bud suggests several responses when he says this on an earlier post:
I just looked up the phrase “Tilting at Windmills”. I never really understood what that meant. It’s from Don Quixote. Don was fighting a windmill that he perceived to be a giant monster. Seems like Brad does a lot of ’tilting at windmills’ when it comes to Mark Sanford. It’s time to give it up Brad. Sanford has long ago become nothing but a lame duck has-been. To continue piling on only makes me have sympathy for the guy. I’m far more concerned with really dangerous monsters like Lindsey Graham and Sarah Palin. They’re the folks who get people killed, not Mark Sanford.
My responses:
- The phrase, “tilting at windmills” actually has two separate meanings in popular usage. One is to fight imaginary foes. The other is to fight impossible battles, to champion lost causes. “To Dream the Impossible Dream,” to borrow from the Broadway version of Cervantes’ story. And I accept service on that latter sense. There is no way to be the editor I was at The State — one determined to make a difference, to help move my state forward in spite of the immovable, massive cultural and structural barriers to change we have in South Carolina — without having an almost perverse willingness to fight against impossible odds. The things I was tilting at were real; it’s just that the likelihood of overcoming them was often low. I continue to be this way. I don’t understand the concept of surrender. In this, I am a true white South Carolinian. While I abhor their cause, I do have one thing in common with the nutballs who led this state to go to war with the United States of America — a disregard for the odds, and a stubbornness about fighting on way past the point at which most people would quit. Think of Paul Newman being pummeled by George Kennedy in “Cool Hand Luke,” and stupidly, insanely refusing to stay down. (I actually have a case where I literally did that. When I was 47 years old, I got into the kickboxing ring with a 27-year-old construction worker who was 40 pounds heavier than I was — all muscle. He broke four of my ribs in the first round, but I continued even though the pain was terrific. In the third round he hit me again, hard, in the same spot, and I dropped against my will to one knee while I fought to get some breath — but I got up and continued the fight to the end. I even got a few shots of my own in. Perversely, I’m proud of that. My wife considers it disgusting proof that I am an idiot.)
- I consider my main mission as a journalist to be shedding light on critical, pivotal issues that can lead to a better South Carolina. The governor of the state, weak as the office is, is the one person in the best position to make a difference. He’s the only person with a bully-enough pulpit to potentially counterbalance the awful power of the Legislature to resist change, if he focuses and uses the power properly — the way Dick Riley did in passing the EIA, and Carroll Campbell did with that partial and inadequate restructuring of state government. So ever since I started writing opinion in the early 90s, I have kept a pretty bright spotlight on the governor — whether he was Campbell or Beasley or Hodges or Sanford. And with Sanford, I feel if anything a greater responsibility to explain what’s wrong with him because I helped him get elected the first time, and it took me an embarrassingly long time (given that I am, whatever my other flaws, usually the first person in the room to size someone up accurately) to figure out what a disaster he was, and to be able to explain it. From now until the time we have a new governor, it remains critically important not to let voters forget for a moment that this was a mistake that must not be repeated. Keeping the flaws in the current governor front of mind is one of a number of factors that can help us make a smarter decision this time.
- You mention Sarah Palin. Let me tell you something about Sarah Palin. When she was named as John McCain’s running mate, the very first thing I did in trying to figure out this blank slate was go to see what the editorial pages of Alaska were saying about her. And you know what I found? Zip. Just bland, vanilla commentary that told me nothing of substance about her, and certainly nothing negative. They were utterly unhelpful. That’s because most editorial pages in this country don’t have the guts, or the intelligence, to recognize a spade as a spade and to call it that. Most editorial pages are worth very little. This is why Jim Hodges had such a problem with me when he was in office. He thought I personally hated him because I was so critical of his performance. He thought it was extraordinary, and if you looked at the vanilla commentary of other editorial pages in the state, or most editorial pages across the country, he had a point. But it wasn’t about him. That was just my way as someone who cares deeply about South Carolina and is committed to holding the top elected official accountable for what he does and doesn’t do (even though, given our absurd, fragmented executive branch structure, it’s hard to hold him accountable for a lot of things that governors are accountable for in other states). I hit hard when these guys deserve to be hit.
- Now try to imagine what would have happened if — despite all my warnings — McCain had picked Sanford as his running mate. Someone who did a search of the opinion pages of The State would have immediately learned all the reasons why it was an extraordinarily bad idea. And in fact, I like to think John McCain knew better in advance to some degree as a result of our work. But the Fourth Estate in Alaska had not done its job, and it took awhile to figure out what a terrible call it was to have chosen Sarah Palin. If editorial page editors in Alaska had been doing what you excoriate ME for doing here in SC, we wouldn’t be talking about Sarah Palin today, because she would not have been promoted to national prominence.
That’s OK, you don’t have to thank me. I’d do it whether you were grateful or not.
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Brad, I have to give you credit for formulating a good response to my “Tilting at Windmills” comment.
But what I really find fascinating is that you got into a kickboxing ring with some young stud and got the crap pounded out of you. How on earth did that ever come about? Is there video?
bud– Why are you counting him out? History, especially recent history, is full of rehabilitated politicians, and on top of that, Sanford has the whole “come to Jesus” narrative goin’ on.
Sanford’s narcissism has kept him in the game so far, long after many thought he’d have hightailed it down Argentine way. Like Jon Stewart said, “God killed Michael Jackson for him. All he had to do was shut up and it would all quiet down, but…..[cut to second interview].”
A frightful number of people like his “message” and there aren’t a whole lot of charismatic leaders in the Republican Party crowding him out…..
The problem I see with your approach is that, much like your kickboxing experience, you refuse to give up the fight against Sanford even when you KNOW that he is not the problem with South Carolina’s government. I’m sure the leaders of the State Legislature giggled with glee every time The State railed against a weak governor.
Sanford hasn’t spent a dime of taxpayers money and hasn’t had any of his fundamental ideas about government implemented. Please don’t tell me it’s because he doesn’t play well with others – the “others” are brats, bullies, and brainless for the most part and haven’t demonstrated anything approaching good governance and stewardship. He’s not the problem, he’s just an easier target for you.
Bottom line, in my opinion, The State editorial page dropped the ball in terms of holding the right people responsible.
About the kickboxing thing… I actually did it for several years off and on, stopping about two years ago. But most of that time was spent doing classes that were essentially aerobics classes. Half of the class would be spending punching and kicking bags (the best part) and the rest just shadow-boxing, doing calisthenics and stretching. It makes for an awesome workout, and if you’d like to take it up I heartily recommend LifeForce Karate & Fitness on Garners Ferry. Billee Purvis knows what he’s doing. His program actually helps make you healthier, rather than putting you in the hospital.
The instructor at my previous “dojo” did not. Basically, he had us try sparring after only three or four classes. None of us really knew what we were doing. But the guy I went up against that night REALLY didn’t get it. He didn’t understand the concept of “sparring.” He thought it was a fight, and that he should hit as hard as he could.
This would have been OK — his shots to my head didn’t hurt at all, thanks to the padded helmet — except that I am incapable of thinking defensively. I’m always thinking how I can hit HIM, and consequently not protecting myself. I kept lifting my left elbow up off my ribcage and holding my left fist in a kind of cocked, hovering position, looking for a chance to jab him, and he took advantage of that to give me a right cross in the ribs that had all his weight behind it, cracking two ribs on that side and sending shock waves through my torso that cracked two on the opposite side as well.
The instructor, who was refereeing, tried to stop it — he knew I was hurt — but I just shook my head and kept going, TRYING to remember to keep that elbow down. I forgot once in the third round, and THAT shot was the one that really hurt. I was on my knee for maybe an 8-count before I got up, shaking my head at the ref again, so he let me keep going.
Later that same night, the guy who ran the dojo got into the ring with the same guy, and you got the impression he was going to teach the guy a lesson for having failed to control himself. Instead, the instructor was soon on the floor himself, having hyperextended his elbow. He was actually weeping with pain. This was not an inspiring sight.
I never went back to that place. Several months later, I ran into the young boxer who was running that class at a place where he was working as a security guard. He apologized to me profusely for not having controlled the class (he had been VERY eager for us to start sparring).
I told him not to worry about it. But I never went back to that place. And I never sparred again. That once was enough. I like punching bags. They don’t hit back.
but I got up and continued the fight to the end. I even got a few shots of my own in. Perversely, I’m proud of that. My wife considers it disgusting proof that I am an idiot.)
-Brad
Your wife is a very wise person.
For me, it was a “defining moment” as in “Tin Cup.” I was watching a few minutes of that last night on the Golf Channel, and as he explains why he HAD to take the challenge of making the shot that got him fired as Don Johnson’s caddy, I thought how similar he was to me in the ring…
One of my daughters was there, taking the class (but not sparring, thank goodness). The fact that young girls were in the same class with that bruiser I was up against is another indication that this was not a well-run school. Anyway, I didn’t want her to see her Dad quit. Nor did I want to see myself quit. My wife thinks that’s ridiculous.
While I’m on board with you, Brad, with your position on the power of the bully pulpit I have to go more with Doug on this one.
I’ll admit to not knowing all there is to know about the vetting process for a vice prez candidate but, I can’t believe they rely solely on editorial pages. So, IMHO, that weakens your points on Palin and your (overstated)role in keeping Sanford off the ticket.
Libb, I’m not exaggerating my role. I said I HOPED what we wrote had an impact on McCain not picking Sanford, although McCain already had plenty of reason, given the way Sanford had done absolutely zip to help him win the primary here. And his SC supporters would have warned him away.
But if the Alaska press had been doing its job, Sarah Palin would not have been presented to the nation in a vacuum. If you’ll recall, no one knew WHAT to think of her at first. In fact, I had liberals giving me hell for noting her resemblance to beautiful-secretary-hiding-behind-glasses character from sitcoms — the very people who, two months later, were giving me hell for not disqualifying McCain for having picked her.
In her case, the national media had to do ALL the work of figuring her out, rather than getting any help from the Alaska press corps. If it had been Sanford, the nation would have known all about Sanford’s problems on Day One, because we were doing our jobs.
I did my own sleuthing using the Anchorage Daily News. I even used Wasila’s government’s web site of their public records. The news articles were not very flattering about her performance when she was governor.
I don’t the McCain legal team did any research regarding press articles about Palin.
PS:
Tell Warren Bolton about the SEC (http://www.sec.gov/) regarding Advance America and Columbia’s mayoral candidates with ties to the payday loan industry.
Brad, I for one am thankful you write as you do/did. It is important to call it as you see it and record it for historical purposes. And like you mentioned, no one else much is bothering.
I don’t think you should count Lord Sanford out of anything though. Narcissic as he is, he truly probably still believes he has a long shot at the Presidency.
The man needs an evaluation. He’s not even being honest with himself, so not many people believe he can be honest with the people of South Carolina.
He may and he may NOT have been on an economic trip back to the Beltway. Time will tell.
Remember Sanford is part of C Street. And remember Ensign is finally under the cloud of real investigation. My hunch is there is a C Street connection like no one ever thought possible.
And yeah…. I believe there could perhaps be more to this story. I’d appreciate you keeping an ear to the ground in other words….
Nice dancing around the issue of McCain’s judgement. Blame it all on the Alaska press for being journalistic inferiors. How about, there just isn’t much there about Palin, kind of like Sanford?
But, I get it, it just can’t possibly be McCain. He couldn’t ever do anything wildly indicative of bad judgement or the onset of dementia or melanoma in the brain, maybe? He is an idol, on a pedestal.
He was a 72 year old candidate with recurrent – 3 times, right? -melanoma. Due to the melanoma, more likely than any candidate elected since FDR in ’44 not to be able to finish a term.
It is incomphrehensible that anyone who lived through the Kennedy assassination could be so cavalier in their choice of vice president.
He picked a woman because she was a woman and that just had to mean that all of Hilary’s women supporters would run to him. Is there any other reason for him to have picked someone with less than 2 years statewide elective office?I did read Phyllis Schafly took credit for the pick. Of course, it helped that the Democrats couldn’t complain about that due to their own candidate’s slim resume.
orphan annie, media that takes itself seriously, maybe too seriously, appears downright afraid to do the type of investigation of C Street that needs to be done. I don’t know if they are afraid of being accused of being anti-Christian, but something stops them from doing their job where this group is concerned. Any other organization whose congressional members keep saying that don’t talk publicly about the influence the group has over them and that influences public policy the way this group does would not get away with it.
What Sanford was doing in DC was strategizing with C Streeters about his comeback. Or, maybe conspiring to keep quiet and obstruct justice during the FBI investigation of Ensign. Who knows? Jeff Sharlet can’t do it all.