Fear and Loathing in the Lowcountry UPDATE: Trail Hiker Wins GOP Runoff

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UPDATE 11:15 p.m. ET: Welcome, Instapundit readers! As you surely know by now, 1st District GOP voters chose Mark Sanford by a 57-43 margin over Curtis Bostic. A few quick reactions from my Twitter account:

There be plenty of time to re-hash everything tomorrow, but for now: Please hit the tip jar to help pay for this trip.

UPDATE 7:20 p.m. ET: Liveblogging the special election results.

“I had come up to New Hampshire to write a long thing on the McGovern campaign — but after twelve hours in Manchester I hadn’t seen much to indicate that it actually existed, and I was beginning to wonder what the fuck I was going to write about for that issue. . . .
“[I]n mid-February of 1972 there were no visible signs, in New Hampshire, that the citizenry was about to rise up and drive the swine from the temple. Beyond that, it was absolutely clear — according to the Wizards, Gurus, and Gentlemen Journalists in Washington — that Big Ed Muskie, the Man from Maine, had the Democratic nomination so deep in the bag that it was hardly worth arguing about.
“Nobody argued with the things McGovern said. He was right, of course — but nobody took him very seriously, either . . .”
— Hunter S. Thompson, Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail ’72

CHARLESTON, S.C.
Curtis Bostic’s congressional campaign is not exactly an uprising by the citizenry determined to “drive the swine from the temple.” No sane person thinks of South Carolina politics as a temple, and these folks prefer their swine hickory-smoked, slow-cooked, and slathered in vinegar-based sauce.

All the Wizards, Gurus and Gentlemen Journalists expect GOP voters in the 1st District to choose Mark Sanford as their nominee in today’s runoff election because, apparently, adultery is more popular than Jesus in South Carolina.

Speaking of Gentleman Journalists, National Review‘s Jim Geraghty recently paid a visit to Hilton Head:

As one Beaufort County resident put it to me, “I’m hearing folks say, ‘My pastor says I should vote for [Bostic]'”

If the counsel of clergy is heeded, the headline on a Bostic victory will be Miracle Upset, but polls indicate that Christianity itself is now viewed as a liability by South Carolina Republicans, unless it is the cheap-grace gospel wherein Mark Sanford’s 2009 embarrassment is shrugged off as something inconsequential that only the Liberal Media Elite care about. There may still be Republicans who take “family values” seriously, but they are neither fashionable nor influential, and none of the Wizards and Gurus think that the anti-adultery vote will amount to a majority in today’s GOP runoff.

The big news today is that Stephen Colbert will host fundraisers for his sister, the Democrat who already enjoys a vast advantage in campaign cash and who can rely on the united efforts of the Democrat Party to win the May 7 special election.

Meanwhile, for the past week or so, various True Conservatives have been trying to convince people that it is a terrible scandal that Ali Akbar was hired to help promote the candidacy of a Marine Corps veteran and homeschooling father of five. It’s even being treated as semi-scandalous that I’m down here providing my customary Neutral Objective Journalism about the campaign. Of course, Hunter S. Thompson committed more felonies before breakfast every day than have ever been alleged against Ali, and I’ve been up-front about my opinion ever since my first March 20 post about this race, “S.C. Primary: Will Tea Party Rally Behind Curtis Bostic Against Mark Sanford?”

Last night, I found myself in a deep discussion with our hostess here — a Christian homeschooling mother of seven — who was mystified by the hatred against Ali. My best explanation is that Ali’s enemies are like Ferris Bueller’s sister:

“Why should he get to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants? Why should everything work out for him? What makes him so goddamn special?”

It is not Ali’s admitted failures, but his successes, that make him the object of so much wrathful resentment. At a time when the GOP is in a condition of demoralized disarray, there is no shortage of idle and disgruntled Republicans who have nothing better to do than to recycle the same old stories, embellished with new allegations, and I’d be happy to ignore it all, if it didn’t have such a harmfully distracting effect.

Some of my blogger friends seem to have forgotten that it was Ali who, as a consultant to the campaign that elected Scott Brown to the Senate seat formerly held by Ted Kennedy, ensured that bloggers like myself, Da Tech Guy, Ace of Spades and Pamela Geller had prime seating at the victory party that January 2010 night in Boston. Pudding, anyone?

Is there a strain of Charles Johnson-ism in all this? Are there people trying to set themselves up as Supreme Arbiters of who is and is not acceptable inside the Big Tent? And, if so, why are they simultaneously indignant about having Ali Akbar work as a digital strategist, but blithely indifferent to having Mark Sanford become the “face” of the Republican Party?

Some would rather reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.

Having done all in my power to make peace among friends, I find myself in a familiar place: No one asks for my advice, and when I volunteer advice, I’m ignored. People who claim to like and trust me refuse to listen to me, and instead heed the counsel of those who notoriously hate me.

There is no point trying to blame anyone for this state of affairs. It is what it is, and merely explaining it won’t fix it, but the search for scapegoats — the effort to externalize blame by pointing the finger at our enemies as the cause of woe — is not usually a portent of future success. Certainly, my own personal shortcomings explain my failures better than do any injustices I’ve suffered, and I just wish some of my friends could see their situations in the same light, rather than encouraging vindictive dogpile attacks on their chosen enemies — who also just so happen to be my friends.

No point in blame, no hope for redemption, and no rest for the weary this side of the grave. Please hit the tip jar to pay for this bizarre exercise in Fear and Loathing.

 

 

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71 comments

  2. “Is there a strain of Charles Johnson-ism in all this?”

    Let us all sincerely hope not. That’s a recipe for…damned if I know precisely what, but sad, sordid, paranoid, and ungrateful is no way to run a blog, or a party!

  3. I see two things in this mess, of which people engaging in it seem pitifully unaware:

    1) The obvious connection to, and playing-right-in-the-hands-of, the Rauhauser-type attacks on the right
    2) The copious use of key words and phrases that mark people more than they realize. (I assumed bloggers studied the craft of writing. Apparently I was wrong.)

    Even when I try to look askance at the accusatory language coming from particular right-side bloggers, I cannot help but notice the lockstep usage of accusatory terms, coupled with references that frequently link to more use of those same terms, and not to actual data or facts.

    I will never know the truth in this case, because I will never be in a position to verify it for myself, but I can tell you that these characteristics I’m seeing in the blogging about this supposed “scandal” are reminiscent of the old-school propagandists. People need to step up with something real (ie, not just another accusation) or they need to stop embarrassing themselves.

  4. I appreciate your concern. Some people either (a) don’t know what they’re doing, or (b) know damned well what they’re doing and just don’t care. ignorance or malice, the damage done is the same either way.

  5. If I lived in SC1 I’d vote for Mark Sanford. I don’t like the people around Curtis Bostic…mainly the felons.

  8. Vinegar? Seriously, vinegar? Where are the layers of fact checkers? South Carolina BBQ is mustard based.

    Talk like that will get you blacklisted.

  9. Give Stacy a break. Perhaps he was remiss in his research on South Carolina BBQ as opposed to NC BBQ. But he has more important things on his mind than the ingredient base of a particular state’s BBQ sauce. ( Oh the blasphemy!)

  14. I vote for (b) laced with this –> “At a time when the GOP is in a condition of demoralized disarray”…..sigh
    WTH was SC thinking? Hugs for you Stacy, this is horrible and reflection of what’s to come.
    I have just one question. Are we ready for a Third Party yet? good grief SMH

  15. Is the primary an open primary, or another instance of the Dems registering as GOP for this vote? It worked well with Akin and others. Just asking.

  16. “wherein Mark Sanford’s 2009 embarrassment is shrugged off as something inconsequential that only the Liberal Media Elite care about”

    Goooood…gooood

  18. Speaking of family values, god that David Brooks article referenced in the sidebar is awful.

    i don’t mean for what he’s arguing for, I mean the way he goes about it. The man thinks entirely in abstractions. And he seems to think that marriage is good in and of itself regardless of what happens to it — so don’t point out anything about divorce, cohabitation, births out-of-wedlock, promscuity, etc. That’d just be returning us to the ’50s.

    this is what’s frustrating about this debate, we are told that gay marriage will be a stabilizing force, which sounds great, and then at the same time “enlightened” voices tell America to get rid of any remaining hangups about monogamy, casual sex, etc. etc. well which is it

  19. Let me simplify this. After last week when the GOP tossed in the towel on gay marriage and we’re told that we now have to accept that homosexuality is just fine.. Who really cares about some guy who cheated on his wife? At lease we know that he’s hetero.

  21. Proving once again that the eGOP is interested in running their favorite designated losers instead of leading the country back from the brink and helping save the Republic from GODLESS lefties…

    Is it possible to learn from your own mistakes? Goodness knows the eGOP has made the same mistake ENOUGH TIMES by now to learn anything if it were possible for them to learn anything…

  22. WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN BBQ?

    Clearly the good folks in South Carolina aren’t interested in winning elections!

  23. Then why don’t you just go and submit your numerous early ballots for the Democrat candidate now?

    Think of all the time you can save on election day…

  24. Sanford will crush Busch. Don’t believe the crap you read on the internet, this is a solid Republican district. Once her true roots and positions are exposed, she’s cold, stale, soggy, burnt toast.

  25. This is all part of their effort to rehabilitate Caligula for future office. But chances are, Caligula wouldn’t have anything to do with Rove, et al…

  26. But even if Sanford wins, the country loses. But the good folks in SC1 may wind up getting what they asked for. Only to find they don’t really want it. Think “buyer’s remorse.”

  27. You act like this stand is about being anti-gay. Far from the truth. We’re arguing the semantics of the word marriage, the end result will be a blow to religious freedom. Now that the RNC has adopted that platform, the Democrats will go on to destroy the Church by lawsuits and destructive media. Don’t think it will happen? I think that is the real goal.
    I don’t know why the Government doesn’t get out of the marriage business altogether. Their concern is only for tax reasons and has no religious value. Besides, aren’t Liberals always wanting the separtation of Church & State? Here’s a simple solution: The Gov’t can issues civil union certificates for their tax & fees (because Lord knows they can’t keep their sticky fingers off everyone’s money) and then the couple can seek the ceremony of their choice. Religious, non-religious, etc., etc. Then everyone can get out of everyone else’s belief system business. <–that was an awkward sentence LOL)
    Anyway, the short version, one by one our Freedoms are being chipped away and many remain silent or compliant.
    Thank God there's people like Stacy and Ali out there that will take a stand, for Freedom.

  28. South Carolina 1st CD voters 1, Carpetbaggers, RINOs, big spenders, corrupt Old Boy Network cronies, and hypocrites 0.

    I’ve made a conscious effort to avoid reading or commenting on the articles on this race here ever since Stacy first invoked Will Folks, which proved conclusively that his coverage would have no resemblance to reality.

    For instance, anyone who believes Colbert Busch has a chance in the special election is dreaming. Not in SC-1, people. The last Democrat elected was Mendel Davis, who had been the legendary Mendel Rivers’ Chief of Staff, some 40 years ago – and the district has become even more Republican with redistricting over the years.

    Yeah, but PPP has a poll, right?

  29. Concerning Ali, AFAIK it was the Bostic campaign which claimed they never hired him or authorized him to speak on their behalf.

    The main question I’ve seen raised about him is, given his history of credit card fraud in fundraising for supposedly conservative causes, why he has claimed non-profit status for NBC and why the lack of full and open disclosure which might allay suspicions.

    It does seem rather hypocritical to claim his political successes excuse his personal criminal failures, while at the same time working against the proven fiscal conservative because of his moral failings, and being for an establishment big spender instead. Especially from an early backer of Herman Cain.

  30. Except he already represented the district for three terms AND was Governor for eight years. The voters know EXACTLY what they are getting.

    And, in case it wasn’t reported here, Bostic was an establishment big spender, and the voters knew that, too.

  31. What? Sanford is the hated enemy of the GOP Establishment, the guy who brought pigs to the state legislature to rebuke their spending.

    To consider him otherwise, and Bostic the outsider, proves you are completely clueless about the facts in this race. Where on earth do you get your disinformation?

  32. Actually, that’s just Stacy projecting again. Nobody dismisses it here, everyone is still very angry with Sanford about it.

    Not enough to send a big-spending establishment tool to Congress in his place, though. I mean, we aren’t stupid enough to shoot ourselves in the foot for the sake of being Bible-thumping hypocrites.

  33. Bostic is a decent guy, and he wouldn’t have anything to do with convicted felons.

    Of course, Bobby Harrell has never been charged with a crime, so how could he be convicted? But he would have had Bostic in his “sphere of influence.”

  34. I’ve seen blogging on Ali that seems vindictive and presumptive. I’ve also seen blogging that asks some very simple and fair questions for any person and organization that handles voluntary donations and claims to be non-profit.

    I don’t know if full and honest disclosure of all the questioned details would answer the second group, and doubt it would satisfy the first. But we’ll never know if that full disclosure isn’t made, will we?

  35. SC has open primaries, but you can only vote in one party’s primaries in a given election. So those who voted in the Democratic primary could not vote in the Republican run-off.

    But Sanford is a life-long resident and business/charitable presence in the district and, including primaries and run-offs, his electoral record is 10-0 (well, 11-0 after Tuesday, soon to be 12-0). He’s a well-known quantity and a winner of elections.

    Any idea he wasn’t going to win this was just fantasy. Why would you think otherwise? Have you been reading fictional accounts of the contest?

  36. I’m out of touch. There is bigotry but against those with the audacity to define marriage as man and woman. I just doesn’t appear this was ever about rights because that’s easy.

  40. Sanford has supported good people in SC (Haley, Scott) and I expect will get their support as well. Sure, there was that big mistake. But it seems like this guy has done enough good that it would be worthwhile to rehabilitate him. If he was a Democrat, I wouldn’t even need to make the suggestion.

  44. The GOP ain’t known as the “party of stupid” for no reason…here is reason #17,941, “The selection of Mark Sanfordd to represent the GOP in the Special Election for SC Dist 1.”

  46. Call it what you will.

    You ever read the ingredients list on a bottle of mustard? I’ll give you a hint, the first (and therefore largest) ingredient is not mustard.

  47. Stupid girl. You are not of the South, you have zero understanding of the people in the first district.

  48. We now know that depravity is making inroads into the GOP. The GOP is well on its way to becoming the same type of moral cesspool as the Dimocrat party. What a shame.
    As for the general, we’ll see. I think there will be many that will simply stay home because they realize what Sanford actually symbolizes.

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