Attorney General Thurbert Baker puts rumors to rest

By Maria Saporta

“It just ain’t so.”

That was Attorney General Thurbert Baker’s response to a couple of rumors making the rounds around town.

One rumor is that the Obama administration is considering Baker to fill the open judgeship on the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, a prestigious nomination.

But if that were true, it would take Baker out of the race to be the Democratic nominee in next year’s gubernatorial campaign. His Democratic opponents include former Gov. Roy Barnes; DuBose Porter, the House minority leader; and David Poythress, a former state labor commissioner.

“It just ain’t so, meaning none of the above,” Baker said. “I’m not being considered, and I’m not interested. I’m interested in being the next governor of this state, and that’s taking up all of my time.”

Another rumor has been that Baker will change his mind and decide to run for Lieutenant Governor. That field of candidates is thought to be less competitive than the field running to win the Democratic primary for governor.

“That’s absolutely not true,” Baker said today before the meeting of the Atlanta Kiwanis Club where he introduced keynote speaker U.S. Rep. David Scott. “I’m in the race for governor. I intend to win the race for governor, and I hope to move Georgia forward in a very positive way.”

Asked after the lunch about the source of those rumors, Baker said: “I suspect that some of my opponents might have started those rumors.”