Haley Hanging With Sanford … For Now
Another of S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford’s staunchest supporters is speaking out today as fallout from the governor’s fateful media confessions has him clinging to power by the thinnest of threads.
S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley – generally regarded as the “Sanford candidate” in the race for the 2010 Republican gubernatorial nomination – is technically still “standing by her man,” but for how much longer?
Here’s the statement Haley released this afternoon …
“For the past five years I have worked with Mark Sanford trying to restructure our backward system of government and make our state more accountable and taxpayer-friendly. During that time I have also been fortunate to know Jenny, and have developed a tremendous admiration and respect for her. In the context of those two things, there are no words to describe the disappointment I feel over the revelations of the past week.
“The people of South Carolina have heard enough about the governor’s personal life. We do not need to hear any more of that. What we do need to hear from the governor is an explanation as to how he can lead our state going forward. He has a responsibility to outline what he wants to accomplish over the next 18 months and how he intends to accomplish it. I remain willing to listen to that case, but if he cannot make it convincingly, then he must move on.”
Alright, alright … we’re actually grooving on this one a little bit.
It makes sense. And it’s certainly a dramatic improvement from Haley’s previous comments on the subject.
Of course, Haley is dealing at a distinct advantage given the fact that she and Sanford share the same political advisor, D.C. consultant Jon Lerner.
In other words, she’s like the student who gets the answers to this particular quiz ahead of time.
Meanwhile, Haley’s desk mate in the S.C. House of Representatives and another staunch Sanford supporter, Rep. Nathan Ballentine, also appears to be on the verge of backing Sanford’s resignation.
“While I will always fight for the same common-sense reforms that the Governor has believed for several years, there comes a time when a new champion must emerge to lead the movement,” Ballentine wrote yesterday on his blog. “If not already, that time will soon be upon us.”
Those sorts of comments are being echoed by a host of Sanford supporters.
In related news, Rep. Ballentine enjoys Diet Coke.
Comments
By CNSYD on July 1st, 2009 at 8:17 pm
First Sanford sets Davis up for future failure by continuously referring to him in his first mea culpa. Now Fits applies the knife to Haley by sticking her with the moniker “Sanford candidate”.
By Anonymous on July 1st, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Nobody cares what Nikki thinks. It isn’t a logical stance.
By The Man on July 1st, 2009 at 8:18 pm
Word on the street is Tom Davis has his own “Maria” problem
By Adam on July 1st, 2009 at 8:20 pm
That statement by Nikki Haley is an improvement over her past statements. Personally I still wish she would be stronger against Sanford, but I understand the tight rope she is walking. One angle I think no one is covering is that as the only woman and mother in the governor’s race, some may say she should speak up more forcefully against Sanford’s actions, esp. as he continues to embarrass the First Lady in the media. We’ve already seen the social conservatives in the state sort of rally behind Jenny Sanford–this may have been an opening with this bloc of GOP primary voters that Haley is still missing.
By Sandra on July 1st, 2009 at 8:59 pm
It is time, as Nikki proposed, for Sanford to spell out an agenda for the remaining of his term. This will only allow us all to see how genuine and capable he may be going forward.
By Richard on July 1st, 2009 at 9:09 pm
I agree with Rep. Haley, as I often do. It is time for the governor to prove his commitment to the state or he needs to be talked down.
By Not Sayin', Just Sayin' on July 1st, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Wonder if Marco tried to tap that?
By Jeffy on July 1st, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Or cubby?
By A. South Carolina Dead Politician on July 1st, 2009 at 11:14 pm
“Come! my head’s free at last!” said Alice in a tone of delight, which changed into alarm in another moment, when she found that her shoulders were nowhere to be seen: she looked down upon an immense length of neck, which seemed to rise like a stalk out of a sea of green leaves that lay far below her.”
Watch what you may cut off South Carolina! Take your time.
It seems the Queen of Hearts is alive and well in South-Wonderland-Carolina, and she wants this execution to happen yesterday.
“Off with his head! The wonderful fat-and-thin politicians all shout!”
But then, children, remember she’s not a she – she’s a he. This is, after all the year 2009 and South Carolina and election 2010 are in the mix. And the Queen of Hearts is a bunch of SC Senatorial he’s; but like the Wonderland Queen: “Balls said the Queen. If I had two, I’d be the King!”
Therefore, in this adventure of the ‘just-passing-through-Mark Sandford’ the ‘Good Old Boys’ are pretty well, lets just say: Ball-less Wonders in Wonderland.
Just start with the Pretend Confederate General and the McMasterbait ‘Craig’s List-Bounty Hunter Deluxe’ and it all becomes an adventure into a gonad-absent-jurisdiction the closer to the South Carolina Statehouse you get, especially in the Senate chambers.
Well, the Queens soldiers are now hard at work on their SLEDS and the Queen’s [read: Good Old Boys] hobbies – besides ordering executions of anyone in their way – is the hobby of Carolina Croquet where the balls are live political rivals and the mallets are Joe-average-voters kept ignorant by the deliberate failure of the Public School system.
Everything is run in this state by a Mad Hatter Mentality who all think that time has stopped in pre-civil rights 1960’s. Boys will be boys.
I suppose we could all just ‘pray’ for the demise of these geriatric-depends-wearing-over-50-year old Senators and some younger SC Reps; but I have a better plan for them.
Note to still in power for the time being dead man walking Governor Mark Sanford.
Please, follow the following instructions for an agenda which will follow:
#1 – Do not resign, yet. Make some small good come from your political death. Go after the ‘Good-Old-Boys-System’ of government. Do the living a favor; bust them ‘boys’ wide open. Spill their guts.
#2 – Your political obituary has not been written, yet. So, you still have time to write part of it yourself.
#3 – You always believed in Government in the Sunshine even though your know SC government is governance by the BLACKBOOK and who has what on whom; where the bodies are buried and not a government by-the-people.
#4 – Do not go quietly into the night Governor. Before you fall any further unto your sword, do some good for the people of South Carolina who at least believed in what you stood for at one time. Then go ahead and die after you have tried to do one last measure of good.
#5 – Hit the Good Old Boys hard. I would say, kick them in the ‘you-know-what’ but they have none. So just demand accountability from them as they are demanding accountability for you right now.
#6 – Bring every Senator into the Sunshine. Appoint an Independent Prosecutor who in turn appoints independent investigators who have the authority to independently investigate each and every Senator who has ever traveled while in office on the ‘taxpayers-dime’ to any destination and spent part of that time on ‘not-so-official’ business or with a friendly associated person.
#7 – Solicit all ‘discovered’ emails that indicate a lapse of duty to taxpayers or to family by any elected South Carolina official.
#8 – Place a Sunset provision on the independent investigation and then post the complete annotated findings of each and every Senator on an official internet web site at SC dot GOV for all to read. Don’t expect the Media Watchdogs slash Lapdogs to do this. The Media generally are whores who have a price.
#9 – Allow the people of this state to reach their own conclusions. This is called Government in the Sunshine and government by-the-people.
#10 – Once completed, offer to place your neck onto the block without hesitation; but finish something worthwhile for the people of this state. At least you go down fighting and you can show these hypocrites calling for your head for who they really are.
Don’t expect politicians who resist having their votes recorded and be accountable to the people they serve to really be genuine in their proclaimed purpose to serve the people of this State. These guys are phony’s.
Governor, you are done. Redemption will not follow. Just make your death worth something. Put it off a while; summer politics in South Carolina is slow anyway.
“You’d better not talk!” said Five, “I heard the Queen say only yesterday she thought of having you beheaded!”
“What for?” said the one who had spoken first.
“That’s not your business, Two!” said Seven.
“Yes, it is his business!” said Five.
Get to work Sanford; you still have some work to do. You are the Governor.
P.S. Make no mistake, they wanted you dead for years. But, beware of friends. Take it from a dead SC politician.
By hym on July 1st, 2009 at 11:56 pm
Good lord, Dead SC politician — that was good! And instructive. Now who still is either alive, willing or able to do the prosecuting — for that AG task may be sunk by its own captain’s agendas,
By William Smith on July 2nd, 2009 at 6:20 am
Haley is whom we really need to be governor of SC. She has got what it takes to ensure that we do not fall into the trap of over excessive taxes that is overwhelming our nation right now with all those stimulus spending that someone eventually needs to pay up. I am not going to pay such amount of money, are you? Stanford is already written off for now. We need to get our act togather to get Haley elected as Governor of SC!
By Just the Facts Ma'am on July 2nd, 2009 at 6:30 am
Sorry, but this voting “R” has NO respect for any candidate, male or female, that is still ‘thinking’ about their position on this. Take the sexual aspect out of it and only look at it from the accountability and transparency aspects and it’s a no-brainer. If this ‘maverick’ House member is still standing by her man, then she is putting politics and personal political survival above principle and is therefore disqualified as a leader.
By liz on July 2nd, 2009 at 6:53 am
Dead Politican, I would vote for you.
YES INVESTIGATE THINGS>
THAT IS WHY MCMASTER IS ALREADY OUT OF THE GOVERNOR”S SLOT IN THE NEXT RACE>
McMaster refused to act in the people’s behalf… people do not forget it.
It’s a pattern. He refused me personal help for four years. I am going to loose my home because McMaster refuses to do his AG job.
Mark played his own personal role as well.
THESE POLS ARE EVIL>
By snoozer on July 2nd, 2009 at 7:06 am
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…
Marco – POLO.
Marco – POLO.
Wow, Nikki Haley issues “statement.” Wow. Riveting stuff…
By Eric on July 2nd, 2009 at 8:13 am
@snoozer – apparently riveting enough for you to post a reply to.
By Toyota Kawaski on July 2nd, 2009 at 8:48 am
SC Dead lay off the Molly
By Toyota Kawaski on July 2nd, 2009 at 8:49 am
She wont make it out the primary
By ethel krabitz on July 2nd, 2009 at 10:27 am
she has been the Sandford candidate long before Fits News called her that. get real.
By A. South Carolina Dead Politician on July 2nd, 2009 at 11:19 am
Toyota: It must have been the roses or the ribbons in Molly’s long dark hair.
By scooter on July 2nd, 2009 at 3:17 pm
She does not have my vote due to her closeness to Sanford. Too bad, I would like to vote for a woman, but not one who holds her beliefs. And the conservative thing? Never agreed with that stuff. Too crazy for me.
By truthbetold on July 3rd, 2009 at 11:28 am
SC Dead Pol: Wow! I’d vote for you, too!!
Re: “You’d better not talk!” said Five, “I heard the Queen say only yesterday she thought of having you beheaded!” Do you think the Queen’s Court is as dirty as some of these “good ole boys” around here?