At lunch today, I ran into former Gov. Jim Hodges. And I went up to him to say hi, and we were both perfectly civil. Really, we were — I even introduced him to my boss, Publisher Ann Caulkins. He was most cordial. Ad man Kevin Fisher, with whom Ann and I were meeting (more about that later), even remarked upon it.
But that’s not what I wanted to tell you about. What I wanted to tell you about was what happened a few minutes after that. Mr. Hodges was seated at a round table with several other people at the Capital City Club. Eventually, he was joined by Andre Bauer. He made a joke to Andre — something about asking for his help with Medicare. I know it was a joke for three reasons. First, everyone at the table laughed. Second, Jim Hodges is younger than I am (even though his hair is much whiter now than in this picture). Third — and this is the really funny part — the Legislature not long ago placed the state Office on Aging under the lieutenant governor’s office, for reasons that remain unclear in spite of Sen. Jackson’s oped. The senator wrote that my colleague Cindi Scoppe was wrong to call that move "nonsensical," but still didn’t explain why lawmakers saw fit to take that function away from the governor and give it to the gov lite.
Anyway, this is an interesting juxtaposition of events. First the op-ed from Sen. Jackson. Now, we see the lieutenant governor getting all convivial with the former governor over lunch.
I knew that Andre was a determined and hardworking campaigner who would pursue anyone’s vote, but this is taking it to a whole new level.
Related Posts
When I went to see Brokeback Mountain(GREAT MOVIE!!!!),I believe I saw Andre and Darrel in the back row.It was dark.I could be wrong.
Brad,Dave,Herb,Mike C,Lee-I urge you to see this excellent movie.It will change your life.
Wasn’t Andre a cheerleader?
Not for me, I’m afraid. I never even got used to the idea of movie cowboys kissing their horses. I know I’m not ready to move on to literally gay caballeros.
Just keep it simple for me — interminable chases on horseback, and shoot-outs with revolvers that never run out of ammunition.
In other words, “Come back, Shane! Shane, come back!”.
Don’t prejudge the movie,Brad,you might learn something.The sreenplay by Larry McMurtry(Lonesome Dove)is brilliant.
At least you’re not afraid to expose your homophobia.Frankly,I’m embarassed for you.
And if you don’t like being called a homophobe,just read your first line:”Not for me, I’m afraid.” (Freudian-slip or what?)
I love Ang Lee’s works. Heck, I even went to see The Hulk…twice!
But just because someone doesn’t want to see two heterosexual actors forming a human oxbow lake doesn’t make them a homophobe. I have some of the same reservations as Brad, though I can’t speak for his reasons.
As for mine, I just don’t want to view gay sex on a 30 foot movie screen or any other for that matter. Midnight Cowboy is as far down that stream as I’ll tread.
I don’t like horror films that must rely on explicit violence and dismemberment, either, which is why I avoid schlock like Thirteen Ghosts or Wrong Turn. Does that make me a gore-a-phobic?
Holster your six gun, billy. You’re fallin’ apart here!
Now “Midnight Cowboy” was truly great. Little-known fact: One of the many nicknames I have borne — this was back in college, right after that movie came out — was Ratso Rizzo.
But let me set y’all straight, pardners: I don’t wear NO kind of slip — Maidenform, Bali, Victoria’s Secret, Freudian or any other brand ya got.
Brad-
Love the High-School humor,but when it comes to homosexuality,maybe you’re like the majority of South Carolinians who’re suffering from sophophobia,epistemophobia,prosophobia and dikephobia.
On his own blog, he is attacked by the left for being a rightist. He is attacked by the right for being a leftist.
Truly, the sign of a great and complex figure.
What do you do when you’re branded, and you know you’re a man?
Chuck Connors! I’ll bet nobody ever called HIM an epistemophobe. I’d look that up, but I’d be afraid to find out what it means.
Nice shootin’, sir.
Your Indian name is now “Dances with Irony” and I dub billy as “The Man called Hoarse.”
For such high schoolish nonsense, of course, I shall be Unforgiven.
After all, there are two types of people in this world: those who have shovels and those who give out digs.
I thought the two kinds of people in the world were "Those that like Neil Diamond, and those that don’t."
I’m definitely a fan of What About Bob? and that line is one that I have stolen into past conversations to amplify my seeming cleverness.
Murray is doing some of his best work more recently, however. Broken Flowers was intended for an audience of more maturity than I possess, but I found it understatedly thought-provoking.
Which is more than I can say for the Columbian mayoral race to answer your question from another post. I didn’t want to reply there and get your hopes up when you saw (1) comment.
Maybe a flow chart might help? I just don’t see any major differences between the two as most politicians could be described as possibly separated at birth only to be united in office.
Cap-
Funny you should mention it,my pardner just calls me “Horse”.
PS You were right about the Talking Heads’box.
Got it over weekend.Hearing “This Must Be the Place” in surround is sheer heaven.
Glad to have made a convert, bill. It’s amazing how timely, or perhaps, timeless the lyrics and music of Byrne and the boys/girls is.
Naive Melody is a favorite of mine, too. How is it that certain songs like that can unlock a happy spot in your soul?
Every time someone goes on a rant about some SC economic or political minutiae on this blog, I always hear the lyrics of “People Like Us” piping up. We don’t want freedom! We don’t want justice! We just wa-a-a-nt someone to love!
If you don’t already have it, you may want to pick up Demme’s Stop Making Sense on DVD. It’s worth it just to see Byrne’s ballet with a shaded lamp and is the best concert video I’ve ever seen besides I Am Trying to Break Your Heart featuring Wilco (which is really more of an insight into the short-sightedness of the modern music signing industry).
Just remember: Heaven is a place where nothing, nothing ever happens.
Cap-
Have the movie,saw the same show in Charlotte,best live rock show I’ve ever seen staged.”True Stories”(the movie)is also a pretty good DVD.John Goodman does a funny cover of “People Like Us”.I really don’t care much for organized religion,but have a very spiritual side.I think truly inspired music is the easiest way to get in touch with God/higher power/whatever.In his mysterious and circuitous ways “God” created man but man created religion,so it’s bound to be screwed up.I’ll have to check out the Wilco movie.I haven’t heard “Kicking Television” yet,but have heard good things.
The jazz guitarist Nels Cline works with them now and he is incredible.If you want to hear some great instrumental music,his album “The Giant Pin” is one of the better jazz releases of the last few years.he has some free downloads in several places.Also google “Gutbucket”‘s site for some incredible instrumental rock music(several free downloads).”Music is the healing force of the universe”Albert Ayler
I got True Stories when I bought the Once in a Lifetime boxed set. Call me a completist. It’s certainly a more efficient way to view all the videos than the 8 separate discs of The Brick, but I wouldn’t trade in some of the live performance footage on The Brick for any amount of hay, though.
Kicking Television is definitely a worthy purchase. Some of the live versions of cuts from A Ghost is Born (the ‘experimental’ Wilco album), as stripped down as they are, end up sounding, ironically, better.
My only criticism is that some popular tracks from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot which you’d think would be no-brainers are absent only to be replaced by odd substitions. Tweedy has every right to pick his own pattern, though.
I’ll return the favor you did me and pick up some Cline. My modern jazz collection is sorely lacking so that may make a welcome addition.
A couple of purchases/Xmas gifts that I was really pleased with were Franz Ferdninand’s latest and Just Say Sire: The Story of Sire Records (boxed set). I really didn’t have an exact idea of how much Seymour Stein’s efforts influenced my musical tastes until I started reading the booklet which came with that latter pick.
If music is to be my religion, too, then Stein must be my Prophet Paul. Lord knows, I’ve filled its offering plates to the tune of much moolah over the last couple of decades.
AMEN