Howie Rich Unplugged?
ACTUALLY THAT’S EDDIE VEDDER … BUT THE MESSAGE IS THE SAME FOR SOUTH CAROLINA’S STATUS QUO
FITSNews - July 10, 2008 - The Associated Press is reporting this afternoon that Howie Rich (the man South Carolina’s failed status quo loves to hate) did a sit-down interview at the home of State Republican Party Chairman Katon Dawson. No word yet on when the interview was filmed or how long it is, although some websites already claim to have copies of the one-on-one exchange.
SC Hotline, for example, says it will post the full interview (they currently have a brief intro clip up), but in it Rich reportedly makes clear that he is committed to staying engaged in the South Carolina political process despite the fact that opponents of parental choice have basically made attacking him the basis of their entire campaign.
Since South Carolina features the nation’s lowest graduation rate, highest percentage of failing schools, a growing achievement gap and a worthless accountability system (all despite billions of dollars in funding increases), we can see why going after Rich’s admittedly large contributions to pro-parental choice candidates makes sense for status quo backers. We wouldn’t want to talk about this state’s failed education system if we didn’t have to, either, and the state’s mainstream media has certainly let them get away with the diversion.
Candidates backed by Rich ended up posting some decent gains in this most recent election cycle - six seats apiece in both the House and Senate by our initial count - so if Rich is serious about staying in the game, real change may not be as far away as we thought it was.
UPDATE - The first clip of the Rich interview is up on SC Hotline now. We’ll bring you additional clips in future posts as they become available …
Comments
By PJ Rocks on July 10th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
That’s an awesome cover!
By Believe It Not (a.k.a. Sic Willie's Stalker) on July 10th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
sic(k) willie forgets lessons we’ve taught him over and over and over.
Real problems facing public education in SC include (not necessarily in this order): poverty, latent racism and kaBrazillions of social ills sic(k) willie can’t understand with his silverspoonlicking upbringing.
Fix those problems and upgrade the shameful “minimally adequate” standard and then we might talk about your voucher scams.
The State newspaper continues to give honest and accurate insight into the real issues facing children and public education.
All sic(k) willie gives us is carpetbugger (no typo) propaganda.
BTW, sic(k) willie, how much is Howie and SCRG/VfSCscams/SCCfG, and AEIOU, etc. paying these days to support voucher scams?
Jakie said it best: “Howard Rich can bag up his baggies (of money) and he can move to another state because they are not going to make any headway in South Carolina against public education.”
The Big Dogs still control the barnyard. Little Pigs beware. Oink!
Howie must really be desperate if he gave K.D. an interview.
BIN News Editorial Staff
P.S. Jakie is a Midland’s Elected Official who selects his words carefully. “Baggies” is a term used by drug dealers. Go figure.
By abc on July 10th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
I’ve met him. He and his wife Andrea are for real.
By abc on July 10th, 2008 at 11:45 pm
Their motives are pure.
By HowieJr on July 11th, 2008 at 4:54 am
I am a Howie Rich guy. I agree with him politically and hope he is successful.
Having said that, Katon Dawson and the rest of the butt wipes that call themselves the “leadership” of the GOP are “money loving, power hungry, narcissistic sycophants” that worship only those that are richer and more socially adroit than themselves. Katon’s fawning over the man is repulsive, especially as we all sit here in this near third world state, watching ourselves slide further and further behind in every statistic.
Katon and company have benefited handsomely while this state fails. We only know two things for sure; that the hard decision which will actually change SC will not be made (they prefer window dressing instead) AND the leadership worship those with money and power while showing over and over again that they could care less about the average South Carolinian.
By baker on July 11th, 2008 at 9:01 am
It’s just interesting that PPIC never promised anything to the state’s poorest children — those on the wrong side of the achievement gap that Will discussed the other day. There was talk about “scholarship-granting organizations” that might have taken off but offered vague prospects…..but not a single guarantee to the poorest of the poor.
So this business of “parental choice” or “freedom” or whatever, and this business about fixing our dropout rate, and this business about helping close the achievement gap — all of it is sketchy, at best.
Apart from all that, Mr. Rich comes off as a pretty nice guy in that video. I suspect he is a nice guy. He’s probably been painted somewhat unfairly by those who oppose his plans. On the other hand, the organization he supports — SCRG, which the state GOP seems to be pretty much in bed with (considering its chairman’s role in the video posted — employs some fairly dishonest and nasty tactics…..so maybe it’s hard, after all, to feel that Rich is a victim.
Anyway, I suspect that with all the money he’s put into SC politics, he could have paid for a bunch of scholarships for SC’s poorest kids. Of course, even that wouldn’t have meant that the state’s top private schools (like the one Mark Sanford’s children attend) or those located in one-private-school counties would have accepted those students.
By Believe It Not (a.k.a. Sic Willie's Stalker) on July 11th, 2008 at 9:38 pm
baker is right! The words “dishonest and nasty” perfectly describe SCRG, Voice for School Scams, S.C. Club for Growing Scams and all of the other carpetbugger (no typo) fake front groups infesting SC.
And some GOP leaders are “in bed” with the voucher scams. Face down in their bed. Roll over boys and wake up. Vouchers are dead.
Mr. Rich would never have allowed an interview with K.D. or anyone in S.C. unless he was feeling the pain - in his pocketbook.
“Howie” wants to buy the S.C. Legislature. But S.C. voters are too smart. A few have been suckered by his bought and paid for pimps.
But Lexington voters were way too smart. Big Jake and other Big Dogs will always rule this barnyard. Watch out little piggies.
Personal to Howie. Pack up your baggies and go home. You aint’ got a pigs chance at a bar-b-q of getting your voucher scam. Fact!
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