Calhoun Street Coffee Blog

Political Haiku #10

2011-12-30T11:10:00.000-05:00

Oh Rick Santorum

Most vanilla of them all

Flavor of the week?

Political Haiku #9

2011-12-30T11:07:00.001-05:00

Aloha, Barack

Welcome to the one percent

Paid by ninety-nine

Political Haiku #8

2011-12-30T11:04:00.000-05:00

In this new year, will

We pick a dud, ending what

Began with Reagan?

Political Haiku #7

2011-12-30T11:02:00.000-05:00

Vote Ron Paul for prez!

No foreign policy is

Better than Barack's

Political Haiku #6

2011-12-30T10:59:00.000-05:00

Haley twenty-ten

Was queen of transparency

Today, not so clear

Romney's "Conservative Agenda"

2011-12-26T20:38:00.000-05:00

...is far superior to Obama's agenda of bigger government, higher taxes, and less freedom.

Obama Reality Check

2011-12-26T09:14:00.002-05:00

Move over, George Washington. Not everyone can be a Barack-star!

During an interview on CBS' "Sixty Minutes," President Obama ranked his own achievements among the top four U.S. presidencies of modern history (video below). Of course, the good-hearted folks at CBS edited these comments from the on-air broadcast so as not to offend the tender sensibilities of the President's PR team. (It is fanciful to expect that same courtesy would be extended to a Republican administration.)

While on topic, let's review the accomplishments of the current administration:

Cronyism...check!

Class warfare...check!

Political correctness...check!

Fourth best president? Hardly. Obama's resume is more akin to bottom-feeders like Ulysses Grant, Warren Harding, and Jimmy Carter.

Fortunately, most Americans see through the delusions of grandeur of this do-nothing president and his mean-spirited, Chicago-style hooliganism.

Why Mitt?

2011-12-06T13:17:00.000-05:00

Ramesh Ponnuru makes the conservative argument for Mitt Romney's candidacy in this article, which will appear in the Dec. 19 issue of National Review.

Anti-Newt Video Goes Viral

2011-12-01T19:06:00.000-05:00

This widely publicized YouTube smackdown, produced by the Ron Paul 2012 campaign, warrants re-posting because it succinctly (and devastatingly) captures the sentiments of Newt Gingrich's conservative critics. Cue the B-rated, zombie-movie soundtrack, and join the throngs who have made this mega-viral video skyrocket from 0 to ~200,000 views in a single day!

Bob Inglis Update

2011-11-28T21:03:00.003-05:00

Bob "The Igloo" Inglis recently served as a featured speaker at the New Hampshire Carbon Action Alliance conference, which took place on November 17 in Portsmouth, N.H. The speaking circuit must pay well, particularly in those cannabis-smoking-make-love-not-war-99%-~~frickin'-cold~~ New England states.

Below, you can watch Bob make a very awkward argument for why "social conservatives" should support the latest Leftist enviro-fad. (I'm sure flocks of Upstaters will be following this Pied Piper of Travelers Rest off the carbon tax cliff...Or Not!)

Find more videos like this on Live Free or Die Alliance

Objectivity and the Associated Press

2011-11-28T18:48:00.001-05:00

Today's story from the Associated Press wire service about former South Carolina Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer's endorsement of Newt Gingrich is copied below:

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- A former South Carolina lieutenant governor who once likened the state's poor to stray animals has endorsed Newt Gingrich's bid for the Republican presidential nomination. (emphasis mine)

Andre Bauer's endorsement Monday comes as Gingrich begins three days of campaigning in South Carolina, which holds the first Southern primary Jan. 21.

Bauer finished last in a four-way race for the GOP nomination for governor last year. Gov. Nikki Haley nearly won the primary outright.

He drew criticism for blaming South Carolina's high unemployment on people too lazy to do field work. He said his grandmother told him not to feed stray animals because they reproduce, as he spoke of people being dependent on state assistance.

Bauer is now running for the U.S. House.

Tell us how you really feel, oh ye impartial, pious gods of journalistic integrity.

Leftover Turkey

2011-11-26T13:31:00.000-05:00

South Carolina political blog, Voting Under the Influence, has aptly tapped South Carolina Lieutenant Gov. Ken Ard as 2011 Political Turkey of the Year.

We give the nod to Ard, because his antics give ammunition to people who want to make his position appointed instead of elected. Few have degraded the prestige of their office the way Ard has. It will only get worse in 2012.

Ard still has more campaign finance violations than months in office. (And he will for quite some time to come!)

How Cain Was Raised

2011-11-26T13:13:00.000-05:00

A fascinating article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal (subscriber only) examines the formative experiences and beliefs that led to Herman Cain's metamorphosis from teenager in a blue-collar family in segregated Atlanta to "the Jackie Robinson of the food-service chain industry" to top-tier Republican presidential candidate.

The answer, based on interviews with Mr. Cain and his classmates at the historically black Morehouse, can be found in a value system common among an older generation of African-Americans: work hard, seize every educational opportunity, always go to church, never get arrested and rely on no one but yourself.

Whether or not he wins the nomination, Mr. Cain deserves the profound respect of his fellow Republicans.

Tim Scott's First in the South Presidential Town Hall Series

2011-11-25T14:57:00.000-05:00

On Monday, November 28, at 7 p.m., Congressman Tim Scott (R, SC-1) will host former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in College of Charleston's Sottile Theatre. Gingrich will be the sixth Republican candidate hosted in the series. Online videos of previous forums, featuring Jon Huntsman, Michele Bachmann, Rick Perry, Herman Cain, and Rick Santorum, are available for viewing on Tim Scott's website.

Thanksgiving and Unemployment

2011-11-23T20:58:00.000-05:00

Will Folks pooh-poohed the recent announcement of a modest drop in South Carolina's unemployment rate from 10.9% in September to 10.5% in October. Since over a third of the jobs increase was in the government sector, Mr. Folks' tepid response is more than justified.

But which U.S. state had the lowest rate of unemployment? Sitting at 3.5%, that state would be North Dakota. That's right, the frigid, cookie cutter territory that shares a border with Canada and has a population about the size of the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area.

I'm no fan of the S.C.G.O.P. status quo, the small mindedness of many elected and non-elected bureaucrats in state government, and certainly not our embarrassingly inflated level of unemployment. That being said, you can take your Fargo, your oil shale, your badlands, and your blizzards. And I'll keep South Carolina with her glorious Charleston, delightful beaches, pine forests, and foothills. Any day. No brainer.

Romney's Opening Salvo in New Hampshire

2011-11-21T22:10:00.000-05:00

Authentic. Simple. Message-driven.

'Big Tent' G.O.P

2011-11-19T21:26:00.000-05:00

Pigs will fly on the day that David Frum and Ann Coulter support the same presidential candidate. Oh, wait...

In her weekly column of snarky, Coulterian brilliance, she opines:

Among Romney's positives is the fact that he has a demonstrated ability to trick liberals into voting for him. He was elected governor of Massachusetts -- one of the most liberal states in the union -- by appealing to Democrats, independents and suburban women.

It ain't purty, but it wins elections.

So, What's Out-of-office Bob Inglis Doing Nowadays? Top 5

2011-11-16T23:51:00.001-05:00

1. Fellowshippin' with sympathetic liberals at Harvard University's Institute of Politics in Spring 2011. (Past alums with connections to the Palmetto State include Alex Sanders '03, Phil Noble '01, and David Beasley '99. I sure hope this crew wasn't teaching lessons on how to win a statewide election...on second thought, perhaps the program has more of a post-electoral-shellacking group therapy approach.)

2. Shilling for global warming extremism, both in the papers and on the speakers' circuit. (I wonder if Bob found this a bit more difficult last March when New England was preparing for its umpteenth snowfall.)

3. Founding ~~an 'army of one'~~ a "conservative coalition" to raise high the banner of anthropogenic climate change amongst the American Right. Never mind his new, not-so-conservative 'friends.'

4. Nostalgically belting out the Colbert version of "The Big Bob Inglis Congress" to himself in the shower. Nostalgic, but simultaneously self-loathing for those past conservative antics.

5. Spending time with ~~Jenny and my four little boys~~ Mary Anne and his five children "on a small farm in northern Greenville County." I bet his farm is all organic, all the time. John Deere tractors that run on hydrogen fuel and optimism. And a methane-releasing compost pile encompassing the area of a football field.

Buckley's Wisdom

2011-11-14T22:50:00.003-05:00

Sixty years ago this month, conservative icon William F. Buckley Jr. published "God and Man at Yale," an opening salvo against the narrow-mindedness of liberal academia. As a writer, Buckley was gifted; as a proponent of conservative principles, he was genius.

Today, Buckley's insight regarding the electoral process rings truer than ever: "Support the most conservative candidate who is electable."

While the Republican presidential primary race is still dynamic, the field of electable, conservative candidates seems to be narrowing by the day.

On January 21, 2012, Mitt Romney will be the last man standing in South Carolina. Mark that day on the calendar, folks.

Romney Takes on Big Labor in New Video

2011-09-13T14:56:00.000-04:00

Art Carden and the Broken Window Fallacy

2011-07-02T15:11:00.000-04:00

Time for PACs Pax

2011-07-02T13:29:00.003-04:00

The Boston Globe is reporting today that several conservative PACs, including Matt Kibbe's FreedomWorks, are planning to target Republican candidate Mitt Romney in the weeks ahead.

According to Kibbe, “It’s important to point out some of these fundamental problems with Romney now and try and shake up the field a little bit so there can be a more competitive process."

"There should be a real concern among Republicans that Mitt Romney simply can’t win because he can’t hold the coalition together."

Every candidate currently in the Republican field has serious flaws that could endanger the G.O.P. coalition. Of these candidates, Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, and Jon Huntsman have the greatest potential appeal to independents and thus the strongest likelihood of winning a general election. For better or for worse, it is probably their centrist image that makes them so palatable to the national electorate.

Rather than join liberal PACs in attacking Republican candidates with television ads and mailers, why not highlight the liberal policies of Pres. Barack Obama that have weakened American's military strength, contributed to a stagnating economy, and further eroded the Judeo-Christian values that historically have characterized American citizenry? By gratifying the desires of sectarian diehards with internecine squabbling, the political interests of Republicans, and, by extension, the interests of the hard-working, tax-paying, American middle class, surely will suffer.

Now is the time for organizations trusted by conservative voters to expose the "fundamental problems" with American liberalism--not turn on each other.

Political Haiku #5

2011-02-15T11:16:00.000-05:00

More ethics complaints

Than months in the capitol

Say it ain't so, Ken

Political Haiku #4

2011-02-14T17:36:00.000-05:00

Haley's albatross

Is bald, burly, bombastic

This could end badly

Political Haiku #3

2011-02-13T14:44:00.000-05:00

Jim DeMint dances

A voice in the wilderness

Will he, or won't he?

Political Haiku #2

2011-02-12T13:11:00.001-05:00

Mubarak's ousted

Sphinx has sandy smile, alas

The Brotherhood, too

Political Haiku #1

2011-02-11T12:47:00.001-05:00

One month of Alan

So far, so good for SC

The jury's still out

Last Call (For Now)

2010-06-23T13:50:00.000-04:00

After a brief but refreshing return to blogging, it is with a twinge of sadness I announce that the coffeemakers at Calhoun Street Coffee will be powering down for the foreseeable future. Thanks to everyone who read my posts over the past few months. The primary and runoff elections have now concluded, and my spare time for writing and reading has trickled to nothing. It’s been a good run, and I hope to resume when life permits. Bon voyage!

Memo to Robert Cahaly and Leighton Lord

2010-06-22T22:09:00.000-04:00

Going negative on radio and television doesn't always pay off.

Leighton Lord's Lackeys

2010-06-21T17:14:00.001-04:00

Richard McCarty, creator of "Voting Under the Influence" blog, apparently works as an attorney in Honea Path, South Carolina. I don't know Richard personally, but I enjoy reading his blog whenever I have a free moment.

In the past few weeks, Richard has written several posts about the increasingly acrimonious Republican primary runoff for SC Attorney General. Although the tone of his posts is generally light-hearted and self-deprecating, the comments left by supporters of Leighton Lord have been consistently mean-spirited and personally insulting.

I've previously noted how the behavior of a candidate's most vocal supporters reflects on the character of that candidate. The sneering elitism of Leighton Lord's self-identified Internet advocates clearly illustrates this assertion, and below I've included one of many revealing comments left by a Leighton Lord supporter earlier today.

SCINO for Lord said...

Who cares what some good ole boy lawyer from some little backwater good ole boy infested place like Honea Path thinks?

Go watch a cock fight or spend your town's money on internet dating. That is what your little crappy town is known for. All you are is Jakie Knotts with a law degree.
You and your little hick town are what is wrong with South Carolina.

I am not from this state, and I am proud to not be from here. Lord is not from SC, so maybe he has some sense. Using your term, I am proud to be SCINO for Leighton Lord. You stupid natives can't do things right, maybe we can.

June 21, 2010

Is Leighton Lord a Democrat?

2010-06-20T15:51:00.000-04:00

In recent weeks, there has been rampant speculation about SC Attorney General candidate Leighton Lord's ideological bent. Is he a moderate? A liberal? An apolitical, technocratic legal "executive," as he portrays himself in several recent ads?

Although it has received little (if any) attention from South Carolina's leading newspapers, The Conservativist blog reported last week that Leighton Lord personally donated cash to Vincent Sheheen's campaign for reelection to the SC Senate in 2009. Sheheen, of course, was just selected to helm the SC Democrat Party's campaign to re-take the Governor's Mansion.

Leighton Lord is a candidate in the Republican primary runoff. I am not claiming that the South Carolina G.O.P. needs to conduct a formal inquisition of Lord's history of voting, political activism, and financial contributions, but his record has an unmistakable pattern of eyebrow-raising twists and turns that would make Mitt Romney blush. Ever since the Alvin Greene fiasco, we've learned that candidates for statewide office merit a high level of scrutiny. And if Leighton Lord looks like a Democrat, talks like a Democrat, and donates like a Democrat, then...well, you can figure out the rest.

On a lighter note, if Haley captures the Republican gubernatorial nomination this coming Tuesday, perhaps we will see the much abhorred Jakie Knotts and Leighton Lord together holding hands on the "Republicans for Sheheen" bus. (As everyone in the Palmetto State knows, our politics do make strange bedfellows.)

Or even stranger, perhaps we will see Leighton Lord on the official Sheheen for Governor campaign bus...A-W-K-W-A-R-D!

"Going Rogue" for Tim Scott

2010-06-19T19:26:00.002-04:00

Republican icon Sarah Palin threw her support behind congressional candidate Tim Scott this afternoon. Last month, her endorsement seemed to give Nikki Haley the crucial boost to nearly win the Republican primary outright. I expect that today's announcement will solidify Scott's momentum in the home stretch.

The Name Game

2010-06-18T18:03:00.000-04:00

As if endorsements by Mike Huckabee, Minuteman Project Founder Jim Gilchrist, a slew of Lowcountry elected officials, the Club for Growth PAC, and (unofficially) Sen. Jim DeMint weren't enough, today Tim Scott's campaign announced that Arthur Laffer will serve as Co-Chairman of "Business Leaders for Tim Scott."

Laffer, known by many as the "Father of Supply-Side Economics" and namesake of the "Laffer Curve," is one of the most distinguished economists of our time.

He may have the family name (which I don't begrudge), but it'll be hard for Paul Thurmond to top this one.

Calhoun St. Coffee Endorses Alan Wilson for Attorney General

2010-06-18T11:44:00.005-04:00

These are trying times for our state and our nation. South Carolinians need someone who will demonstrate principled leadership, protect citizens from criminal activity, and defend the S.C. Constitution and U.S. Constitution from liberal activist legislation.

Whitewashing his absence of prosecutorial experience, Leighton Lord has claimed repeatedly that our next Attorney General should be a skilled manager above all else. However, if being an executive is the most important qualification for the office, then I want a Harvard-trained M.B.A., not an ambitious social climber whose current “executive” position primarily involves stroking the egos of overpriced Nexsen Pruett lawyers. Our state doesn’t need a wishy-washy technocrat whose platform is virtually indistinguishable from the Democrats’ nominee, Matthew Richardson.

As a military veteran and a former Assistant Attorney General, Alan Wilson has the necessary leadership qualities and prosecutorial experience to serve our state with distinction. Alan is a staunch supporter of Second Amendment rights, stricter enforcement of immigration laws, and rights of unborn children. He believes that “Obama-Care” is unconstitutional and that God should not be erased from the public forum. His opinions are unabashedly conservative, and he does not run from them. In person, he is soft-spoken, even-tempered, and genuine.

On Tuesday, South Carolina Republicans will have a choice. To quote Alan:

“[Voters] can pick a candidate who has defended the constitution both in the courtroom and on the battlefield. Or they can side with a former bureaucrat who has belittled the state constitution, has never prosecuted a case, never sent a single criminal to prison, and thinks his experience in the boardroom of a very large law firm filled with the interests of big business, big lobbyists, and big money lawyers prepares him to fight crime and protect the constitution.”

In Iraq, Wilson put his life in danger to defend our shores from afar and defeat the scourge of global Islamic terrorism; there is no one better now to protect our freedoms at home. Alan Wilson is the best candidate for South Carolina’s next Attorney General.

Gresham Barrett's Worst Political Moment on YouTube

2010-06-17T14:34:00.000-04:00

Barrett confides to The State newspaper reporters, “I’ve done some tough things in my life – gone to the Citadel and served my country – but politically speaking, [getting booed at last year's Post Tax Day Tea Party] was probably the toughest thing I’ve ever faced.”

Hell hath no fury like the voters' scorn.

Liberal-Leaning Leighton Lord Lauded

2010-06-17T01:47:00.000-04:00

Since they regularly generate headlines like this, it's not too surprising that The State endorsed this joker today.

South Carolina: Smiling Faces, Beautiful Faces...

2010-06-16T16:43:00.000-04:00

and cheap gas! (Which may explain all the smiling.)

Is Wesley Donehue the Black Cat of South Carolina Politics?

2010-06-15T22:28:00.000-04:00

Political consultant and New Media aficionado Wesley Donehue is a lanky Gamecocks fan renowned for his flamboyant bow ties and Starbucks addiction. Donehue also has a remarkable proclivity for his entanglement in most of the recent controversies that have embroiled South Carolina's political microcosm.

Remember Donehue's widely denounced Phoney Fred website during the 2008 Republican presidential primary? The criticism directed toward him after gay comedy links were found on Sen. Jim DeMint's website? His alleged role in tipping off media outlets about Gov. Mark Sanford's "Appalachian Trail hike"? Claims of covertly shopping around Will Folks' allegations of an affair with Nikki Haley? And, of course, his recording of the infamous (and unreleased original) Pub Politics Episode 8 that included Jakie Knotts' "raghead" faux pas?

Quick, someone please call Gresham Barrett and let him know that Wesley D. is on the loose. Don't cross his path before next Tuesday's primary runoff!

Classic SC Headlines I: "GOP superintendent candidates agree, disagree"

2010-06-15T22:10:00.000-04:00

This insightfully titled article on The State's website describes a recent Charleston County Republican Party forum featuring opponents Elizabeth Moffly and Mick Zais.

The two Republican candidates agreed. They disagreed. But did they agree to disagree? Hmmm.

Inglis Diagnosed with "Pac-Man Fever"

2010-06-15T00:07:00.000-04:00

Unlike the recent attack video widely attributed to Leighton Lord's AG campaign, this web zinger is (1) factual, (2) well-produced, and (3) good-humored.

(Thanks to Political Net News.)

Sikhs, Freaks, and Poli-Geeks

2010-06-04T19:19:00.005-04:00

Jim Geraghty, National Review Online contributor and elections guru, forecasts Haley's Republican primary success in his recent article, "Haley, Still Flying Like a Comet."

If a Tree Falls in a Forest, and No One is Around to Hear It Fall...

2010-06-04T16:35:00.001-04:00

Then it must be time for David Beasley's gubernatorial endorsement!

Foot, Meet Mouth

2010-06-03T23:02:00.000-04:00

It would be redundant for me to pile on State Sen. Jake Knotts for his "raghead" remark tonight. Already universally condemned, Knotts embarrassed himself and the state of South Carolina . . . again.

Nixon in 1960, Bauer in 2010

2010-06-03T15:41:00.001-04:00

A gulf of time--exactly 50 years--and place separates these two men, but Bauer's lackluster performance Wednesday night in the WCSC-TV debate led me to ponder another politician whose live performances on television contributed to electoral defeat.

Gaunt, almost emaciated facial prominences with a glaze of sweat on the forehead, a five o'clock shadow, and emotionally distant, agitated bodily mannerisms. It's the iconic image of Richard Nixon in his 1960 debates with John F. Kennedy. Fast forward to last night, and Bauer's deer-in-headlights expression, facial stubble, bland answers, and repeated denials of involvement with the Haley allegations seemed positively Nixonian.

There is one major difference: Nixon's responses were much more coherent than Bauer's.

Leighton Lord: Who Is He?

2010-06-03T10:17:00.000-04:00

I strongly believe that candidates are, in some way, defined by their supporters. This is nowhere better exemplified than the commenters on today's SC Attorney General endorsement by blogger Richard McCarty. In his Voting Under the Influence post, McCarty very charitably considers each of the three candidates and reasonably concludes, "Wilson is a man who has the experience and the humility to stand up to do what is right to protect the people of South Carolina as Attorney General."

A seemingly benign and uncontroversial endorsement, right? Apparently not!

A flurry of anonymous comments, ostensibly posted by Leighton Lord's supporters, soon followed McCarty's post. A sampling of these comments appears below:
____________________________

Anonymous said:
OMG You have got to be kidding. Alan as AG? Good God no. Leighton Lord of [sic] AG, Alan for neighbor with the hot wife.

Obey the Lord said:
I wonder who drinks more, you are [sic] some of those living legends you are so fond of backing?

Spanky Rules said:
Guy [sic] who fail the bar exam stick together.

Anonymous said:
Even you [sic] butt buddy Earl Capps is backing Lord. Get a life, you jerk.

Anonymous said:
Lord should challenge you and Alan Wilson to an IQ test. I bet you end up third, way behind Leighton.

Anonymous said:
Hey, Did you and Alan Wilson ride the short bus together in school? You seem as about as smart as he does [sic].
_____________________

Leighton Lord isn't running for a minor municipal office. He's competing for the top law enforcement position in South Carolina. The poor behavior apparently demonstrated by Lord's cronies not only reflects poorly on the character of his campaign, but it also casts a shadow of distrust upon the candidate himself. In a few weeks, elections will be over, and capable leaders will need to work together to move our state forward--toward actual progress, not just sound bites.

Stay classy, Lord!

More on Haley

2010-06-03T00:12:00.000-04:00

In his recent endorsement of Nikki Haley for Governor, Charleston City Paper columnist Jack Hunter hails Haley as a true reformer and not one of those "supposedly 'conservative' Republicans who talk a good game but for decades have forfeited any such principles in favor of more bureaucracy, debt, and government growth."

Then, Hunter rather crudely opines, "I don't care who these people are screwing, so long as they're not screwing me, my neighbors, and future generations." Duly noted, sir.

While we're on that sordid topic, I must note the (1) suspicious timing (2) lack of detail and (3) transparent political motivations (notoriety/book publicity/Bauer's electoral prospects/etc.) of Will Folks' and Larry Marchant's claims.

There is something rotten in the state of South Carolina, but this time it doesn't seem to be coming from the Haley camp!

Oh No, Not Again

2010-06-02T20:15:00.000-04:00

Like downtown Charleston's infamous Palmetto Bugs, Nikki Haley's alleged "lovers" seem to be scampering out of the woodwork at a rate that only Tiger Woods can appreciate.

Does that make Will Folks the Sandlapper equivalent of Rachel Uchitel? Or just the newest kingpin of mudslinging politics in South Carolina? Wowzers!

"Remade Republican" Inglis Featured in WSJ Article

2010-06-02T14:24:00.000-04:00

Incumbent Congressman Bob 'Antarctica' Inglis is feeling the heat, and this time it's not from anthropogenic global warming.

Today, a Wall Street Journal article describes his present struggle for re-election and his historical transformation from term-limited-Contract-with-America conservative to an anti-Glenn-Beck-environmentalist-anti-troop-surge moderate.

The piece also details Inglis' 'road to Damascus' moment in 2001, which occurred when he fainted in his bathroom and knocked out most of his teeth.

Could it get any more bizarre?

Nikki Haley's New Ad

2010-06-02T10:46:00.000-04:00

It's probably the best ad of the primary season thus far. The imagery and background music evoke optimism, strength, and clarity of vision. Haley's body language and verbal message don't appear phony or pandering, and, in obvious response to last week's blogospheric kerfluffle, her husband Michael appears no fewer than three times in the thirty-five second clip.

On the Haley Allegations

2010-06-02T10:33:00.000-04:00

In my neck of the woods, we believe in the principle of innocence until proven guilty. Will Folks' allegations of marital infidelity involving Nikki Haley haven't come close to proving anything except the existence of a puerile spat among campaign "consultant" hacks.

With that said, the political (and moral) implications of adultery are quite weighty, and this blog will be covering the situation as it unfolds.

Will Folks: The Blogger Everyone Loves to Hate

2010-06-01T13:05:00.000-04:00

Every South Carolina politico has an opinion about FITSNews author Will Folks, patron saint of "bad" in the Palmetto State blogosphere. My quick thoughts are below:

Things I dig...
~Folksy, ex-rocker, "bad boy" persona
~Creativity, incisive wit, outrageous humor
~On-again, off-again courage to stand against the status quo in South Carolina politics
~Superb graphics and layout of website
~Enthusiasm for New Media in politics
~Occasionally breaking news before other media outlets
~Espousing often contradictory, sometimes comical libertarian political philosophy
~Publishing the majority of reader comments, even if they are contrary to his beliefs or include personal attacks
~Multiple, well-written, daily blog postings

And things I don't!
~"Hired gun"-approach to client's opponents or objects of personal vendetta
~Links to pornography for the purpose of boosting web traffic
~"News" reports that lack factual basis
~Repeated denial of treating Viewpolitik clients favorably, despite obvious bias
~Wallowing in the publicity of an alleged affair with the Republican gubernatorial front-runner, merely weeks before a primary election

Whether you want personally to flay him or are so psyched that you've purchased "FREE T-RAV" t-shirts for all your friends, one thing is certain: Will Folks will be a force of nature in the South Carolina political landscape for many years to come.

Confirmed: Leighton Lord Has Never Prosecuted a Criminal

2010-06-01T12:07:00.000-04:00

You'd never realize this fact from watching or listening to his ads, but Leighton Lord lacks essential qualifications for the position of South Carolina Attorney General.

WBTW News 13 recently gave Lord's credentials a "reality check" and didn't come up empty-handed.

If I had never operated a car, truck, or SUV, would you trust me to run the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles?

One Week Until the Primary and...

2010-06-01T11:48:00.001-04:00

stumping politicians and wild coyotes both prowl our city streets.

Andre Bauer's Premature Post-Mortem?

2010-05-31T13:59:00.000-04:00

While many Charlestonians have their minds on Spoleto Festival USA, the Charleston City Paper blog published an excellent piece today about Andre Bauer's fall from electoral grace, entitled "Breaking Bauer: Andre's Bad Year."

While his synopsis of the past year for Team Andre is very accurate, Greg Hambrick's conclusion, "Bauer's run for governor was literally over before it began," seems somewhat premature. Most importantly, the fallout from the alleged Will Folks-Nikki Haley affair bombshell has yet to be determined. A May 25 InsiderAdvantage poll indicates that Bauer (in 2nd place with 20.7%) is the main beneficiary of Haley's voter bleed.

Wasn't it Mark Twain who supposedly quoted the lines, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated"?

Perhaps the same could be said of Andre Bauer. This wouldn't be the first time.

Wesley Donehue Stages Emergency RINO Intervention

2010-05-31T11:53:00.000-04:00

Although I support his clients' opponents in almost all primary races, I'm a big fan of veteran South Carolina politico Wesley Donehue.

What's not to love about the Starbucks-guzzling, "good Republican," New Media guru with a penchant for goofy bow ties and sartorial fashion?

In a video posted about 2 weeks ago, Donehue laments that "good, conservative Republicans" will likely fall prey to anti-incumbency sentiment in the upcoming primary. However, I seriously doubt it was a "conservative" voting record that got these rascals into trouble with Palmetto State voters.

Notwithstanding the qualms of Donehue's clients, the power of incumbency is still quite strong in this state.

For those RINO incumbents who manage to slip by this year's populist uprising, I echo Donehue's advice: "Get your s**t together!" If you run as a "conservative" candidate, then act like one. Otherwise, you might not be so lucky in 2012.

My Feeling on the Anti-Incumbency from Wesley Donehue on Vimeo.

Gresham Barrett Oldie But Goodie

2010-05-31T11:25:00.001-04:00

The Palmetto Scoop blog may be defunct, but this YouTube gem will be creating chuckles for years to come...

The Haley Surge: Did Anyone See It Coming?

2010-05-21T03:55:00.000-04:00

If queried about a possible Haley-polling-through-the-roof scenario two months ago, most South Carolina politicos would have mumbled something about 'when pigs fly.'

How about a 'pig with lipstick'!

Apparently, the standard-bearers of the status quo are none too pleased. . .

Check out the May 20 Rasmussen Report here.

Palmetto Family Council-WIS Debate: Awkward Moment of the Night

2010-05-18T22:30:00.000-04:00

Honestly, I'm not sure the question was fair, but it helped make things entertaining.

___________________________________

Moderator Judi Gatson (JG): What do you believe is the root cause of South Carolina having the lowest number in the nation of females elected to office?

Henry McMaster (HM): I suppose there are not that many runnin'...

[laughter]

JG: Which is the root of my question. And why is that?

[laughter]

JG: Why is that, sir? Why is that?

HM: But I promise you. Nicki Haley makes up for all of 'em!

[laughter]

JG: Is that an endorsement?

HM: Well...almost. Give me a little time...

JG: Why do you believe we don't have more women because we have a state full of incredibly talented, bright, and qualified women? Why aren't they running for office?

HM: We sure do...I'm married to one of 'em...and they're all over the place!...
__________________________________

Watch the debate here.

Tim Scott's Ad Rockin' It in the First District

2010-05-12T22:54:00.000-04:00

On the heels of several prominent endorsements by Lowcountry notables, Scott's campaign released a new TV ad today. I particularly appreciate the Ronald Reagan 1980 presidential campaign "Let's make America great again" poster on the back wall (0:07-0:15 sec and 0:19-0:22 sec)...not so subtle, but it works for me!

If Tim Scott's campaign maintains this trajectory, there might not be a runoff, despite the crowded field.

(Leighton) Lordy Me!

2010-05-11T20:18:00.000-04:00

First, I want to proffer that I've never met Leighton Lord in person.

Second, there are several things about him that "make the coffee go cold," notwithstanding the "wings" (see arrow below) and dashing, Tucker Carlson-esque looks:

~Leighton is running to be the Republican nominee for state Attorney General, in which he would fulfill the constitutional duties of "chief prosecuting officer of the state."

Interestingly, on the Nexsen Pruet, LLC website, "W. Leighton Lord III practices in the areas of economic development, corporate, partnership and real estate law. His legal practice has a special emphasis on economic development and real estate financing, commercial leasing and state land sale registrations." (emphasis mine)

I'm not convinced that expertise in real estate law will help all that much as Attorney General. When was the last time Leighton Lord prosecuted a criminal, anyway?

~Lord lists among his "Career Highlights" that he is a 2009 graduate of the Riley Institute Diversity Leaders Initiative--voluntary diversity training by an organization named for the former Democrat governor and Clinton-era Sec. of Education, Dick Riley.

For many Americans, although "diversity training" is tolerated, it is intrinsically objectionable on the grounds that it assumes existing prejudice among the participants. Moreover, its greatest proponents are race-baiters, closet racists, and LGBT activists, whose primary goal is often personal gain (read: Jesse Jackson), social acceptance of homosexuality, or some other liberal cause celebre.

In publicizing "diversity" achievements, one cannot help but suspect that Leighton Lord is catering to liberal-leaning Columbia and Washington elites. Will Lord's effectiveness as Attorney General be hampered by his desire to appease his liberal allies?

~Noticeably absent from Lord's website: any mention of "conservative." Although he's competing in the Republican primary of what is arguably the most conservative state in America, Lord makes no attempt to cast himself as right-leaning.

TriBuddies is praiseworthy for the compassionate leadership it demonstrates, but I want to be certain that Lord has the same zeal for enforcing the rule of law in this state. After all, he is competing to be the state's top prosecutor.

Although his radio ads during "The Rush Limbaugh Show" may seem to paint him as a Palmetto conservative, where does Leighton Lord really stand on today's partisan policy issues, e.g. Obamacare?

In summary, Leighton Lord's background doesn't preclude him from fulfilling the duties of Attorney General, but there's nothing in his resume that uniquely qualifies for the position. Most concerning for Republican voters are his glaring lack of prosecutorial experience and his apparent moderate, or even left-leaning, ideological tendency.

New Inglis Ad Backfires

2010-05-10T17:01:00.000-04:00

In his campaign's newest TV ad, Bob Inglis narrates a 30-second segment depicting the "hosing" of America's middle class by wanton government spending and liberal legislation. The text and imagery are effective in harnessing conservative discontent and quite memorable (though strangely reminiscent of LBJ's 1964 "Daisy" ad).

But then . . . "We will fight their bailouts..."

Uh, oh.

In 2008, Bob Inglis (and, to be fair, the entire SC Congressional delegation of Republicans and Democrats) supported the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (H.R. 1424), which included the much-maligned TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program).

Of course, Inglis' Republican opponents were quick to remind him of the apparent contradiction. Challenger Trey Gowdy charged that the new ad was "disingenuous," spurring yet another juicy round of sound bite repartee.

The Inglis team, no doubt trying to distance their man from "Washington insider status," hoped this new ad would refurbish his public image in the oh-so-conservative Fourth District.

In my opinion, he was just one un/fortunate line from accomplishing that end.

View the ad below.

SC Fourth District Needs to Drop Bob Inglis

2010-04-19T10:09:00.001-04:00

When he's not humming "The Big Bob Inglis Congress," Rep. Bob thumbs his nose at constituents with a smarmy grin and gets cozy with liberal MSNBC host Chris Matthews.

In this August 2009 segment of "Hardball," Matthews gave the Worst Endorsement Ever for a South Carolina Republican: "Well, uh, I can't vote in South Carolina, but you got my vote, sir!"

There are many reasons for voters to question Inglis' integrity and speckled performance in office. Rep. Bob made a term limits pledge, then dismissively broke his word. He joined Democrats in vocally opposing the troop surge in Iraq. He's become one of the most air headed Republican converts to anthropogenic global warming.

It's past time to hand Rep. Bob his pink slip. Vote for conservative Republican Trey Gowdy. At least he won't publicly jeer the people who elected him.

I urge all Fourth District Republican voters to recall uber-liberal Chris Matthews' weighty endorsement on June 8.

A Fresh Cup

2010-04-15T21:31:00.000-04:00

Over two years have passed since my last post on Calhoun St. Coffee Blog; in the meantime, much has changed in my life and in the world.

Somewhere in downtown Charleston, the aroma of freshly brewed Charleston Coffee Roasters' "Burbage's blend" fills the air, and a hidden corner of the blogosphere returns to life...

New Romney Ad in Florida Highlights Business Experience, Economy

2008-01-22T22:35:00.000-05:00

Fred Thompson: Will He Stay or Will He Go?

2008-01-22T13:13:00.002-05:00

Although Thompson's impending announcement about the future of his candidacy hasn't received as much media fanfare as I expected, his decision has the potential to shift the course of the Republican nomination.

FOX News political analyst Carl Cameron reported yesterday evening:

Fred Thompson sources say the actor and former Tenn senator may withdraw from the race. There are no plans to attend Thursday’s Florida debate. Staffers have been on partial pay since the NH primary. The Senators plans are very fluid. As of 8:45 this evening, there are no plans for any announcement about whether he will stay in the race or not. The team is wrestling with very few options. The Senator is in Nashville visiting his mother (in her 90’s) who has been ill. From THE FIRST DAY Fox News broke the story last March of his candidacy, Thompson has always had a vice presidential bid in mind. Today a top aide even mentioned the idea on Brian and the Judge on Fox News Radio.

Michelle Malkin notes that an important Thompson supporter in Georgia, Senate President Pro Tempore Eric Johnson, has defected to the Romney camp ("...clearly Fred Thompson is not going to be the nominee”) while Michael Sheer, a staff writer for the Washington Post, has already penned the Thompson Campaign's obituary.

After Thompson's anticipated withdrawal, will an endorsement of Sen. John McCain be forthcoming?

Sheer ambiguously concludes:

After Thompson's South Carolina loss, advisers privately suggested that their
candidate could throw his support to McCain, boosting McCain's hopes of defeating Huckabee, Romney and Rudolph W. Giuliani in the fractured GOP field. In the Senate, Thompson helped McCain pass campaign finance legislation, and the two are friends.

But one senior Thompson aide said he did not expect an endorsement of McCain anytime soon -- even if Thompson were to drop out of the race this week.

UPDATE: Thompson calls it quits.

CNN reports:

Former Sen. Fred Thompson on Tuesday ended his run for the presidency, coming off the heels of a disappointing third-place finish in South Carolina's GOP primary and heading into the showdown state of Florida next week.

"Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for president of the United States," Thompson said in a statement.

"I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people."

According to the NY Times, "Mr. Thompson’s advisers said he would not make an endorsement in the race."

If this statement is accurate, then Thompson's non-endorsement will be a significant blow to Sen. John McCain, whom Thompson endorsed in 2000. (More importantly, it leaves open the possibility of our Romney-Thompson 2008 dream ticket!)

Romney to Government Bureaucrats: You're Fired!

2008-01-20T17:58:00.001-05:00

Gov. Mitt Romney delivers a stump speech beside Senate earmark reformer Jim DeMint at a recent campaign rally in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo credit: Calhoun St. Coffee)

In today's no-holds-barred interview on "FOX News Sunday," host Chris Wallace pointedly inquired about layoffs during Romney's tenure as head of Bain Capital.

Gov. Mitt Romney responded in stride:

No, there's no question that if you're in the business world and you're trying to save a business that's in trouble, that you're not going to be successful 100 percent of the time.

And I'm very proud of the fact that we were successful many, many times. We grew jobs quite dramatically in many settings. But oftentimes, when an enterprise is in real trouble, you have to try and cut back to save it.

And I'll tell you, when you look at Washington and how badly broken Washington is, you're going to have to have somebody who can go there and say, "You know what? There are too many bureaucrats. There are too many employees in government. We're going to have to cut back in Washington."

...

(The rest of his response is here.)

With his tremendous success in the private sector, Gov. Romney is uniquely qualified to eliminate the excesses of America's government bureaucracy, bloated with hard-earned taxpayer dollars. Why? Because he's done it before in his business career.

It's about time we heard some real "straight talk."

MCCAIN WINS GOLD STAR IN PALMETTO STATE

2008-01-19T23:39:00.000-05:00

(Photo credit: Calhoun St. Coffee)

Today, Sen. John McCain did what he has never done before: win a plurality in the "conservative" state of South Carolina. His 3% victory over Mike Huckabee garnered 19 delegates, placing him behind Mitt Romney for the largest delegate total.

ROMNEY WINS NEVADA CAUCUSES

2008-01-19T20:18:00.000-05:00

Mitt Romney continues to gain momentum with today's too-easily-overlooked win in Nevada, which is geographically significant because of the shared southeastern border with John McCain's home state of Arizona. Romney's 51% drubbing of the Republican field garnered 18 more pledged delegates, bringing his delegate total to 72.

CNN reports:

A sometimes overwhelming number of Republican voters swept Mitt Romney to victory Saturday in the Nevada caucuses, where the former Massachusetts governor scored well with conservatives, late deciders and veterans, according to early entrance polls.
...
Romney scored well with voters who ranked the economy and illegal immigration -- the top two issues on the minds of Nevada GOP voters -- as the issues that concern them most, according to early entrance polls.
...

Romney's Immigration Stance May Cost Endorsements in Florida Primary

2008-01-19T17:37:00.000-05:00

Paleoconservative pundit Bob Novak, widely known as the "Prince of Darkness," mingles unassumingly with the crowd of veterans and local politicians at last night's McCain pep rally aboard the U.S.S. Yorktown. (Photo credit: Calhoun St. Coffee)

On the Human Events website, Novak notes that several Republican politicians in Florida, which has a sizable Hispanic population, don't appear very excited about Gov. Mitt Romney's candidacy. At first glance, this might seem to be a stumbling block for the resurging Romney camp; however, it may also present an opportunity. If Romney holds firm to his immigration position on the campaign trail in Florida, then I predict a lot of undecided conservatives, who may (unfairly, in my opinion) question his ideological resolve, will align behind him en masse for the Super Tuesday primaries.

Novak reports:

Florida's top two Republicans, Gov. Charles Crist and Sen. Mel Martinez, have not endorsed anybody in the state's key Republican presidential primary Jan. 29 but are clearly negative about Mitt Romney.

Martinez, who co-sponsored President Bush's ill-fated immigration reform bill, resents Romney's hard line on illegal immigration. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush's
support for Romney does not help him with Crist, Bush's unfriendly successor.
...

Anyone Surprised?

2008-01-19T14:34:00.000-05:00

(Photo Credit: Calhoun St. Coffee)

While introducing John McCain at the campaign's final rally in South Carolina aboard the U.S.S. Yorktown, Sen. Lindsey Graham remarked that he and candidate John Edwards had been born at the same hospital in Seneca, South Carolina.

House Speaker Bobby Harrell is mistaken; there must be something in that Upstate water.

Huckabee's Debate Fumble

2008-01-18T12:12:00.000-05:00

During last Thursday's G.O.P. debate held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, one of the more spirited exchanges centered around the subject of U.S. funding and support of President Pervez Musharraf's government in Pakistan:

Excerpted from the debate transcript:

HUCKABEE: Well, we've spent $12 billion, and it was supposed to be to fight terrorism. We really don't know how much of that money was used to fight terrorism. In fact, we know a lot of it was used to build up their own military.
...

THOMPSON: Governor Huckabee, if I understood him correctly, seemed to be concerned that part of the money we're sending to Pakistan goes to their own military. That's the point. We help train their military. Their new top general over there was trained here in the United States for a period of time.

They have lost several people fighting the Taliban. That's who they would fight the Taliban with, is their military. So our cooperation with their military, our supporting their military, is a good thing.

Thompson's rebuke of Huckabee was exactly on target. And, judging by this CNN article, our investment seems to be paying dividends.

Pakistani military forces clashed Friday with Islamic militants in mountainous northwest Pakistan, in battles that left at least 90 militants dead and four military personnel wounded, a military spokesman told CNN.

The militants gathered around the Ladha Fort in South Waziristan -- a tribal territory in Pakistan -- early Friday morning, and fired rockets into the fort, according to military spokesman Lt. Col. Baseer Haider Malik.

Malik said the military used artillery and small arms fire to disperse them, killing 20 to 30 militants.

In a separate incident elsewhere in South Waziristan, militants attacked a convoy of security forces with rockets and small arms fire, Malik said. The Pakistani forces retaliated with rockets and small arms fire, killing 50 to 60 militants, Malik said.

Four security personnel were wounded in the hour-long fight, Malik said, and two army vehicles were damaged.

South Waziristan is said to be a stronghold of Taliban warlord Baitullah Mehsud -- the man the Pakistani government has named a prime suspect in the December 27 assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

Pakistan has attempted to crack down on the largely lawless tribal areas along the Afghan border under U.S. pressure. A U.S.-led invasion overthrew the Taliban after al Qaeda's September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, but American and allied troops are now battling a resurgence of the fundamentalist Islamic militia in Afghanistan's south.

...
Does anyone else find it a tad unnerving that this populist (and remarkably uninformed) candidate from Hope, Arkansas, has a solid chance of winning the majority of delegates in tomorrow's primary?

Maha-Rushi Speaks

2008-01-17T01:10:00.001-05:00

If there's one thing I've learned after 14+ years of listening to Rush Limbaugh and the EIB Network, it's that he's an incredibly astute observer who can be uncannily prophetic.

From Wednesday's show:

RUSH: Well, you can tell who the genuine conservatives on our side are by who the media hates most.

CALLER: That's exactly right. And, you know what? They push McCain. I don't have anything personally against McCain. He can't be our candidate. He's not a conservative.

RUSH: And he won't be.

...

In time we shall see if the Great Maha-Rushi's words ring true once again.

Birds of a Feather Flock to South Carolina

2008-01-17T00:09:00.000-05:00

Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, Sen. Jim DeMint, and Gov. James Edwards stand before a large and enthusiastic (albeit very, very cold) crowd Wednesday at Seabreeze Marina in Charleston, SC.

--Gov./Dr. James B. Edwards served from 1975 to 1979 as South Carolina's first Republican governor since Reconstruction. He later served as Secretary of Energy in President Ronald Reagan's Cabinet and also as President of M.U.S.C.

--Although Sen. Jim DeMint has only served in the Senate since 2005, he quickly distinguished himself as a principled conservative and has become a staunch leader of the earmark reform movement. In March 2007, Sen. DeMint was named the "most conservative Senator" by the National Journal.

VS.

...and, don't forget this.

ROMNEY WINS MICHIGAN

2008-01-15T22:20:00.000-05:00

Against the headwinds of McCain's New Hampshire momentum, Gov. Mitt Romney achieved a stunning turnaround victory tonight in Michigan. His outspoken message of optimism in addressing Michigan's economic woes and his father's legacy of principled leadership carried the day.

Romney Readies for Palmetto State Tussle

2008-01-15T14:31:00.000-05:00

FOX News reports:

Mitt Romney is going back on air in South Carolina and his campaign plans to make an “imminent” decision about its television presence in Florida, after the GOP presidential candidate recently pulled television ads from both states to focus resources on Michigan, which holds its primary on Tuesday.

It could be a sign of confidence going into Tuesday’s primary, which Romney has stressed in part because Michigan is his home state. Romney showed his assurance in the Michigan turnout again Tuesday morning in Grand Rapids.

“This is the day that’s gonna change, I believe, the politics in the nation, as we get ready to select our nominee. I think Michigan is gonna vote for a Romney again—I’m planning on it,” Romney said.

Hearkening back to James Carville's iconic statement in 1992, the Romney Campaign's new ad drives home the vital importance of American economic strength in today's dynamic, interconnected world economy. With fears of a looming recession, rising health care costs, and the continued suction of U.S. jobs to foreign competitors, the "economy" has become personal for many voters. Americans needs a strong leader like Mitt Romney with business experience and a solid record of fiscal conservatism. (Not a record that looks like this.)

....

In other news, the weather in Detroit, Michigan, is currently 30 degrees Fahrenheit and blustery. There have been anecdotal reports of low turnout. Polls close at 8 and 9 pm EST; we'll just have to see...

Democrats and RINOs Stump for McCain in South Carolina

2008-01-14T22:58:00.000-05:00

...remember that old saying about birds of a feather?

~Sen. Joe Lieberman, Al Gore's running mate on the 2000 Democrat ticket, will be visiting a Charleston synagogue this Wednesday morning to deliver a speech in support of Republican candidate John McCain.

~Sen. John Warner, the consummate ideological fence sitter, has been campaigning along the South Carolina coast in support of Senate soulmate John McCain. The Island Packet reports:

U.S. Sen. John Warner, who has served nearly 30 years in the Senate, stopped at Sun City Hilton Head on Sunday afternoon to campaign for Republican presidential hopeful John McCain.

Warner said Sen. McCain -- with 20 years in the Senate and more than 20 years of military service before that -- is the best equipped of the contenders for the Republican nomination to confront the national security challenges the U.S. faces.

"In World War II, you knew who the enemy was," Warner told the Sun City group, which included several veterans. "Now we're fighting an ideology."
...

What ideology would that be, Senator? Conservatism?

John McCain's "Doubletalk Express"

2008-01-14T17:17:00.000-05:00

(H/T to The Shot)

Sound the "dirty politics" alarm! The McCain Campaign's new attack mail pieces need to be reported immediately to the unofficial "negative campaigning alert hotline" if they haven't already. I look forward to hearing how McCain's "Truth Squad" clowns obfuscate their candidate's apparent hypocrisy.

Politico's Jonathan Martin adds more:

This is the problem with claiming the high ground and attacking others for running negative campaigns: when you indulge in attacks of your own, you're bound to get less attention for the issues you're trying to spotlight than the fact that you're doing that which you criticized your rival(s) for doing.
Such is what is now happening to John McCain.
For the second day in a row, he was asked about mail pieces he sent to voters in Michigan and South Carolina going after Mitt Romney on taxes and abortion.
McCain defended his decision to go after Romney by citing his rival's heavy spending on negative messaging."
Gov Romney has spent millions and millions of dollars in attack ads against me, television, mailers, [so] we will respond," McCain said. Twice, though, he promised that he wouldn't "go tit for tat."
Still, he said that he'd "respond in a very forceful fashion" and that "these charges have to be responded to."But when it was pointed out that he wasn't responding to anything about his own record, but criticizing that of his rival, McCain made plain that he had no problem being on the offensive.

Romney Drawing Large Crowds in Michigan

2008-01-13T21:04:00.000-05:00

Gov. Mitt Romney's message of economic conservatism is definitely resonating among Michigan voters. At last, his executive leadership experience, principled conservatism, and optimism are trumping identity politics, sham conservatism, and pessimism.

FOX News blogger Shushannah Walshe reports, "Hometown Crowd Rocks Romney":

Governor Romney spoke to a very enthusiastic crowd today of at least 600 people. They were packed into Lawrence Technological University and interrupted his speech several times with “Mitt, Mitt, Mitt!” as he spoke. Romney grew up in another Detroit suburb, Bloomfield Hills, and the hometown crowd really came out to support the former Massachusetts governor:

“This is the best crowd I’ve had in Michigan all week!” Romney said to the roaring throng, “You guys are fabulous.”

Romney has been talking about his father George Romney, who was a three-term governor here, at every campaign stop. His father’s name is always met with cheers from the audience. He is hoping this home field advantage leads him to victory on Tuesday. The latest Detroit Free Press poll has him at 27 percent, ahead of McCain’s 22 percent.

The presidential hopeful has also been promising Michiganders that he will help revitalize the struggling economy here:

“I will commit this to you. If I’m President of The United States, I will not rest until Michigan is back.”

Romney has been campaigning on this promise and that his experience as a businessman will enable him to bring jobs back to the state. John McCain has said that some manufacturing and auto industry jobs that have left Michigan to go overseas are not coming back. Romney says that is not true:

“I hear people now and then say, ‘Oh it’s gone it’s never coming back. Transportation, gone, Detroit those jobs are never coming back.’ Well baloney. I’m going to fight for every single new job. We are going to rebuild this industry. We are going to make Michigan strong and a leader again in the world.”
...

Hollow Endorsement for McCain

2008-01-13T19:22:00.000-05:00

Endorsing a candidate for the office of President of the United States without interviewing all of the major candidates befits a college daily but not the most widely read newspaper in South Carolina.

The editorial's fawning, sometimes maudlin prose ("When others despair, John McCain knows he has seen worse, and keeps striding forward...") conjures images of an afternoon meeting of the five editorial board members, each mulling the foregone conclusion around a dark, wooden conference table. They are sipping cheap pinot noir to the rousing melody of The Battle Hymn of the Republic and gazing patriotically at ~~Captain of the John McCain Cheer Squad~~ Editor Brad Warthen.

Romney Plunges Ahead in Wolverine State Polls

2008-01-13T00:38:00.000-05:00

A new poll from Michigan, a must-win contest for Gov. Mitt Romney, indicates that the state's native son has moved ahead to an eight-point lead over Sen. John McCain. Unsurprisingly, the survey's analysis of supporters shows Romney leading among Republicans by a 2:1 margin, and McCain winning among independents and Democrats.

Mike Allen of Politico reports:

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who badly needs to win Tuesday's Michgian primary, has an 8-point lead over Sen. John McCain of Arizona in a McClatchy/MSNBC poll of Michigan voters to be released Sunday.

Romney had a narrower lead in a Detroit Free Press poll and was tied in a Detroit News poll.
...
The McClatchy/MSNBC poll puts Romney at 30 percent, McCain at 22 percent, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee at 17 percent, former Sen.
Fred Thompson of Tennessee at 7 percent, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani at 6 percent and Rep. Ron Paul of Texas at 5 percent.

McClatchy Newspapers reported: “Romney led McCain by 2 to 1 among voters who ranked the economy and jobs their top concern. He led Huckabee by a slightly greater margin among those voters. He also led McCain by 2 to 1 among likely voters who called themselves Republicans.”

The analysis continued: “McCain owes his solid standing to independents and Democrats, taking 38 percent of their support, while Huckabee had 22 percent and Romney had 18 percent. ... Evangelical Christians represented 46 percent of the likely primary vote in the poll, and Huckabee got 31 percent of their support while Romney got 23 percent.”

The poll of 400 likely Republican primary voters in Michigan was conducted by Mason-Dixon by telephone from Wednesday through Friday. The margin of error was plus or minus 5 percentage points.

The Detroit Free Press/Local 4 Michigan poll has Romney at 27 percent, John McCain at 22 percent and Mike Huckabee at 16 percent. The poll found that Romney's core of support is in the Detroit metropolitan area, where he has a 2-1
advantage.

The telephone survey of 600 people who said they definitely will vote has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, and was conducted Wednesday through Friday, according to the newspaper.

The Detroit News found Romney and McCain dueling for the lead. The Detroit
News/WXYZ Action News poll shows McCain with 27 percent, Romney at 26 percent, and Huckabee at 19 percent, according to the newspaper.

The newspaper reported: “The poll of 604 likely GOP primary voters, conducted Wednesday through Saturday, suggests Tuesday's result likely will depend on who treks to the poll. The error margin is four percentage points. Even now, the Republican race remains fluid. Just over half of likely voters in that race say they are very certain of their vote; the other 45 percent are undecided or could change their preference.”

FITSNews Stoops to New Low

2008-01-12T15:00:00.000-05:00

FITSNews, the South Carolina blogosphere's unique combination of politics and pornography, has publicly attacked Senator Jim DeMint for an observation that was obvious to everyone except possibly the author of FITSNews.

As in most FITSNews posts, this vacuous entry also utilized the opportunity to attack the political consultants hired by Sen. DeMint and Gov. Mitt Romney. As in most FITSNews posts, the author's sophomoric motives were transparent: 'trash-talking' a business rival. As in most FITSNews posts, the reader is left wondering how the author, an ideologically devoid political mercenary, could have served four years as spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford.

Yet, despite his clever mastery of political spin and the occasional substantive post (entertaining and often informative, though still tainted by conflicts of interest), I'd wager that most of FITSNews' web traffic probably comes from voyeurs hoping to view posted photographs of partially nude women, stolen from celebrity websites.

That's just sad. Will Folks hasn't fooled anybody except perhaps himself.

Who Is More Liberal: Ted Kennedy or John McCain?

2008-01-12T13:05:00.000-05:00

Put the McCain Truth Squad on notice. And make sure there's a box of Kleenex close at hand. You're about to take a critical look at McCain's record over his 20+ years in the U.S. Senate, and it may not be pretty.

In a column posted at National Review Online, contributing editor Mark Levin thoroughly dispels the mainstream media myth that John McCain is a "conservative." Interestingly, Levin doesn't have to provide much analysis: McCain's record itself speaks volumes.

There’s a reason some of John McCain's conservative supporters avoid discussing his record. They want to talk about his personal story, his position on the surge, his supposed electability. But whenever the rest of his career comes up, the knee-jerk reply is to characterize the inquiries as attacks.

The McCain domestic record is a disaster. To say he fought spending, most particularly earmarks, is to nibble around the edges and miss the heart of the matter. For starters, consider:

McCain-Feingold — the most brazen frontal assault on political speech since Buckley v. Valeo.
McCain-Kennedy — the most far-reaching amnesty program in American history.
McCain-Lieberman — the most onerous and intrusive attack on American industry — through reporting, regulating, and taxing authority of greenhouse gases — in American history.
McCain-Kennedy-Edwards — the biggest boon to the trial bar since the tobacco settlement, under the rubric of a patients’ bill of rights.
McCain-Reimportantion of Drugs — a significant blow to pharmaceutical research and development, not to mention consumer safety (hey Rudy, pay attention, see link).

And McCain’s stated opposition to the Bush 2001 and 2003 tax cuts was largely based on socialist, class-warfare rhetoric — tax cuts for the rich, not for the middle class. The public record is full of these statements. Today, he recalls only his insistence on accompanying spending cuts.

As chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, McCain was consistently hostile to American enterprise, from media and pharmaceutical companies to technology and energy companies.

McCain also led the Gang of 14, which prevented the Republican leadership in the Senate from mounting a rule change that would have ended the systematic use (actual and threatened) of the filibuster to prevent majority approval of judicial nominees.

And then there’s the McCain defense record.

His supporters point to essentially one policy strength, McCain’s early support for a surge and counterinsurgency. It has now evolved into McCain taking credit for forcing the president to adopt General David Petreaus’s strategy. Where’s the evidence to support such a claim?

Moreover, Iraq is an important battle in our war against the Islamo-fascist threat. But the war is a global war, and it most certainly includes the continental United States, which, after all, was struck on 9/11. How does McCain fare in that regard?

McCain-ACLU — the unprecedented granting of due-process rights to unlawful enemy combatants (terrorists).

McCain has repeatedly called for the immediate closing of Guantanamo Bay and the introduction of al-Qaeda terrorists into our own prisons — despite the legal rights they would immediately gain and the burdens of managing such a dangerous population.

While McCain proudly and repeatedly points to his battles with Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, who had to rebuild the U.S. military and fight a complex war, where was McCain in the lead-up to the war — when the military was being dangerously downsized by the Clinton administration and McCain’s friend, former Secretary of Defense Bill Cohen? Where was McCain when the CIA was in desperate need of attention? Also, McCain was apparently in the dark about al-Qaeda like most of Washington, despite a decade of warnings.

My fingers are crossed that at the next debate, either Fred Thompson or Mitt Romney will find a way to address McCain’s record. (Mike Huckabee won’t, as he is apparently in the tank for him.)

Romney still in the Game as Donations Go Up

2008-01-10T12:11:00.000-05:00

Whilst McCain and Huckabee supporters eagerly await the demise of their more conservative opponent after his second place finish in New Hampshire, the Romney camp hasn't paused for a moment. In fact, they seem to have made a strong case to conservative donors that Senator McCain, who voted (1) against the Bush tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 (2) against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge that would help reduce America's dependence on foreign oil (3) in support of limiting political speech with the McCain-Feingold bill and (4) in support of amnesty for illegal immigrants with the McCain-Kennedy bill, isn't going to be a "conservative" agent of change in Washington, D.C.

McCain's campaign spinning aside, conservative Republicans can't accept John McCain as a "fresh face in Washington" when he has spent over 20 years in the U.S. Senate and seems more comfortable aligning himself publicly with liberal Democrats like Teddy Kennedy than Republicans like Senator DeMint and President Bush.

And, yesterday, conservative donors seem to have finally realized that the G.O.P.'s fate as the 'party of American conservatism' hangs in the balance.

From the Boston Herald (h/t The Shot):

Mitt Romney’s reeling campaign received a much-needed $5 million jolt of donations yesterday that aides say poured in from more than 10,000 contributors backing the former governor as he prepares to do battle in Michigan.
...
This race has become quite fluid,” he said. “Now it’s a race between me and John McCain and Mike Huckabee. We’re not pulling back. We’re going full-speed ahead.”

Aides called yesterday’s fund-raising haul a “solid affirmation of support.” A similar National Call Day netted Romney $6.5 million in 2007.

Ron Paul Supporter in Disguise?

2008-01-09T15:07:00.000-05:00

(Photo credit: Jacques at Calhoun St. Coffee)

While driving through West Ashley on Highway 17 North yesterday afternoon, my eyes were momentarily diverted from the road to this beaming gentleman. At first I was very confused. Then I recalled the disproportionate number of Ron Paul signs along Highway 17 from Charleston to Savannah as well as an article in Charleston City Paper, and it all became clear to me.

So why is [Ron Paul] considered so radical?

[Paul's] belief that the CIA, IRS, and the Federal Reserve should all be dismantled surely helps, but County Party Chairperson Linda Bennett says it may even be his supporters. "I think his followers may turn more people off to him than he does himself," she says. "At his talk at the Omar Shrine Temple (in Mt. Pleasant) last Tuesday it was a gamut of everything from hippies to hip-hop to suits. And I think it's wonderful. We should be able to attract a wide array of people." Paul agrees, saying in Mt. Pleasant that "it's what we should expect with freedom."
...

Statements like that are the type that inspire people to action. Outside of his West Ashley campaign headquarters last week, a red, white, and blue RV covered in pro-Paul slogans sat as he spoke inside. Linda Hunnicutt, an Asheville woman who goes by "Granny Warrior," is a lifelong Republican who voted for Bush twice. She says that upon meeting Paul last March her life was changed, and within weeks she'd painted her RV and was accompanying his campaign around the country to spread the word.

"When he says he's a Christian, he is a Christian. He lives it," says Granny. "What he says makes so much sense. We're like mushrooms. The government's put us in a dark cave and fed us all baloney."

This is Ron Paul Country, folks. The Man was excluded from the Jan. 6 Republican roundtable discussion ~~by those dirty fascist-globalist-war-mongering-FOX News executives~~, but he will not go gentle into that good night.

...

Tin-foil hats? Check!

Campaign blimp? Check!

RV hand-painted with Ron Paul slogans? Check!

The Ron Paul Revolution has officially begun!

Il est mort?

2008-01-08T23:56:00.000-05:00

...hardly. In fact, Mitt Romney has a history of success in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. The biggest mistake that could befall McCain, Huckabee, or Giuliani is to underestimate this man.

David Brody shares some Romney history:

Mitt Romney's life story is one that was almost never told. The title of this story could very well have been "Dead Man Walking."

In Paris 1968, 21-year-old Romney was on a Mormon missionary trip when his car was hit head on, knocking him unconscious.

"The police that arrived on the scene had to get us out with the Jaws of Life, and in my case, they took my passport and wrote ‘il est mort’ – ‘he is dead,’" Romney said.

When the news back home reported him dead, his father, the governor of Michigan at the time, didn’t believe it. He called the French police to confirm, but learned that the reports had been wrong. His son was alive.

And so it goes with Mitt Romney. Turning around that near-death experience is a theme that has followed him through much of his life. Just when it appears all is lost, he's able to find an answer.

The New York Times calls him a turnaround specialist. Romney knows when to take advantage of positive press. In fact, his only book is called Turnaround.

"There's been failures and missteps and mistakes along the way, but you do your very best and look forward to trying to be successful whichever way you can," Romney said.

He was the successful founder of a capital investment group in the 1980s. During the 1990s, he took over the Salt Lake City Olympics, plagued by corruption and a $400 million deficit. He turned a $100 million profit and the games went down as one of the best ever.

Fast forward to today – he's the conservative governor of Massachusetts, facing a state legislature made up mostly of Democrats.

"There are some things that just drive me nuts I wish I could change,” Romney said, “and I know this legislature will not progress in certain areas, but there are other areas where we've been able to make extraordinary progress."

On day one of taking office, Gov. Romney inherited a $3 billion deficit. He was determined to fix it, even while promising not to raise taxes.

After cutting spending and finding plenty of government waste, today there's a budget surplus. He also won on universal healthcare.

Mac is Back

2008-01-08T17:36:00.000-05:00

And, he's weirder than ever before!

From Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank's voyage aboard the 2008 Straight Talk Express:

As in 2000, McCain is having his last pre-primary rally in Portsmouth, N.H. As in 2000, he's juggling superstitions: He knocks on the table when he hears the number 13, blows in his fist for the number 11 and displays a lucky nickel that replaced his lucky eagle feather from 2000. And, as in 2000, he has a tendency to veer dangerously off message.

The Associated Press reporter on the bus, he jokes, has just returned from the Betty Ford Center, and McCain himself confesses that he "never learned" how to walk away from a casino table.
Asked about the near-bankruptcy of his campaign last summer, he replies: "We actually had lots of money in Swiss bank accounts." Puzzling over "Senator Obama's attraction," he is told that the Democratic front-runner looks good with his shirt off. "I won't even take my sweater off," McCain returns.
...

McCain Resorts to "Truth Squads" in South Carolina

2008-01-08T13:41:00.000-05:00

"Sen. McCain did not support an amnesty plan for 12 million illegal immigrants. Sen. McCain did not support an amnesty plan for 12 million illegal immigrants. Sen. McCain did not support an amnesty plan for 12 million illegal immigrants."

Perhaps if I keep repeating this sentence in my mind, then I'll believe it to be true. Or, so the McCain Campaign in South Carolina seems to hope.

According to the Greenville News, Senator McCain's political machine has stolen a page from George Orwell's 1984 playbook:

The South Carolina presidential campaign of U.S. Sen. John McCain announced this morning it was forming a "truth squad" to counter any "negative or misleading" attacks aimed at their candidate.
South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster, Solicitor Trey Gowdy of Spartanburg, House Speaker Bobby Harrell and Adjutant General Stan Spears are to respond to any attacks, according to a statement issued by the campaign.
"We saw what happened in Iowa with the negative attacks," Spears said. "We see what’s happening in New Hampshire, and I can tell you for certain, we won’t stand for it here in South Carolina. Some candidates are spending more of their campaign war chests on telling voters why John McCain shouldn’t be president rather than telling voters why they should. Voters in South Carolina need to be on the lookout for these kinds of negative attacks."
McMaster said the goal is to immediately "set the record straight."

I am at a loss for words. McCain's campaign has formed "Truth Squads" to "set the record straight" for all us un-indoctrinated, ignorant folk here in South Carolina?

Be afraid, you enemies of ~~John McCain~~ truth. Be very afraid!

Now is about the time I start praying that these so-called "Truth Squads" don't rouse me tonight from my sleep and drag me to a gulag hidden somewhere deep in the Pocotaligo Swamp, where some rigorous "re-education" awaits.

Romney Resurges in New Hampshire

2008-01-08T12:56:00.000-05:00

...but will the rising tide of conservative support be enough to keep tonight's primary race close?

Romney Rocks Granite State Roundtable

2008-01-06T22:09:00.000-05:00

Lauded by conservative pundits and focus groups alike, Romney's tour de force in tonight's New Hampshire roundtable is virtually unanimous. Following the previous night's gang-style attacks by his opponents in the ABC Facebook debate, Romney rebounded with enthusiasm, confidence, and substantive answers.

Tonight, Romney emphasized his business credentials and successfully communicated his devotion to a well-rounded conservative (economic, social, and foreign policy) platform, in stark contrast to his opponents. Viewers witnessed a capable executive who was confident in his abilities and, most importantly, unafraid to stand up to his opponents on the issues of *immigration,* health care reform, and conservative fiscal policy. The frequent interruptions (applause or 'over-speaking'), snide personal attacks, and goofy questions were largely absent. In this civil, more conversational atmosphere, Romney shined like a future President of the United States.

Although it will be a challenge to repeat such a high level of success, a similarly persuasive performance in this Thursday's FOX News debate in Myrtle Beach would greatly enhance Romney's credibility in the Palmetto State.

From Powerline Blog's Paul Mirengoff:

Mitt Romney, in my view, was the winner. His answers were crisp, knowledgeable, and poised. He was solid on each substantive issue and effective in defending his so-called attack ads. My guess is that he's cemented himself as the choice of Republicans in New Hampshire, but still faces the prospect of having independents override that choice.

From Powerline Blog's Scott Johnson:

I score this round for Romney and am calling the event for Romney.

From NRO/The Corner's Mark Levin:

I agree with the Fox focus group in that Romney was great. The question is whether there's enough time to recover and whether independents, who tend to lean liberal, give a damn. But New Hampshire Republicans should. But maybe I'm wrong. I thought Fred was great for a second night in a row, but the focus group did not.

From Townhall's Hugh Hewitt:

Tonight's debate --by far the best of this long campaign-- allowed Mitt Romney to display not only a first class temperament but also a first class intellect.
...
First, Senator McCain still either does not understand the immigration fiasco of last year or his temperament does not allow him to admit his error and take responsibility for them.

Second, the sea-change in John McCain's attitude from last night to tonight confirms that the public reacted extremely negatively to Saturday night McCain. I don't think his calmer demeanor tonight can undo the memory of yesterday.

Third, Governor Huckabee had numerous disastrous moments tonight, but none worse than his attempt to dodge the tax hike issue, which he did not successfully do. The Luntz group confirmed this.

Next, Rudy had an excellent night as well, but most of the time and drama was between Romney and McCain.

Finally, Senator Thompson is emerging as the new Dick Cheney --not likely to run a winning campaign for the presidency, but a very compelling potential vice president for the reasons that Cheney helped the ticket in 2000.

The comments of FOX News pollster Frank Luntz's focus group sealed the victory. (See YouTube video below.)

I can't wait to read the response of ~~McCain's official South Carolina campaign blog~~ The Palmetto Scoop tomorrow. Maybe, like this and this, the Scoop will simply pretend tonight's roundtable never happened.

Huckabee Fiddles while Iowa Burns...

2008-01-03T12:12:00.000-05:00

...or so I anticipated yesterday evening when I recalled Fred Thompson's uninspiring appearance on the Tonight Show this past September.

But this time, I think Huckabee helped himself through his bubbly exchanges with Leno and occasional jabs at Gov. Romney. More importantly, with such an astonishingly small number of participants (est. 80-90,000) in the Iowa caucus, Huckabee's appearance may have a significant effect on voter turnout/identity/perceptions. [For comparison, 357831 voters participated in the South Carolina's 2004 Republican primary, according to the SC SEC website.]

Leno's best line: "Now, you also played in a rock band. So...OK...so Baptist minister during the day, playing Whitesnake at the Kit Kat Club at night..."

It's too bad that Huckabee's running for President of the United States, and not Mr. Congeniality.

Jacques' "Moca Java" Picks for the Iowa Caucus

2008-01-02T22:22:00.001-05:00

Here it is:

Romney, 32%

Huckabee, 28%

Thompson, 13%

McCain, 12%

Paul, 10%

Giuliani, 3%

Hunter, 2%

Romney's surge will continue until he reaches his level of support in the Iowa Straw Poll this summer; the "Huckabubble" will slowly deflate, but not by much. Thompson will stay in the race by a hair!

Here is a prediction by ~~the official McCain SC campaign blog~~ The Palmetto Scoop. We'll see who's right tomorrow night.

It's all about the beans, man!

Sen. Lindsey Graham: McCain's Double-Edged Sword in South Carolina

2008-01-02T14:44:00.000-05:00

Earlier today, ~~the official McCain SC campaign blog~~ The Palmetto Scoop ran a post under the headline, "Graham hits Romney on 'experience.'" The short post includes an excerpt from a column written by Lindsey Graham, extolling McCain's "enlightened leadership" and foreign policy prowess but castigating the "naive" Governor Romney.

It is possible that some moderates will be swayed by Graham's endorsement. Realistically though, the likelihood of Graham, known as the "Arlen Specter of the South," making any headway with conservative voters is about as likely as a Columbia, SC, getting 3 feet of snow.

Paul Mirengoff of Powerline Blog sounds off:

Meanwhile, Graham's support of McCain provides conservatives with a timely reminder of why we should be reluctant to jump on the McCain bandwagon. Think of the damage this duo has done, or tried to do, in just the past two years. First, thanks to McCain and Graham, Jim Haynes was not confirmed for the seat on the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals that his patriotism and qualifications warranted. By blocking Haynes, McCain and Graham helped cause the balance of that key court to shift away from conservatives.

Second, thanks to McCain and Graham, our intelligence services have lost the ability to use interrogation techniques such as waterboarding that have a proven record of securing vital information from hardened terrorists. Our government instead must now rely on techniques that have a record of failing to secure such information.

Finally, if McCain and Graham had prevailed last summer, millions of illegal immigrants would now have path to citizenship. Our borders, however, would not be secure, and those who wish them to be made secure would have little more than the federal government's promise to accomplish this -- a promise in which McCain now admits the American people reasonably place little faith.

Lindsey Graham's vocal participation in McCain's South Carolina campaign might seem like a swell idea to certain hired political consultants, but for most conservatives in this state, it just brings up bad memories.

UPDATE: The Shot fires back at Lindsey Graham's statement:

Does he believe that the Ronald Reagan of 1980 could effectively serve as Commander-in-Chief today?

When Ronald Reagan ran for President in 1980 he had absolutly no substantive foreign policy experience. His only prior elected experience was serving as Governor of California for eight years (1968-1976).

Reagan was a President who was one of the chief architects in bringing an end to the Cold War. If he was able to confront Communism, would he not be able to face the challenges of our global war on terror? Would he be able to confront an emerging China? Would he be able to handle the situation in Pakistan? Would he be prepared to lead our nation?

Romney: Bullseye of the Liberal Media

2008-01-02T10:39:00.000-05:00

From Richelieu at the Weekly Standard,

In every presidential primary the elite political press corps picks one candidate to thoroughly (and rather unfairly) despise. What triggers this is hard to calculate, but the usual ingredients are strong funding, perceived pandering, and a conservative stance on most social issues. Think Phil Gramm in 1995. Today the candidate the media love to despise is Mitt Romney. It will be interesting to see how the media will cover the story if Romney indeed beats Huckabee tomorrow night in Iowa. Will they (honestly) report an impressive comeback win, or will the snarky and contemptuous tone of most Romney coverage continue?

When a Republican candidate is treated with contempt by the liberal-leaning press (think Mitt Romney, George W. Bush, Ronald Reagan), it usually means that the candidate is conservative; conversely, when the candidate is cuddled by the media (think John McCain, Mike Huckabee, "rock star" Barack Obama), that candidate usually has significant gaps in his conservative resume. Not surprising, really.

Romney-Thompson Ticket?

2008-01-01T16:35:00.000-05:00

Admittedly, I might be jumping a little far ahead of myself, but I don't think a sticker like this would be too far off the mark. "Vice president Thompson" has a mellifluous sound...it rolls off the tongue easily, naturally.

Perhaps this is what Fred Thompson intended from the very beginning.

Tough Times for Thompson

2008-01-01T14:48:00.000-05:00

A Fred Thompson for President 2008 sign casts a shadow near a lonely intersection in Greenville County.

Having told reporters that he needs to achieve at least a third place finish in the Iowa caucus, the fate of Fred Thompson's presidential aspirations remains very much in question. Two new polls show him battling with McCain for third place. To make matters worse, his recent comment, "I'm not particularly interested in running for president," reinforced negative perceptions about his work ethic and enthusiasm for the job (in context, his comment was very dignified; out of context, it was devastating).

In sum, the Thompson campaign is sinking. Thompson's road signs in the Palmetto State are extremely sparse, especially compared to those of ex-Libertarian Party candidate Ron Paul. Some might say that spotting a Thompson bumper sticker has become almost as difficult as capturing an image of the elusive ivory-billed woodpecker in Congaree National Park.

Fortunately, all is not lost for Thompson on the national political stage. Thompson's career in the Senate was marked by a voting record more conservative than John McCain, for example. These conservative bona fides, coupled with a fortuitous endorsement by National Right to Life and endearing Southern charm, make Fred Thompson an ideal pick for vice president.

Casting the dangers of regionalism aside, the national electability of Northerners like Romney, Giuliani, or McCain would be greatly enhanced with a Southerner like Thompson on the ticket.

Of course, Thompson's vice presidential fortunes could be dashed by an early endorsement of McCain, if McCain's momentum were to dip precipitously after the liberal-leaning voters of New Hampshire cast their ballots on Jan. 8. An endorsement of McCain would not be surprising since both men were colleagues in the Senate, and Thompson was a tenacious supporter of McCain-Feingold. (In fact, Thompson even referred to the bill as McCain-Feingold-Thompson!).

From the standpoint of political self-interest, it seems that Thompson's best course of action is to withhold any official endorsement unil the primary winner is decided. An endorsement of the eventual primary loser might not spell the end of Thompson's possible vice presidential role, but with other talented (and arguably more principled) Southern conservatives available, he could be overlooked.

Dynamism is the sine qua non of 21st century American politics. Anything can still happen to influence the outcome of 2008's upcoming "Nobody Knows" primary season. Given this caveat, there is certainly room for reasonable speculation. And I will shoot into the dark right here and now: a Romney-Thompson ticket would be an electoral juggernaut.

Out with the Old, In with the New

2007-12-31T18:03:00.000-05:00

I never once dreamed that I would read "political jujitsu" and "Mike Huckabee" on the same page...but here it is...brilliantly described by Katharine Q. Seeyle, a NYT blogger:

Talk about political jujitsu!

Mike Huckabee is holding a press conference right now in which he was supposed to unveil a new negative ad against arch rival Mitt Romney.

But Mr. Huckabee came to the press conference and announced he’d had a change of heart and would not be broadcasting the ad after all.
But wait! It gets better.
He then broadcast it for a room crammed with reporters, photographers and television cameras.

The assembled media found the display hilarious and at several points laughed out loud.

Telling you what’s in the ad, of course, plays into Mr. Huckabee’s strategy of getting his message out — Mr. Romney is bad — while being able to say his hands are clean.

He spoke at a dais in front of a huge banner that said, “Enough is Enough.” Placed around the room were poster boards criticizing Mr. Romney for various things.
...

Give the man props! Huckabee did this all with a straight face and that perfect down home I-would-never-chop-down-your-cherry-tree style of Southern accent.

I definitely couldn't read this with a straight face! But what better way to ring in 2008, than with a smile?

Happy New Year!

No Strings Attached to Calhoun St. Coffee

2007-12-31T14:25:00.000-05:00

In light of the kindling controversy surrounding the conflicts of interest at ~~the official McCain SC Campaign Blog~~ The Palmetto Scoop, I want to proudly announce that the author of Calhoun St. Coffee has no financial ties to any consulting firms that represent Republican presidential candidates. (Or, for that matter, any financial ties to any consulting firms whatsoever.)

The author of this blog is a 24-year-old student at a professional school in South Carolina. His only significant financial obligations are to SC Student Loan and Carolina Coffee Roasters (a small but necessary debt responsible for his staying mentally awake during lectures).

Romney Gaining Upper Hand on McCain in NH Scuffle

2007-12-29T22:21:00.000-05:00

"Permanently," a political ad released today by the Romney Campaign, directly contrasts the records of Gov. Romney and Sen. McCain on immigration reform. Although McCain supporters will undoubtedly spin the new TV spot as an "attack ad," it is actually nothing of the sort.

What the ad does do...
The new 32-second ad simply lays the records of both candidates side-by-side in a tasteful and largely inscrutable manner.

What the ad doesn't do...
The ad doesn't attack an opinion held by Sen. McCain at some point in the past, if that opinion didn't result in a vote or other legislative action. It doesn't attack the Senator's personal life or, for that matter, any perceived personality flaws.

From my numerous conversations with family and friends in the Palmetto State, illegal immigration is among the most salient issues facing likely Republican voters. McCain's controversial and arguably un-conservative record on illegal immigration is enough to make even his most ardent supporters cringe.

"Permanently" is likely to give Gov. Romney a much needed boost in NH. Perhaps even more importantly (and relevant to this blog), Romney's new ad might help the Gov. reap a large number of currently undecided voters in the so-called "land of cotton."

Prognostication, 22 Days Before the Primary

2007-12-28T17:18:00.000-05:00

~Huckabee still ahead, but Romney has far less than an Iowa country mile
A new L.A. Times poll suggests that Gov. Mike Huckabee leads Gov. Mitt Romney 36% to 28% among likely voters in Iowa. Another poll of likely Republican caucus-goers indicates that Huckabee holds a razor-thin 29-27% lead over Romney, well within the 4.5% margin of sampling error.

Somehow, it just doesn't seem right that a state, whose territory is 90% farmland, should play such a disproportionate role in deciding the electoral fates of so many qualified candidates.

~Brit political guru says 'Huckaboom' will put McCain on top in New Hampshire
Justin Webb, the BBC's North America editor, "[has] long thought McCain would win the nomination as the other candidates imploded, and the 'Huckaboom' plays wonderfully into this; a win for Huckabee in Iowa might well lead Republicans to panic and search for someone who is, well, better capable of winning in 2008 - and a decent showing for the war hero may do the trick."

Without a doubt, Team McCain is praying for such an outcome. If Huckabee does manage a close win in Iowa, conservatives will have reason "to panic and search for someone who is, well, better capable of winning in 2008." But, with TV's in living rooms across America blaring zingers like Romney's "Future" ad (embedded below), I'm not convinced that Republican voters will pick John McCain for the job.

~Wa Po "blogger extraordinaire" dubs Romney as week's most likely winner of the Republican nomination
Chris Cillizza, a blogger for the Washington Post, writes, "It's en vogue at the moment to offer up myriad reasons why Romney won't win the nomination (his past public record contradicts his current policy stances at every turn, polls show slippage in Iowa and New Hampshire etc.) but we still believe the former Massachusetts governor is in the pole position."

Bottom line: three weeks plus a day away, it's anybody's game. Now more than ever, it appears that South Carolina's "First in the South" Republican primary will be Kingmaker.

People with a good sense of taste...

2007-12-27T20:04:00.000-05:00

While sipping a steaming cup of decaf snickerdoodle coffee and skimming Reuters headlines this evening, I stumbled across an interesting snippet:

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, chatted with diners at coffee shops in New Hampshire, which holds its nominating contest on Jan. 8, five days after Iowa.

"I think this will be a challenging race. New Hampshire makes it interesting," he said at Norton's Classic Cafe in Nashua, where he nibbled on a Greek pastry.

What demographic profile is politically active, intellectually engaging, and socially apt? Coffee drinkers, of course! Why aren't the other candidates maximally tapping this electioneering gold mine?

I wonder what the Governor was drinking with that "Greek pastry." Hmmm.