joe Frank’s left, sitting in an aisle seat (which I later learned was where the ‘big bulls’ sat) was James H. ‘Sloppy’ Floyd from Trion. My, my: Joe Frank and Sloppy. Sloppy was Chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

But, back to Joe Frank: I quickly learned that ‘my seatmate,’ who was Vice-Chair of the Appropriations Committee, was a solid man. He was respected by all the members – Democrats (some of the most conservative of the members) and the few Republicans in the House – who knew that Joe Frank’s word was as solid as the concrete that came from his family’s business, Harris Cement Products. They knew that he understood the State Budget, like the back of his hand. More importantly, they knew that Joe Frank was a strong church man who not only ‘talked the talk, but walked the walk.’

Early on, Joe Frank and Elizabeth and Janice and I became close friends. So, when he told me he was going to run for Governor, I said to Janice something like this: “Janice, we need to do all we can to help Joe Frank, and even if he does not win, we can take satisfaction in knowing that we supported a fine man.” And we did, and somewhat to my surprise, Joe Frank Harris was elected.

Let me confess – on a recent Saturday afternoon, I was going through some boxes of old photographs, letters, newspapers clippings, etc. when I ran across something that Lewis Grizzard wrote in the Atlanta Journal on Sept. 2, 1982. When I re-read it, I knew that I wanted to share it with you. The part that I want you to read is about my friend and our former Governor, Joe Frank Harris.

Here it is, as only Grizzard could write it.

“Joe Frank is a Sunday school superintendent in Cedartown welcoming visitors and urging the congregation to stay for preaching. He’s a county agent in Baxley explaining how to get the bugs off your beans.

“If he were a mechanic in Swainsboro, he’d come to your house on Sunday and work on your car. If he were a banker in Camilla, he’d give you the loan anyway.

“If he gave the invocation before a high-school football game in Hartwell, he would mention learning how to win in ‘the game of life.’

“If he does wear cuff links, it’s because his wife makes him. He isn’t pretty. He won’t pout. He’s not slick.

“He’s solid. That’s us. That’s Georgia. That’s good.”

Like I say, I miss Joe Frank and politicians like him: simple, direct, forthright, non-pretentious, that listen, understand and appreciate our culture and have as their goals moving our state forward and making Georgia a better place to live.

Then, it struck me that there are still some politicians around like this. Examples are our Senior United States Senator, Saxby Chambliss, and our present Governor, Nathan Deal.

I hate to see Saxby deciding to leave the Senate. I think he is just “coming into his own” as a statesman, and is doing a fine job. And, I’m glad we’ve got a good, conservative man as our Governor. I believe most folks in Georgia agree on this, and I predict Nathan will be elected, easily, for another term.

So, I’m glad we still have some politicians like Joe Frank Harris. You know, that are not too slick, and don’t pout, and are solid. After all, it’s like Grizzard said, “that’s Georgia and that’s good.” To my mind, it’s very good.

This article was written for James magazine and is published here with the permission of James.

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