Posted on 05/09/2015 3:07:25 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Republican dog and pony show hits Upstate South Carolina on Saturday as nearly a dozen presidential hopefuls pitch conservative activists during a forum on economic freedom.
The Palmetto State hosts the third nominating contest of the 2016 presidential primary and first in the Republican-dominated South. That makes South Carolina a critical battleground in the race for the GOP nomination, even though the state's streak of picking the party's presidential nominee was broken three years ago. Upstate South Carolina is considered the conservative bastion of this decidedly red state.
Scott Ramsey, a 47-year-old Republican voter from Spartanburg who showed up at a local barbecue joint Friday evening to meet former Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, said he's excited for the campaign to get underway.
"I'm trying to give all of the candidates a fair opportunity to get my vote," said Ramsey, who is in the funeral business and said the attribute he's looking for most in a candidate is leadership.
"I'm looking for a leader, somebody to do what they say they're going to do and turn this country around."
The South Carolina Freedom Summit is jointly sponsored by Rep. Jeff Duncan, R-S.C., and Citizens United. The conservative group is known mostly for the lawsuit it filed that led to the Supreme Court overturning certain federal campaign finance regulations and paving the way for the creation of political organizations known as super PACs. The cattle call features most of the announced, and unannounced, presidential candidates, plus a few members of Congress.
Confirmed speakers include Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, businessman and television personality Donald Trump, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, former New York Gov. George Pataki, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, retired pediatric neurosurgeon Ben Carson and businesswoman Carly Fiorina.
Also confirmed are former Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., now the president of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think, along with Rep. Mick Mulvaney of South Carolina; immigration hawk Rep. Steve King of Iowa, Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and New Hampshire state Rep. William O'Brien.
Although economic freedom is the theme of the summit, it won't be surprising if the contenders talk social issues. Upstate South Carolina is the more socially conservative part of this conservative state, with national security and fiscal issues predominating in the coastal low country. The Midlands around Columbia, the state capital in central South Carolina, is a sort of mishmash of the other two regions.
Gwen Young, 63, who runs a franchise business with her husband in Greenville, said she voted for Huckabee, a one-time Baptist minister who campaigned on his social conservative bona fides when he ran for president the first time, in 2008. Young plans to support Huckabee again because she said he has "honesty and integrity" and wants a presidential candidate who will focus on the economy and govern with "morals and ethics and what made America great."
"We can't let it all go down the tube because of politics," she said.
Names not on the confirmed list and expected to be absent from the summit include former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who is delivering the commencement Saturday at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Liberty, founded by the late Reverend Jerry Falwell, bills itself as the largest Christian university in the world.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee won't attend due to a family commitment. Huckabee wrapped his first week as a presidential candidate Friday with a campaign stop in Greenville. Other absentees include New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.
Disclosure: The author's wife works as an adviser to Scott Walker.
Would any writer dare to use those terms about Democrats?
Which one is Hillary, dog or pony? ONZ, that was so sexis!!!
Hil is the succubus.
Linda Graham? in the military?
Naw....just another JAG off.
A horse but only one end.
South Carolina PingKeep up with what our Congresscritters (House and Senate) are doing. Sign up for the free MegaVote email service here.
Ping PS - Did you know SC is on the list of 25 states suing nobama over his amensty order? Read more here.
I've heard some say she's a real beotch so she must be a dog...............
No thanks. I can hardly bring myself to wave.
now , now....... everybody knows hillary is a bitch, no equine genes at all
“Gwen Young, 63, who runs a franchise business with her husband in Greenville, said she voted for Huckabee, a one-time Baptist minister who campaigned on his social conservative bona fides when he ran for president the first time, in 2008. Young plans to support Huckabee again because she said he has “honesty and integrity” and wants a presidential candidate who will focus on the economy and govern with “morals and ethics and what made America great.””
Ah, Gwen, Gwen: if you don’t do your due diligence and homework, you may be a low information primary voter. Don’t let it happen to you.
Without the cows how can it be called a cattle call?
Anybody know the schedule of speakers? Mainly want to hear Cruz, but they usually consider him to be the “main event” and schedule him late in the program.
Speakers on stage in order of appearance:
David Bossie warmup/cue Jeff Duncan entrance8:59AM-9:01AM
Welcome - Jeff Duncan9:01AM-9:03AM
Presentation of Colors - American Legion Color Guard 9:03AM-9:05AM
Pledge of Allegiance/Flag Presentation - Kyle Carpenter9:05AM - 9:09AM
National Anthem - Tori Sizemore9:09AM - 9:12AM
Prayer - Tony Beam9:12AM - 9:15AM
Intro Jim DeMint (Bossie)9:15AM - 9:19AM
Jim DeMint9:19AM - 9:29AM
Intro Mick Mulvaney (Duncan)9:29AM – 9:31AM
Mick Mulvaney9:31AM-9:36AM
Into Jeff Landry (Duncan)9:36AM-9:38AM
Jeff Landry9:38AM-9:43AM
Into Bill O’Brien (Bossie)9:43AM-9:45AM
Bill O’Brien 9:45AM-9:50AM
Intro Steve King (Duncan)9:50AM-9:52AM
Steve King9:52AM-9:57AM
Intro Kellyanne Conway (Bossie)9:57AM-9:59AM
Kellyanne Conway9:59AM-10:09AM
Intro Jeff Duncan (Bossie)10:09AM-10:11AM
Jeff Duncan10:11AM-10:21AM
Intro David Bossie (Duncan)10:21AM-10:23AM
David Bossie 10:23AM-10:33AM
Cushion Time10:33AM-10:43AM
Intro to Scott Walker (Bossie)10:43AM-10:47AM
Scott Walker 10:47AM-11:07AM
Intro to Rick Santorum (Duncan)11:07AM-11:11AM
Rick Santorum 11:11AM-11:31AM
Intro Rick Perry (Bossie)11:31AM-11:35AM
Rick Perry 11:35AM-11:55AM
Intro to Marsha Blackburn (Bossie)11:55AM-11:59AM
Marsha Blackburn11:59AM-12:19PM
Jenny Beth Martin (Bossie)12:19PM-12:21PM
Lunch (Announcement at 12:46- Bossie)12:21PM-12:51PM
Frank Luntz Presentation 12:51PM-1:06PM
Intro Donald Trump (Bossie)1:06PM-1:10PM
Donald Trump1:10PM-1:30PM
Intro to Tim Scott (Duncan)1:30PM-1:34PM
Tim Scott1:34PM-1:44PM
Intro to Marco Rubio (Bossie)1:44PM-1:48PM
Marco Rubio 1:48PM-2:08PM
Intro to Ted Cruz (Duncan)2:08PM-2:12PM
Ted Cruz2:12PM-2:32PM
Intro to John Bolton (Duncan)2:32PM-2:36PM
John Bolton 2:36PM-2:56PM
Intro to George Pataki (Bossie)2:56PM-3:00PM
George Pataki 3:00PM-3:20PM
Break3:20PM-3:35PM
Intro to Bobby Jindal (Bossie)3:35M-3:39PM
Bobby Jindal3:39PM-3:59PM
Intro Ben Carson (Duncan)3:59PM-4:03PM
Ben Carson 4:03PM-4:23PM
Intro Carly Fiorina (Bossie)4:23PM-4:27PM
Carly Fiorina 4:27PM-4:47PM
Closing (Bossie/Duncan)4:47PM-4:51PM
Thanks! BTW, where did you get the agenda? I looked all over their web site and could not find it.
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