This past week was so hectic at the office, I forwarded home some e-mail to read later. One that I had thought at first glance was a personal message was actually intended, apparently, as a letter to the editor. I’ve forwarded it back to the office for consideration on Monday. (That’s my bad, but for future reference, please send letters to the editor submissions to stateeditor@thestate.com.)
Anyway, it was from Elizabeth Moffly, former candidate for the GOP nod for superintendent of education. She seems to be fairly angry at us ink-stained wretches of the press. I’m not sure why, because we hardly wrote anything about her. I look back and see I never even posted notes from our endorsement interview with her. Of course, maybe that’s why she’s upset.
Anyway, here’s her cover note:
Dear Brad, In my opinion some thoughts I wanted to share that are attached. Thank god we didn’t get status quo Bob, go with the flow Mike, or computer geek Kerry. We did get the circle of no return I can talk and never answer your question(show teeth). I thought more of you when I first meet than what I know now. Father of many with out an original thought. Happy Father’s Day! Thanks for nothing, Elizabeth Moffly
And here’s the letter:
Elizabeth Moffly
362 Schweers Lane
Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464June 17, 2006
Mr. D. Bradley Warthen
Vice President/Editorial Page Editor
The State
P.O. Box 1333
Columbia, SC 29202Dear Brad,
Remember your comment at the end of my interview that “nobody’s listening to common sense” including yourself. Lee Brandy’s satirical blog on education issues that needed to be addressed are exactly the same issues of my own platform. The good ole boy network of status quo runs rampant here in South Carolina especially with the media. I blame the state of affairs on the biased press whose only focus is the money not issues.
I’ve come to realize there is a lot of John’s in the industry of reporting and the dictionary defines the name as a prostitute, one who willing uses his talent or ability in a base and unworthy way. The media has lost all credibility with the people and papers are only good for birdcage linings.
The abuse of one opinion to influence the people is corrupt. A review of the Code of Ethics would find the press guilty as charged. There is a distinct difference between the 1st Amendment versus slander. We are equally protected under the law. The lines of right/wrong, black/white are clear until it comes to the maybe gray area that requires a ruling. I see a lot of gray in the abuse of Editors and Reporters today using personal opinions in the coverage of issues that concern the welfare of all citizens. Luckily for the press illiteracy runs rampant in South Carolina and status quo is in your favor.
Mark Twain asks, “What is the hardest thing in the world to do? To think.” I think and read between the lines and find the press guilty of abuse of power to influence election outcomes in my own court of law. I am not alone in my views and there are more people than press making majority rule. Discrimination makes for a good case based on merits alone that in the end will be the demise of the press and the people’s abdication.
The future unemployment forecast is on the rise once again in South Carolina as the deadline for extinction of the printed press is drawing near. Politics is not looking good for the unemployed press as an option.Carpe Diem,
Elizabeth Moffly
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AMEN !!!!!!!!!
What did I miss? Was Ms. Moffly on the ballot? I had never heard of her until this blog. Who said something about a woman scorned? At least she is civil, compared to Mary Rosh anyway.
Well, I confess I don’t understand the issues in Ms. Moffly’s letter, but I do have to compliment her for quoting Mark Twain. Here’s another.
“There is no suffering comparable with that which a private person feels when he is for the first time pilloried in print.”
– Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi
Defamation with immunity is a primary power attraction to being in the news business.
What ever gave this lady the notion that she would be treated decently by the likes of Lee Bandy and Cindi Ross Scoppe?
Moffly is upset at not being taken seriously? I wonder why…
In May, with a freakin month before her primary, she had less meaningful information on her campaign site than a teen’s MySpace site. It looked like one because the content consisted of her and her children in beach garb. When you would click on the issues link, you got “coming soon.” It wasn’t until late May that she actually offered the voters any content. I figured she chose to run for office then later figured out why she was running.
Referring to another candidate as a “geek” is petty and is unbecoming of a candidate for a constitutional office.
After all that, she wonders why no one took her seriously?
But it’s just fine for Warthen, Bandy and Scoppe to ridicule the candidate as a “geek”.
Wow, that’s a REALLY incoherent letter.
She belongs here. Welcome home, Ms Moffly.
The abuse of one opinion to influence the people…huh?
Uncle Elmer, where is here?
Have to admit she’s quite a slice of milftoast, though, huh?
I’m just sayin’…
Waitaminnit. Just read the cover letter. Zoikes.
Ignore last post. Lesson to self: look before leap, look before leap, look before leap…
Sorry, off topic again. On June 27, McCain is in Columbia at a gathering with DeMint, Graham, and I think Sanford. Not sure if I can go or not although it would be very interesting. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. The real question is can a conservative support McCain in 08?
BRAD, IS THAT REALLY A PICTURE OF YOU THAT YOU USE SOMRTIME OR DID YOU GET THAT OUT OF AN OLD MAD MAGAZINE ?
Does anyone know the name of this ” Bar ” that Baby Campbell owns and where it is ?
Has anyone ever thought about why the wealthy George Dean Johnson and Jimmy Gibbs of Spartanburg would be on Baby Campbell’s finiance committee. Mr. Johnson seems to have a little problem with his Cash advance business, he keeps getting shut down. Would it not help him to buy the Governor’s ofc. ??????????
The name of the bar is Dr. Roccos. It is a bar the sells cheap booze to college kids with “weak” ID’s. It sells chips and dip…and is not as Mr. Campbell claims, a resturant. The State will do anything to keep Campbell in fashion with the Christian right…which does not know that Campbel is a peddler of booze to their kids.
The State has not tolds us about the numerous complaints to the Cola Police Department,or about private legal actions agains the bar…there have been no photos of co-eds stubling down the street into the arms of USC police…no, they give him a pass.
And have they mentioned Campbells brother, the lobbyist? Looking out for gambling interest in SC? About a certain investigation surrounding this brother…NOOOOOO…it is true love between the State and the Campbel clan. If only my mother could love me so much…
Chris, can you give some links or sites. I’d like to read up on this. Could change my mind.
Hey Randy…
You cant read about it…no one will print it before the election. But the name of the bar is Dr. Rocos… corner of Harden and Green. A hopping college bar. Lots of specials and things for college kids…they do a great job of selling cheap booze to students. Can u imagine some Greenville Christian conservative republican sending his 19 year old daughter off to USC, and finding out she got a $10.00 fake ID and some 21 year old part time door man lets her in cause she is cute. And she drinks till some guy “walks her home”…it happens every night.
Now I know owning a bar is legal, but so is owning a strip joint…but is that the HIGH standard Brad W expects and talks about all the time? And when Campbell calls it a restaurant I wanna pass out from laughter. I know very few people read this blog thing…so it will not matter. But I want Brad W to KNOW that we know he knows! (hehehe)
As far as his brother, he is a lobbyist for gambling interest (Native American). That is public record.
So, as Michael presides over the Senate by day, shilling for the “high interest, pay check loan” guys (check the people on his finance committee including George Dean Johnson), his brother will be working for gambling interest…and then he can stop by the bar at night after work for a little harmless flirting with the girls, and pick up the cash from the days cheap booze specials…
And this is the high standard that Brad W. and Jenny Sanford expects for us igmo’s in SC. And the pity is, the Christian right that will turn out in force for Carroll Campbell’s son has no idea about all this. ..cuse the paper, and the Campbell boys ain’t talking! The Bauer campaign has taken the high road…and the democrats don’t care…as they like weak candidates!
No one is ansewering the phone at Mike Campbell’s headquarters. His e-mail hasen’t worked in a long time. I guess he’s going to lay low and hope Tuesday comes without one word coming out about him. The State newspaper should have jumped on this information. It would have made interesting reading. maybe the plan is to wait to see if he’s elected and blast the papers with it , so the Dem will get in !
You are correct…but don’t think to much about Campbell’s motives. The bottom line of that campaign is that they are lazy. Look at their press releases…Mike Campbell works 3 or 4 hours a day. Andre’s schedule is 5:30 am till 12 pm…everyday. Campbell works in two or three counties…Andre works in virtually all of them.
But this info has been around a long time. The State knows all…but they love that guy Campbell. The little folks like just have to wait for the powerful guys like Brad W to give us the information. And they will give it to us if, and when it suits their purposes.
So here we are in the info age, waiting on the arrogant and powerful to dispense information …just like it was 1950. It is very odd…very odd indeed!
Brad W and the State…o so High Minded! O so important.
I’ve come to realize there is [sic] a lot of John’s [sic] in the industry of reporting – Ms. Moffly
She probably should have acquainted herself with basic English before running for superintendent of EDUCATION.
Hey, Chris, I was a bartender for years. And most people I know enjoy the occasional beer or cocktail.
I really don’t think your Carrie Nation act is going to win a lot of votes for Andre Bauer. At least not in the lowcountry (that stuff may be a big hit in Bob Jones country . . .)
I’m concerned with the lack of investigation into the qualifications of
> Mike Campbell for lieutenant governor. I’m an acquaintance of Mike, but
> we do share some of the same friends as we were both attended high school
> in the late eighties when Mike attended Heathwood Hall. The fact that
> Mike was held back on two different occasions before college and then
> subsequently failed out of the University of SC is concerning. He comes
> from a very privileged background but yet was unable to take advantage of
> an excellent private school education. I know school isn’t for everyone
> and some people gain their knowledge through hard work. If you look
> closely at Mike’s working career you will realize he has never had a
> regular nine to five job. All his jobs are related to the family name.
> His “consulting businesses” are merely putting high profile contacts met
> through his dad in touch with each other. He is the financial side
> (family money) of the co-ownership of some Wendy’s, however he is not
> involved in the business aspect of operations.
> His lack of education and lack of experience with “real jobs” might make
> him one of the most under qualified candidates for lieutenant governor ever
> seen in our state. What’s more frightening, if elected lieutenant
> governor and something happens to Sanford; Mike Campbell would be our
> governor. His only true qualification appears to be his last name.
>
> Concerned SC Citizen
kc, I was wondering what dictionary defined a “john” as a prostitute. I’ve never heard the word used for anything but a prostitute’s customer.
Moffley’s incoherent letter is certainly prima facie evidence that she needs to be going to school, not overseeing schools.
Or, maybe–as Lee, Dave and LexWolf would say– she’s Exhibit #1 of the total and absolute failure of SC public schools.
Most of you are too hard on people who send an email or post a blog. She wasn’t turning it on for an English grade. However, having said that, I prefer grammatical and spelling accuracy if at all possible. But, then sometimes, if a person is on the third martini (yuck, I don’t like them), whatever you write you write. Kind of like Algore and what he wrote in his new book. I watched him on C-Span at his book signing. The funny part was when Ralph Nader actually waited in line to buy a book and get Algore to sign it. The irony of it all, there was Ralph, with his 31,000 useless Florida votes, useless except to put W in the House, praising Al and mumbling something about how he hopes the party adopts the solar energy policies. Precious.
That’s just your opinion, RTH, and you’re abusing it to influence the people. That’s corrupt, you know.
Has anyone gotten the the most recent e-mail and call from ” Baby Campbell ” He is a little concerned that someone has found the “Paper” on his school record (or lack of it) and perhaps checked to see if his “Bar” had any written citations or lawsuits. On his recorded message he sounds ten years old and a crybaby! Wait until the Dems start their investigation.
Sadly, Dave, the next of kin for 2500 American service people probably wouldn’t appreciate your sense of humor.
Dave, the following was meant for publication in one of the largest circulation publications in SC.
“Discrimination makes for a good case based on merits alone that in the end will be the demise of the press and the people’s abdication.”
Perhaps you can use your Republican aluminum foil hat and parse it for us.
RTH – You don’t support the US troops in Iraq and like most liberals would prefer to disarm the USA. So don’t even try to capitalize on the honor of the 2500 bravest Americans who sacrificed everything while people like you, Murtha, Sheehan, and others disparage the military. Perfect example: Our liberals at the NY Slimes screamed bloody murder for an investigation on who outed the desk clerk in the CIA, Valerie Plame, but now when top secret classified data is published by the Slimes, they are silent about investigating who leaked that. Let’s give Patrick Fitzgerald another assignment re: the Slimes treason.
LIberals believe in the soft bigotry of lowered expectations.
Wrong, wrong, wrong, Dave.
I support our men and women in uniform. It pains me to see them losing their lives and limbs in an unnecessary war. Risking American lives is a necessity in very few instances. Betting their lives on some unproven geo-political theory isn’t one of those instances.
Sending Americans to war based on pie-in-the-sky ideological prognostications by academics and politicians who couldn’t find the time to serve in uniform personally is tragic and evil.
Murtha served honorably. Sheehan lost a son to Bush’s macho stupidity. None of us wants to “disarm America.” You’re just ignorantly repeating slanderous and baseless Republican talking points.
You’re like a dumb Republican parrot. Plame wasn’t a “desk clerk.” She traveled undercover for the CIA abroad risking her life to gather intel on WMD development. Your pathetic defense of her exposure by the highest people in this administration shows how little you care for the welfare of this country.
NYT has exposed two un-restrained, massive, insidious and un-constitutional programs designed to spy on Americans. They are the ones who deserve the Medal of Freedom. Bush, Cheney and their accomplices should be serving time for misleading Americans into an unjustified war and attempting to destroy our governmental system of checks and balances.
Dave squawks:
soft bigotry of lowered expectations
Polly wanna cracker?
Valerie Plame had been working as a desk analyst for years prior to being exposed by her husband, Joseph Wilson.
She worked for a CIA front company. Wilson donated too much money to the Gore 2000 campaign. Then, in an attempt to sanitize it and make it legal, he submitted paperwork splitting the donation into 2, from himself and his wife.
A search of the FEC records gives her employer, which also had employees donating to Gore. Those employees were identifiable in public records as being CIA employees, so anyone can see that Valerie Plame was, too.
Judith Wilson, of the New York Times figured it out, or was told by some of her connections, because she was sympathetic to the U.S. military efforts in Iraq.
Lee, several questions:
(1) Why would a foreign intel service check FEC records?
(2) Then, assuming the investigators even conceived of step 1, would they have thought to individually investigate her fellow employees? And, where were these so-called public records which would identify her fellow employees as CIA?
(3)BTW, all of the above is assuming that the secret service of, say, Iran would be conversant enough with U.S. public record availability to even know where and how to look.
Judith Miller was a mouthpiece for the neo-cons. She uncritically relayed all the bogus war propaganda of Curveball. You can bet that she was fed the same info as conservative idol and traitor Robert Novak. At least Miller chose not to expose a CIA agent’s cover identity.
Another couple of questions: why would the CIA officially request a DOJ investigation if Plame was such a cipher? Why would DOJ appoint a special counsel to spend millions?
BTW, here’s a little nugget for you to chew on.
Vince Cannistraro, the CIA’s former counterterrorism chief, said that when operating undercover outside the United States, Plame would have had a real job with a more legitimate company. The Boston company “is not an indicator of what she did overseas,” he said.
Whatever Plame may have done overseas is not relevant to when she became exposed by her husband’s publicity stunt years later, when she was not working undercover, and was not a foreign agent.
The fact is that Joseph Wilson, a U.S. State Department employee, wrote a pack of lies in the New York Times about Iraq not seeking uranium from Niger, when in fact, the CIA report to which he contributed details Saddam’s efforts to obtain such uranium.
I just want to point out (for the record) that Lee can’t discount or refute any of my points.
Any foreign national that had contact with Plame when she traveled will now be suspect.
Did it ever occur to you, Lee, that she might have established continuing humint sources that were, in turn, take over by operational spooks?
You don’t give a damn about anything but protecting your precious Republican traitors.
I love what she is doing. I think homework is a wast of time. Its hard on our children. the stress on are kids is bad. They dont need stress at these ages. I hope you’ll make a good decision.
Wow, I can’t believe any of you. What are you…in high school again? Every one of you is acting so immature! You guys are sitting here wasting your time fighting with people over the internet as if you are going to talk to them. Wow! You’re so cool! You can badmouth people over the internet and talk behind their backs! I hope all of you LEARN to grow up because apparently none of you did learn that in school! Grow up and stop acting like an immature high schooler!