Runoff 2012: Canceled Debates, Ice Cream Socials, Court Hearings ..... And Another Endorsement !

Nikki Haley Gives Tom Rice the Thumbs Up in the 7th District Race, But Rice Gives Thumbs Down to a Debate, and Preston Brittain Gets a Do-Over....


      Much like the pile of paperwork you often have on your desk at work on a late Friday afternoon, we have the same problem with the upcoming runoff - which is now runoffs - in the Pee Dee and Grand Strand.  There's too much going on.. So, we're just going to take our arm, lay it across the right side of the table, and swipe it left until we reach the other side, and the desk is clean - at least for now...


    As far as the top stories, it really depends on what party and/or candidate you are for...  Since we are not sure exactly who you're for, we'll just list them out briefly, and you can choose whatever you care about - call it Blog A la Carte !!


Part I: Florence Hearts Huckabee

The big news yesterday was the arrival of former Arkansas Governor and 2008 Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee in Florence to support Andre Bauer.  One thing is for sure - busting out a national candidate sure brings in the locals.  The Art Trail Gallery on South Dargan Street was packed with about 150-200 people (we ran out of fingers and toes) to see the popular figure.  Event wise, it was pretty standard - Huckabee did make himself available for pictures (which we never do), which was nice, and they finished up at the nearby Thai restaurant.  It's a well-known hangout for P-Luv, but luckily he is in Omaha for the College World Series, so both Bauer and Huckabee avoided any Democrat interrogations..

The more important thing about it was who was there - and that was almost everybody.  Here, we have City Councilman Glynn Willis chatting with Ranger Ron McGill, but we could have taken 20 pics of the people there.  the only odd point to us was the introduction was given by Myrtle Beach Tea Party head Gerri McDaniel.   One would think someone from Flotown could take care of that, but since the FCGOP appears to be leaning (to put it gently) towards Tom Rice, we assume they didn't feel comfortable about it, though we're sure someone there could have done the job..  We'll post again on the gallery soon...


Part II: Ice Cream Beats Debates Anyday

     Team Bauer got on the warpath today, when they learned that Tom Rice would not be attending two events between now and Tuesday's runoff.  He seems to have overbooked Saturday with a lunch event in Florence and an Ice Cream Social.  What is an Ice Cream Social anyway? Are there lots of hot women there, because it does sound like fun... After all, when it's 92 degrees, which would you rather do - eat Moose Tracks or Debate with the South Strand and Waccamaw Neck Republicans?  In Rice's place will be recent 7th District candidate Randal Wallace... If there is anything to be learned from all of this, it's that Wallace does appear to be in line for something in a Rice win.  Hell, if the guy trusts you enough to debate for him, do you doubt you'll get some gig in his office?  The whispers at first didn't make believers out of us, but this sure does.  Wallace has been going full bore for Rice since June 12th, and it may pay off next week...



Part III: Preston Brittain Gets a Mulligan

     Let us introduce you to this week's biggest loser: Gloria Bromell-Tinubu!  We suppose that makes Preston Brittain the big winner, but he is also a big loser.  How can you be both? Only in Democratic politics - or maybe South Carolina politics would be more correct... Yes, Preston Brittain is one lucky little corker.  He managed to run a crappy campaign by all accounts, do miserably at the debates, get his butt handed to him by 13 points, despite his opponent seemingly running a campaign so invisible that Alvin Greene asked where she was - and he gets to be in the runoff because Dick Harpootlian likes him better.  Our suggestion to Chad Connelly: don't EVER think of pulling BS like this.  

     This is a no-brainer.. Yes Brittain has a second chance that he shouldn't be getting ( if the Elections Commission said ahead that Vick votes don't count, then that is what should have been ruled likely), but he will still lose whenever the runoff is done - and he will be the crybaby scourge of the SC Democrtaic Party, all by age 31..  Why? Because now Tinubu will have to drop even more money to get to November - money she needed to save to fight Bauer or Rice.  Nice going, Gilligan!


Part IV: Nikki Haley Gets In On the Action

     Guess that Mister Cuddles joke post from yesterday was wrong after all - but it seems correct today.  That's becuase Governor Haley finally dropped her two cents into the Zoltar coin slot and said 'I Wish Tom Rice Beats Andre'.... No word if she got the coin into his mouth, indicating her wish was granted, but we'll find out Tuesday.  If Will Folks was right about trying to get Jay Jordan to endorse for her, it turns out she had to do it herself.  Isn't that what always happens with men and women?  Now the big question: how much does it matter?  Ehh, not so much, mainly because everyone in the GOP knows these two ran against each other only two years ago.  Secondly, both are known commodities: that always means that voters either love them or hate them...  That drifts off into the third reason - almost all voters minds are made up by now.  We don't see too many undecideds out there anymore, so we doubt Nikki's endorsement will put Rice over the top. If he wins, he probably had it anyway, but it's some insurance....


That's the latest poop over the past day or two.  Sorry for being late with the Huckabee news, but we had to run to Laurinburg again (we'll formally announce why soon) and got back late today.. While two weeks doesn't seem like much time, we're ready for this to be overwith about as much as the candidates.  We'll find another event or two between now and then.... and maybe we'll even go out on a limb and pick a winner! 

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