Gresham Barrett: Sacred Honor Demands I Say I Am A Christian Family Man Who Won't Embarrass South Carolina

Here I stand, chaste and faithful; I can do no other.

Via Allah, who writes:

The words “unlike some people” aren’t uttered but they’re clearly implied, just as they were implied when Huckabee pulled this same nasty trick on another conservative whose Christianity is suspect in the eyes of some.

I'ma gonna go ahead and disagree, here, a little? Since the outgoing governor is Mark "Blame it on the Bossanova" Sanford, there is a predicate for announcing one's sexual fidelity and lack of likelihood of embarrassing the state already extant, Nikki Haley or no Nikki Haley.

This is one of those circumstances, then, where there is both an objectionable and unobjectionable reason for a statement, and the only reason to avoid it, then, is to spare your opponent some agita. And doing that is what I'd term "political malpractice."

I would compare this to "racist dog whistle" ads about, say, crime. Hey, you know what? In the eighties, crime was out of control. (It's still bad, of course.) There was a perfectly good reason to make an issue of it. Yes, you know, some racists just use "crime" as a method of talking about black people, but their ill-use of the issue can't prevent me from talking about an issue I genuinely care about.

The media is always big on this, trying to think of new ways to claim that the Republicans are not allowed to discuss or even mention any issue that hurts the Democrats.

What, 10% of the country is racist and thinks "blacks" when we say "criminal"? Oh, I see then, so that's a good reason to outlaw all debate on an issue that affects 100% of us (and, for some, affects catastrophically).

So, I don't buy that. In this case, Barrett does have a good enough reason to mention that his little boat only has one slip.

Before anyone whines I'm giving aid and comfort to "the enemy," let me just say, I can afford a bit of principled honesty because Haley's going to win, easily.

Honestly, the only way she loses is if there is suddenly genuine evidence of an affair (and hence: serial lying), and in that case, trust me, you're a-gonna want a back-up like Barrett who can vouch for his penis' resoluteness and firmness of purpose.

I don't expect that to happen. Because Will Folks ain't a playa, and Larry Marchant plays for the wrong team.

Kidding! Of course I'm not saying he's gay. I'm just saying he's got an Ikea credit card and can tell the difference between a Hvorstaad chaise and a Kvornjak lounger.

I'm just saying if you're wearing a spring hat which could be characterized as "darling," he's likely to say so.

I'm just saying that he has trouble looking in a woman's eyes, because he's looking "down there," if you know what I mean, and by "down there," I mean shoes.

That's all I'm saying. And that's all I'm saying. Certainly I would never say anything else.

At the link, ruminations on the over-exaggerated racism of Southerners, and Haley's poll numbers.

One bit to munch on: Jakie "The Jokeman" Knotts may be asked to resign by the county committee.

What do we-all think of that? Kind of a how-the-worm-has-turned situation, ain't it? Suddenly "Political Correctness Gone Wild" has a little bit to recommend it, doesn't it?

Not baiting; I'm noticing that myself, in myself. Can't say I'm exactly shedding tears for Helen Thomas' embarrassment and retirement, nor by South Carolinians deciding Jakie "SNL Head Writer, 1994-1997" Knotts is too stupid and backwards and embarrassing to represent them any further.

posted by Ace at 04:53 PM

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