Here are some of the highlights of last night’s GOP debate. I didn’t think anything was necessarily that insightful, but it was quite entertaining at times. I can’t decide what part of it I liked the best: seeing the candidates sitting uncomfortably at kindergarten-sized desks, listening to Ron Paul call Rick Santorum a “fake” to his face, or witnessing the awkward catfights between Romney and Santorum…
What were your thoughts about the debate??
Last night’s Southern Republican Debate started out with quite the bang. The first question of the night was about Newt Gingrich’s ex-wife’s claims about an “open marriage” (a little tacky, in my opinion, but I figured it would happen…). Newt did not appreciate John King’s question:
Yesterday, as I was wasting away part of my life on Facebook, I came across this ad on my newsfeed:
When I read it, several thoughts went through my head.
First of all, it is apparent that I can no longer stalk a casual acquaintance communicate with friends online without being bombarded by the GOP presidential race. This stuff is everywhere. My friends and family in South Carolina can probably recite every political ad on TV word for word because they are essentially playing on repeat. Now these guys are on my Facebook, too? Come on. Let me waste my time on Facebook in peace.
Secondly: Rick Perry, just stop. You aren’t going anywhere in the polls. You were essentially the “flavor of the week” for part of 2011, but nobody takes you seriously after watching you perform in national debates really sees you winning the nomination at this point. Stop wasting money on advertising and pack it up.
Also, this really proved to me that yes, companies really do track everything you do online. I “liked” one Jon Huntsman thing on Facebook and now this ad is everywhere. So they really do cater these advertisements to the user. But if this is the case, I’m confused as to why I have ads that say: “FREE baby stuff,” “Lose Weight NOW,” and “Build Your Own Mushroom Town!” (Um, what???) But I digress…
Finally, what I’m really confused about: Why are you promoting Rick Perry to a Jon Huntsman fan? Are you trying to tell me that these two candidates are analogous? And you want me to support Rick Perry (the “Washington outsider”) because my favorite candidate dropped? I think maybe I should put some thought into who to support next… I’m not sure that a Facebook ad written at a third grade level is going to do it for me.
Yes, I sometimes makes jokes about South Carolina and some of the weird embarrassing interesting individuals from the Palmetto state that make the national news. But that doesn’t mean I don’t love my home state.
I must say that the media’s portrayal of this state during the GOP Primary is quite biased – I mean, one journalist described South Carolina as “a place famous for surfacing the dark undercurrents of American politics.” Come on… really? And a recent MSNBC panelist claimed that all of South Carolina hates Obama “because he happens to be black.” Hmmm… you want to show me the statistics that you based that little “fact” on?
So let’s set the record staright, shall we? I’m sure there is a lot to be done to improve upon South Carolina, but that can be said about every state. So why don’t we cut the Palmetto state a break and take a look at what this place is really like…
By John Avlon, CNN Contributor(CNN) — We’re in the thick of the South Carolina Republican Primary, and all the ugly old stereotypes are being deployed as shorthand for one very beautiful state.
You know, the characterization of South Carolina as a swamp of sleazy politics and brutal attack ads, a Bible Belt bastion of rednecks and racism, a state defined by Bob Jones University.
Sometimes these stereotypes are floated in political conversation as evidence of how “real” the state is in determining the true feelings of the conservative base.
Yes, South Carolina is conservative — especially compared with Washington, Los Angeles and New York City. But it is complex and constantly evolving, containing one of the oldest cities in America and a growing population, especially along the coastline. My family moved there when I was 14, and we love the state — and especially the elegant, functional and lyrical city of Charleston — with the zeal of the converted. For my parents, it is home.
So below are three stubborn stereotypes about South Carolina that need to be confronted with facts.
This isn’t Strom Thurmond’s state anymore
South Carolina is sometimes stereotyped as a lonely bastion of rural white social conservatives. In fact, the state is nearly 30% African-American — more than double the national average. An influx of immigrants from other states and retirees looking for a better quality of life have helped transform the state over the past three decades, boosting its population 15% in the past decade alone.
Most of this growth has happened on the coastline — especially around Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island– and the booming Greenville-Spartanburg metro area in the Upstate. Thanks to a combination of Right to Work laws and reduced tax burden, major manufacturing companies have relocated plants to the state, including BMW and Boeing. Nearly 60% of the state population lives in cities, towns or suburbs — and just more than 40% of the state was born elsewhere.
“People don’t take into account the general migration of wealthy, well-educated, generally successful retirees and their families to South Carolina and the South in general in the last two decades,” attests Will Cathcart, former managing editor of The Charleston Mercury.
This influx also makes for more in-state political diversity than is commonly understood.
Longtime Charleston Mayor Joe Riley is a Democrat who recently won his 10th term in a nonpartisan election. Democratic House Whip James Clyburn also hails from the state. But perhaps the ultimate symbol of how South Carolina has changed is U.S. Rep. Tim Scott, an African-American tea party conservative who defeated former Sen. Strom Thurmond’s son in a 2010 primary to represent the First District, where the Civil War started.
Bob Jones University doesn’t represent the state
Yes, there are many social conservatives and evangelicals in South Carolina — especially in the Upstate, near controversial Bob Jones University. But they are seen more as a local curiosity than a real barometer of statewide opinion — small businesses and the beach and hunting culture define day-to-day life in South Carolina more than the Bible Belt. Sixty-percent of GOP primary voters identified as evangelical four years ago, but that’s the same percentage as the Iowa caucuses.
And while just 11% of Iowa caucus-goers identified as moderate, in South Carolina that number grows to 24%.
Finally, don’t forget that John McCain won the South Carolina primary in 2008, notably without major evangelical support. Fiscal conservatives and military veterans responded to his message of political reform, a local tradition carried out by Sen. Lindsey Graham and former Gov. Mark Sanford — before he went hiking the Appalachian Trial. The Bob Jones University president endorsed Mitt Romney last time around — despite maintaining that Mormonism is a cult — and Romney came in fourth.
Gov. Nikki Haley doesn’t speak for the Tea Party
Elected in 2010, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is a rapidly rising star in national politics.
It’s easy to see why — at 39, she is the first female and the first Indian-American to hold the position of South Carolina governor. A tea party favorite in 2010, her surprisingly narrow election — 51% to 47% was nonetheless a reminder of the reality of the New South, and the growing diversity of the Republican Party.
When she endorsed Romney, it was considered big news and the news release headline was dutifully reprinted — “Romney receives Tea Party support in South Carolina.” But Haley’s national profile is outstripping her in-state popularity, which stands at 34.6%, according to a recent Winthrop University poll.
Surreally, this makes Haley less popular in South Carolina than President Barack Obama, who clocks in at 44% in the same poll and who lost the Palmetto State by 9 points in 2008. The real leader of the tea party in South Carolina — and a national force as well — is Sen. Jim DeMint, and he’s not endorsing any presidential candidate this time around.
There’s no question that South Carolina is pivotal for the Republican presidential nomination — the winner has been the nominee since 1980. But the differences between the Palmetto State and the New Hampshire primary or Iowa caucuses should be understood with the proper perspective.
One of the biggest differences is the state of the local economy — Iowa and New Hampshire have unemployment rates well below the national average, but in South Carolina the unemployment rate is close to 10% — adding to the calculus that Newt Gingrich’s Super PAC made when it decided to unleash the anti-Bain Capital ad.
Likewise, Rick Santorum might do well in the state as much for his focus on strengthening U.S. manufacturing as his much-vaunted social conservative purism. And if Romney does win the primary, it will be aided in part by the fact that he is the most center-right figure remaining in the Republican field.
As CNN heads down to Charleston for Thursday night’s debate, it’s all just a reminder not to fall back on lazy national narratives but instead find the real facts when it comes to the great state of South Carolina.
Good opinion article from CNN:
By Todd Graham, Special to CNN
(CNN) — Lately it’s hard to tell the difference between a presidential debate and “The Jerry Springer Show.” Yeah, I know. Some of you have been saying this for months. But my comment isn’t a criticism of the candidates, but the live audience. I was hoping this audience “whoop” factor would go away over the long debate season, but it has only grown worse.
Are they serving alcohol at the debates? It seems like it. In last night’s Republican presidential debate, held in the Myrtle Beach Convention Center in South Carolina, the chaotic audience once again played an awkward role in the questions and answers.
Why does this matter? On these presidential debates, the vocal live audiences have shown themselves to be more disruptive than productive. And I’ve seen debate judges (people who should know better) in intercollegiate tournaments have their decisions influenced by a noisy audience — even judges trained to be impartial and objective.
In this case, the judges are you, the audience. I know everyone believes they can’t be swayed like this, but it still happens (even to me, which is one of the reasons I watch the presidential debates alone. I don’t want anyone influencing my analysis). There is even a name for it in the literature. Emotional contagion.
And it was apparent Monday night — fanboys (and fangirls) who were every bit as rabid as a football crowd. The only people missing were face-paint girl and shirtless guy. (Of course, it’s hard to tell on television how much of the crowd participated in the cheering and booing.)
It was especially annoying because the live audience was booing their disapproval at inappropriate times. Two examples. Juan Williams, one of the moderators, was asking Mitt Romney about his immigration policies when he was interrupted in mid-question. Williams had begun the question by stating that Mitt Romney’s father was born in Mexico. “Boo!” came the shouts from the audience. What? What in the world were they booing? I still have no idea. It could have been Juan Williams, the question, Romney’s father, or Romney’s position on immigration. It made no sense.
Then the live audience ganged up on Ron Paul. Remember, Paul has some of the more unconventional foreign policy positions for a conservative Republican audience. And Paul was not at his best last night (I’ve heard him defend his argument much more effectively) when explaining his position on the military operation that killed Osama bin Laden.
But the audience mistimed its reaction and used most of its vitriol immediately after Paul said the American people wouldn’t like it if the United States were treated the same way it treated other countries. Paul reiterated his stance that we should use the golden rule — do unto others as you would have them do unto you — when the boos rang out. I couldn’t believe it. I was indeed hearing this correctly. The crazed audience at the presidential debate actually booed the golden-freaking-rule. What’s next? Helping old women cross the street? “Boo! … Villain!” Puppies? “Hiss … Shame!”
And the audience was equally annoying when applauding. Remember: Cheering should prove nothing to you in a debate except that some candidates are better than others at stacking the live audience with supporters. I’m also beginning to wonder if there is an “applause” sign that lights up so some of the slower audience operatives will remember when to react.
For their part, the candidates handled the live audience pretty well. After all, politicians are used to verbal feedback in public speeches and town hall meetings.
My advice today is for the general viewing public at home. Simply keep in mind that the opinions of the live audience are not necessarily reflective of anything, including logic. And try to resist being influenced by overzealous fools watching the debate from the cheap seats. If this continues, we’re in danger of letting the loud few influence the silent many watching at home. I certainly hope we can reverse this trend. Because I’d hate to see the next step: Measuring presidential debates by audience noise-meters with a needle that moves up and down. After all, higher decibel levels must indicate better policies.
The Post and Courier just posted an article about Jon Huntsman in Daniel Island, SC — he was right down the street from the parents’ house giving a speech. I wish I could have been there!
Huntsman touts international experience in Daniel Island visit
By Andrew Knapp
DANIEL ISLAND — Switching from a “New Hampshire accent to a Southern accent,” Republican Jon Huntsman told 100 breakfast diners Thursday morning that he would draw on his experience overseas to create manufacturing jobs in the U.S.
The former Utah governor and an ambassador to Singapore for George H.W. Bush and to China for Barack Obama said the nation is on the “cusp of a manufacturing renaissance” and that he’s the only candidate with the international knowledge to take advantage of what he called a crack in China’s stranglehold on the industry. He said the business environment in Asia is deteriorating because of political mistrust, inflation and unemployment.
Bolstering the United States’ manufacturing role would shrink an economic deficit rather than passing it on to this grandchildren, he said.
“This deficit … is a cancer metastasizing in our country,” he told voters as they nibbled on French toast, grits and cheese omelets at Honeycomb Cafe. “We’ve got to radiate it. We’ve got to excise it. We’ve got to cut it out to preserve our next generation.”
In addition to the economic deficit, Huntsman said the nation suffers a deficit of a different kind, “a deficit of trust” of politicians and companies. He vowed a “Grateful Dead-like concert tour” to persuade people to get behind term limits for members of Congress and to stifle politicians’ ability to trade stocks based on inside knowledge of legislation that affects Wall Street.
He again leaned on his foreign policy experience in boosting trust overseas, as well as reducing U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, where he stressed intelligence-gathering over a large troop presence.
But Huntsman, clad in dark blue jeans, cowboy boots and a lapel featuring the U.S. and South Carolina flags, referred to himself as a “crass political salesman” to the diners and admitted that he just wanted their votes. His wife standing behind him, Huntsman spoke for about 30 minutes and answered a half-dozen questions from the crowd about topics like job creation, health care and Iran’s threat as a nuclear power.
“I’ve always been following him,” said one voter, 67-year-old Alana Knuff of Daniel Island. “He has the leadership qualities, the foreign experience. But I just came to see how personable he is.
“After seeing him personally, he’s got my vote.”
Others, such as 65-year-old Bill Estes, who splits his time between Iowa and Daniel Island, said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s “machine” would “leave Huntsman in the dust.” Estes said that he wanted to hear more specifics on policy, such as those pertaining to taxes and that Huntsman’s plan to remove troops from Afghanistan was soft.
“To be elected, you have to be walking on the edge, but he’s not,” Estes said. “He’s way in the safe zone. He’s not a risk-taker, and I’d like to see him take some risks.”
Shaking hands with the assembled crowd members, Huntsman said he was re-energized by his showing in the New Hampshire primary earlier this week.
“When you come from O and get to third place, that’s pretty good,” he told one man. “I’d say that’s a ticket out of New Hampshire.”
…but I like this one! It kind of makes me want to go see Mission Impossible or something…
Good job, Team Huntsman.
Oh, the headlines.
I just do not understand how someone like Rick Santorum can surge in the polls, but someone like Jon Huntsman can’t seem to catch a break. Huntsman has gotten numerous endorsements and people keep stating that the GOP needs to take another look at him… but for whatever reason, the GOP doesn’t give him a chance.
On the other hand we have Rick Santorum:
