So Glenn Lindman, the ex-first sergeant trying to oust Stan Spears as South Carolina adjutant general, is way out ahead of the incumbent when it comes to making himself available to the electorate, and his willingness to respond frankly to questions.
But Mr. Spears gets right back on the scoreboard with his ability to get himself photographed with the right sort of people. Above, you see him hobnobbing with some excellent company — Sen. John McCain and S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lindman has been unfortunate enough to be seen hanging with a lesser class of companions. Below you see him conversing with Andy Gobeil and me. By the way, if you want to see archived video of this entire interview, go to the ETV site. You can also find an hour-long discussion of both this and the agriculture commissioners race from a radio show the next morning.
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Mr. Warthen,
I think Gen. Spears getting SC the F-35 fighters for SC is much more important than talking with you or doing a debate with a man that is obviously underqualified. In fact it appears he was doing his job. We would be the laughing stock of the nation and lose many assets if Lindman were ever to be elected. Second, and not “secondly” as you have incorrectly used before as a journalist, I believe you are suffering from a bad case of envy or a failure to get over adolescent egocentrism.
And I am sure I have made some gramnmatical errors but I am a numbers guy not an editor to a marginal newspaper. However, I will debate you on some of the numbers your newspaper has presented supporting their article anytime. Care to engage?
Sure, let’s start with why South Carolina is the only banana republic among the 50 states. You know, electing our adjutant general and all. This absurd situation is what makes a first sergeant just as eligible as a major general to head the Guard. I know it’s absurd. Glenn Lindman knows it’s absurd. Stan Spears either doesn’t, or is deliberately taking advantage of, and defending, a state of affairs that he knows should not be.
Oh, and what made you think Stan Spears — a man who is no more eligible than former First Sergeant Lindman to be federally recognized as a general — got the F-35s?
Maybe he should offer to arm-wrestle John Spratt for bragging rights on that coup.
A special note to insight:
Spears had nothing to do with the F-35s. Get your facts straight. The man is a has been and should go where old soldiers go to retire. Oh, wait. He has never seen any action – not much of a soldier, is he?
Seems to me that the only people pulling for Spears are people that have never been deployed.
The question is not about rank. It is about leadership. Lindman is a leader.
Thank you, you proved my point. The State newspaper has a political agenda. Maybe you should register as a PAC. Your response is perfect, “Sure, let’s start with why South Carolina is the only banana republic among the 50 states. You know, electing our adjutant general and all. This absurd situation is what makes a first sergeant just as eligible as a major general to head the Guard. I know it’s absurd. Glenn Lindman knows it’s absurd. Stan Spears either doesn’t, or is deliberately taking advantage of, and defending, a state of affairs that he knows should not be.
Oh, and what made you think Stan Spears — a man who is no more eligible than former First Sergeant Lindman to be federally recognized as a general — got the F-35s?
Maybe he should offer to arm-wrestle John Spratt for bragging rights on that coup.”
And I do formally accuse some of your reporters of unethical journalism, guess you will have to read a real objective newspaper to find out who since you are scared to debate. Should you care to debate the merits then kindly respond. I bet “I don’t believe the State ” will print your lousy journalistic standards, and inability to report or understand statistics, either intentionally or unintentionally. But I prefer to think the former as to the latter.
Please send us some help so we can get this change for the better.
http://www.publius.faithweb.com/custom.html
Hey Warthen, With comments such as calling SC a “banana republic among the 50 states. You know, electing our adjutant general and all” really bothers me as a 8th generation Carolinian. Simply put, in the words of the late Lewis Grizzard, “Delta is ready when you are”, why not just leave, we really don’t like your liberal crap or newspaper. I think the rate at which you are losing subscriptions(10 per day) clarifies what the people of the Bannnanna Republic think of you and your organizations. Was your resume not shotgunned all over the country after the buy out? Take Scoppe with you too, she probably only has one bag since she dresses so professional. LOL
Bring back the Hampton family or Gannett they both are much better alternatives. Funny also, how your blog is not the opinion of “The Bananna” , but bears the logo and same news feed, you sir are a disgrace to decent journalism.
Please name a “real objective newspaper”. One that does not slant Dem, Rep, political, liberal, conservative, south, north, etc. Thanks.
What about “sheriff”? Would not that be better as an appointive office, or a “rise to the top” office? Not political in other words.
Sheriff is the last office you want appointed.
Robin Hood faced that situation.
Let’s all of the institutions devised by our ancestors in England, Scotland and Germany as they leashed some of their tyrants.
Mr. Insight,
Like you, I sometimes find myself disagreeing with a position taken by Brad Warthen and The State. Unlike you, his disagreeing with me does not diminish the respect I have for him because he is willing to take responsibility for what he believes. He attaches his name to everything he writes for the whole world to see. What is your name, Mr. Insight?
Warthen advocates changing our office of Adjutant General from elected to appointed. If you are what I think you are, you know all to well that we have a system that rewards campaign contributions more than competence. Want an example? If you are what I think you are, you will remember a LTC that spent most of his career past the rank of 1LT at State Headquarters. Almost everyone who knew this individual realized that he shouldn’t have been promoted past the rank of Captain. What was his secret to success? As of 2002, he had contributed close to $7,000. In the twilight of his career he asked some of his fellow guardsmen, “Wonder how much I would have to give to make COL?” If you aren’t what I think you are, follow the money–compare the Relative Rank List with the list of contributions made to the Spears campaign. Glen Lindman gets my vote because he understands that changing this system needs to be his first order of business.
Until we know who you are, would you object to changing your “call sign” to Mr. Insider?
Yah know, with all of the misinformation Stan Spears opponent has been spewing, you would think Spears is related to John Kerry!
Give us all a break Lindman, The State and Post & Courier! If any of you had ever taken the time to research the facts you would know that Stan Spears has accomplished much as AG and deserves to be reelected. Here’s just a few of Spears’ recent accomplishments:
– The S.C. Air National Guard was selected to be the first Air Guard to receive our nation’s newest stealth fighters, the F-35A Lightning II.
– There’s been an addition of 6, CH-47D Chinook helicopters (400 new jobs) to the Army Guard’s aircraft fleet of AH-64A Apaches, UH-60L Blackhawks, OH-58A+ Kiowas and the C-26 (Merlin Metro-Liner).
– Spears’ leads a workforce of 12,030 in the S.C. Military Department, and only 25 of them are 100% funded by our State government.
– The fact that with an annual federal payroll of $141,000,000 the State Department of Revenue receives more in taxes ($6,737,000) than the $6 million appropriated to operations by the Legislature.
– The fact that our SC National Guard was the first in the nation to receive the Joint Incident Site Communications Capability (JISCC) to provide emergency interoperable satellite communications between first responders and federal agencies.
– The fact that 2,802 first responders have received Weapons of Mass Destruction training from our S.C. Emergency Management Division.
– The fact that our Governor’s Counterdrug Task Force has addressed over 19,000 young people on the dangers of drug abuse and participated in the seizures of drugs, currency, weapons and vehicles in excess of $48,000,000 through July 2006.
– The fact that 2,176 at-risk youth from S.C. have been given a second chance upon graduating from our military-style residential program called “Youth ChalleNGe Academy.”
– The fact that Spears’ has overseen the largest deployment of S.C. National Guard soldiers and airmen (over 7,000) since World War II. Our Army Guard has one of the lowest casualty rates of any State – seven losses. Our Air Guard: zero loss of life and zero loss of aircraft.
– The fact that the SC National Guard is one of only 10 “Green States” in personnel readiness in the country! In fact, the SC Army National Guard’s 2006 recruiting effort was one of the best in the country at 101%, and its Air National Guard recruiting effort finished 2006 at 93%!
– The fact that Spears’ is a leader in acquiring federal funds to provide pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deployment training opportunities for our Guard families including marriage enhancement weekend seminars called the Prevention and Relationship Enhancement Program (PREP).
– And, the fact that $66,000,000 in federal funds have been acquired to construct facilities to house the Army Guard’s new Chinook helicopters and support staff.
I can understand Lindman not being fair and balanced, but there’s no excuse for the 4th Estate (The State & The Post and Courier)!