By FITSNews || First of all, props to everybody at Leadership Columbia (S.C.) for inviting our founding editor Sic Willie to participate in a panel discussion Tuesday on the role of media in politics (or something like that).
“You are all smarter for having been in my presence,” Sic told the crowd upon his departure.
Sic would also like to thank the smokin’ hot brunette in the black dress who was sitting about six rows back on the right side of the audience (facing the front of the room) for just being herself. Seriously, darlin’ … were Mrs. Sic not in such firm possession of his testicles, you would have most assuredly been on the receiving end of an ol’ “Hey, how you?”
Anyway, Sic had a blast – as he always does when he speaks at Leadership Columbia – only this year he was upstaged by one of his co-panelists (and former grad school classmate).
Wait … Sic? Upstaged? Surely we jest … this guy would light himself on fire if it meant people would continue paying attention to him.
Who on earth could possibly pull off such a feat?
That would be Gina Smith of The State newspaper, who regaled the crowd with the story of how she busted S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford at the Atlanta airport last June, setting off a particularly memorable six-month chapter in the history of the Palmetto State – 180 days that none of us will ever get back, incidentally.
As much as Sic obviously hated not having the spotlight all to himself, even he was forced to admit that Smith’s story – and the adorable authenticity with which she tells it – was friggin’ addictive. From the part where she jokes about how her editors refused to let her buy a ticket to enter the passenger waiting area (you know, in case Sanford had a layover), to recounting the awkward conversation she had with a governor whose world was about to implode.
“He realized pretty quickly that we knew more about where he had really been than he thought we did,” Smith recalls.
Our favorite part? When she laughed and wondered aloud whether the encounter will end up being the high point of her career (um, any bets on that?) …
Seriously … people ate it up. Every syllable of it. And we ate it up.
While we rarely have anything nice to say about Smith’s employers over at The State, she has always impressed us as a solid journalist. She’s never treated us unfairly, and has even risked irking her colleagues in the newsroom by linking to our website when she quotes us in the newspaper (which is a big no-no over at La Socialista).
As good a reporter as she is, though, she’s an even better storyteller …
Anyway, thanks to Gina, fellow State reporter Adam Beam (who was also on the panel) and everyone at Leadership Columbia, especially our good friend Casey Fields – who puts on such a wonderful program each year.
WEB EXTRA
Leadership Columbia
By southernmapart April 14, 2010 at 6:33 pm
Hey Sic, a little more on this line, “…about how her editors refused to let her buy a ticket to enter the passenger waiting area…” which is the part of the story about her meetup with Sanford at the Atlanta Airport which never rang true. Ms. Smith did not have access to the area for arriving passengers.
No longer can we meet anyone coming off a plane, but only outside the secure area where all public has access. In other words, anyone can walk up to you and say, “Hi, I just got off the plane from Argentina.”
This article does not keep me from thinking that Ms. Gina Smith is a part of the problem and another MsM liar.
There is no evidence that Gov. Mark Sanford ever left the State South Carolina the third week of June last year.
By Ynotfirst April 15, 2010 at 7:10 am
Gina Smith wrote lies to cover the Governor’s *ss. She is a part of the problem. She deserves no awards, respect or tv appearances. She’s gonna get hers and then everyone will know she works for Sanfraud, covered his *ss and the real story.
Sic, go find us ONE of the three ladies who claim to be Maria Be Len Chapur. Should be easy. In fact, Gina Smith shoulda done that for the readers she “services”.
I will unload on Gina everyday and one day, I won’t have to anymore.
Gina, people got your number honey…. you ain’t what you claim to be but boy oh boy do you love attention~
Liar.
( Sic is the more accurate of all SC political news)
By Give me Gina's # April 15, 2010 at 7:43 am
She is hot – Sic, I know you’ve got her #, hook a brotha up.
By OhNoNotAgain April 15, 2010 at 10:53 am
I hate that Gina Smith gets all the attention.
If my ol’ college buddy Jim Davenport hadn’t gotten Jenny Sanford’s “I don’t know and I don’t care quote” father’s day weekend and broke this story, The State would still be sitting on the e-mails. Absolutely.
And Davenport broke just about every other major bad-for-Sanford development in that story.
Gina, she got lucky her that her editors got some brass ones long enough for her to drive down to Atlanta.
By Harumph April 15, 2010 at 12:29 pm
Wow, I had no idea she was hot. She should get at least consideration for a Pulitzer in investigative journalism for her busting the Sanford story wide open. And she’s also proof to the governor that he didn’t need to go to South American to find some heat — we have plenty right here at home.
By baker April 17, 2010 at 11:05 am
I think Gina Smith does a good job.
Jim Davenport, too.