Category Archives: This just in…

Newt picks up a couple of prominent helpers

The Perry team is apparently going along with him in backing Newt Gingrich now. The Gingrich campaign is touting this new endorsement, from SC House Speaker Bobby Harrell. Harrell said:

“Cathy and I make these decisions together.  We believe Newt Gingrich is the right choice for South Carolina, and for the United States. His commitment to the conservative principles of lower taxes, smaller government, and economic development are key to restoring America to greatness. Speaker Gingrich is the only candidate with proven leadership experience, which is what we need to effect real change in Washington.”

And the SC Democrats were the ones who brought it to my attention that Katon Dawson was now pressuring Mitt Romney — in a sort of passive-aggressive manner:

At Perry’s announcement here, former South Carolina GOP Chair Katon Dawson, who had endorsed Perry, also called on Romney to “do the right thing” and make his tax returns public:

KEYES: He’s been pretty vocal about calling on Mitt Romney to release his tax returns.

DAWSON: All us politicians have to do it and eventually you do. It’s either pay me now or pay me later. That’s what’s going to happen.

KEYES: So you think Romney is going to have to release them?

DAWSON: You’re not going to run a race without having to do it. It’s going to be a continued question mark. I’m sure that Governor Romney will do the right thing.

Of course, the Democrats have been all over Romney in recent weeks, convinced he will be the nominee. If Newt pulls off an upset, he can expect to have a lot of attention lavished on him.

Then on the other hand, there’s the ex-wife

OK, never mind that stuff about Gingrich’s big mo.

The ex-wife has dropped the big one:

Marianne Gingrich, Newt’s ex-wife, says he wanted ‘open marriage’

Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich in 1999 asked his second wife for an “open marriage” or a divorce at the same time he was giving speeches around the country on family and religious values, his former wife, Marianne, told The Washington Post on Thursday.

Marianne Gingrich said she first heard from the former speaker about the divorce request as she was waiting in the home of her mother on May 11, 1999, her mother’s 84th birthday. Over the phone, as Marianne was having dinner with her mother, Gingrich said, “I want a divorce.”

Shocked, Marianne replied: “Is there anybody else?” she recalled. “He was quiet. Within two seconds, when he didn’t immediately answer, I knew.”

The next day, Gingrich gave a speech titled “The Demise of American Culture” to the Republican Women Leaders Forum in Erie, Pa., extolling the virtues of the founding fathers and criticizing liberal politicians for supporting tax increases, saying that they hurt families and children….

I don’t care how many endorsements he gets. South Carolina’s not going with this guy. But hey, the way things are swinging back and forth, check with me again in five minutes.

Gingrich comes on like ‘Gangbusters’!

Whoa. Wow. Everything’s shifting on us. Boy, am I glad I started hedging my predictions in recent media interviews. (And I wish I’d hedged them even more during an interview with a Virginia radio station at 7:30 this morning.)

Newt Gingrich has major mo in South Carolina, just hours away from a debate that may be the highest-stakes encounter we’ve seen here in many a year.

This morning’s developments:

OK, that last one’s weak, but in light of the first two — wow. This is happening fast.

He’s turning us into a Newt! The question is, will we get better?

Will the Gingrich mo subside sufficiently for South Carolinians to do what they’ve always done since 1980 — settle down and go with the eventual nominee? Because even if history is made and South Carolina goes with an insurgent, Romney still seems almost certain to be that nominee. Gingrich creating some last minute excitement with a touchdown in SC doesn’t mean that over the coming weeks and months, when they sober up, Republicans won’t go, “Whoa! Wait a second! This is Newt Gingrich we’re talking here…”

Historic national milestone: Americans more disgusted with Congress than ever

This just in:

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows that a record 84 percent of Americans disapprove of the job Congress is doing, with almost two-thirds saying they “disapprove strongly.” Just 13 percent of Americans approve of how things are going after the 112th Congress’s first year of action, solidifying an unprecedented level of public disgust that has both sides worried about their positions less than 10 months before voters decide their fates.

It has been nearly four years since even 30 percent expressed approval of Congress, according to the Post-ABC survey, and support hasn’t recovered from the historic low it reached last fall.

In the face of the public dismay, House Republicans and Senate Democrats are fashioning less far-reaching agendas for the year ahead, in part to avoid the bitter political showdowns of 2011 and also to best position themselves for the fall elections…

So basically they’ve decided, “The country is right where we want it. No need to do anything else. Let’s sit back and let the voters reward us by re-electing us.”

Some of y’all were urging me to run for office earlier today, although perhaps ironically. Is this the moment for the UnParty to make its move, at long last? That “unprecedented level of public disgust” sounds like a call to arms for somebody, anyway.

Huntsman, the best man for the job, drops out

I was accustomed over the years to being interviewed by national media on the Sunday morning when a presidential endorsement came out in the paper. Today was no different, as a reporter with NBC called to ask me about The State and and its endorsement, prior to interviewing Jon Huntsman today.

I was happy to explain the Huntsman endorsement within the context of the ongoing consensus of the editorial board. I could well have written many of the words that appeared in the paper today. And I told her to remember the one thing I have said, more often than anything else, in explaining what an endorsement is not, and what it is: It’s about who should win, not who’s going to win. We all knew Huntsman wasn’t going to win, just as we knew Joe Lieberman wasn’t going to be the Democratic nominee in 2004. But he should have been.

And Huntsman was the man who should have won the Republican nomination, as well expressed in the editorial:

We need a president who can work within our poisonous political environment to solve our nation’s problems, not simply score partisan points. Someone who understands that negotiation is essential in a representative democracy, and that there are good ideas across the political spectrum. Someone who has a well-defined set of core values but is not so rigid that he ignores new information and new conditions. Someone who has shown himself to be honest and trustworthy. And competent. Someone whose positions are well-reasoned and based on the world as it is rather than as he pretends it to be. Someone with the temperament and judgment and experience to be taken seriously as the commander in chief and leader of the free world.

We think Mr. Romney could demonstrate those characteristics. Mr. Huntsman already does. And we are proud to endorse him for the Republican nomination for president of the United States.

Exactly. And Cindi’s accompanying column (Nina Brook years ago dubbed this sort of pairing “steak and steak”) went on to explain why none of the other candidates would do. All well reasoned.

And The State‘s reward for having done the right thing, and having clearly stated why, will be catcalls from detractors delighted that its chosen candidate quit only hours after the endorsement was published. (This will particularly thrill the ones who truly hate the newspaper, and maintain that its endorsement is the “kiss of death.” So seldom does anything happen to support their erroneous thesis — the newspaper’s chosen candidates win about 75 percent of the time in general elections — that I suppose we must indulge them in having their fun, eh?)

Have you seen the news? It just broke a few minutes ago:

Huntsman Says He’s Quitting G.O.P. Race

By JIM RUTENBERG, JEFF ZELENY AND MICHAEL D. SHEAR

CHARLESTON, S.C. — Jon M. Huntsman Jr. informed his advisers on Sunday that he intends to drop out of the Republican presidential race, ending his candidacy a week before he had hoped to revive his campaign in the South Carolina primary.

Mr. Huntsman, who had struggled to live up to the soaring expectations of his candidacy, made plans to make an announcement as early as Monday. He had been set to participate in an evening debate in Myrtle Beach.

Matt David, campaign manager to Mr. Huntsman, confirmed the decision in an interview Sunday evening. “The governor and his family, at this point in the race, decided it was time for Republicans to rally around a candidate who could beat Barack Obama and turn around the economy,” Mr. David said. “That candidate is Gov. Mitt Romney.”

Huntsman was right to back Romney, thereby seconding The State’s point that he would be the second choice.

But the nation is worse off for not having Huntsman as an option.

McCain endorses former rival Romney

Mitt Romney got a nice boost on his way to being the winner of the New Hampshire primary, if not the nomination:

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the 2008 GOP presidential nominee, endorsed former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney for the 2012 Republican nomination in New Hampshire on Wednesday.

The endorsement brings two old rivals together, and marks a potentially crucial boost for Romney coming off a narrow eight-vote victory in the Iowa caucuses Tuesday night.

McCain, who won the New Hampshire primaries in both 2000 and 2008, said he wanted to “make sure we make Mitt Romney the next president of the United States of America.”

“New Hampshire is the state that will catapult him to victory in a very short period of time,” McCain said after being introduced by Romney. “That’s why I’m here.”…

So now we have a united front between last election’s standard-bearer and the candidate who was his main rival by about this point in the campaign in ’08.

This is particularly interesting in light of the fact that last time, Romney was the last hope of Jim DeMint and others on the party’s right wing as they tried to stop McCain, seen as the candidate of moderation and bipartisanship. This time, Romney is the one all the right-wingers want an alternative to. Go figure. I guess it’s just another testament to Romney’s legendary, um, flexibility.

I wish I’d been there for the announcement. I would have asked McCain whether he knows where the Navy went…

Look out, SC! You’ve been chosen as site of the GOP Götterdämmerung

Perry. Rick Perry...

Yikes! I didn’t expect this. Perry just faked everybody out. After sounding (and looking) like a loser last night, and mumbling about going home to lick his wounds and reassess (with New Hampshire a week away), suddenly Rick Perry tweeted this out:

And the next leg of the marathon is the Palmetto State…Here we come South Carolina!!!

Oh, and the above picture was included with the Tweet. I think he’s trying to give a James Bond impression. Like he just climbed out of that pond, and he’s going to take off that wetsuit-looking thing and have a tux on underneath or something.

Here’s what National Journal is reporting:

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa –- Just hours after announcing via Twitter that he would be continuing his presidential bid in South Carolina, Texas Gov. Rick Perry blasted Iowa’s caucus process and blamed it for his fifth-place finish.

“This is a quirky place, a quirky process to say the least, and we’re going to go into places where they have actual primaries and there are going to be real Republicans voting,” he told reporters. “Not that there aren’t real Republicans here in Iowa, but the fact it is was a pretty loosey-goosey process and you had a ton of people who were there that admitted they were Democrats voting in the caucuses last night.”

Sshhh! Don’t anybody tell the governor that we have open primaries here, and don’t register by party! Let it be a surprise!

More from National Journal:

The governor announced that he would be returning to Austin on Tuesday night to reevaluate his campaign after getting only 10 percent in the Iowa contest. But barely 12 hours later, he arrived at a final decision while on a run through Raccoon Creek Park. “And the next leg of the marathon is the Palmetto State … Here we come South Carolina!!!,” he  tweeted, alerting people to the decision…

Though Perry declined to elaborate exactly what that path forward is, South Carolina is rich in both evangelical voters and veterans — two key groups for Perry. He said he felt “comfortable” with the state, its people and their values…

What does it all mean, Mr. Natural? What will a last-ditch, back-from-the-dead Alamo-style stand by Perry look like on our turf — with Romney anxious to sew it up, Santorum eager to prove Iowa was no fluke, and Gingrich desperate to save what’s left of his candidacy?

I think this is where the GOP Armageddon will take place. Everybody (maybe even Huntsman) assumes that Romney will win N.H., and then the real free-for-all happens here.

Fasten your seat belts, folks.

Occupy Columbia: Charges against 19 dismissed

Just got this:

Charges Against Occupy Columbia’s Nineteen Protesters Dismissed
Occupy Columbia to Hold Press Conference

ACTION ALERT: It our great pleasure to inform those concerned as well as all parties involved, that all charges against the nineteen protesters that were arrested on November 16th of 2011 have been -dismissed.  These charges were dismissed last night, Wednesday November 30th, 2011.

It is to our great pleasure to annouce as well, today at 1:30PM Occupy Columbia is to hold a Press Conference to discuss the dismissal of the case that would have convicted the nineteen protesters.

Occupy Columbia, Protesters, as well Supporters are ecstatic to start this month of Holidays off right: trully this is the Season to be Thankful and Merry!

Get up-to-the-minute updates from our twitter account: @OccupyColumbia.

Sincerely
Occupy Columbia
www.OccupyColumbiaSC.org

I pass it on FYI; I don’t think I’ll make it to the presser. But when I learn more, I’ll share it.

The man with the golden gun: Moammar Gaddafi reported killed at Sirte

The reports remain sketchy, and contradictory. Here’s what the BBC is saying:

Libya’s ex-leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has been killed after an assault on his home town of Sirte, officials from the transitional authorities have said.

Information Minister Mahmoud Shammam said fighters had told him they had seen Col Gaddafi’s body, and other officials also said he was dead.

The claims have not yet been independently verified, and other reports said he was captured alive…

The colonel was toppled in August after 42 years in power.

… Grainy video footage has been circulating among NTC fighters appearing to show Col Gaddafi’s corpse.

The video shows a large number of NTC fighters yelling in chaotic scenes around a khaki-clad body, which has blood oozing from the face and neck.

Another video broadcast by al-Jazeera TV showed a body being dragged through the streets which the channel said was that of Col Gaddafi.

NTC official Abdel Hafez Ghoga told AFP: “We announce to the world that Gaddafi has been killed at the hands of the revolution.

“It is an historic moment. It is the end of tyranny and dictatorship. Gaddafi has met his fate.”

An NTC fighter told the BBC he found Col Gaddafi hiding in a hole in Sirte, and the former leader begged him not to shoot.

The fighter showed reporters a golden pistol he said he had taken from Col Gaddafi…

I thought I’d go ahead and put this up and give y’all a chance to comment. Political Wire has already called it a “Big foreign policy win for Obama”… for those inclined to interpret such events in political terms…

Caroline Whitson to retire from Columbia College

Here’s something for the “this just in” department:

WHITSON TO RETIRE AS PRESIDENT OF COLUMBIA COLLEGE IN 2012

October 11, 2011

Dr. Caroline Whitson, the 17th president of Columbia College, will retire at the end of this academic year – June 30, 2012.

Since coming to the college in 2001, Dr. Whitson has been an energetic advocate for women’s education and forimproving the status of women in South Carolina.

In announcing her retirement on behalf of the Board of Trustees, Chairman Lex Knox said, “Columbia College has been very fortunate and blessed to have someone of Dr. Whitson’s character and talent to lead us for the past decade. She has been an outstanding leader through challenging times, and has steered the college through needed changes. While disappointed at the news, we respect her decision and certainly wish her well.”

Dr. Whitson said, “I am well aware that the successes the college has enjoyed during my time here are a direct result of the work of a talented, committed faculty and staff and the support of an engaged Board of Trustees. I have been fortunate to have the opportunity to work with and learn from them.”

As president, Dr. Whitson championed the establishment of the college’s 4Cs. The unique leadership model combines academic and co-curricular programming to support students in the development of the Courage, Commitment, Confidence, and Competence to lead for change. She guided the expansion of the college’s Leadership Institute, which serves both girls and professional women. Dr. Whitson founded the Alliance for Women, a partnership between Columbia College and the Governor’s Commission on Women, when the commission was targeted for closure in 2004. The Alliance has supported entrepreneurship for women, including bringing both the Women President’s Organization and Make Mine a Million to South Carolina.

During Dr. Whitson’s tenure at the college, annual fund-raising has more than doubled. The college’s endowment has increased by 40%, including the establishment of both the McNair Scholars program and the Reeves Endowed Chair in Leadership Studies.

Facility expansion at the college of 1,269 students includes the addition of a new student union, residential cottages and an athletic complex, as well as renovation of the freshman center, the Goodall Art Gallery, Edens Library and the Cottingham Theatre. The installation of solar panels and a campuswide revision of energy systems have significantly reduced the college’s carbon footprint. A campus beautification program led to implementation of an extensive landscape design.

Recently Dr. Whitson signed agreements for research and for faculty and student exchanges with both the State University of Mongolia and the Hiroshima Jogakuin Women’s University.

Since 2001, Columbia College has received national recognition for teaching and scholarly excellence from the Theodore Hesburgh Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation, the National Collegiate Honors Council, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, the Foundations of Excellence for the First College Year, the NAIA Champions of Character, the National Communication Association, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

During her tenure at the college, Dr. Whitson has been a leader in civic affairs. She chaired the Richland County Transportation Commission, the South Carolina ETV Endowment board and the Presidents’ Council of the South Carolina Independent Colleges and Universities. She has served on many boards, including those of the United Way of the Midlands, New Carolina, and the Midlands Business Leaders Group. Nationally, she has served on the University Senate of the United Methodist Church, as a member of the President’s Circle in the National Council for Research on Women, and on the board of PLEN (Public Leadership Education Network).

Dr. Whitson has been honored with a “Woman of Distinction” award from the Girl Scouts of the Congaree Area, as the “Outstanding Advocate for Women in Business” from the Greater Columbia Chamber of Commerce, and with the Martha Kime Piper award from the South Carolina Women in Higher Education.

Chairman Knox said Vice Chair of the Board Becky Laffitte will head the search committee to find a new president for Columbia College, with the rest of the committee being named within the next two weeks. The committee will include some board members as well as representatives from the rest of the college community.

Caroline has been a great person to work with in the community. I served with her on a local advisory council for the Knight Foundation years ago, and dealt with her during the effort to pass the sales tax referendum for transportation last year — which, as you’ll recall, I interviewed her about on “The Brad Show.” She had helped lead community conversations about transportation for several years leading up to that.

I understand that she plans to stay in the community. That’s good news.

Netflix listened! ‘No Qwikster.’ I’m impressed…

… but not overwhelmed with gratitude or anything. After all, the rates DID go up.

But the boss man there had seemed so adamantly sure that his way was the way to do it, and everybody else was an idiot, that I was pleasantly surprised to see this release today:

Dear Brad,
It is clear that for many of our members two websites would make things more difficult, so we are going to keep Netflix as one place to go for streaming and DVDs.
This means no change: one website, one account, one password…in other words, no Qwikster.
While the July price change was necessary, we are now done with price changes.
We’re constantly improving our streaming selection. We’ve recently added hundreds of movies from Paramount, Sony, Universal, Fox, Warner Bros., Lionsgate, MGM and Miramax. Plus, in the last couple of weeks alone, we’ve added over 3,500 TV episodes from ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, USA, E!, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, ABC Family, Discovery Channel, TLC, SyFy, A&E, History, and PBS.
We value you as a member, and we are committed to making Netflix the best place to get your movies & TV shows.
Respectfully,
The Netflix Team

The “respectfully” was a nice touch, but unnecessary. You showed your respect by listening.

Now, about some of those videos that still aren’t yet available on Netflix…

Happy Birthday, John. Oh, give it a rest, Paul…

A friend shares this today:

LONDON (AP) — A hint of autumnal Beatlemania was in the air Sunday as Paul McCartney — for the second time in his improbable life — climbed the steps of Old Marylebone Town Hall to get married.

True, thousands of heartbroken female fans crowded the venerable registry office in 1969 when he married Linda Eastman and only a few hundred showed up Sunday as he wed American Nancy Shevell. But the feeling this time was not regret at the loss of a bachelor heartthrob. Instead there was joy that McCartney, regarded as a national treasure, seemed happy again…

Oh, give it a rest, Paul. Still getting married, when it’s past time for him to be spending his time bouncing Vera, Chuck and Dave on his knee.

You know, at least he could have waited a day. Today is John Lennon’s birthday (his 71st). And Paul is gallivanting about with his new bride (here’s a picture) and his dyed hair, while poor John is moldering in his grave. Or would be, had Yoko not had him cremated.

John would pose the question, how does he sleep? The answer, of course, would be, not alone…

Seriously, I wish the old guy all the best. The happiest Beatle should continue doing his best to enjoy life. But honestly, my first reaction actually was, “Oh, give it a rest.” Then I realized what today was.

Thaddeus McCotter Shocker!!!

This just in! The dynamics of the 2012 race for the White House have inexorably shifted!

Rep. Thaddeus McCotter withdraws from 2012 presidential race

The Michigan Republican and former House Republican Policy Committee chairman on Thursday dropped out of the GOPpresidential battle.

McCotter told the Detroit News that he was frustrated because he could not win access to the presidential debates, one of which is taking place tonight among nine other major GOP candidates in Florida. He plans to seek reelection to his 11th district.

McCotter told the newspaper he plans to back former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, although Texas governor Rick Perry is also a good candidate, but better suited for the vice presidency.

Yeah, I didn’t know he was running, either. Nor had I ever heard of him. But I suppose it’s like the Butterfly Effect. This flutter of wings in an obscure corner could change everything. Or not.

Cool name, though: Thaddeus McCotter. Another potential band name, in the style of Jethro Tull and Uriah Heep. Doesn’t have quite the same punch, though…

Here are some SC Rick Perry backers

I hadn’t even finished that last post about his new video before Perry put this out:

Twenty One South Carolina GOP Legislators
Endorse Rick Perry for President

COLUMBIA, SC – Texas First Lady Anita Perry today announced 21 GOP South Carolina General Assembly members’ endorsement of Texas Gov. Rick Perry for President at the grand opening event of the Perry Campaign’s South Carolina Headquarters office. The five Senators and 16 Representatives will serve on Perry’s State Legislative Steering Committee.
“Republicans across South Carolina want two things in our nominee: a proven conservative record of job creation and a plan to put America back on track,” said Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler. “Rick Perry is the candidate who meets both of those criteria. The number and the regional diversity represented by today’s endorsements are a clear indication of the strong support Gov. Perry has across the Palmetto State.”
Gov. Perry has been endorsed by the following South Carolina GOP leaders:
State Senate Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, Cherokee
State Senator Paul Campbell, Berkeley
State Senator Ronnie Cromer, Newberry
State Senator Larry Grooms, Berkeley
State Senator Mike Rose, Dorchester
State Rep. Todd Atwater, Lexington
State Rep. Liston Barfield, Horry
State Rep. Eric Bedingfield, Greenville
State Rep. Alan Clemmons, Horry
State Rep. Marion Frye, Saluda
State Rep. Dan Hamilton, Greenville
State Rep. Bill Hixon, Aiken
State Rep. Chip Limehouse, Charleston
State Rep. Philip Lowe, Florence
State Rep. Chris Murphy, Charleston
State Rep. Andy Patrick, Beaufort
State Rep. Bill Sandifer, Oconee
State Rep. Gary Simrill, Rock Hill
State Rep. Tommy Stringer, Greenville
State Rep. Bill Taylor, Aiken
State Rep. Mark Willis, Greenville
“It truly is an honor to receive the endorsements of these respected lawmakers of the South Carolina Assembly,” said Gov. Perry. “These conservative leaders understand that our nation cannot afford four more years of an administration that is trying to tax and spend our nation to prosperity. I look forward to these fine individuals’ support as I travel the nation to share my vision for how we will get our nation’s fiscal house in order and get America working again.”
Sen. Paul Campbell: “Rick Perry is the right choice because of his proven, successful executive leadership experience. I believe Governor Perry is the only candidate in the race who can take back the White House and restore a path of prosperity for America. I’m supporting Rick Perry and I will be encouraging others to do the same.”
Sen. Ronnie Cromer: “I’m supporting Rick Perry not only because of his fiscally sound record and his experience of creating jobs,” Cromer said. “I’m also supporting Perry because I believe he is the only candidate who can beat President Obama next year. It would be devastating for our country to endure another four years of the Obama administration. Rick Perry is the guy to beat him and he can get our country back on track.”
Rep. Todd Atwater: “Our country needs a leader who can balance the budget and create jobs. I believe Rick Perry is that leader. He has a record of maintaining a balanced budget without raising taxes while creating jobs. We cannot afford another four years of a plummeting job market and out-of-control spending. We need to send Rick Perry to Washington.”
Rep. Liston Barfield: “I’m supporting Rick Perry for President because his leadership and conservative values are what our country needs to get back on track. Rick Perry’s experience of balancing a budget and creating jobs makes him my first choice for President.”
Rep. Eric Bedingfield: “This race is about two things, Jobs and the Economy. Governor Perry, soon to be our Republican nominee for President, is exactly what South Carolina Republicans are looking for to replace the current resident of the White House. Rick Perry has the job creation record and executive experience to make President Obama a one-term president and to get America working again.”
Rep. Bill Hixon: “I am excited about getting on board with Governor Perry’s campaign. Governor Perry has shown outstanding leadership in Texas by maintaining a balanced budget and creating jobs is the kind of leadership we need in the White House.
Rep. Chip Limehouse: “Rick Perry is the best choice because of his conservative record as Governor of Texas. His commitment to balancing the budget of Texas without raising taxes despite the economic downturn should be an example to all legislators across the country and especially to Congress. We need Rick Perry in the White House.”
Rep. Chris Murphy: “Rick Perry is a real conservative – exactly what our country needs. We can’t afford another four years of the Obama administration and I believe Rick Perry is the man who not only shares our values, but also can win. I’m proud to endorse Rick Perry for President.”
Rep. Bill Sandifer: “Rick Perry’s record of job creation, maintaining fiscal responsibility, and commitment to conservative values is why I’m supporting him for president. I’m confident that Governor Perry can get our country on the right path and get America working again.”
Rep. Tommy Stringer: “Rick Perry can get our country back on the right path. Governor Perry not only has a fiscally conservative record, he also is a social conservative who shares our family values. The leadership he has shown in balancing the budget and his commitment in protecting the unborn is exactly the type of leadership and commitment we need in Washington.”
Rep. Mark Willis: “I’m supporting Governor Rick Perry for President because I believe he is the candidate of the people,” Willis said. “Governor Perry’s humble beginnings, his upbringing, and his proven conservative record as Governor of Texas are very appealing to voters looking for a real change. The people want someone they can trust and I believe Rick Perry is that person.”

I wonder why it was announced by his wife? Is he too busy?

Huntsman’s looking better — to me, anyway

After I saw this today:

Huntsman won’t get endorsement from Haley

You should read her argument for this position. It’s, um, typical. She strings together a series of phrases that almost, but not quite, constitute complete thoughts. Oh, all right, here it is:

“Naturally, I’m going to go with someone that philosophically I agree with and Jon Huntsman is not it,” Haley said. “If you talk to him about things he knows about China and the economy, yes, that’s great stuff, but what I really want to get is a strong conservative who understands jobs and the economy matter, and it’s not what we say, it’s what we do and how we’re going to fix it.”

And it’s a beautiful thing, she forgot to say.

The quake that was felt everywhere (on the East Coast, that is)

I thought my ADCO colleagues’ imaginations were running away with them, until I read that there actually WAS an earthquake, and that it was felt in New York, and that the Pentagon was evacuated.

I never felt it. Maybe I’m desensitized because I lived on the Pacific Rim as a kid.

I especially enjoy the chauvinism indicated in this NYT report:

An earthquake sent tremors from the nation’s capital to New York City and New England Tuesday afternoon, the result of what officials said was a 5.9 magnitude earthquake based in Virginia.

Hello, New York Times! We’re down here! We exist! The world doesn’t drop off when you hit Virginia!

What did you feel? Share your experiences here…

No, Joe — it was for inappropriate BEHAVIOR, not any point you were trying to make

Wesley Donehue would be disappointed in me if I let one of his Joe Wilson releases go by without commentary. An excerpt from today’s:

Nearly two years ago I made national news when I voiced your outrage at the misrepresentations being perpetuated by the Obama administration. The media and Obama’s liberal allies attacked me for only pointing out the truth that ObamaCare would cover illegal immigrants.

Yesterday, my point was vindicated when the Department of Health and Human Services announced its newest ObamaCare grant. CNS News reported:

“Because the health care centers receiving $8.5 million in ObamaCare money ‘to target services to migrant and seasonal farm workers’ will not check the immigration status of the migrant workers who seek their services it is inevitable that they will serve illegal aliens.”

The president specifically promised the American people that ObamaCare would not cover those who are here illegally. He misled all of us.

Let’s go back to your initial assertion. No, Joe. You weren’t “attacked” for “only pointing out the truth.” You weren’t attacked, or criticized, for any sort of point you may have been trying to make.

No, you were criticized for the gross indecorum of shouting “You lie!” in the House chamber, at the President of the United States, while he was speaking to you. You “made national news” not for making some pithy, pertinent point, but for startlingly rude behavior.

You know that. You know it was wrong. You apologized. You’re not normally the kind of guy who does stuff like that, and you knew better.

Everybody slips up. But please, please stop going about with this martyrdom act pretending you were somehow a victim in this.

It is NOT a defense, it does not excuse the inappropriateness of the act, for you to say now, “But he WAS lying.” For the purpose of judging whether YOUR behavior was right or not, that doesn’t matter.

Let’s say you were sitting there listening to a speech by a president whose parents were not married when he was born. It would STILL be inappropriate for you to interrupt him by yelling, “You’re a bastard!” And it would be even less seemly, a year or two later, for you to send out a press release showing documentation of his illegitimacy in order to moan about how unfairly YOU have been treated.

OK?

Well, that’s good to hear — sorta, kinda

Just got this from the state Treasurer:

CREDIT RATING AGENCY MOODY’S REAFFIRMS SOUTH CAROLINA’S AAA CREDIT RATING

Rating agency’s negative outlook for US economy could impact South Carolina

(Columbia, SC) – State Treasurer Curtis Loftis issued the following statement in response to the action taken by credit rating agency Moody’s, who has reaffirmed South Carolina’s AAA credit rating but added a negative outlook similar to that given to the federal government.

“South Carolina has AAA credit for a reason,” Treasurer Loftis said.  “We live within our means and are constantly guided by sound financial principles. The negative outlook for the federal government has spilled over to the states and is a wake-up call that government must not spend more than it has.  The State Treasurer’s Office is monitoring this situation and is in constant contact with the rating agencies.”

South Carolina’s AAA credit rating means it costs less to borrow money for things taxpayers depend on like schools, roads and bridges.

Moody’s Investors Service will be conducting a credit review of select states including South Carolina within the next 90 days.  According to Moody’s, in order for South Carolina to earn a stable outlook, the state must maintain credit quality higher than that of the federal government in the event the U. S. government credit would be downgraded.

“The bottom line is simple: the action by Congress and the President causes uncertainty in the business community,” Treasurer Loftis said.  “We must demand fiscal conservatism and transparency from Washington.  South Carolina is doing its part and I ask D. C. to do the same.”

South Carolina, along with Maryland, New Mexico, Tennessee and the Commonwealth of Virginia, are the five states Moody’s confirmed AAA with negative outlooks with ratings indirectly linked to the U. S. government.  Those five states have a combined $24 billion of outstanding debt.

WEB/TV/RADIO: Click Here for a downloadable soundbite (.mpg) of the Treasurer on the debt issue.

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Well, that’s good to hear. Because I was worried about the credit agencies not being pleased with the debt deal signed earlier in the week. (Hey, neither I nor anyone else was happy with it; why should they be?)

All along, the word had been that the credit rating was endangered less by the debt ceiling deadline, and more by the failure of the gummint to come to terms with the deficit. Which they still haven’t done, of course. But let’s embrace whatever good news we can get.

Yo, and stock markets… Please settle down, as I said this morning:

So calm down, already! Stock market, this means you: “@nytimes: NYT NEWS ALERT: U.S. Economy Added 117,000 Jobs in July; Rate Falls to 9.1%”

ANY deal thrown together like this will do bad stuff

This release came out a little while ago from Lindsey Graham:

Graham to Oppose Debt-Limit Compromise

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today said he will oppose the compromise debt-limit agreement negotiated between congressional leaders and President Obama.

Graham said:

“I cannot in good conscience support this deal. Simply stated, it locks us into more debt, bigger government and most devastating of all, a weakened defense infrastructure at a time when we face growing threats.

“This agreement adds over $7 trillion in new debt over the next decade and only makes small reductions in future spending.  We hardly address the future growth of entitlements, a major contributor of future budgetary problems.  Instead of our nation running toward bankruptcy we will be walking toward bankruptcy.

“If fully implemented, the consequences to our nation’s defense infrastructure would be severe.  And these deep cuts would come at a time when threats to our nation are increasing, not declining.  What has happened to the Party of Reagan who viewed the primary purpose of the federal government was to provide a strong national defense?

“This agreement legitimizes the concept that defense spending is not only equal to other areas of federal spending, but is of lesser importance.  This is a philosophical shift I will have no part of.

“I fear this agreement will destroy our nation’s defense infrastructure at a time when we need them the most.  The only part of our nation’s budget which is really exposed to serious consequences under this compromise is the Department of Defense.

“I have always believed we have to raise our nation’s debt-ceiling but it should be done in a responsible manner.  I support raising the debt-ceiling for a period of nine months, the historical average since 1940, accompanied by a dollar-to-dollar spending cuts to debt-ceiling increase.  In effect, this basically is the first portion of the Boehner-Reid proposal.”

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And  it got me to thinking…

Almost by definition, almost any deal at this point that both raises the debt ceiling and addresses the deficit (which must happen to avoid a devastating credit downgrade) will contain elements that do things no intelligent person would want to do.

Such as, as the senator mentions, eviscerating our defense infrastructure.

And yet we have to go ahead and make a bad deal anyway, because we’re out of time to make a good one that would benefit the country.

Helluva situation, isn’t it? For an explanation of how we got here, watch this. Yes, it’s silly, but anything that explained this would be.

The Tea Party might be right about one thing. It may be time for a revolution. Because this whole thing just isn’t working, and hasn’t for a while.

Mayor Steve weighs in on debt debate

All day, I’ve meant to write a post about the debt battle in Washington, and haven’t found the time, and now Steve Benjamin has gotten out ahead of me. This just in:

Dear Friends,

The U.S. Capital BuildingToday I’d like to take a moment and talk with you about an issue of critical importance.

Right now, whether broadcast on our nightly news, echoing through the halls of Congress, or debated and discussed over kitchen counters and coffee tables across America, our entire country is immersed in a great conversation about budget deficits, debt limits, and our national priorities.

As Mayor, I am no stranger to this conversation. In fact, it was not that long ago that Columbia’s future was so unsure that Moody’s Investor Service assigned the city’s credit rating with a negative outlook questioning our ability to right the ship and stabilize operations.

But we took action and, by working together, we made the tough choices. We streamlined our operations. We saved taxpayers over $1 million by removing unnecessary budget vacancies. We increased oversight, installed new financial safeguards and we rewarded employees for being more efficient.

It wasn’t easy. But through hard work and sacrifice we improved our credit rating in record time and finished this fiscal year with a $3 million budget surplus.

We made the tough choices just as local governments across America have, by putting the public good ahead of political ambition. Now, with the August 2nd default deadline only weeks away, we expect our federal government to do the same.

We need to put our nation’s fiscal house in order so that we can move forward with investments in our infrastructure and communities that lay a foundation for future economic growth and prosperity.

The United States must pay its bills. Failure is not an option.

The consequence of default or delay would mean military salaries, Social Security and Medicare benefits would go unpaid while cost of our national debt would grow as would the cost of carrying that debt.

Everything from your home mortgage to your car loan and credit cards would cost more while your 401(k) and college savings account would be worth less.

Our fragile economic recovery would come to a halt and we would come face to face with the very real prospect of another recession, longer and deeper than the one before.

We cannot afford to simply kick the can down the road. We must believe in what is possible and overcome the challenges before us.

But in the midst of this challenge, I see reasons to be hopeful.

I see President Obama and Vice-President Biden working across the aisle with men like Speaker John Boehner and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to find a bipartisan solution.

I see a movement to close special interest tax loopholes so we all pay our fair share and shoulder this burden together.

I see a commitment to entitlement reform and a framework to make Medicare and Medicaid stronger and more efficient without shifting the cost of care to seniors and those with disabilities.

I see real progress being made and, beyond the shouts of hecklers and cynics, I still believe.

I still believe we can still do big things. I still believe we can make a real difference. I still believe we can overcome the challenges before us because I still believe in America.

The time to act is now. Call your Congressman and Senator today. Tell them it’s time to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Tell them it’s time to protect our future. Tell them it’s time to stand up against the special interests and for the American people.

Tell them to act now and raise the debt ceiling before time runs out.

Sincerely,
Steve Benjamin