This Is Top Notch Spinning, People....

How to Not Get an Endorsement, But Look Like You Did ....

It's not too often that we get out of the Pee Dee Swamp to talk about SC Congressional races, but this was too good to pass up. First, a disclaimer: We are in no way supporting or unsupporting any Republican candidate for any Congressional district in South Carolina. We have no dogs in any fight there or anywhere in SC.

Now, onto business.... The 4th Congressional race is turning almost into a comedy. An unpopular incumbent (Bob Inglis - Nice Guy, Wrong District), and along with him, a cast of opponents so many in number, you need a scorecard to keep track - and all of them trying to 'Out-Right' the other one. Only in the 4th ..... Anyway, this week, Inglis gave an interview, and apparently seeing the writing on the wall, told the media who he would prefer to lose to - if he had to lose. IF ???? Inglis' choice was Jim Lee, who I don't know, so I can't comment. I totally let this news pass, mainly because it had nothing to do with me, until I got an email last night, from one of the other candidates....

Again, like Jim Lee, I don't know Christina Jeffrey, aside from the fact that she's running in the 4th as well, and she's one of my Facebook friends. There is no doubt that Jeffrey is using SC Hotline for her campaign, and that's fine, but it pretty obvious: SCH has put out three articles either putting out her campaign's releases, or to criticize an opponent - which hasn't been confirmed. Also, Jeffrey has an ad on SCHotline's page, which does not come free... All of that is good and well, you just have to take that all into consideration when you hear from that source...

So, lat night I get one of Jeffrey's Press Releases through SCHotline, calling for Inglis to drop out of the race. But, the funny part is how she tried to spin Inglis' endorsement for Lee as a endorsement for her. Here are the exact quotes from Jeffrey's staff: 'Responding to a letter sent to supporters in which he endorsed an opponent for his seat, and said, "If I had to lose this race, I'd rather lose to....... a committed Believer who's in this race for all the right reasons." Jeffrey stated, "But I have to be heartened to hear my opponent himself acknowledge that the people of our district would be extremely well-served by a committed believer, that is, someone like me." WOW !!!!!

This is a very inventive piece of spinning if I ever saw one.... You see, the .........'s are where the words "Jim Lee" were. She simply left them out, and inserted herself where Lee used to be. Secondly, if you can get an endorsement outright, go ahead and say 'Well, they didn't endorse me, but they did endorse someone LIKE me'..... This sets a precedent for every 3rd or 4th place candidate that just can't make it out of the pack from now on..... Hey, even if candidate just kinda LOOKS like you, that could be justifiable grounds for co-oping an endorsement.....

Of course, the contrarian in me is wondering why Jeffrey even wants to tie herself in with Inglis by this endorsement-in-theory. If you don't like him so much, why not use it to attack Lee as a RINO, like you guys Upstate love to do so much, and have one less opponent to worry about, right? Hey, thats just my two cents. But, I will give you guys credit for attempting a wrinkle I never would have thought of - or tried...

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