Harrell: GOP Convention Crowd “Fringe” Republicans
At last month’s SCGOP Convetion, Gov. Mark Sanford read off a list of Palmetto State lawmakers who had supported him during this year’s contentious budget debate.
Obviously, it wasn’t a very long list, but GOP convention-goers gave these “taxpayer heroes” a thunderous standing ovation.
S.C. House Speaker Bobby Harrell, on the other hand, was received at the convention with cool, detached formality – in large part because most of the people in the room knew he didn’t belong there.
That tepid reception wasn’t lost on the thin-skinned RINOcrat Speaker, who reportedly vented his spleen at the next meeting of House Republican whips.
Multiples sources have confirmed details of Harrell’s tirade to FITS.
Calling SCGOP convention-goers “fringe” Republicans, Harrell also reportedly referred to them collectively as the “Ron Paul wing” of the Republican Party. He is then said to have mocked Gov. Sanford’s repeated portrayals of fiscal conservatives as a “silent majority,” saying they were a “vocal minority” in his book.
Obviously, the convention was ground zero for a much more publicized spat between Sanford and U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham over the proper place of libertarian beliefs within the GOP, but Harrell and Graham are clearly reading from the same set of RINOcrat talking points.
Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer declined to directly address Harrell’s alleged barbs.
“I’d just go back to what the governor said at the convention,” Sawyer said. “His remarks were very well-received by a broad group of Republicans from different backgrounds and different parts of the state.”
Clearly, though, a new strategy for attacking the fiscal conservative wing of the Republican party has emerged – and it begins and ends with the broad application of the “Ron Paul” label.
Look for this to become a prominent theme in the GOP’s internal spat moving forward.
Comments
By Paul Adams on June 3rd, 2009 at 2:27 pm
MOVE FORWARD AND STRONG CAMPAIGN FOR LIBERTY!!!! This is the new KISS ARMY!
By Jim Brown on June 3rd, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Harrell and Graham are fools. They are the ones that drove the GOP off the cliff. If you like what they have done in the last 10 years then go ahead and re-elect them and the GOP will official sign their own death notice. Is Lindsey Graham gay? There’s nothing wrong being gay I just hate hypocrites, come on out of the closet Lindsey.
By Nathan Earle on June 3rd, 2009 at 3:27 pm
I attended the SCGOP convention. The attendees interrupted Gov. Sanford to applaud for Nikki Haley as he was reading through the unfortunately short list of fiscal conservatives in the State House. I think that what’s going on here is that the accountability movement and the tea party anger are starting to merge and the good old boys can sense that their days are numbered.
By B McGuire on June 3rd, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Larry McDonald warned us about you…..
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3100752722910819372
By Steven on June 3rd, 2009 at 3:48 pm
There is no one more self centered and insecure than Bobby Harrell.
By Seth on June 3rd, 2009 at 3:48 pm
I’m sure a true Republican, someone in the mold of Nikki H., Nathan B. or Jim DeMint, would clean Bobby’s clock in a primary. Heck, I’m sure that even Mr Sic Willie could whip this guy.
By CNSYD on June 3rd, 2009 at 4:10 pm
DeMint is a joke. None of the other Senators pay any attention to him.
By Steven is an Idiot on June 3rd, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Steven–
You apparently don’t know the Speaker very well.
By me on June 3rd, 2009 at 5:32 pm
the ron paul attack? I would take 1 ron paul over every RINO in this whole country.
By CNSYD on June 3rd, 2009 at 5:52 pm
me, did you sleep thru the last Presidential campaign? Ron Paul is a joke.
By Matt on June 3rd, 2009 at 6:38 pm
I’m with Nathan and Seth. Pols like DeMint, Haley, Tom Davis, etc. have the ability to unite the conservatives you find at tea parties and the ones you find at the Club for Growth meetings. This is the kind of coalition I want to be a part of.
By charlotte watchdog on June 3rd, 2009 at 8:41 pm
FITS:
Plus the “fringe” secured their position by only requiring 25 to represent a quorum at county GOP meetings. (see updated SCGOP rules).
So 13 folks can make big decisions even in the big counties.
What a huge joke as the “fringe” will become the awful face of the GOP in SC.
“the watchdog needs to be very diligent”
CW
By CNSYD on June 3rd, 2009 at 8:43 pm
Pray tell me what DeMint has done in the Senate? He is a nonexistant.
By RINOhunter on June 3rd, 2009 at 9:01 pm
bobby will have a primary fight of his life. His pathetic record and non-existent leadership has doomed him.
Pretty funny. His cowardly demotions only made Haley and Ballentine stronger.
Big changes in the low country are coming. Incuding “you know who” freshman who used Sanford to get elected only to turn his back one he got to Columbia. Maybe he can barback with Bobby at RQA’s bar
By Ron on June 3rd, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Megga dittos Will, Matt, Seth, Steven, Nathan Earle, Jim Brown, Paul Adams and others!!!
Beginning this evening I’m emailing this article individually (I strongly suggest that you do likewise) to every person that I know who attended the SCGOP convention showing them that THE SPEAKER says they’re fringe republicans. I’ll also ask if they would inquire of anyone who’s living in THE SPEAKER’S district as to might be recruited to run in the 2010 primary vs. THE SPEAKER. Once we ID the candidate(s), we’ll put out the word among all of these “fringe republicans” to solicit contributions for this opponent(s). THE SPEAKER must go!!!
By chris on June 3rd, 2009 at 11:19 pm
“The 2010 election cycle is just around the corner. We must
redouble our efforts to educate our fellow citizens, recruit and support liberty candidates, and marshal our resources for the battle ahead.” – Ron Paul
I love my country
I am appalled by my government
By Steward on June 4th, 2009 at 1:22 am
The Speaker is an insecure, arrogant jackass. I think the Republicans deserve him for selling out once they got in power, and doing exactly what they always accused the Democrats of doing — using government as their own, person piggy bank. I did think David Wilkins was a decent man and a good leader, but he was a man of more principle. Bobby Harrell has zero principle, only raw ambition.
Frankly, there don’t seem to be any real visionaries at all in the House anymore. All the ones who talked the biggest game over there caved in and followed the leader during the stimulus budget debate. The few that did vote right are good folks, but they lack the right mix of intellect/philosophy/character/charisma.
I think the show is all in the senate these days, for Democrats and Republicans. Now there’s a group of fighters I think represent some honor, and may just give the good ole’ boys a hard run for a change. They don’t have that patina of self-promotion that sticks to the House crowd. Could be a couple of them that might take us to a new level of politics for a change. Could be a fun time again in SC! Would be great to see a real battle over ideas from the kind of politicians who mean what they say and understand what they are fighting about. Most of you are way too young to remember what that was like. Hope you get to see it someday.
By liz on June 4th, 2009 at 6:40 am
Ditto Chris. I love my country too. I am not so sure where I live though anymore. America died. It no longer exists. I am sick of people saying it lives when in fact, it died.
Republicans like I was raised around, ie: father, uncles, former Governors, and Presidents, are a OK in my book. The ” new Republicans” aren’t Republicans at all. They are laissez faire liberals. Look it up.
Sanford , Graham and Demint, all wish to take us back to the ” good ole days” where no one had cars, health insurance and schools were conducted in one room for the ” elite”.
The ” leadership” in this state is idiotic.
No one cares about the people they ” supposedly” represent.
I believe we the people should recall every dang one of em and start afresh with people that have never tried their hand at government.
We’d do much better with people with IQ’s of 15 and a heart than the mean , nasty corporate supporters in power now.
By John Steinberger on June 4th, 2009 at 11:42 am
The people at the convention are the ones who post the signs, lick the stamps and man the phone banks to elect Republicans. Speaking for myself, I am tired of RINO’s controlling the party machinery. When is South Carolina going to have an efficient, accountable 21st Century government structure? When will we have a pro-growth tax policy? When will our parents and students have School Choice? Gov. Sanford has worked hard for 7 years to make things better. We need a new Governor and General Assembly who enable Gov. Sanford’s vision to be realized!
By Nathan Earle on June 4th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
If you want to know what Jim DeMint has been doing in Congress, I would suggest that you read his very readable book, “Saving Freedom.” If you still don’t like his approach after reading the book, fine. But I think you will be left with nothing but praise for his character, particularly when you begin to grasp the level of corruption that is part of the system in Washington.
As for the situation here in South Carolina, I don’t think that evicting Bobby Harrell from the Speaker’s chair will accomplish anything. There are simply too many votes in the House to replace him with someone who is part of the same cadre of cookie jar conservatives. What we need, instead is to replace the rank and file membership ONE BY ONE until a critical mass of fiscally (and socially) conservative members who can exercise meaningful influence. Of course you can’t accomplish anything with 10 or 15 votes (or, in Jim DeMint’s case, often only 1 vote).
By Steven on June 4th, 2009 at 1:12 pm
I actually know Bobby Harrell quite well. Which is why I made the comment I did. As a former educator and now business owner, I have had many interactions with the man. South Carolina is doing itself a huge dis-service by having him in office as the Speaker. either he needs to be relieved as Speaker or voted out of office.
By Nathan Earle on June 4th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
I wasn’t suggesting that Bobby Harrell should stay on as Speaker. Quite the contrary! Rather, I was attempting to highlight the fact that Bobby Harrell is only a symptom of a much broader problem — a problem that can only be cured primary by primary in every Republican district in this state.
By CNSYD on June 4th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Nathan earle, name me one piece of legislation written by DeMint that has become law. Braying at the moon will accomplish nothing.
By Louella on June 4th, 2009 at 7:11 pm
CNSYD sure is railing on DeMint. True conservatives must make you nervous. Sounds like a lib to me.
By Workin' Tommy C on June 5th, 2009 at 2:27 pm
I’ve got his “fringe” right here!
By Rep. Eric Bedingfield on June 5th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
This is not the way I remember the discussion going. Yes, there was some complaining by folks whose names didn’t get called out by the Gov.( By the way my name did get called out for supporting the Gov’s veto’s.) but with regard to the Speaker’s comments on the vocal groups in the room I must take exception. The Speaker only commented to say that we can’t over look even a vocal minority because we are all part of the Republican Party. I don’t believe I heard him have any derogatory comments about Ron Paul people.
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