PoliTick-Tock

The Flair effect on a city councilman

It was sure nice of Mike Huckabee, that Arkansas guy running for president, to stop by Myrtle Beach Thursday, but Randal Wallace came to see Ric Flair.

The Myrtle Beach city councilman (yep, he's also Guiliani's local campaign chair. Sorry, Rudy) was toting a pile of vintage wrestling mags from the 70s, freshly fetched from his attic. He was hopeful that Flair, gazillion-time world champion of professional wrestling, would John Hancock them.

"I met Ric Flair when I was 6," said Wallace, who scored his first post-match autograph from the blood-soaked star more than 30 years ago. "I thought the sun rises and sets on him."

Someone said: Wow! Those magazines would really be worth something on e-Bay.

"You couldn't  pry them from my cold dead fingers," Wallace assured him.

Steve Romano, another Flair autograph seeker, brought his coveted collection of Ric dolls in a red backpack. The guys understood each other.

The wrestling Gods must have been smiling, because Flair was signing everything. Wallace even got to shake his hand. (He'll never wash the one Flair shook again. He swears.)

Norris and Flair and some guy name Huckabee

Action figure hero Chuck Norris and wrestler Ric Flair will be in Myrtle Beach Thursday morning.

Oh, and they'll be toting along with them some guy named Mike Huckabee.

Huckabee, of course, is the former Arkansas governor running for president and trying to get the Republican nomination. He's been touring the country with his superstar supporters. They'll be at the general aviation terminal in Myrtle Beach on Thursday. You have to go onto the former Air Force Base to get there.

What | Chuck Norris, Ric Flair and Mike Huckabee make a campaign stop
When | 11 a.m. Thursday
UPDATE: Where | General Aviation terminal, 1100 Jet Port Road, Myrtle Beach Hangar 328 West off Victory St. off Farrow Parkway

I'd give you a map, dear readers, but Google doesn't seem to have quite caught up with Myrtle Beach yet.

UPDATE 2: Ah, but MapQuest has.

Winning the youth vote

Measured by voice volume alone, Mike Huckabee's strongest supporter in Myrtle Beach might have been the 5-year-old boy leaning over a guard rail at the corner of Oak and 21st Avenue.

"Huckabee!" yelled Noah Duncan at every passing car or debate attendee. "We like Mike!"

Huckabee was not the family's first choice, Noah confessed, despite his mother's best efforts to shush him. Dad used to like Mitt Romney.

"Yeah, but Dad jumped ship," the mom, Johnna, finally admitted, once the cat was out of the bag.

Noah's father, Seth Duncan of Columbia, said "faith and family" issues were what initially drew him to Romney, but that he soured on the candidate's changing positions and joined the Huckabee explosion.

"It got harder and harder to defend Romney's stances and former stances to my friends," Seth said.

Noah then turned around and resumed his cheering, but the complexities of the Republican nominating contest tripped him up.

"Mitt Romney!" Noah yelled at the next passing car.

"You have a Huckabee sign," his mother gently corrected.

"Oh, yeah," Noah said, giggling. "We like Mike!"

Filet Mignon for breakfast?

Several local politicians hosted a fund raiser Thursday morning for Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee at the Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse in Myrtle Beach.

Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor, talked for more than 30 minutes to nearly 250 people who attended the $1,000-a-plate function. He spoke about topics ranging from his political plan to his family upbringing.

Some people chowed down on Filet Mignon steaks, while others chose to munch on traditional breakfast items such as scrambled eggs, bagels and donuts.

And for the record, Huckabee said he ate a protein bar for breakfast before the event.

Huckabee has been to Myrtle Beach a handful of times, according to his advisors. As he was leaving the Rioz, he compared the rise in tourism here to a similar rise in Arkansas.

``What I have seen in Myrtle Beach is nothing short of amazing,'' Huckabee said. ``The people here have capitalized on the location, the beaches and the businesses.''

MB Debate to feature six Republicans

The state Republican party has just announced the lineup for tomorrow night's debate, The Sun News is reporting.

And, it's pretty much the candidates you expected: Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson.

Here's the link to The Sun News' story: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/111/story/308330.html

Zeppelin campaign shows whole lotta love

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul might travel by plane, but some of his supporters opt for more unconventional means. Several of the candidate's supporters have been flying a 197-foot long blimp around the South with the message, ``Google Ron Paul'' written on the side.

The campaign issued an invitation to several other Democratic and Republican candidates to come out for a ride while the zeppelin is docked in Myrtle Beach for the debate.

$1,000 breakfast coming to MB Thursday

Though Myrtle Beach is known as an affordable destination, there will be one place in town Thursday where breakfast will cost $1,000 a plate.

Several local politicians are hosting a fund raiser for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee at the ritzy steakhouse Rioz Brazilian Steakhouse in Myrtle Beach. The Republican presidential candidate is scheduled to attend.

Breakfast, which runs from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., will run $1,000 a person or couple, according to an e-mail invitation sent out by the Huckabee campaign.

For those lonelyhearts out there, state Rep. Liston Barfield, R-Aynor, said he'd find some way to get you in at $500 per person. "If you have a friend who's willing to pay $500, I'll find a way to get him or her in," he said. "Just have him or her call me." That number is 241-0800.

The sponsors listed are: Horry County Councilman Al Allen; S.C. Rep. Liston Barfield and Norma Jean Barfield; Dr. John and Jenny Bilder; City Councilman Wayne Gray and Sherri Gray; Christman and Molly Howard; Wanda Davis Howard; and Clark and Marcia Parker.

Huckabee was originally supposed to be at a FairTax rally between 5:30 and 6 p.m., organizer Mickey Lattimore said. Lattimore said he had RSVPd. But spokesman Adam Piper said Huckabee, who supports the tax idea, had to decline because of a scheduling conflict.

What | Fund raiser for Gov. Mike Huckabee
When | 8:30 a.m. Thursday
Where | Rioz, 2920 Hollywood Dr., Myrtle Beach
Other | $1,000 per person/couple

Local caucus watches

The local branches of several presidential hopefuls will be watching the Iowa returns tonight-- some with baited breath, others with beer.

A few of the campaigns including those for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee will host events at restaurants and bars. Others will be having smaller get togethers at the homes of local supporters on an invite-only basis.

"I think a lot of people will be watching to figure out who will move on and who will be dropping out," said Barbara Leonard, a local organizer for the John McCain campaign. "There are going to be some little home get togethers, but nothing formal."

Local Republicans invite candidates to last-minute rally

Georgetown Republicans are inviting their party's candidates for President to come make a last-minute pitch before the state primary.

Invitations have just been issued, so candidates have yet to confirm, said Georgetown Republican Chairman Tom Swatzel. The Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney campaigns, however, have said their candidates will either appear in person or send a surrogate, Swatzel said.

The rally is set for Jan. 16, a critical point in the Republican nominating contest. Iowa and New Hampshire will have already had their primaries, the only two prior to South Carolina's officially sanctioned by the party. The day before the Georgetown event, Michigan will have had its unsanctioned primary, and the South Carolina primary is Jan. 19.

"Coming three days in advance of the all-important state Republican primary, this will certainly be a good opportunity for the campaigns to get the last word in with our active Republican voters," Swatzel said.

Candidates should have ample incentive to attend, Swatzel said. The Grand Strand has a large population of Republican voters, and candidates are likely to be in the state anyway, campaigning in the final days before the primary. He said he hopes the event will draw enough interest to be broadcast.

"I'd like to think the candidates will find this a good venue for getting their message out," Swatzel said.

What | Grand Strand Republicans' rally for Presidential candidates
When | 7 p.m. January 16
Where | Tara Ballroom, Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort, 14276 Highway 17, Pawley's Island
Tickets | $10 in advance
For more info | In Georgetown, Jim Jerow, (843) 237-9456. In Horry, Bill Blankenship, (843) 421-7324

Want to eat at Huckabee? RSVP.

Cleo Steele, president of the North Myrtle Beach Republican club, said she'd like people to RSVP and pay $20 if they are going to eat at the club's event with Mike Huckabee.

Huckabee, the former Republican governor of Arkansas, is scheduled to be at the Barefort Resort Clubhouse at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.

Steele said she is ordering hors d'oeuvres and would like people to RSVP for the event. There's a $20 charge to eat. She is planning for food for 125 people. The money will not be a donation to the Huckabee campaign or to the North Myrtle Beach Republican club; it will simply pay for the food, she said.

Please call Pat Bava, the social director for the club, at 249-3750, or Steele at 249-3490 to RSVP.