By FITSNews || We knew that Thursday’s “Republican” gubernatorial debate in Charleston, S.C. was going to be a low IQ affair, but we had no idea it was going to be low-tech, too.
Way to go, South Carolina.
Less than twenty minutes into the SCGOP-sponsored event, organizers had to temporarily stop the debate due to malfunctioning audio.
That gave each of the candidates another chance to give their opening statements when the debate resumed about fifteen minutes later. It also gave U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett a second stab at answering a question from moderator Joe Scarborough about whether or not he regretted his October 2008 vote in support of the Wall Street bailout.
Barrett said – twice – that he didn’t regret his flip-flop, an opening that was seized upon by S.C. Rep. Nikki Haley, who called Barrett’s pro-bailout vote “a terrible mistake.”
S.C. Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer wasn’t in an apologetic mood, either.
Days after generating yet another national controversy for the Palmetto State by comparing children who receive free and reduced lunch at public schools to “stray animals,” Bauer stuck to his aggressive defense.
“Political correctness is killing us,” Bauer said, adding that he would continue to speak out against government “giving people money and asking nothing in return.”
In addition to the debate’s technical problems, it was also noteworthy for its awkwardness as the field of candidates were asked to discuss S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford – with the governor himself sitting just a few feet away.
“Sanford has pointed the way to economic prosperity,” S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster said.
Asked whether or not they would seek to emulated the fiscal conservatism of U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint or the left-leaning “Republicanism” of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, the candidates took drastically different positions.
Barrett refused to answer the question, but said he would not have voted to censure Graham (as two local GOP groups have done) for his support of a number of liberal agenda items in Washington, D.C.
McMaster also refused to answer the question.
Haley and Bauer both said that they would be like DeMint, but Bauer agreed with Barrett that Graham should not have been censured.
When we polled this same question last month, 62 percent of you chose DeMint while only 38 percent chose Graham.
Obviously, the June GOP primary is still a long way off, but let’s check with our readers on the status of the race, shall we?
Loading ...UPDATE: Also, for a moment-by-moment “retweeting” of the SCGOP debate, head over to Palmetto Morning’s Twitter feed.
By HIPAA Violator January 29, 2010 at 8:47 am
Bauer was the surprise of the night for me. I didn’t see the whole debate — I tuned in while McMaster was discussing the ports — but what I saw of Bauer was pretty impressive. It wasn’t enough to convince me that he should get the nomination, but I think that, for all intents and purposes, he “won” the debate (or at least what I saw of it).
By HIPAA Violator January 29, 2010 at 8:49 am
I also enjoyed hearing the crowd chuckle when Bauer said he people of S.C. had seen him mature over the years. Bauer’s response — “thank you.”
Nikki Haley also performed strongly but looked like she had just crawled out of bed.
By sclawboy January 29, 2010 at 8:49 am
Bauer is trying to incite class warfare by picking on the poor. That never works out well (see French Revolution, e.g.)
As to the tech issues, I blame Dwight Drake’s hair.
By John Steinberger January 29, 2010 at 8:55 am
Nikki Haley is the only candidate who understands that the only way to create jobs (without bribing large corporations) is to eliminate the state income tax on businesses. She misses part of the formula, though. The consumers need money to spend. The South Carolina FairTax Act (H.3992/S-902)stimulates businesses and consumers. Would you like a 7% increase in take-home pay? Encourage Rep. Haley to get onboard!
By Cooter Brown January 29, 2010 at 8:58 am
Aint much ov a choice, I’d say. Can I rite in Mickey Mouse?
By south mauldin January 29, 2010 at 9:09 am
Nikki Haley couldn’t tell the difference between a loan and a grant from the federal government for that broken-down school in Dillon. Coming from somebody who purports to having a business background, that is inexcusable.
McMaster won that debate. And Mullins McLeod, with his food bank drive, earned some points.
By Liberty For Me January 29, 2010 at 9:29 am
These clowns dont get it…..These are new times.If you dont stand up for what the people want you wont stand a chance.People dont want Graham.
If you dont have the balls to call a spade a spade we wont put up with you anymore.Can you imagine the national news coverage and the momentum you would get if you said “not only would I censure him,I would ask for him to resign.He has betrayed the people of his state and misreprsented himself as a politician.”….That would be the pserson I would vote for
By PasserBy January 29, 2010 at 9:30 am
FITS:
Didn’t see “none of the above” or “I don’t know, do I HAVE to vote for one of them?” as a choice.
By Roger Roger January 29, 2010 at 9:37 am
I don’t see the problem with Barrett. Is it that he wants to be a consensus builder and get stuff done, a la Carroll Campbell?
By Gillon January 29, 2010 at 10:28 am
“Mark Sanford was a good governor.”(all four candidates) “Jim DeMint is our best Senator.” (Bauer and Haley) God help us. Apparently the sound system malfunction carried over to the the brains of the candidates. And “Cooter” and “By Passerby”, you are men of wisdom.
By Crooner January 29, 2010 at 10:38 am
Watching this debate not only made me glad Sanford wasn’t impeached, it made me in favor of a constitutional amendment allowing him to run again. Sheesh.
By Dusty January 29, 2010 at 11:56 am
Can someone tell McMaster that once you get to a certain age, the hair part in the middle has to go?
By Ynotfirst January 29, 2010 at 12:22 pm
Vote Democrat this year please.
By Hmmm January 29, 2010 at 3:23 pm
I’m willing to bet that those of you saying none of the GOP choices are credible will not be voting in the GOP primary anyway. I don’t think it matters who the GOP candidate were, you’re going to vote Dem every time.
Bauer won that debate hands down.
By WorkingTommyC January 29, 2010 at 3:42 pm
I have to go back and watch it all. I saw it up to the point the air traffic controller radio talk coming in on the microphones caused the break.
What I DID see was funny as all get out!
Foghorn Leghorn’s punctuated style of talking about his qualifications for gub’nah is getting even MORE pronounced and intense. He’s kind of like a more animated version of Karl Childers but without the gravelly voice.
The funniest thing I noticed was that Gresh looked for all the world like Will Ferrell doing an impression of Bush II as a drooling idiot.
Bauer looked like he’d taken a black magic marker to his eyebrows–nothing new there.
Nikki looked a little tired but from what I understand, she’s been wearing out some tires and shoe leather going all over the state.
She’s a lot better choice by far than the rest and we’re lucky we’ve got a REAL reformer running.
No one else has shown they have any guts. The big three good ol’ boys are status quo corruption personified.
By FiscalConservativefor2010 January 29, 2010 at 6:36 pm
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/01/29/2188866.aspx
MSNBC the MODERATORS of the debate, posted that Nikki Haley was the only one that would have voted to censure Senator Graham. Who is correct? Bias blogger? Or the moderator?
By WorkingTommyC January 30, 2010 at 9:43 am
I just watched the entire debate.
Gresh would have voted against the censure if he’d been a voting member of the Charleston GOP. He practically tap-danced on stage refusing, after repeated pressure from Scarborough, to simply say which US Senator he’d be more like.
Bauer kept it short and answered, “DeMint” but did not elaborate further until a delayed follow-up where he stated that he would also have voted against a censure.
McMastah practically took the fifth when he got the microphone and smugly looked over and declahed, “I’m not gon’ take da BAIT!”
He then blessed himself with Reagan’s name in his cowardly refusal to identify himself between the two. His was a most disgusting display of equivocation. When asked, he also stated that he would have voted against a censure. Surprised?
Nikki declared that she supported Jim DeMint’s views in opposition to Lindsey Graham. She was also the only one who supported the rights of the county parties to express their voices on the matter of politicians behaving badly:
NIKKI HALEY: ” . . . I will tell you, ‘Jim Demint’ hands down! And Congressman, I have to say this [addressing Gresham Barrett] . . .Jim DeMint was the only one that voted against the TARP bail-out when the rest of you voted for the 800 million dollar bail-out. We don’t need that in South Carolina. We don’t want it.” [applause from audience]
“And I’ll also tell you we don’t need cap and trade we don’t need all those things. I have fought for the last five years for people to know the power of their voice. I have fought for them to [make government] know the value of a dollar. Jim DeMint has done that in Washington. I will do that in Columbia. Hands down he’s the right Senator and Senator Graham should come around at some point I hope . . . I hope that Senator Graham comes around at some point and listens to the people of South Carolina.”
JOE SCARBOROUGH: “If you were a member of the Charleston Republican Party, would you have voted to censure Lindsey Graham?”
NIKKI HALEY: “You know, I think what we have to understand is that we no longer vote for people because they look good in a picture or they hold a baby well. If they are not conservative, we don’t need to support them. I think what you saw in the Charleston GOP was they felt like cap and trade was wrong and they felt like the TARP bail-out was wrong and they let Senator Graham know that. Senator Graham now needs to respond to ‘em. I appreciate that they used the power of their voice”
JOE SCARBOROUGH: “Yes or no?”
NIKKI HALEY: “Yes, I appreciate what they did. And I think that they tried to send him a message and I think he owes them an answer back.”
The whole time Nikki was answering this, McMastah was grinning like a hyena thinking that she was getting herself in trouble. Agree or disagree with her, she let people know what she thinks instead of being the typical good ol’ boy automaton.
McMastah should realize the voters will spit out his lukewarm, watered down good ol’ boy equivocation this time around if they have any sense.
By SnakeMD January 30, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Someone told me that Nikki said that the Confederate Flag debate should be revisited. Is this true? Did she say that or was someone feeding me a line? Thanks…
By Huhhh??? January 30, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Grsham has that same shiny, plastic look Carroll Campbell used to sport…Is there something in the water in the upstate we don’t know about?
By WorkingTommyC January 30, 2010 at 6:29 pm
*****
*****
QUOTE: By SnakeMD on January 30th, 2010 at 12:35 pm
Someone told me that Nikki said that the Confederate Flag debate should be revisited. Is this true? Did she say that or was someone feeding me a line? Thanks…
*****
*****
Someone is feeding you a shovel full of something I don’t advise swallowing.
The candidates that were asked stated that the CS flag issue is a done deal and nothing should be changed.
I honestly don’t remember off the top of my head if Nikki even got that question. If I find out differently, I’ll let you know. I do know that she also wants it left alone, done deal, etc.
By LowcountryGamecock January 30, 2010 at 11:12 pm
McMaster sounded like he was mentally impaired and gave long-winded, circumferential responses.
Barrett proved that he is just another smooth-talking pseudo-Lindsey Graham (i.e, “I won’t compromise my conversative principles but I’ll ‘cross the aisle’ once I get elected and compromise my principles.”)
Bauer seemed distracted and has too much embarrassing personal baggage to win a gubernatorial election.
Haley won this debate hands-down and demonstrated that she has the poise to lead our state.
I watched the debate as an undecided voter, but I left as a firm supporter of Nikki Haley.
By Jimbo January 31, 2010 at 4:52 pm
The bailout bill question should be the most relevant way to determine whether a candidate is a true conservative or a liberal stooge.
If a candidate can’t answer that layup , they don’t deserve to be seeking higher office.
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