Back during the 2006 campaign, I posted a couple of short video clips from interviews with Thomas Ravenel. They were what seemed relevant at the time. One showed him explaining the "alpha and beta" of investment risk; the other had him telling an anecdote about GOP financier Mallory Factor — I posted the latter one just because we had an op-ed from Mr. Factor in that day’s paper.
But this week’s news caused me to go back to check clips I didn’t use then, to see what might be interesting now. I was reminded of what those interviews were like, and the impression Ravenel projected: Young, cocky, brash, arrogant — the smartest guy in the room (just ask him, he’d tell you).
Maybe you’ll see some other things when you look at them.
Here are three clips that seem particularly revelatory of his persona:
Thomas Ravenel trash-talks Rick Quinn — This was from the editorial board interview on May 24, 2006, during the GOP primary contest. In an ETV debate a few days earlier, Ravenel and former Rep. Rick Quinn had really mixed it up. Asked about that, this is how Ravenel responded. After that, Cindi Scoppe teased him a bit about his failed efforts to get elected up to that point, which he tried to accept with good grace.
Ravenel: "I don’t want to have someone lecture me" — In this one, recorded on Sept. 28, GOP nominee Ravenel expressed his contempt for Board of Economic Advisers Chairman John Rainey, a guy with many years of public service to his credit. That dispute, which got very contentious, leading to Mr. Rainey — a Republican who is largely credited with having recruited Mark Sanford to run for governor — to challenge Ravenel to a televised debate.
Thomas Ravenel: "I’m intellectually curious" — This is how, during the same interview as the Rainey remarks, Ravenel explained why he would be a better treasurer than longtime incumbent Grady Patterson.
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My question goes back to Ravenel: Why is he not going to jail NOW like anybody else facing such serious charges? Instead he goes to the beach for 3 weeks.
And why will nobody like the feds or the SLED chief talk about that? — despite the great job they may have done in investigating the crime.
I am a conservative guy, and Ravenel and I are nominally on the same team…but I think he is an inconsequential, egotistical boob who needs to fight his personal and legal battles on his own time. I am glad the Governor wasted no time appointing someone else to fill the job, and I sincerely hope we’ve heard the last of Ravenel in South Carolina politics. Good riddance I say.
I can’t wait to see the next Ravenel video– Thomas explaining why this is all just a big misunderstanding.
Watching these videos, it’s astonishing he could get elected. But wait…didn’t The State endorse Ravenel?
Yes, and it was a painful decision. Have you seen the Grady Patterson videos?
See this.
And this.
And go here for a few more thoughts on the endorsement.
The common thought is anyone who wants to be in politics shouldn’t be in politics. Mind you, about forty years ago this might not be true; but give the recent collection of people in politics…