Category Archives: Parties

Phil Noble on ‘The Brad Show (Guerrilla Edition)’

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Welcome to the cinéma vérité version of “The Brad Show.” Just to give it a fancy name.

Scheduling time with Phil Noble, candidate for SC Democratic Party chair, wasn’t quite as easy as getting together with Dick Harpootlian. Dick’s office is right down the street and around the corner, whereas Phil is based in Charleston.

So we went back and forth, back and forth, via email and phone, trying to get together. On Good Friday (while I was taking a three-day break from the laptop), Phil wrote to tell me he’d be in town on Monday. So when I got that on Monday, I got back to him and left a message. He called me back during Monday’s Rotary meeting, proposing to meet me in a couple of hours. I checked with Gene and Jay, and that we too short notice for a full studio session.

So I improvised. I asked Phil to come by the office anyway, and interviewed him with my little Canon A1100 set on my cheap little tripod I got from Walmart.

The video quality really isn’t all that bad, considering the gonzo, guerrilla way in which it was shot. Of course, to get that kind of resolution, you’re talking about a freaking HUGE file — like, 770 MB. Transferring it from the camera to the laptop was an hour. Converting the format was another hour. Uploading it to blip.tv was more like four or five hours (I don’t know how long, because I finally went home and left it running).

And now, to you.

Why couldn’t we wait for studio time? Because the state Democratic convention is Saturday. Which reminds me — if I’m going, I need to see about whether I need credentials or something.

As for what Phil had to say — what, you think I’m going to sit here and type it out for you? I went to enough trouble getting it to you; the least you can do is watch it.

Warning — it’s the longest Brad Show ever, at more than 34 minutes. Another drawback from not having a pro like Jay handle it (and boy, do I appreciate him more than ever now) was that there was nobody to give me significant looks that meant “wrap it up!”

If you’re interested at all in who should be the chairman of the state Dems, you should find this interesting. So WATCH it. (And go back and watch the Harpootlian one, too, if you haven’t — as Kevin Fisher recommended…)

Thanks for the shout-out, Kevin!

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Couple of days ago, Kevin Fisher left a phone message for me to let me know that he would be citing “The Brad Show” in his column in the Free Times, to wit:

Speaking in a video interview on Brad Warthen’s blog on April 20 (Warthen is the former editorial page editor of The State), Harpootlian showed he has learned nothing from his prior mistakes and proceeded to once more insult both African-Americans and gays.

On the matter of Alvin Greene, Harpootlian said when the Manning resident showed up at Democratic Party headquarters trying to pay his filing fee with a personal check (rather than a campaign check), “I would have taken his paperwork and then disqualified him.”

Harpootlian went on to criticize current Democratic Chairwoman Carol Fowler for telling Greene what he needed to do to file properly. Such is equality in Harpo’s world.

Next, Harpootlian offered this year’s version of “light in the loafers,” ridiculing GOP state Sen. Glenn McConnell. When Warthen noted that McConnell has “17 Confederate costumes,” Harpootlian quickly interjected “and one of them has hoops,” while gesturing to indicate a skirt. Earlier in the interview, Harpootlian said “the girly boy thing didn’t work” for the Democrats. Such is inclusiveness in Harpo’s world.

But if you’re a delegate to the state Democratic convention, don’t take my word for it. Go to bradwarthen.com, watch and decide — for yourself and your party…

Thanks for the mention, Kevin. See you at D’s…

Best way to get a good grade — have a great relationship with the teacher…

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Did you see that our governor has taken a break from writing her memoirs to grade her performance in the few days she’s been in office:

By Dawndy Mercer Plank – bio | email

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – Governor Nikki Haley is touring the state talking about her first 100 days in office, and her hits and misses so far.

The governor is boasting of changing the leadership of the Budget and Control Board, getting Medicaid reform passed, on-the-record voting permanent law, changes to the budget and getting agency directors approved within six weeks time.

We asked Governor Nikki Haley to grade herself on her first 100 days in office. “Effort, absolutely A+++!” she said. “I sleep and breathe this every day. I want everything done yesterday. For accomplishments, I’d honestly give myself an A. We are so excited for what we’ve done in 100 days. We really, really are.”…

Actually, I only heard her say “A-plus,” not “A-plus-plus-plus.” But still…

So now you know what it takes to be a great governor. That, I suppose, is why our past governors haven’t been as “fabulous” as we might have liked: they weren’t “great” wives and moms.

At least, they haven’t been as wildly fabulous as Nikki. Which she has been. Just ask her, she’ll tell you.

I tell you, folks, I’ve encountered a lot of manifestations of ego and narcissism in my going on 4 decades of closely following politics. But I’ve never encountered anything quite like what Nikki Haley has become.

Some of this might actually be a gender thing: Women can get away with a certain over-the-top enthusiasm, even about themselves, that would brand a man a major jerk. Things that a man could NOT get away with can sometimes be seen as charming when said by a woman with a nice smile.

Or maybe I’m completely off-base. I’m just groping here, trying to figure out why she gets away with this stuff…

The most absurd thing I’ve ever heard a president of the United States waste time talking about

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After a breakfast meeting this morning, as I was about to get out of my car to go into ADCO, I heard, live on the radio, the most insane presidential press conference I’ve ever heard in my life.

Barack Obama was actually taking time out of his day to address the insane birther “issue.”

Above is the image he posted on Twitpic. Here’s a story on it:

Obama’s ‘Long-Form’ Birth Certificate Is Released

By MICHAEL D. SHEAR

President Obama on Wednesday posted online a copy of his “long-form” birth certificate from the state of Hawaii, hoping to finally end a long-simmering conspiracy theory among some conservatives who asserted that he was not born in the United States and was not a legitimate president.

The birth certificate, which is posted at the White House Web site, shows that Mr. Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and is signed by state officials and his mother.

“The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate wasn’t good for the country,” Dan Pfeiffer, the White House communications director, wrote on the Web site Wednesday morning. Mr. Pfeiffer said on the site that Mr. Obama had authorized officials in Hawaii to release the document broadly.

In a statement to the news media Wednesday morning, Mr. Obama said he decided to release the document in an effort to end the “silliness” about his birth that threatened to distract from the serious issues facing the country.

“Over the last two and a half years, I have watched with bemusement,” he said in brief remarks. “I’ve been puzzled by the degree to which this thing just kept on going.”…

Yeah, ditto, Mr. President.

And today in the paper, I see that 41.2 percent of GOP voters in SC belief that Obama was definitely or probably born in another country. Which tells me that 41.2 percent of GOP voters should be barred from ever entering a voting booth again. Yeah, I know that there are certain constitutional problems that raises, but come on. When we talk about the drawbacks of democracy, the fact that people who would believe something like this about a guy, just because they don’t like him (for reasons that don’t bear a lot of close scrutiny, if you’re at all squeamish), get to vote just like everybody else is one of the biggies.

Oh, and for those of you who want to spend more of the precious moments you have remaining in your lives on this “issue,” here’s the president’s correspondence with the state of Hawaii Department of Health, seeking the document he posted today.

Haley Barbour drops out: What does it mean?

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OK, so that last post about the 2012 GOP presidential field was a few days old. This one happened today:

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) announced today that he will not run for president. The decision comes as something of a surprise — the Associated Press reported just Sunday that Barbour could launch his campaign as early as this week. He had been making moves toward a campaign, including a recent visit to New Hampshire.

“A candidate for president today is embracing a ten-year commitment to an all-consuming effort, to the virtual exclusion of all else,” Barbour said in a statement. “His (or her) supporters expect and deserve no less than absolute fire in the belly from their candidate. I cannot offer that with certainty, and total certainty is required.”

Barbour had previously voiced concerns about the time commitment involved in running for president, and both his wife and son had expressed reservations about the campaign.

He was also struggling to get above the low single digits in polls, even in the south. His past career as a lobbyist, though he tried to present it as an advantage, was expected to dog Barbour on the trail. His stumbles in statements on civil rights raised questions about his readiness…

So what does it mean? I like that Aaron Blake of The Fix says that “Barbour already had obstacles as a southern governor with a thick accent…” Huh. And we-uns down heuh thought that was one of his strengths…

The Post speculates that this promotes Barbour buddy Mitch Daniels. Maybe so. Or maybe Pawlenty. I would imagine it would make the aforementioned Huntsman a little more sanguine about his chances in SC.

Something it just might indicate — and the slowness of the GOP field is getting rolling this cycle tends to back this up — is that Republicans who know what they’re about don’t think they can beat Obama. And it’s hard to get, as Barbour says, a “fire in the belly” for a long, hard campaign that would in the end be unsuccessful.

We hear so much from the Obama-hating fringe of the GOP that it’s easy to remember that fringes do not constitute majorities. The people who’ve been involved in politics a bit longer than the Tea Party’s been around know that…

Huntsman uncampaign takes aim at Romney

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Tim Miller, who introduced himself to me via email a few days ago as the guy “likely to be doing the media work should Jon Huntsman decide to run for President when he returns from Beijing,” wanted to make sure I saw these two pieces.

The first casts doubt on the viability of Mitt Romney, widely seen as the leading contender among the non-crazy aspirants to the GOP presidential nomination, in South Carolina:

COLUMBIA, S.C. — He may be the presumed national frontrunner, but when he launches his all-but-certain presidential campaign, Mitt Romney figures to be a heavy underdog in the historically decisive South Carolina presidential primary.
During his 2008 run, Romney competed fiercely to win the first-in-the-South primary state, which has voted for the eventual GOP nominee in every contest since 1980. But after more than a year of pouring significant time and money into the state, Romney pulled out his South Carolina resources with 10 days to go before primary day in order to focus on friendlier ground in Michigan and Nevada.
This time around, his South Carolina prospects are not looking much better.
“He finished fourth here last time, and if he hasn’t really done a lot of groundwork, it might be an uphill battle,” said South Carolina State Rep. Nathan Ballentine, who endorsed Romney’s last campaign. “So maybe you focus on New Hampshire and then head up to Nevada and Florida — things like that.”
Ballentine, who is one of South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley’s closest allies in the state legislature, described himself as a “loyal guy” who was inclined to endorse Romney again but had not yet made up his mind. Ballentine was frank in his assessment that the former Massachusetts governor, who tried to convince South Carolinians throughout 2007 that he was a “Yankee governor” with “southern values,” might again have a difficult time connecting with voters here….

The second piece, by our old buddy Peter Hamby, portrays Jon Huntsman as the Mormon more likely to do well here — not to mention, a guy likely to gain the support of those looking for someone who might actually have a chance against President Obama with us swing voters:

Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) – If ambassador to China Jon Huntsman does decide to run for president after returning to the United States in early May, his advisers are planning to make a serious play for South Carolina, the early primary state that traditionally propels Republican candidates to the presidential nomination.

The conservative-leaning state might seem like a curious place to make a stand for a Mormon ex-Obama administration official who supports same-sex civil unions, but his team is confident that South Carolina Republicans are hungry for a fresh face in a lackluster 2012 field.

“If he gets in the race, from everything I’ve heard, his plan would be to plant a flag in South Carolina,” said longtime Columbia-based strategist Richard Quinn, who helped John McCain win the state’s primary in 2008. “I really think we can win here.”

Quinn is working for Horizon PAC, Huntsman’s campaign-in-waiting, and will steer his presidential bid in South Carolina should the ambassador officially enter the race after his China post concludes on April 30.

He said New Hampshire and South Carolina – two of the four early states that allow independents to participate in their presidential primaries – “are ready for the arrival of a major new player.”

“I think moving from New Hampshire to South Carolina, that’s the traditional path,” Quinn said, mapping out Huntsman’s potential path to the nomination. “No disrespect to Iowa, but New Hampshire and South Carolina are two parts of a three part rocket, along with Florida.”

Huntsman, also a former Utah governor, will return to the United States just before the South Carolina Republican Party sponsors the first Republican presidential debate in Greenville on May 5, but his advisers are doubtful that he will participate.

He will, however, have an opportunity to introduce himself to the state when he delivers a May 7 commencement speech at the University of South Carolina.

Make of that what you will.

Meanwhile, Huntsman’s last day on the job in Beijing is Saturday.

He said/he said: Hard to keep up with this Dem chair race

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I’m really busy today with Mad Man stuff, but if I don’t go ahead and share some of this stuff with y’all I’ll never catch up again.

Since my last post on the subject last night, SC Democratic Party chairman candidate Phil Noble has sent out TWO more releases in his war of words with opponent Dick Harpootlian. Here’s one:

Noble: Harpootlian’s Response Inadequate – Contributions to GOP
are Insider Politics as Usual

Yesterday, I called on Dick Harpootlian to withdraw from the race for South Carolina Democratic Chair after it was revealed on a political blog that he contributed more than $15,000 dollars to Republicans like Jake Knotts and Henry McMaster.

I was very disappointed he didn’t seem to take this seriously. He essentially dismissed the issue by saying he’d given much more to Democrats than Republicans, and Democrats should be happy about that. He didn’t even say that he regretted what he did, or that he wouldn’t continue to do it in the future.

This is not a trivial concern.

How does a party chairman go out and recruit Democratic candidates to run against Republican incumbents to whom he has personally made substantial financial contributions?

How does the leader of a party recruit volunteers and donors to support a Democratic candidate who is trying to unseat those Republicans he apparently admires enough to write them a big check?

I believe the Democratic party in South Carolina needs to set a new course. We need to show the people of this state that we do have a fresh vision for the future that does not include good ole boy politics, backroom deals, and an I’ll-scratch-your-back-you-scratch mine mentality.

I was particularly disappointed that Dick’s response to this matter was to resort to the old politics of half-truths and misinformation to discredit me.

Here are the facts:

Fact 1: I gave money to Barack Obama via his website within an hour of his announcement. Early in 2007, long before he was a popular candidate in South Carolina, I was organizing lit drops, and precinct activities to help his campaign get off the ground. I was proud of my support for him then, just as I am now.

Fact 2: I am a member of the board of the South Carolina Archives and History Foundation. As a board member, I was asked to contribute to the mounting of an official state historical marker designating the site of the signing of the Ordinance of Secession. It had nothing to do with supporting the idea of secession of the civil war. The same evening the marker was dedicated, a “Secession Ball” was held in Charleston. While that event was underway, I was speaking at an NAACP rally protesting the Ball.

Fact 3: My opponent claims that in 2002 I contributed $900 to a conservative Illinois Republican by the name of Phil Crane. This is simply not true. I don’t support his far-right politics, and I certainly have never given him any money. Period, full stop. As I said in my original statement, I have never given money to a Republican candidate and I never will. Any records that would appear to contradict this are obviously in error or fraudulent, and I’ll be happy to release my check register or bank records from that year or any year to verify that I don’t give money to Republicans.

We need to have a debate on the future of our party and how we can change and win. Let’s move forward and have that conversation now.

###

And here’s the other:

Former FEC Commissioner: Harpootlian Charge Rests On Fraudulent Documents From Convicted Felon

Yesterday, I called on Dick Harpootlian to withdraw from the race for South Carolina Democratic Party chair after it was revealed that he has contributed more than $15,000 to Republican candidates for office in South Carolina.

To my surprise, Dick responded to this news by actually trying to justify these donations to right-wing Republicans like Jake Knotts and Henry McMaster, and by accusing me of having given a $900 donation to an Illinois Republican named Phil Crane in 2002. As I immediately made clear in a statement last night, I have never given money to Phil Crane or any other Republican and I never will. “Any records” I said, “that would appear to contradict this are obviously in error or fraudulent.”

Today, former Federal Election Commissioner Scott Thomas has come forward to tell us it was the later.

“Christopher Ward was treasurer of the Phil Crane campaign when this fraudulent donation was allegedly made by Phil Noble,” Thomas said in a statement issued today. “Ward was a crook and he pled guilty in 2010 to massive embezzlement from several political committees. Ward committed multiple scams, frauds and forgeries affecting many party and candidate committees where he served as treasurer. One of his tricks apparently, was to move money from a party committee account to a candidate committee under false names so he could then embezzle the funds more easily. This would explain why Noble’s name was fraudulently used by Ward and the Crane campaign.”

Commissioner Thomas was a Federal Election Commissioner from 1986 – 2006 during the time that the fraud was perpetrated. He is available for comment by phone at 202 420 2601 or email at thomasscott@dicksteinshapiro.com.

Statements and Stories detailing Chris Ward’s Fraudulent Campaign Finance Activity:
http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/Public-Affairs/press_releases/press08/FormerTreasurerofNationalRepublicanCongressionalCommitteePleadsGuiltytoEmbezzling844718.html
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/09/03/former-gop-committee-treasurer-christopher-ward-pleads-guilty-to/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/03/christopher-ward-nrcc-embezzlement-guilty_n_705533.html

I suppose I need to step out of the way before I get hit in the head by another one from Harpootlian…

Harpootlian fires back at Noble

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Well, that didn’t take long. Dick “Tough Guy” Harpootlian just fired back a full broadside at Phil Noble in response to his earlier shot:

HARPOOTLIAN: “NOBLE DAZED AND CONFUSED”

Harpootlian given over $500,000 to Dems; Noble didn’t give a dime to President Obama; Lied in his press release

For immediate release:

Monday, April 20, 2011

Contact:

Amanda Alpert Loveday

Columbia, SC — This afternoon Dick Harpootlian responded to an attack by Phil Noble that misleadingly highlighted a handful of Harpootlian’s contributions to the exclusion of well over $500,000 given to Democrats during the same period.

Harpootlian said:

“I gave money to Jake Knotts because, like me, he has supported the last three Democratic candidates for governor.

If Phil wants to talk about money, lets talk about why he gave money to erect a Confederate Monument in Charleston but didn’t give a single dime to Barack Obama. Phil claims to be a big Obama supporter, but it’s just not true.

While I’m attacking Republicans, like Nikki Haley and her corrupt administration, Phil is spending his time attacking me with misstatements and untruths.  The South Carolina Democratic Party needs someone who will spend their time building the party, not tearing it down.”

The December 27, 2010 edition of the Charleston Post and Courier reported that Noble, a former member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, contributed money to erect a monument commemorating the signing of the Ordinance of Secession.

“Phil’s not telling the truth in his press release either. He claims never to have given or raised ‘one red cent’ to a Republican, but he clearly gave $900 to an Illinois Republican in 2002,” said Harpootlian. “That’s $900 more than he gave Vincent Sheheen or Barack Obama.”
# # #

I’d say more, but I’m listening to Harpootlian on Pub Politics right now…

Phil Noble comes out swinging against Harpo

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On the same day that Dick Harpootlian appears on The Brad Show, his opponent in the SC Democratic Party chairman race, Phil Noble, comes out of his corner swinging at him:

Statement by Phil Noble, Candidate for Chair of the SC Democratic Party

Harpootlian Gave Over $15,000 to
SC Republican Candidates

Noble Calls on Harpootlian to Withdraw

In public he gives them Hell; in private he gives them money.’

Over the past few years, I have been encouraging people in South Carolina to look at where money for the Republican Party and its candidates is coming from. But even I am amazed to learn that my opponent – Dick Harpootlian – is actually the source of some of that money.

According to public records published this morning on a well-regarded South Carolina political blog, the Politics of Jamie Sanderson, Dick Harpootlian has given over $15,000 in campaign funds to Republican candidates and elected officials across South Carolina.

If this is true, as it appears to be, he should immediately withdraw from the race for SC Democratic Party Chair. After all, how can he credibly lead the Democratic Party if he’s giving money to the other side?

When I announced that I was running for Chair, I did so because I believe we have to set a new course. If we want to convince voters that we deserve the chance to lead again, we have to stop doing what we have always done and expecting the outcome to be different.

Many Democrats around the state think of our party –- their party — as being run by a club of well-meaning insiders in Columbia without a clear strategy for winning or even moving forward. Of course, they have great sound bites for the media and put clever things on their websites… but in the evening it’s back to the politics of you-scratch-my back-I’ll-scratch yours.

And apparently we are not just talking about any Republicans. We’re talking about those whose politics are diametrically opposed to those of mainstream Democrats, and most likely the mainstream of people of our state.

In public he gives them Hell, in private he gives them money.

Jake Knotts is loose cannon whose public statements often echo our state’s racist past. He routinely embarrasses himself and South Carolina in the national news media – including making racial slurs about President Obama. What in heck is Harpootlian doing writing him campaign checks?

Henry McMaster could not be more of a partisan right-wing Republican. Why in the world would Dick be giving him money?

So far, we have only heard about $15,000 in direct contributions from Dick to SC Republicans running for office. However, I imagine that is only a partial list. The truth is, we have no idea how much he might have raised for any of these Republican campaigns from among his family, friends, and associates.

This year we got Nikki Haley to finally start paying her taxes. Now, apparently, we need to make the same kind of effort to convince the leaders of the Democratic Party in Columbia to stop giving money to our Republican opponents.

Therefore, I am calling on Dick to end his campaign for party chair and apologize to Democrats for his support of our opponents. I especially think he owes an apology to those Democratic candidates who have run against these Republican friends of his, and the rank-and-file campaign people who walked precincts and made phone calls for them.

I have never given or raised money for a Republican candidate – ever – not one red cent. And neither has my wife, my children nor any of my businesses – and I make a commitment that I never will. Now I challenge Dick to make the same commitment.

This whole episode represents precisely the kind of cozy, insider politics that Democrats in this state are sick and tired of. And if I am elected Chair of the Democratic Party, we’re going to start putting a stop to it on Day One.

Shocked? Well, I’m not. I knew Dick had given to Jake. (Actually, “knew” may be too strong a word. It sounded really familiar when I read it.) Dick and Jake are pretty tight, ever since Dick forgave Jake for throwing him over a counter at the solicitor’s office. As the story goes, Dick was mouthing off to him, which is entirely believable. And of course, a lot of folks who wanted to stop Mark Sanford from stacking the Legislature in his favor were giving to Jake in the last election.

The others I don’t know about. But I’m not shocked. In fact, as you know, I like people who will support candidates across party lines, because I don’t think there should BE party lines to start with.

But I’m not your typical Democratic Party convention voter, am I? So with some, this is likely to do Phil some good. We’ll see.

“The Brad Show” 2011 season premiere! Starring Dick Harpootlian!

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Heh-heh.

I saw that Pub Politics was going to have Dick Harpootlian as their guest tonight, and decided to scoop ’em. It wasn’t hard, since I had already interviewed Dick last week.

Anyway, here’s the video.

Were there any bombshells during the show, along the lines of wanting to rent the black vote, or opposition pols being light in their loafers? Well, there WAS a comment about a certain GOP senator and hoop skirts. But I wasn’t actually trying to elicit such. It’s just that Mr. Harpootlian is rather irrepressible.

I’m involved in negotiations with his opponent in the race for state Democratic Party chair, Phil Noble — negotiations that consist of trying to find time when he’s in town and the studio is available (Dick’s office is just a few blocks away, and that made it easier) — but no dice yet. In a pinch, we may have to fall back on a phone interview, but I hope it doesn’t come to that. There’s also the possibility of Skype, which would be an innovation for the show.

But we’re all about innovation here at “The Brad Show.” That, and in-depth discussion of the issues of the day. Who knows what we may get up to in this new season? I certainly don’t. We just sort of make it up from episode to episode…

Could Obama lose? Well, yeah, but it seems unlikely given current trends

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Saw this this morning on Twitter, from Political Wire:

Yes, Obama could lose… http://pwire.at/hfiOUM

To which I responded, “Yeah, and I could conceivably WIN – anything can happen – but what are the odds?”

ANYTHING can happen over the last 19 months (things that would turn this assessment around 180 degrees), but watching the sluggish “race” for the nomination to run against him — and seeing some of the characters getting the most attention (here’s a question for you conspiracy fans: Is the “liberal media” deliberately overplaying the likes of Michele Bachmann, Donald Trump and Sarah Palin in order to undermine conservative chances?) — it seems extremely dubious.

Dubious to the point that I’d really, really appreciate it if the opposition would stop acting like he’s somehow illegitimate, and seeking to undermine everything he tries to do (like the health care reform the nation so badly needs, as inadequate as his efforts in that regard may be). Because folks, not only did he win the last election, but he’s probably going to win the next one. And I think the stronger potential GOP candidates know that, which is why we’re not seeing much activity from anyone but the extremists.

By the way, did you follow the link on that Tweet, which quoted a Salon article asserting that, if the economy doesn’t get better, “the GOP will be well-positioned to oust Obama in 2012, provided the party doesn’t nominate a fringe candidate.”

Run that by again: “…provided the party doesn’t nominate a fringe candidate.” Right now, that looks kind of like a big IF.

In 08, we were blessed by having both parties’ nominees being the less partisan options. It seems unlikely that we’ll be thus blessed in ’12. Unlike Democrats, who are cheering for the GOP extremists because they want to run against them, I hope the GOP does come up with a mainstream, sensible nominee because… as I say, ANYTHING can happen, and I’d like to reduce the chance of a having a nut job in the White House. But will that happen? I actually suspect it will. But I do worry.

Some Bachman, in case you haven’t had enough

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For those of you who may have missed Michele Bachman when she was in SC the last few days, here are some things she has said in the past, which a colleague sent to me today:

“Carbon dioxide is portrayed as harmful. But there isn’t even one study that can be produced that shows that carbon dioxide is a harmful gas.” -Rep. Michelle Bachmann, April, 2009

“Take this into consideration. If we look at American history, between 1942 and 1947, the data that was collected by the Census Bureau was handed over to the FBI and other organizations at the request of President Roosevelt, and that’s how the Japanese were rounded up and put into the internment camps. I’m not saying that that’s what the Administration is planning to do, but I am saying that private personal information that was given to the Census Bureau in the 1940s was used against Americans to round them up, in a violation of their constitutional rights, and put the Japanese in internment camps.” -Rep. Michele Bachmann, June 2009
“I find it interesting that it was back in the 1970s that the swine flu broke out under another, then under another Democrat president, Jimmy Carter. I’m not blaming this on President Obama, I just think it’s an interesting coincidence.” -Rep. Michele Bachmann, on the 1976 Swine Flu outbreak that happened when Gerald Ford, a Republican, was president, April 28, 2009

Hmmm. Wait a sec. This post may not be in my interest. Rep. Bachman has already been throwing around advertising money in SC, way out ahead of other prospective candidates. If she sees this, she’s likely to think, a) I’m glad to see that Brad Warthen is spreading my ideas for free, so I don’t need to send HIM any ad bucks; or b) That Brad Warthen is holding me up to ridicule, I’m not about to spend any ad bucks with HIM. Either way, I lose.

This is one reason why not many people, admire me as they might, see me as a good businessman.

Of course, I could have just shared with you what she said while she was here:

BLUFFTON, S.C. — Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann told a packed tea party gathering she doesn’t think President Barack Obama is “on our side anymore” as she blamed him for a “foolish” war in Libya and high gasoline prices…

Oh, and here’s what she said on the State House steps today:

You recognize that in Washington D.C., your rights are being taken away from you…

… something that I did NOT know, by the way. You?

Rev. Charles Jackson of Brookland Baptist gives invocation in Congress

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I enjoyed this video, shared by Luther Battiste. Luther is chairman of the board of the Capital City Club, on which Rev. Jackson and I both serve. It’s hard to imagine a better choice Congress could have made than Rev. Jackson. It makes me think better of Congress.

If you watch it past the invocation itself, and the Pledge of Allegiance, you’ll get another treat — or at least it was a treat to me, by UnParty standards — both Joe Wilson and Jim Clyburn agreeing in praising Rev. Jackson and the wonderful witness to the community that Brookland Baptist provides. I’ve long regarded Reps. Wilson and Clyburn as the two most partisan members of the SC delegation. At least, I thought that until the recent election. And in the conventional sense of party, they still may be the most fiercely orthodox Republican and Democratic members. I’m not sure those new Tea Party guys fit in that category.

In any case, even if you say they are just being polite, I enjoy watching and hearing them get together on something.

Quick! You have anything you want to ask Dick Harpootlian?

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He’s going to be here in a few minutes to tape “The Brad Show” (the first one of the new season!). This should be fun. But I’m thinking I should have some questions ready for him. I’ve got at least one ready, from this release he put out yesterday:

Fellow Democrats —

If we want to win elections, we have to fight.

The Democratic Party is a “big tent” of people committed to caring for those who are most vulnerable.  Our party attracts many kind, compassionate people who are not inclined to “go for the jugular” — and that’s a good thing.

Republicans, on the other hand, are motivated by self-interest and a willingness to do anything to win.  They’ll continue to win for years to come if we don’t change our ways.

I have earned a reputation as a tough guy, and while that may be unsettling to some of you, it’s exactly what our party needs right now.  We don’t need a nice guy or gal at the helm.  We need someone who can and will throw a punch at every opportunity.  It’s how we will hold our elected leaders accountable, and it’s how we will allow our candidates to focus on sharing positive plans for the future rather than defending themselves from “mudslinging.”
I’ve included a web video in this message that I think you’ll enjoy.  It’s an example of the sort of aggressive accountability that I will bring to the office every day as your next party chair.

I hope you’ll take a moment to watch it and share it with your friends.

If we work together and fight hard we will beat Republicans in South Carolina and usher in a new era of progress in the state we all love.

Dick

Dick Harpootlian

Of course, it’s not much of a question. I’m just going to say, “How’s it going, ‘Tough Guy’?” I’m going to say it all scornful, like one gangster to another.

But that’s not going to fill much airtime. So do you have any ideas for questions? Hurry up. He’ll be here in less than 15 minutes.

I’m glad I don’t work for Lindsey Graham

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This came in from Lindsey Graham this afternoon:

Graham To Refuse Pay, Close Offices, Furlough Staff During Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made this announcement on how his Senate office will function, should the Congress and President fail to come to agreement on the federal budget by midnight.  Each Member of Congress is responsible for establishing their procedures for operation during a government shutdown.

  • Senator Graham will refund his salary to the Federal Treasury for the time the government remains shutdown.
  • Senator Graham’s offices in Columbia, Florence, Greenville, Mount Pleasant, Pendleton, Rock Hill, and Washington will be closed during the shutdown.
  • Senator Graham’s staff — both in Washington and South Carolina — will be furloughed and placed on unpaid leave.

“I will refund my salary to the Bureau of the Public Debt within the U.S. Department of Treasury,” said Graham.  “Our brave men and women serving in uniform will not get paid during the shutdown. I believe Members of Congress should think twice about putting their way of life before those who fight to protect it.

“I’m disappointed Democrats in Congress and President Obama have not agreed to our very reasonable requests for spending reductions,” said Graham.  “What we’re seeking is belt-tightening at the federal level, a practice millions of Americans have already gone through.  It’s long past time we get our nation’s fiscal house in order.  The essence of our proposal is to take spending back to 2008 levels plus inflation.  Our proposal is by no means extreme.

“I’m very proud of my staffers who deliver high-quality constituent services to the people of South Carolina,” said Graham.  “It’s a tradition I’ve tried to carry over from Senator Thurmond.  However, I cannot justify having the offices open during a government shutdown when the staff will be unable to meaningfully help people.

“Therefore, my staffers will be furloughed without pay,” said Graham.  “I truly believe with the government shut down, we can’t deliver services to the people of South Carolina in a way to justify the expense.  In light of those facts, closing the office and furloughing the staff is the fiscally-responsible step to take.”

#####

Of course, I went without pay for about nine months not so long ago. I suppose I could tell these folks to buck up, that it’s a character-building experience. But I know better. I know that it’s just a lousy situation. And it’s caused by polticos in Washington acting like children over the budget. (And no, senator; it’s not just the Democrats failing to be “reasonable.”)

I heard some highamuckymuck on the radio today pontificating on the subject, saying that the disagreement came down to one thing: spending.

And I’m like duh, yeah, I guess so — seeing as how it’s the budget we’re talking about here. Congrats on figuring that out, Einstein.

How many SC lawmakers does it take to screw up light bulbs?

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You thought that SC lawmakers had already done everything they could possibly do to emphasize to the world that, if given the slightest excuse, they would secede all over again? Well, you were wrong.

These boys are creative, and they never miss a new way to celebrate the spirit of Nullification. This just in:

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) – South Carolina legislators are throwing a lifeline to traditional incandescent light bulbs as they try to trump federal energy standards.

The House on Thursday approved legislation with a 76-20 vote that would allow companies to manufacture the bulbs in South Carolina and sell them here.

The measure needs routine final approval next week before heading to the Senate.

Federal energy standards have manufacturers turning to compact fluorescent, halogen and LED bulbs. Manufacturers phase out traditional 100-watt incandescent bulbs next year.

Proponents say more efficient bulbs cost too much and they don’t like the light they provide.

The Incandescent Light Bulb Freedom Act allows manufacturers to make the traditional bulbs and stamp them as “Made in South Carolina.” They could only be sold in the Palmetto State.

Someone who doesn’t understand South Carolina — someone who thinks the sesquicentennial of secession is a commemoration of the way we were, rather than a celebration of who we ARE — might think that this is just a particularly moronic way of rejecting any kind of concern for the planet as “liberal,” and therefore beyond the pale.

But if you really do understand South Carolina, you realize that yes, it’s that, but it’s also a chance to relive the heady days of 1860, and cock a snook at the federal gummint. Especially that Obama.

So that’s, what? Three birds with one stone? Environmentalism. The Union. And Obama.

These guys aren’t dummies, no matter what you think. They are geniuses at what they do.

They’re going to keep trying until they provoke that Obama enough that he tries to resupply Fort Sumter. They’ll be ready for him, too.

Harpootlian moves toward inevitability

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The other day, a former Democratic Party executive committee member warned me not to speak as though Dick “The Once and Future Chairman” Harpootian’s candidacy was a sure thing — because, after all, Phil Noble and that other guy were running, too.

Well, first, I don’t think I said it WAS a sure thing (I said Dick returning to this arena should be fun). And second… well, now that you mention it, maybe it IS. This just in, from Jim Clyburn and Vincent Sheheen:

Harpootlian for SCDP Chair
Dear Fellow Democrats,

Please join us in supporting Dick Harpootlian’s candidacy as the next chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party.

We believe Dick is who and what the party needs right now — a proven leader. He’s tough. He’s articulate. He’s a proven fundraiser. He has the experience to get our party back on track and start winning elections again. We can’t afford to wait until the next campaign season to hold Republicans accountable for their failures. We must start immediately, and Dick shares our sense of urgency.

We believe Dick is uniquely suited to ensure that our party secures the resources not just to compete, but to win. Under his prior leadership as chairman of the state party, South Carolina Democrats had a very successful coordinated campaign, and Jim Hodges was elected governor by defeating the sitting Republican governor.

We hope you will join us in supporting Dick Harpoolian for Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party at the State Convention on April 30th.

Thank you for your commitment to our party and to our state.

Sincerely,

Congressman James Clyburn
Sen. Vincent Sheheen, 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nominee
Former Gov. Jim Hodges
Sen. John Land, Minority Leader
Sen. Darrell Jackson
Sen. Gerald Malloy
Sen. John Matthews
Rep. Harry Ott, Minority Leader
Rep. Jimmy Bales
Rep. Boyd Brown
Rep. Bill Clyburn
Rep. Todd Rutherford
Rep. John Scott
Rep. Bakari Sellers
Rep. James Smith
Rep. Leon Stavrinakis
Richland County Councilwoman Bernice Scott
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin
Former SCDP Chairman Joe Erwin

And the fact is, Dick had most Democrats at “Jim Clyburn and Vincent Sheheen.” Personally, I’m impressed by the last name on the list. While I hate to praise ANY party official, as party chairs go, Joe Erwin was a good one. He’s the guy who managed to stop his own party, at the last minute, from having an effectively closed presidential primary in 2004. My kind of partisan, that Joe Erwin.

Anyway, in endorsement terms, this is looking like the state political equivalent of Blitzkrieg.

Harpootlian’s back! (THIS should be fun…)

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That look he gets when he's fully aware that he's being a wise guy -- in other words, his usual look. / Screen shot from 2007 video by Brad Warthen

Just got this email confirming what we’ve been hearing the last day or so:

Harpootlian for SCDP Chair
Dear Friends,

I’m writing to ask you to support my candidacy for Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party. I’ve decided to run for two reasons.

First, I’m outraged that Republicans like Nikki Haley and Ken Ard continue to get away with not telling the truth and breaking the law. It’s time for this to stop.

Democrats must hold Republicans accountable constantly — not just during election season. As your party chair, I won’t give them a moment’s rest by demanding real transparency and accountability.

Second, I’m ready to win. I have a record of success in holding Republicans accountable for their policy and political failures, and with your help, we can do it again.

Here’s how:

·  Raise enough money for us to have the resources to fight and WIN.

·  Force Republicans to defend their record of failure.

·  Start organizing our grassroots machine for the next election now.

·  Deepen our bench by recruiting strong candidates.
These are my objectives as the next Chair of the South Carolina Democratic Party. I know that we can do this because we have done it before. I had the honor of serving as your party chair from 1998 to 2003. During that time we unseated an incumbent Republican governor and elected Governor Jim Hodges. We successfully reelected Senator Fritz Hollings, Congressman Jim Clyburn, Congressman John Spratt, and others. We also raised the money to win.

I am writing to ask for your support as our next Democratic Party Chair. Click here to declare your support. Let’s wage a relentless campaign to hold Haley, Ard, and the Republican establishment accountable, and let’s start NOW.  It’s time to put the Democratic Party in South Carolina back on the path to success.

I’m honored to have many of our party’s strongest leaders supporting my candidacy, including Congressman Jim Clyburn and our 2010 gubernatorial nominee, State Senator Vincent Sheheen.

Finally, I believe I can accomplish these goals in a single two-year term. At the end of my two-year term, I hope to help elect a new Chair who shares my vision as described above.

I would be honored to have your support for South Carolina Democratic Party Chair, and I look forward to working with you to take back the state we love.  Thank you.

Respectfully yours,

Dick Harpootlian

PS – You can help spread the word by showing your support on Facebook and encouraging your friends to do so as well.

This should be fun. Notice that I’m not saying it will be edifying or uplifting or anything. I just said it will be fun. Dick usually is.

Nikki Haley doing right thing (I think) for wrong reasons

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The other night, I went to a reception for new Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt, my old shipmate at The State. Bobby was near the front door, and we exchanged pleasantries. Standing there with him and Mike Briggs from Central SC Alliance was the head guy from Amazon, whose name escapes me at the moment — and he didn’t have any cards with him, or I’d have it in front of me. (If this were a newspaper, I’d hold this report until I got the name, or rather, got a reporter or editorial writer to get the name for me. But it’s not a newspaper, it’s a blog; and you’re not paying for it, so get outta my face.)

Anyway, having said “Welcome” to Bobby (a bit ironically, since I’ve seen and chatted with him numerous times since he came back to town), I said an even more fervent “Welcome!” to Mr. Amazon, and we, too, exchanged pleasantries. I thought, “I really should ask this guy some questions,” but didn’t have any on me. At that point, I spotted the bar. I needed to be somewhere else in about 20 minutes, so if I were going to have a free beer, it was now or never. So goodbye, Mr. Amazon (Yes, interviewing a source when you have the chance is important, but there are other immemorial traditions of journalism that must be honored as well.)

On the way to the bar, though, I saw Lanier Jones, president of ADCO, and said, “Lanier, you should go over and meet the Amazon guy.” Which he did.

A couple of days later, this came out:

Amazon’s 1,200-job project in jeopardy

Online retailer Amazon.com pressed S.C. lawmakers Wednesday for a sales tax break for the distribution center that it is building near Cayce, amid concern that denying the incentive could jeopardize the $100 million project.

Amazon executives warned refusing the tax break is a deal-breaker for the project, projected to employ 1,249 full time by 2013 and provide up to 2,500 part-time jobs, some legislators and Lexington County officials said.

“The implication is if they don’t get it, they’ll pull out,” said House Majority Leader Kenny Bingham, R-Lexington. “That’s clearly an option they will look at if they do not get it.”

That day, Lanier said something about the fact that we knew about that. I didn’t know about it, I said. Lanier said that when he spoke to the guy, Mike said something about a tax problem, and the Amazon guy said, “It’s a dealbreaker.” Lanier figured I’d heard the same.

So maybe I should have hung around a tad longer. I just didn’t know that at the time… Oh, well.

Bottom line, what should SC do about this?

Nikki Haley has chosen, like Pontius Pilate, to call for a basin of water:

Gov. Nikki Haley on Thursday washed her hands of an effort to lure more than 1,000 jobs to Lexington County.

Haley said she does not support a tax incentive designed to entice online retailer Amazon.com to Lexington County, making clear her opposition a day after company officials said they will pull the plug on a planned distribution center unless they get the tax break.

But Haley said that if lawmakers — who are waiting to follow the governor’s lead — approve the tax break, she will not veto it….

So basically, whatever happens, it won’t have her delicate fingerprints on it.

Not that I mean to cast aspersions with the Pontius Pilate thing. Actually, Nikki’s right (I think; I’m still cogitating on this) not to support the tax break. And she’s right (although not what you’d call courageous, or a leader) to recognize that this is a hot potato.

But she opposes (kinda) it for the wrong reasons. She opposes it because of a Policy Council-style ideological objection to using incentives in economic development. Hey, I think a lot of incentives are a bad idea, but not all of them. That’s the problem with ideology; you don’t make distinctions between bad and good, you just always bet on black. Or red. Depending on your ideology.

The actual PROBLEM with the tax break is that businesses should not be allowed to skirt the sales tax. Not only do we have too many exemptions in the sales tax as things stand, but allowing Internet businesses to do that places other SC businesses, such as the proverbial Mom and Pops, at a terrible disadvantage.

Not only that, but it’s unfair to Walmart and others that have asked for such a break, and been turned down. So you have an equal protection problem.

But Nikki Haley isn’t going to put it in those terms. So I did.

All of that said, I don’t relish the idea of turning away those 1,200 jobs. Policy abstractions are one thing; actual jobs for South Carolinians is another.

So I’m a bit torn about it still. As the governor seems to be. So we have that in common.

This is an issue that I would have had a lengthy discussion with the editorial board about, to develop and sharpen my own thoughts before saying anything in the paper.

I don’t have an editorial board now. So what do y’all think?

God bless U.S. District Judge Michelle Childs

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I say that because her ruling kept me, and the other sensible folk who refuse to surrender their ability to think to a party, from being disenfranchised by the SC Republican Party:

A federal judge tossed out a lawsuit by Republicans Wednesday who wanted South Carolina to begin requiring voters to register with a party before voting in a primary.

If Republicans don’t want outsiders to help choose their nominees, they have other options, like picking candidates at a party convention or filling out petitions to get them on the ballot, U.S. District Judge Michelle Childs ruled.

The decision reverberates nationally.

South Carolina’s first-in-the-South Republican presidential primary, which has been won by the party’s eventual nominee in each election since 1980, is open to any registered voter in the state, forcing candidates to moderate their message to a wider audience. The Democratic contest is also open.

“It’s a great day for independents. It’s a great day for all voters in South Carolina,” said lawyer Harry Kresky, who argued the case for IndependentVoting.org. “The primary confirms a great deal of legitimacy on a candidate.”

IndependentVoting.org. joined with the state, Tea Party members and black lawmakers in fighting the lawsuit…

Not that all is right with the world. We’re still forced to choose one primary or the other. There is no way I, who live in the most Republican county in South Carolina, where the GOP primary IS the election for most offices, should have been disenfranchised — prevented from having ANY say in local or legislative races — because I chose a Democratic ballot to vote for Vincent Sheheen last June.

But moving to the Louisiana system, as wonderful as that would be, is another battle for another day. For now, I’ll take satisfaction from the fact that the judge prevented the SC Republican Party from further eroding my right to vote for whomever I like.