Take two, S.C. Democrats …
After a bitter internal power struggle between old and new (and black and white) factions of the South Carolina Democratic Party, S.C. Rep. Bakari Sellers has been chosen to deliver the Democratic response to S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley’s 2012 State of the State address.
Sellers (who is young and black) has been in the news lately pushing a modest decrease in the state’s gas tax – a move no doubt designed to paint a contrast with so-called “Republican” leaders who have been pushing a gas tax hike as part of a broader “restructuring” of the state’s tax code.
Originally, S.C. Rep. Boyd Brown (who is young and white) was scheduled to give the address – although that announcement prompted a hissy fit from S.C. House Minority Leader Harry Ott (who is old and white).
Given Haley’s disastrous first year in office (and her less-than-ambitious legislative agenda), it’s not surprising that Democrats were chomping at the bit to respond to her speech.
Now the only question is whether anyone will see their response …
Sources tell FITS that SCETV – which will provide the State of the State to television stations across the state via satellite – may not provide satellite links to the Democratic response.
Why not?
“Budget cuts …” which is just ironic for so many reasons.
in her 2011 State of the State address, Haley proposed doing away with funding for SCETV, only to work out a backroom funding deal for the agency with “Repbulican” legislative leaders a few weeks later. Things went south, though, when this website broke the news of this secret funding agreement.
How south? Take a look …
Anyway, Sellers is – like Brown – an up-and-coming young Democrat with a mild reform streak who should do very well with this opportunity, assuming anybody gets to see it.
UPDATE: A Democratic source just texted us to say that “SCETV is now paying for the Dem Response.”
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By Not fair January 17, 2012 at 10:45 am
Hmm, Sellers is a good choice (he seems to have some common sense, unlike so many Rs and Ds in the State House) but I loved the choice of Brown JUST because it would have pissed off Haley!
By RecallNikki January 17, 2012 at 10:26 pm
Yep, I agree. Haley didn’t want Boyd Brown to do the response.
By SocialConservative January 17, 2012 at 11:20 am
One poor choice after another. At least Boyd would have been funny. The last thing Clyburn Jr. needs is a microphone and an audience.
By Smirks January 17, 2012 at 4:50 pm
Care to elaborate what makes this guy “Clyburn Jr.”?
By BradWarthenSucks January 17, 2012 at 5:50 pm
Clyburn, Jr. or Sellers, Jr. He’s just riding the tailcoat of his activist father. Democrats see him and fall all over themselves as the next coming of Jim Clyburn.
By Bemused January 17, 2012 at 11:27 am
If ETV can’t carry Sellers, they shouldn’t carry Haley.
By ? January 17, 2012 at 11:36 am
Sounds like payback to Boyd for not kissing the proper rings.
I do like watching Dems call for tax cuts and paint the GOP into their box of hypocrisy though.
They should get together and form one big party, called the “Tax” party.
By Chicora January 17, 2012 at 11:54 am
Ge…what a mess. Just one more reason to impeach this complete failure of a gov.
By jimlewis,owb January 17, 2012 at 12:03 pm
By all accounts Bakari may have a microphone but it will not be connected to any major media outlets. If the signal does get out, it will be dismissed as quick as the scan button moves to the next signal.
Do believe the real story here is that Captain Harpoon Dick has had his ass kicked off the top deck of the Whaler SC Democratic Party by Admiral OF Harry and assigned to clean the Cook’s Heads with his tooth brush until Captain Harpoon Dick fully understands whose ass he is to kiss first.
Would not be surprised to read soon that Captain Harpoon Dick announces that his law practice requires his full attention and that Admiral OF Ott needs to find a new Captain who likes to kiss an Old Fart’s Ass.
By Not fair January 17, 2012 at 12:34 pm
Palmetto Public Record is reporting that ETV has reversed course and will broadcast the Sellers’ response
By Skidmarks January 17, 2012 at 12:35 pm
I appreciate the unbiased observations about SCETV’s selective coverage.
Also, recall that SCETV broadcast in full Jesus Jim DeMint’s presidential candidate interview show in September after DeMint started squawking about getting rid of public broadcasting.
By RustyNail January 17, 2012 at 12:45 pm
Tho a Democrat, I see Sellers as a poor, poor choice. Thus far in his legal/legislative career, this kid has been nothing but a poseur. He has not earned the swagger that has become part of his persona around the State House and in the bars of the VIsta. Other than completing his law degree at Carolina (which, given that even Thad Viers did that, is not a head-turner), his resume thus far consists of little more than the last name conferred on him by birth. The opportunity to speak for one’s party should be offered to someone who has actually accomplished something (Gilda Cobb-Hunter, James Smith, Brad Hutto, Joel Lourie would be four of those “someones”) and not someone who, at this point in his career, has proven to be nothing more than a pretender.
By ? January 17, 2012 at 1:07 pm
Come on now, we know why the Dems were in-fighting over whether it was going to be Boyd or Sellers, they are looking for “young blood”.
It’s a way to try to get the hipsters in the fold.
By Portnoy January 17, 2012 at 2:43 pm
The Donkeys better hope Sellers does better with his response than he did on the bar exam, because he won’t get to do the response two more times this year.
By :) January 17, 2012 at 4:32 pm
Rest assured that his speech will be a “group project”. The SCDP isn’t so stupid as to let a junior pol with virtually no real world experience craft a “message” to the sheeple on his own.
By moedog January 17, 2012 at 5:22 pm
Very impressed with Mr. Sellers. I believe he is destined to help pull SC out of the 19th century.
By Clayton January 17, 2012 at 9:13 pm
And you are impressed with Mr. Sellers because why? I think Todd Rutherford is the most impressive of that “set,” but Jean Toal owns him so many ways….
By Doris January 17, 2012 at 9:12 pm
I agree with RustyNail. Gilda Cobb Hunter is the best choice by far – but she can’t be trusted by the inner circle to say – or read – exactly what “they” want her to say. We girls at the State House just LOVE her!
But Good Lord, have mercy, Dick! Beating Nikki can’t be THAT hard. Don’t y’all have ANYONE with some public creditability you can prop up and say what they are supposed to say!
I’m sure Jakie would love to do it, but I know, I know, he doesn’t SAY he’s one of y’all.
By Uncle Remus January 17, 2012 at 9:26 pm
I hope he can speak English. None of dat brother talk.
By truthteller#1 January 19, 2012 at 10:52 am
Go suck on a jet engine.