Posted on 05/28/2004 1:20:52 AM PDT by zbigreddogz
My thoughts are becoming more jelled against Beasley, who is making noises like a true RINO. He does not not resonate with me. Don't know much about DeMint, close friends who know him personally and are very positive about DeMint.
A Low-Country Conservative.
Umm, this is about as vauge as you can get. Do you have any specifics?
Ok, you see, that's what I thought. I'm kinda in the middle of the free trade thing anyway, so that's not really a reason for me.
I'm most interested in 1. who will win the seat, then, 2. I'm most interested in the war and 3. tax cuts. 4. Are they both pro-school votchers? That's a big issue with me.
Yah, I'm most interested in who will win the seat and do so most comfortably.
What exactly did Beasley do that you didn't like? No offense, but I think that, especially as he lost by such a small amount should at the very least give you pause as to your throwaway vote.
Come the primary, I'm voting for Demint. Weaseley alienated a good portion of his conservative base in SC when he flip-flopped on the Confederate flag issue (he was elected proclaiming he'd leave it on the Statehouse, then immediately turned around, knuckled under to the NAACP, and began making noises about taking it down). That issue by itself is pretty small, perhaps, but it shows a trend, that he doesn't stick to his principles.
I don't blame that completely for Weaseley's defeat (though it sure didn't help). The video poker magnates and "education lottery" supporters in SC threw massive amounts of money behind Jim Hodges in '98, because Hodges supported both and Weaseley opposed both. Hodges literally won that race on a one-note campaign--"vote for me and I'll pass a lottery and give our crappy schools more money," backed by millions of dollars of video poker/NEA advertising money. The irony is that we got Hodges, and we got a lottery...and NONE of that money has gone to K-12 schools. It goes to college scholarships, so the kids can get free rides to state colleges and take remedial classes to learn the stuff they should've learned in K-12!
Bottom line is this: I hope Weaseley doesn't win. If he does, I'll hold my nose and support him in November because even a RINO who's got something of that Clintonian slightly-slimy vibe around him is better than Inez Tenenbaum, the Rat Superintendent of Education who's bought and paid for by the teachers' unions. Beasley, at least, would not be a Snowe, Collins, Chaffee-type Republican. The worst he'd be would be another Lindsay Graham, and that's not bad. But I think Demint would be much, much better.
}:-)4
OK, you guys must be WAY to my right if Linsey Graham is to your left. He's a fine Senator as far as I'm concerned.
"The DB detractors remain focused on the flag"
I guess it must be a southern thing. Call me a lib or a RINO or whatever you want, but personally, if I were in SC or Georgia, I'd be for removing it. I don't favor the federal government doing anything about it, I think it was outrageous that it was a campaign issue in 2000, but I personally don't think it is a good thing.
Anyhow, what you say about education is the kind of thing I suspected about Beasley, which is why I was leaning toward him. Still, like you said, both seem solid.
Who do you think has the best chance of keeping the seat?
I guess so. It gets on my nerves honestly.
Beasley has the best odds of winning, remember though this was Hollings seat so the GOP gains one here if they win. DB used to be a democrat in the State house and will pull more dem and independent voters than anyone else. As for the flag issue, the emotions surrounding that are amazing to me. Sometimes it makes me wonder if the war was in 1961 instead of 1861. But, each to his or her own I say.
I know it's a pickup, but I think it's a pickup thats 80% in our favor, or at least should be given the makeup of SC.
I tend to think Beasley would be the best candidate to keep the seat as well, but it's such an interesting quandry, a man who's unproven statewide, or a guy who has proven that he has both won and lost statewide.
You are upset that Graham disagrees with Bush on a few things? Umm, ever heard of cutting off your nose to spite your face?
Do me a favor, next time he's up for re-election, write a letter to the WH and ask who Bush who he wants you to vote for.
Anyhow, what things did you like about Beasley as Gov? Any specifics?
Graham has done a bit more than simply disagree with Bush. I imagine if McCain did run as Kerry's VP Graham would support that ticket.
DB helped bring BMW to SC
You are out of your gord.
1. McCain won't run.
2. Graham wouldn't support him if for some nutty reason he did.
The one and only thing I've heard him publically disagree with the president on is how many troops we need in iraq.
And cutting off everyone who supported McCain in 2000 would ensure we don't have a majority in either the house or senate, and Kerry would be president.
From what I have been reading this may well come down to a runoff. Condon and Ravenel are also in the hunt for the GOP. The party will need to unify, or I should say re-unify after blood spills for this primary and runoff. One SC guy who isnt running is Armstrong Williams. I would really love to see him run. A black conservative as articulate as he is, unbeatable. His brother is running over in Marion for the house I think.
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