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Lindsay Graham's challenger is a man without party [Grahamensty alert]
The Aiken Standard ^ | Sep 14, 2008 | Jim Davenport

Posted on 09/15/2008 2:06:01 PM PDT by upchuck

CAYCE -- On a recent Thursday evening, the South Carolina Democrat sharing the top of state ballots with Barack Obama strode through a restaurant parking lot where the bumper stickers featured the presidential candidacies of Ron Paul, Bob Barr and Chuck Baldwin.

Inside the family eatery just outside Columbia, a mix of independents, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and Constitution Party members waited. A smattering of members of Southern heritage groups were in attendance. Copies of "Free the South: A Blueprint for Peaceful and Legal Secession," rested on a couple of tables.

In a year when South Carolina voter registration shot up because of Obama's candidacy, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Bob Conley is a decidedly odd fit. It's a role the 43-year-old engineer and flight instructor seems to relish.

"The job of a U.S. senator is to represent his state and the interests of his state and that means the people of the state," said Conley, sporting his trademark flattop haircut and a striped tie. "And that means we go around and we talk to folks of all different strata and philosophy because my job in January is to represent these folks in Washington."

For all his talk of diverse backers, Conley is a man without a base.

He once ran as a Republican for an Indiana state House seat, then bolted for the Reform Party. After moving to North Myrtle Beach, he joined his local GOP committee and backed Ron Paul in this year's South Carolina presidential primary. Five months later, he won a lackluster contest to become the Democratic pick to face powerhouse Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham in November.

"He is naive and inexperienced," state Democratic Party Chairwoman Carol Fowler said last week. "I'm not sure where his votes are coming from."

Conley is not publicly endorsing Obama -- that's his personal business, he said, adding that his dream ticket would be led by Pat Buchanan, with Paul as vice president. When asked where he thinks he'll draw support considering his party's leaders don't appear to like him, Conley shoots back, "Democrats, Republican, Libertarians and vegetarians."

"I think the American people and the people of South Carolina are recognizing there's a certain strata in the political class that doesn't represent them," Conley said.

Conley met Paul, the candidate who brought him back to the GOP, after the primary and Paul congratulated him, but won't be publicly backing him against Graham. "He's not endorsing against incumbent Republicans as a matter of policy," Paul spokesman Jesse Benton said.

"It's something we really weren't expecting," Conley says. He's not empty handed, though. The campaign says it picked up an endorsement from Baldwin, the Constitution Party's nominee.

He doesn't pull any punches when talking about Graham, who has emerged this election season as John McCain's wing man. Conley calls him McCain's "mini-me" and "personal valet and bag boy." Conley talks of the need for energy independence, getting out of Iraq, and warns of a North American union of Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.

A sign of that shows up in North Carolina's newly issued driver's licenses, which have a hologram that outlines North America. "And it's just part of this drive to eliminate our sovereignty and make us part of this new world order that (former President) George Bush was talking about 17 years ago," Conley says.

It all resonates among the three dozen people in the Lizard's Thicket dining room.

"I'd vote for him any day over Lindsey," said Dean Weems, a Lugoff resident who believes Graham went too far in backing illegal immigration legislation that was decried as offering amnesty. "He just votes his mind without regard for the people."

Graham campaign manager Scott Farmer declined to respond to the criticism. For now, Graham's campaign also has not committed to meeting Conley in any pre-election debate. It's a logical move that potentially quashes free publicity for a challenger who finished his primary with a $3,692 debt and $983 cash on hand. Graham had $3.6 million to spend.

The dinner meeting ends with Conley's campaign passing around brown, plastic bread baskets. They come back with a couple of $20s, loads of singles and some checks. Someone brings out a cake and the crowd sings "Happy Birthday" in a week-late recognition of Conley's 43rd.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; bobconley; democrats; election; electioncongress; elections; electionsenate; electionussenate; lindsey; lindseygraham; mccaintruthfile; rino; southcarolina; ussenate
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I have no use for Lindsey Graham. IMHO, he is the worst of the backstabbing RINOS.

That he has zero interest in representing us was more than proved last summer when he conspired with McCain, Kennedy (the swimmer) and others to try and ram through a most unpopular amnesty for illegal aliens. We were all screaming NO! Graham totally ignored us. We crashed the Senate switchboard with our tremendous volume of calls. Graham totally ignored us.

If Graham is not going to represent us then he needs to go.

This November, for the first, and I hope last, time in my life I'm going to vote for a Democrat, Bob Conley, to replace Graham.

Please consider joining me. We all agree that one of the most serious problems in Washington is the entrenched insiders that get elected over and over and over and... Here's a chance to make a difference.

1 posted on 09/15/2008 2:06:05 PM PDT by upchuck
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To: upchuck

Bob Conley represents a real challenge to Graham. I briefed Witherspoon on the immigration issue. He wound up with 33% of the vote in the primary. Conley is far better on immigration than Graham. This race may be closer than some think. If I lived in SC, I would be very tempted to vote for Conley.


2 posted on 09/15/2008 2:15:45 PM PDT by kabar (.)
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To: upchuck
Lizard's Thicket

Where Waffle House patrons eat after hitting the lottery. :)

3 posted on 09/15/2008 2:35:59 PM PDT by AmericaUnited
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To: upchuck

Grahmnesty was reportedly pushing McCain really hard to name Lieberman VP.

Besides being a worthless RINO turd, Grahmnesty has always seemed rather light in the loafers to me ...


4 posted on 09/15/2008 2:39:29 PM PDT by webschooner (McWhatshisname/Palin 2008 !!)
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To: upchuck
Yes vote for a Democrat, and help give the Senate a veto proof majority.

WoW...talk about bite off your nose to spite your face.

5 posted on 09/15/2008 3:02:31 PM PDT by southphilly
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To: upchuck
I'm voting for anyone who runs against Graham, and I haven't voted for a Democrap since Carter (it was my first election, and I didn't know any better. Sorry!).

I'm one of those "loud folks" that Lindsay told to "Shut up!"

Screw you, Light Loafers!

6 posted on 09/15/2008 3:06:15 PM PDT by PalmettoMason (Liberals' new talking point: Sarah Palin: Only five abortions away from the presidency.)
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To: upchuck
I'm voting for anyone who runs against Graham, and I haven't voted for a Democrap since Carter (it was my first election, and I didn't know any better. Sorry!).

I'm one of those "loud folks" that Lindsay told to "Shut up!"

Screw you, Light Loafers!

7 posted on 09/15/2008 3:06:39 PM PDT by PalmettoMason (Liberals' new talking point: Sarah Palin: Only five abortions away from the presidency.)
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To: rabscuttle385

F(r)agmeister ping!


8 posted on 09/15/2008 3:07:11 PM PDT by Checkers (McCain: "Hillary Clinton would make a good President.")
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To: upchuck

Sorry upchuck, I loathe Lindsey about as much as I do Obama but there is no way I can vote for a democrat. I told my dad some time back that if he ran for office as a dem that I would not vote for him, and I meant it. I wrote in another thread that it makes it easier if you vote straight repub and that way you don’t have to actually make a ck mark by Lindsey’s name.


9 posted on 09/15/2008 3:07:28 PM PDT by my right
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To: PalmettoMason

Sorry for the double post. Either FR, or my laptop is screwing up.


10 posted on 09/15/2008 3:08:07 PM PDT by PalmettoMason (Liberals' new talking point: Sarah Palin: Only five abortions away from the presidency.)
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To: southphilly

He’s being bi-partisan just like your boy McLiberal by voting with the ‘Rats. Quite the Maverick doncha know.


11 posted on 09/15/2008 3:10:53 PM PDT by VRWC For Truth (Palin is sugar on a turd ... No mas Juan "Traitor Rat" McAmnesty)
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To: southphilly

Agreed, voting for a Democrat is not smart. I will have to vote for Grahamnesty but I expect we will be rid of him if McCain wins as McCain is likely to award him a cabinet position. Then Gov. Sanford can appoint a real conservative and straighten out the Grahamnesty mess.


12 posted on 09/15/2008 3:21:07 PM PDT by bytesmith
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To: upchuck

Those of you taking me to task for voting for a RAT may be unaware that Graham himself has said Conley is more conservative than he is. Sorry I don’t have a link to that.


13 posted on 09/15/2008 3:38:30 PM PDT by upchuck (Law of Logical Argument: Anything's possible if you don't know what you're talking about. => nObama))
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To: PalmettoMason

We’re also the people he called bigots. I’ve never regretted voting for any candidate until him and I don’t intend to do it again.


14 posted on 09/15/2008 3:41:59 PM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult (The man who said "there's no such thing as a stupid question" has never talked to Helen Thomas.)
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To: All; Checkers; upchuck; AmericanInTokyo; calcowgirl; VRWC For Truth; E. Cartman; roamer_1; ...
"I think the American people and the people of South Carolina are recognizing there's a certain strata in the political class that doesn't represent them," Conley said.

BUMP!

He doesn't pull any punches when talking about Graham, who has emerged this election season as John McCain's wing man. Conley calls him McCain's "mini-me" and "personal valet and bag boy." Conley talks of the need for energy independence, getting out of Iraq, and warns of a North American union of Mexico, the U.S. and Canada.

Finally! Someone calling out Lindsey for what he really is: Juan McQueeg's bitch and effeminate manservant.

15 posted on 09/15/2008 3:44:58 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
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To: rabscuttle385

In Rome, the Senators had their own “body servants”.


16 posted on 09/15/2008 3:47:02 PM PDT by Checkers (McCain: "Hillary Clinton would make a good President.")
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To: upchuck
Those of you taking me to task for voting for a RAT may be unaware that Graham himself has said Conley is more conservative than he is.

There are conservatives still left within the Democrat Party?!!!!

17 posted on 09/15/2008 3:47:05 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
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To: rabscuttle385

Where are they and who are they?

So far as I have seen they have been silent as church mice on the slandering of Sarah Palin.


18 posted on 09/15/2008 3:51:39 PM PDT by sport
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To: sport
http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/sep/12/senate_hopeful_chastises_fowler/

Read the article from The Post and Courier in Charleston just a few days ago.

19 posted on 09/15/2008 3:59:14 PM PDT by rabscuttle385
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To: rabscuttle385
There are still a few Conservative Democrats left that their party hasn't ran off yet. Zell Miller is a good example of one they did. Most are here in the South.
20 posted on 09/15/2008 4:08:01 PM PDT by Hillarys Gate Cult (The man who said "there's no such thing as a stupid question" has never talked to Helen Thomas.)
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