It's late, but I thought I'd jot down a few highlights from last night's debate before I forget them.
Most informative question: Which U.S. senator are you more like - Lindsey Graham or Jim DeMint - and do you support the Charleston County Republican Party's censure of Graham?
- U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett said "both," and when the moderator complained that that wasn't a good enough answer to his question, Barrett wittily replied to the effect that "it's your question, but it's my answer." Barrett said he has differences with both - specifically Graham on cap and trade - but that the party is big enough for a range of ideas. And he would not have censured Graham.
- Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer simply replied "DeMint," then made a remark about politicians not giving straight answers.
- State Rep. Nikki Haley also chose DeMint, said she would have censured Graham and that she hopes he "comes around."
- S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster said he wouldn't take the "bait," being a former S.C. Republican Party chair, and invoked Reagan's 11th amendment not to speak ill of fellow Republicans.
Perhaps the most interesting dynamic accompanied the predictable but necessary questions about Bauer's recent invocation of "stray animals" in a diatribe about welfare recipients. Bauer vigorously defended the remark, saying everyone in the room agreed with him and insisting that the media manufactured the controversy.
He admitted that given a chance to do it again, he would word it difrerently. When pressed as to how he could justify comparing poor people to stray animals, he shot back simply that it was a "metaphor."
None of the other candidates really criticized Bauer's remarks. McMaster repeated his official statement that many conservatives share concerns about the cycle of dependency, but also said we should remember we're all created "in God's image." Barrett said that parents of children on free lunches should be held accountable for their participation in the child's schooling, but when pressed as to how it could be done without penalizing the child, he struggled to answer. Finally, Haley called the word choice "regrettable" but quickly and adroitly moved on to talking about broader conservative issues.
Also of note was all four candidates' pretty strong endorsement of Sanford's term as governor (he was in the front row, which might have played a role). Haley was asked first about their well-known pre-Argentina ideological alliance (she had all but received his endorsement already), and she drew a line between his personal failings and his political successes, saying in particular that there were a lot of boondoggles the legislature never even tried because he was governor. Barrett also praised Sanford, remarking particularly on his efforts toward governmental transparency, but said his own leadership style would be as more of a consensus-builder than Sanford. Bauer and McMaster also had nice things to say about him.
The moderator, conservative MSNBC host Joe Scarborough, asked the interesting question that if Sanford had done all the right things for the state, why is unemployment third-highest in the state? No really memorable answers there, unfortunately. I suspect this line of conversation will be more interesting during the general election.
One other note: State Rep. Thad Viers says via Twitter that McMaster touched on the port of Georgetown during a question about the state port system. Unfortunately, my kids were acting up during that question and I missed it. I'll try to find a reference to see whether it was anything substantial.
Ah! just found a link to debate video: http://www2.wspa.com/spa/news/local/article/watch_the_gop_candidates_for_governors_debate/32524/
I didn't repeat here a lot of what I'd heard in previous debates, but I'd be curious if you guys find anything else that seems newsworthy or helps differentiate these four.
Recent Comments