Just had a bit of an out-of-body experience at Rotary today. Our main speaker was Carroll A. “Tumpy” Campbell III. He was allegedly there to talk to us about economic development in South Carolina, which was weird enough on its face. I mean, what was his qualification to do that, other than the fact that he was on the Ports Authority governing body before Mark Sanford pushed him off, and his daddy was our last really successful governor at ecodevo?
But that’s OK, because that didn’t seem to be why he was there. In fact, I was sufficiently confused about why he was there that I began to wonder why I was there, which was way existential. Anyway, he sounded like a guy who was running for office, although he didn’t overtly say so. Finally, I had to be reminded that he is planning to challenge Henry Brown down in the 1st congressional district. The consensus among folks I spoke to who heard this Rotary speech was that Henry doesn’t have much to worry about. (Which is saying something — I haven’t really paid much attention to Mr. Brown since he went off to Congress, but unless he got a whole lot sharper when he went to Washington, which would be a singular accomplishment if you think about it, he can’t be the world’s most impressive congressman. I remember him as a forgettable state legislator, who for a time chaired the Ways and Means Committee. Same guy, right?)
Sure, he mentioned ecodevo. He said a few painfully obvious things about it, such as the fact that the Port of Charleston is really, really important to economic development. You know the drill — BMW would never have taken a second look at South Carolina without that port, yadda-yadda… and did I mention to you that it’s not a coincidence that my name is Carroll Campbell? Seriously, it was just like that, only not as funny.
I didn’t take any notes on his speech, unfortunately. I usually start taking notes during a Rotary speech when the speaker says something interesting. I mean, I’m not there as a reporter, but if the speaker says one interesting thing, I pull out my notebook and write it down. And if he or she keeps on saying interesting things, I keep the notebook out and keep writing, and maybe mention it on the blog later. Suffice it to say that I was never in danger of even thinking about taking out my notebook during Tumpy’s speech.
Until it was over. Then I realized that I wished I had a record of it. (When the video is posted on the club site, I’ll try to remember to go back and link to it.) I wanted the record because, in retrospect, this speech was strikingly vapid. It was no ordinary bad speech, but a monument to the painful mediocrity that permeates the electoral process in our poor state.
In a nutshell, the gist of it was this: South Carolina needs new and different leadership. That was wedged in among a bunch of half-stated Republican cliches. In other words, the message was We need new leadership, but I sure ain’t it, because I’ve got nothing original to say.
Someone pointed out to me that even the cliches weren’t complete, but they were so unmemorable that I can’t attest to the accuracy of that observation. But thinking back, if you had simply grabbed random phrases from the Tweets of a garden-variety South Carolina Republican — incomplete Tweets, like those I cited from Joe Wilson earlier today — and strung them together, it would sound sort of like that Tumpy Campbell speech. Down with the stimulus, and bailouts, and big gummint, and so forth and so on, and golly but we sure need some real leaders who will say down with the stimulus, and bailouts, and big gummint, and so forth and so on. (Like we’re not already et up with such “leaders.”)
Anyway, that’s my report from the front lines of the 1st District congressional race…
Oh, wait — speaking of Joe Wilson, he was there at Rotary. But he didn’t shout out or anything, so I didn’t realize he was there until later…
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Maybe Joe Wilson was waiting you to shout at him, the way you shouted at Governor Sanford during his press conference.
Joe didn’t even identify himself as a “visiting Rotarian”–very low profile.
It appeared to me that Carroll Campbell III’s qualifications are stated in this sentence. He managed to allude to “morning in America,” stimulus money=bad, he’s a small business owner, the Governor is the CEO and the salesmen are the salesmen (he amended that to the Commerce Department). I think he and the Governor have not kissed and made up.
The questions from the floor were all about the ports. I guess everyone else was equally flummoxed.
I still laugh when I think of Brad trying to get in a quick jab at Sanford… who didn’t even acknowledge the question.
Anybody have any idea what BillC is talking about?
I think BillC is responding to Lee Muller, who apparently thinks that press conferences and Q&A have a protocol and is subject to the same rules and decorum as the House of Representatives or the Senate.
[snicker]
Sounds like the Bush playbook for getting elected in 2000.
Ralph, Lee stated that Wilson was only “a little rude” in his approach. Of course, Brad is known for his aggressive, playground bully mentality so I think Lee has a point.
Brad, let me recreate the scene for you.
Gov. Sanford has just admitted to an affair to a group of reporters and Brad Warthen (who was there because he had nothing else to do).
It’s probably on YouTube.
Warthen: “Are you going to resign?!?”
Lovely, somehow the order of got screwed up, maybe because it thought some of the text was viewed as HTML code.
kbfenner – Might want to go with something with fewer calories.
These politicians have no place at Rotary, which is supposed to be only for business owners, not lawyers, academics, journalists and hired managers of big companies.
I agree that Rotary is no place for political speechifying, and I think President Lanier agreed, if I read his face correctly. I think the lure of having a John McCain or a Joe Biden speak sometimes outweighs scruples.
Brad’s question was the Journalism 101 question that needed to be asked. Don’t know what the issue is. It was a *press* conference. Brad writes online. That counts.
[celery stick]
kbfenner – did you take Journalism 101? The issue is Brad’s ego was so traumatized by Sanford totally ignoring the question that he apparently has forgotten all about it. What are Brad’s press credentials these days, “PRESS” hand written on a recipe card suck in his hat band? It’s more likely that he was there to enjoy the moment more than to report on the event.
I’m writing online right now too, should I start going to “press” conferences?
BillC, anonymously spewing venom is cowardly. Even Lee attempts to address issues. You simply take up some personal and sophomoric vendetta.
Brad has been the one spewing venom at Governor Sanford (more like ankle biting).
Brad was off base, and being a hypocrite to criticize Joe Wilson for pointing out that Barack Obama was, and is, lying.
So BillC and I teamed up to tag him out, before he even got to first base.
Did Randy E. say something?
So quiet, Bill and Lee.
Does that mean you’ve seen the latest AP story on Mark the tax cheat?
You mean the “latest speculation” by The State.
Did you see the list of 500 airplane trips taken by college presidents and administrators?
Or the use of DNR aircraft by legislators for private hunting and fishing trips?
How do you feel about the Democrats’ proposals to take your private retirement savings and share some of with those who don’t have a pension or 401-k?
Wow, am I bored by all this yammering about plane rides…
Now you know how we feel about your anti-Sanford articles.
If anyone just mentions Sanford it’s “anti-Sanford”?
Oops…
People who like Sanford actually like his philosophy, so they don’t talk about the person.
Small-minded people tend to talk about other people, rather than ideas. That’s why you see a lot of obsession with Sanford the person among journalists. The news media is basically focused on scandal and gore as it s top story templates.