GOVERNOR WANTS TO KEEP LIBERTARIAN, PETITION CANDIDATES OFF THE AIR
S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley is refusing to appear onstage alongside two non-establishment candidates for governor, sources familiar with the Palmetto State’s 2014 debate negotiations tell FITS.
Haley has committed to debating Democratic gubernatorial nominee Vincent Sheheen an unspecified number of times, but she’s reportedly insisting any third party or petition candidates reach a fifteen percent polling threshold to be allowed onstage.
“The governor is simply following the guidelines recommended by the Commission on Presidential Debates,” a source close to Haley told FITS.
Sources close to Sheheen’s campaign say he wants all duly nominated and petition candidates to be allowed onstage.
In addition to Haley and Sheheen, self-styled “independent Republican” Tom Ervin and Libertarian nominee Steve French are seeking the state’s top constitutional office this November. Both are currently polling under five percent, but Ervin recently launched his first television ad of the general election campaign and French is reportedly preparing his first spot.
Haley is no doubt responding to polls that show her cruising past Sheheen in a head-to-head match up, but struggling to stay outside the margin of error in a race with all four choices on the menu.
If Haley’s efforts are successful, this wouldn’t be the first time her handlers have taken steps to limit who appears onstage alongside her.
Sources at the Republican Governor’s Association (RGA) tell FITS that Haley will not appear on panels alongside New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez due to the South Carolina governor’s comparative lack of command of the issues.
Sheesh …
We think this issue is a no-brainer: All four candidates should be allowed to debate. Anything less is a sad byproduct of mainstream media censorship and establishment fear.
RAPID REACTION
@fitsnews Coward!
— St. Jimmy aka Devere (@DevereHarsey) August 8, 2014
@fitsnews good for her! It's about time somebody stands up to people whose only job is to siphon votes!
— Tim Sweeney (@KelticSC) August 8, 2014
73 comments
A jake Knotts move to limit who can run, who can be heard by the electorate.
Haley needs to go and go and go until we never have to see, or hear her self serving lies ever!
Chickenshit!!
She’s an awful governor, but at least she’s smart enough to know she’d get her ass kicked.
If the other three are smart, they’ll hold a debate with a cardboard cutout of her.
I would love to see Ervin debate a cardboard cutout of Dr.Phil.
In the 1st debate he could play a failed Democrat that could never win an election and quit the party.
In the 2nd debate Ervin could play a failed Republican that could never win an election and quit the party.
In the 3rd debate he could play the self- identified loser without a political party that hopes to elect a Democrat as governor and make the old lady happy.
and Sandi get another $1 from the Haley campaign under another name
She actually gets $2 because sockpuppets hide her shilliness better.
Why would she? Combined neither of those two have a snowball’s chance in Hell of even getting 5% of the vote. Why don’t presidential debates include the Communist and Socialist party candidates? Because it’s nothing but a waste of time.
Its enough for her to lose! LMAO!!
Then we’re stuck with Sheheen who has never come up with a solution to anything because he’s too busy complaining like an old Jewish woman about anything Haley does. We might as well elect Todd Rutherford.
Or Neil Young…………………………………….
Old man look at yourself…
It’s absolutely the right political move, no one is debating that. It’s just sad because Ervin and French are both credible candidates.
Does credible mean chance of winning or have good ideas?
You appear to be the village idiot tonight on FITS supporting electing a Democrat/Socialist as governor of SC. Please DEFINE a ‘credible’ candidate.
anyone who qualified to be on the ballot…
The ones that aren’t paying you to be here.
Who anointed Ervin and French ‘credible’ candidates?
T-Rav’s campaign manager.
Fuck Ervin and French. If they were credible candidates they’d be running as Republicans or Democrats. Neither could have gotten those parties endorsement so they went with the bullshit route to get on the ticket.
Not a STATE in this country can afford a Democrat governor and that is what Ervin’s campaign is all about. French is just young and stupid not realizing that his desire to live in a ‘libratard’ utopia of social ignorance and Rand/Ron Paul disengagement of the world, is a formula for the destruction of America.
Ervin and the old lady apparently have an axe to grind cause they have played by the rules and been successful in life HOWEVER Tom continues to be unelectable for a political office.
Haley Trolls never sleep/////
Ha thanks for the laugh! This state needs another republican like I need a hole in my head. I’m a libertarian and don’t have any faith in democrats but in South Carolina the Republicans control the house, the senate, and all nine constitutional offices. Republicans, not democrats, fully own the states 12th highest income tax, our 48th in the nation educations system, and our abysmal transparency ratings. But hey… as long as a democrat doesn’t get elected…then things could get bad in SC
It’s has gotten worse by the do nothing congress and the do nothing house. Have you seen the poll Republican has the worst record for the senate and the house.
South Carolina is controlled by the Republican party. They knew Koller had a bad record from Hawaii but if they would appoint who Haley wanted in office they would cook the books at dss.
Seems that axe to grind belong to you.
Pathetic! Party people like you ARE the problem!
Both parties have FAILED the people of this Country and State!
It is people like you (party people of both parties) who limit choices and prevent new ideas and leadership! History will prove you as failures!
So your solution is to vote for the candidate running on some bullshit ticket. A pretty much a given that a vote for a 3rd party candidate is a wasted vote.
If they were credible candidates they’d be running as Republicans or Democrats.
I will say, Ervin’s choice to not run against Haley in the primary was basically him acknowledging that he had no intentions of actually dethroning her.
The dude wants to keep the Republican monicker while running as an independent. That’s a bit of a joke if you ask me. You had your chance to run as a Republican and you chose not to.
I’m sad because you won’t debate that other credible blogger… GrandTango.
Sheheen, Ervin and French should refuse to debate unless all are involved and if Haley does not join they should debate each other and each of them should take a portion of each answer to highlight that Haley refused to participate in the debate.
A smart move. I hope they do it. :-)
Haley is soo afraid of the truth and her failures! Horrified to have to publicly defend her actions, lies, etc.
She will not be able to remember all of the lies and will be shown, for WHAT and WHO she really is!
What’s wrong Nikki? Not ready for prime time?
Worried about trying to remember all of your lies?
Don’t want to be called out on all of the dead children you refused to acknowledge, causing more child deaths?
Concerned about all of our personal info you allowed to be stolen, by not providing security, at DOR?
Worried about your sell out of South Carolina, to Georgia for a fund raiser and a prime speaking slot, at the Rep. Convention?
Worried your affairs will get more exposure and you will be found out?
Know you are not capable and will look like the incompetent you really are?
LMAO!!! Ole ‘traitor’ tommy apparently can buy his way onto the ballot with 20,000 Democrat signatures, buy and produce an ad with the old lady as spooky as the movie Carrie HOWEVER ain’t got enough money to buy a seat at the debate.
You can’t make this stuff up. 2% tommy loses again.
Nikki,
You know me! I helped you in two elections, helped you get votes, helped you raise money!
I was at your fund raisers, at the Capitol City Club on primary night , spent time with your family and at your victory party on election night!
About two (2) months after you were sworn in, you told numerous lies and committed numerous transgressions!
I truly screwed up and owe the State and it’s people an apology!
YOU ARE UNFIT FOR OFFICE! And I apologize for my involvement in your fraud and misuse of Office, your damage to the State and it’s people!
Liar.
Paid for Hack
http://www.frenchforfreedom.com/get-involved/
Join the fight!
Oh, thank goodness, we are still propping up the two party system. Lord knows more choices is a terrible thing, gotta dumb it down to two for us.
Dead on, my friend!
If you were in her position, you wouldn’t give them air time or give voters options either. If Sheehan were the front runner, he wouldn’t debate them either.
Slam dunk. G-O-A-L
Haley by two touch downs.
She’s a shoo-in.
Haley is scared she cant keep her lies straight on stage her only argument is Obama this and Trial Lawyer that. She is one simpleton idiot. I hope the voters see this lying self serving heifer for what she is. A person who does not give a rats ass about our state but only cares about her next job.
Apparently the IRS has the ad that Ervin , Williams , their Pastor, their church and the campaign apparently thought was ‘cute’.
Jerimiah Wright was smart enough never too cross this line. Idiots and I guess why Ervin has never been electable for anything, in any party .
Wrong again Sandi!
Tom was elected to the House of Representatives and served Anderson, SC honorably. He was then elected to a Circuit Judgeship. He almost defeated Jean Toal (a Dem.) and had most of the Republican voted, when the legislature had only a hand full of Republicans.
You continue to spread your Haley lies and become more disgusting, by the post.
Can’t you stay on topic? Larry didn’t even mention Ervin.
Apparently your new full-time job is following me around this forum posting your typical weirdo bullshit.
Maybe ‘traitor tommy will give you the role of “village idiot” in their next Hollywood production.
What else do you expect from a liar and no show coward?
Ervin couldn’t get enough Dims to vote for him to be a Dim. Couldn’t get enough Republicans to vote for him to be a Republican. Sounds like a real winner. What is he running for again, I forget ? The old saying about the tallest midget comes to mind. Although Nikki isn’t the greatest she is so far ahead of the competition it isn’t even a race. She really should debate the rest of the crowd to point up the fact. Nikki might not be the greatest thing since sliced bread but the rest are heels. LOL
76 Reasons Nikki Haley Is Unfit to Lead South Carolina
The South Carolina Republican has shown time and again that she can’t handle being governor.
As ABC News recently reported, 76 children died while under the
supervision of her state’s Department of Social Services just last year.
The death of a child is a tragedy. The
deaths of 76 children
in less than four years is an epidemic, one that happened under Nikki
Haley’s watch, under her leadership. That’s simply unforgivable.
Her failure to dredge the Charleston harbor, which to some may seem
like no big deal, matters to Charleston’s harbor pilots and to the large
cargo ships that need to navigate the Holy City’s waterways.
Charleston’s economy depends on this ship traffic, and Haley gave Mayor
Joseph Riley and his city the middle finger when what they needed
instead was her support.
She has focused much of her tenure on “corruption.” I don’t begrudge
Haley’s desire to clean up corruption. In fact, I applaud it. But
frankly,
she should look no further than her own party for that.
The list of my grievances with the governor is long. They touch
on all sorts of subject matters. But what they all have in common is the
governor herself. The problem is Nikki Haley, not her race or her
gender or political party. So, no, I disagree with you Palash that Haley
is qualified to be either vice president or president of the United
States. She’s not qualified to lead South Carolina for another term as
governor. I mean, aren’t 76 dead children enough of a track record to
fire the person leading South Carolina? If that’s not enough, then by
golly, please vote for her and when you go into that polling booth,
remember those children. Think about them.
DSS – children dead, idiots in charge, no one accountable, agency still in the hole on IT issue
DHEC – TB outbreak in Greenwood with no true agency leadership or accountability, extremely overpaid idiots in charge
DEW – in the hole, idiot after idiot put in charge
The Savannah River sellout
DOR – taxpayers hacked, ensuing cover-up
Lies, lies and more lies
Political campaigning for herself/others instead of doing her job for SC citizens
Going on book publishing trail instead of focusing on SC
Misusing state resources for personal gain/convenience (vehicles, planes, SLED staff, etc.)
Removing Darla Moore from the USC BOT in exchange for a useless, uninformed campaign donor
So, where is the TV commercial highlighting all of these screw ups? Come on, Ervin, French or Sheheen, somebody put ALL of this out there for the uninformed SC voter’s consumption. How could anyone do any worse? Where are SC’s interests in all of these pathetic, self-serving moves?
CHARLESTON, South Carolina – South Carolina, like many states, has a
governorship that is at best weak. Nearly every aspect of how this state
runs is controlled by the General Assembly, where Republicans control
the House with a 32-member advantage and the Senate by a 10-vote
majority. Simply put, the Republicans hold all the legislative cards.
That leaves the sitting governor without much of an agenda.
The
current governor down here is former state Rep. Nikki Haley. She was
elected in 2010 by a slim four-point margin over Democratic state Sen.
Vincent Sheheen. That’s right, a Republican only won by four points in
South Carolina. But wait there’s more. Haley was endorsed by “you
betcha!” Sarah Palin and had huge backing from the so-called tea party
wing of the GOP at a time when it began its nascent ascendancy across
the country.
Nikki Haley’s comet was in full and fast ascent. So
she settled into the governor’s mansion up in Columbia with a clear
vision: to work with and against the GOP-controlled assembly
and to do anything she could to lower the state’s 10.8 percent
unemployment rate. Haley has definitely succeeded at the former. She has
a habit of verbally beating up her former Republican colleagues from
her ground floor suite of offices as they sit upstairs in their
respective chambers. Her favorite target
these days? That would be GOP Speaker of the South Carolina House Bobby
Harrell. We call this “dog eat dog” down here in S.C., and there just
isn’t any better theater to be honest. She’s even gone so far as to give
her former colleagues in the state legislature “report cards.” Somebody needs to give her a collection of Norman Vincent Peale’s books, and quick.
[See a collection of political cartoons on the Republican Party.]
No
one in the state will deny Haley loves power, and frankly she’s both
talented and smart. You don’t become the chief executive of an entire
state by accident, not even here in South Carolina. The bigger question
most folks have down here is does she have the ability to govern. I
mean, she is the governor, right?
Most South Carolinians also
agree that the governor really only has one thing to do and that is to
use her office as a bully pulpit. When you look at the amount of power
she actually has versus the amount of press coverage she actually gets,
there’s no match. Recognizing her own official limitations, Haley has
taken the governorship to a new level, even beyond the stunts of her
predecessor Mark Sanford (I just can’t go there). And that’s where her
bigger problems come from – her inability to stay out of the news for
missteps.
Several hiccups are noteworthy.
While Haley blasts her “bestie” Speaker Harrell for ethics violations, she’s been accused and burned
on more than one occasion for her own set of ethical lapses. She’s
currently trading barbs up and down the state with Sheheen over dueling
ethics reform proposals. It’s like watching some horrid Harry Potter
Quidditch match with rebel flags substituted for the venerable House of
Gryffindor. Such a shame actually.
Then there’s the little problem
with 4.5 million South Carolinians’ social security numbers being
compromised. Yeah, that happened. Someone hacked into a state database,
which wasn’t actually encrypted, and stole them. I think I’d be pissed
about this regardless of political affiliation. And it’s not like she
can blame her Democratic predecessor because, well, South Carolina
hasn’t had one of those in over a decade.
[See a collection of political cartoons on the tea party.]
Then
there was the issue of TB. That would be tuberculosis. Apparently, the
head of the Department of Health and Environmental Control refused
to allows a county superintendent of education to warn parents that
there was a TB scare within his schools. Who does the head of the
department answer to? Well, the governor. Optically, Haley just can’t
win.
Her judgement is now being called into question. Case in point: Just a few months ago, Haley chose to send funding
to the Port of Savannah instead of the Port of Charleston. A little
geography lesson: Savannah is in Georgia and Charleston is in South
Carolina. Now if she were somehow miraculously the governor of both
states, I could understand making a choice. Sadly, she’s not. And what’s
worse, she apparently chose the Savannah port after attending a
fundraiser in Georgia where she received $15,000 in campaign
contributions. I mean, if you’re going to sell out your own state,
shouldn’t it be for a hell of a lot more?
Perhaps the most egregious misstep was when she fired
Darla Moore from the Board of Trustees for the University of South
Carolina and replaced her with a Haley donor. The governor has the
limited power of applying a certain number of trustees to the boards of
state-supported colleges and universities. Moore, a self-made financier
who’s tougher than nails and perhaps the wealthiest philanthropist in
the state, had been on the board since 1999. Then one day, she wasn’t.
The neat little secret in South Carolina is that girl-on-girl fighting
just ain’t acceptable. Haley took it public and in the process ticked
off a lot of sweet southern ladies down there.
So is the Haley name dirt now? Her latest poll numbers
aren’t “purdy,” as we like to say. She’s sitting at 44 percent approval
statewide, but only sitting at 65 percent with fellow Republicans.
That’s not a good number to be sitting at a year out from re-election.
While those are poll numbers, something more telling just happened a
couple of weeks ago that raises both of my eyebrows.
[See a collection of political cartoons on Sarah Palin.]
Columbia
voters went to the polls to decide a referendum on whether to hire a
city executive or leave the current mayor of Columbia as the part-time
CEO of the capitol city. A week out, the referendum was well on its way
to passage. All polling showed it winning comfortably. Now you nor I
care about this referendum, with all due respect to the residents of
Columbia, but what I thought was strange was Haley’s endorsement of the
referendum a week out. Then something funny happened. Of the 74,120
eligible voters in Columbia, a mere 11,739 showed up to defeat what was supposed to win in a landslide. So what happened and why should Haley care?
By
all accounts, Haley’s endorsement killed the measure. In other words,
her endorsement is now a liability. Democrats hate her. Establishment
Republicans dislike her and her shenanigans. Of late, Haley endorsed
Sen. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C., and now the dwindling tea party is beyond
furious with her. I’ve been home the last three weeks for the holidays
and I have to be brutally honest: Not a single Republican I’ve talked to
is going to vote to re-elect her. Not one.
So let’s summarize,
shall we? You have a weak governor to start with, who has major ethics
problems, no legislative accomplishments after nearly four years in
office, screwed over the only other woman in the state with real power,
scared every parent in the upstate into thinking their kid had TB, tells
her former colleagues in the House and Senate how much they suck and
then picked Georgia over South Carolina (and I ain’t talking football
folks).
Bottom line: Nikki Haley is in trouble and she has less
than 365 days to right this ship. She better pray that ship ain’t
sailing into the Port of Charleston, since it lost its dredging money to
the folks next door in Georgia.
Good points.
It’s been almost two years since that SC DOR hacking incident and not one damn bit of information on the progress of who did it.
All you get is the silence of Haley who wills it to be forgotten and the absolute arrogance of law enforcement stating the the situation is “still under investigation”
What a crock of horse shit.
If Trey Gowdy was really worth a damn, he should launch an investigation of the hacking. Simply because he is a citizen of South Carolina if nothing else and is in a position to light a fire under someone’s ass.
For the life of me I can’t believe this shit has largely been forgotten
MILLIONS of people have been affected by this and the only thing is we are offered free credit monitoring. The people in South Carolina (and others out of state who were also affected by this) deserve much better.
If I were running for govenor, I would bring this absolute abject failure on her watch up every damn day.
Of all the things Queen Namrata is guilty of this shit tops it all.
I’ll NEVER forget it!!!!!
Son, please come home. I am worried.
Hear it was an inside job.
What a fucking coward…she knows they will call her ass on all the shit going on. DSS, DATA BREACH ETC….
No way to talk about a lady , James. Your mom must have been a low-life whore and bitch and why you apparently have no respect for women.
Grow up and put the bottle down.
What lady? It’s just Nikki….
Shes no lady ask Michael…..:)
I’ve known Haley well for about 12-13 years. She is NO lady!
A liar..yes, A cheater…yes, An incompetent…yes, An unethical person…yes, An amoral person…yes!
Your mom must have been a low-life whore and bitch
you apparently have no respect for women.
3/10, troll harder.
Elections aren’t about ideas, they’re about winning.
Nikki and Mike Haley really need to stop fucking around. SC is about to be turned upside down.
CDC Activates Red Alert Level 1
The director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday he has activated the agency’s emergency operation center at the highest response level to help respond to the worst Ebola outbreak in history.
In testimony at a special congressional hearing on Ebola, CDC director Dr Thomas Frieden said the CDC has more than 200 staff members in Atlanta working on the outbreak, and will soon have more than 50 disease experts in west Africa to try to contain the outbreak.
If a patient in a U.S. hospital is suspected or known to have Ebola virus disease, healthcare teams should follow standard, contact, and droplet precautions, including the following recommendations:
Isolate the patient: Patients should be isolated in a single patient room (containing a private bathroom) with the door closed.
Wear appropriate PPE: Healthcare providers entering the patients room should wear: gloves, gown (fluid resistant or impermeable), eye protection (goggles or face shield), and a facemask. Additional protective equipment might be required in certain situations (e.g., copious amounts of blood, other body fluids, vomit, or feces present in the environment), including but not limited to double gloving, disposable shoe covers, and leg coverings.
Restrict visitors: Avoid entry of visitors into the patient’s room. Exceptions may be considered on a case by case basis for those who are essential for the patient’s wellbeing. A logbook should be kept to document all persons entering the patient’s room. See CDC’s infection control guidance on procedures for monitoring, managing, and training of visitors.
Avoid aerosol-generating procedures: Avoid aerosol-generating procedures. If performing these procedures, PPE should include respiratory protection (N95 or higher filtering facepiece respirator) and the procedure should be performed in an airborne infection isolation room.
Implement environmental infection control measures: Diligent environmental cleaning and disinfection and safe handling of potentially contaminated materials is of paramount importance, as blood, sweat, vomit, feces, urine and other body secretions represent potentially infectious materials should be done following hospital protocols.
The term, “perfect storm,” was also used to describe the Ebola outbreak Thursday by the director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, Dr. Tom Frieden, in testimony before Congress.
If the statements are true, each nation must come up with its own plan to protect its people.
In the United States, that job falls to the CDC in Atlanta. As Frieden testified Thursday, the CDC raised its emergency operations center to Level 1, the highest possible alert in an effort to better coordinate a CDC-organized surge of health professionals and equipment being rushed to West Africa in an effort to contain the Ebola outbreak.
Nearly 900 people have died of Ebola in four west African countries since February.
Frieden also told Congress that it’s “inevitable” that someone with Ebola will get on a plane and fly to the United States, risking an outbreak here.
If, or when, Ebola does show up in the United States, the only way to combat the virus is through strict quarantines, said Dr. Arthur Robinson, a biochemist with Oregon-based Doctors for Disaster Preparedness.
“I don’t want to contribute to scaring everybody but at the same time, you’re dealing with total quarantine,” Robinson said. “You might have to quarantine entire small cities. Hopefully that doesn’t happen but it could.”
Robinson, who stresses that he has no inside knowledge of the government’s plans other than what he’s already seen play out, says he doubts the United States would be adequately prepared for a major outbreak of Ebola on its soil.
What does Haley care she just wants four more year’s to screw us all over till her next gig.
I agree. Problem is Vince acts like he doesn’t want the job. I can’t blame him raking in over 300k from Traffic and General Sessions Court. Ervin is a conniving ingrate with dreams of Frank Underwood dancing in his head. If the DSS scandal is not enough to remove her from office, I don’t know what is.
BTW, there is not one hospital in SC that can handle an airborn infectious disease. DHEC? Yea, right. SC Emergency Management Division? Don’t make me laugh. To make matters worse, we have an 80 something in the General Assembly who wears diapers in charge of the checkbook. Haley and Mike are a disaster…not what we need after the Sanford debacle. Vince just might have the wherewithal to guide SC into 2018.
Palmetto Richland, Lexington Medical Center, and MUSC all have Airborne Infection Isolation units (these are the ones I know of, their may be more). You’re information is either incorrect or a blatant lie.
I remeber when that picture was taken at the Bi-lo/Bon Secures Arena. There was was just a handfull of people there. Maybe less.
Failures in all administrations or plenty. South Carolina is still better off under Haley than under any of this would be Obama’s!
Incoherent much?
A few months ago, wasn’t there a governor out west who debated his one serious opponent and insisted that 2 absolute flake opponents be added? It was all over TV, anyone see it? As I recall, it ended up that the flakes took up so much time that the legitimate opponent had comparatively little time to engage with the governor seriously.
I guess Trikki didn’t think this might work to her advantage…
FIRST QUESTION FOR HALEY, WHERE DID YOU GET $ 1,500,000
TO LOAN PARENTS AND CALIFORNIA BUSINESS MAN ???????