SC Yellow Dogs

Beth Padget thinks the South Carolina Democratic Party had a point about filing on Sunday. Here is what she said in a recent blog:

Sometimes it’s fun just to sit at your desk and await the “ping” alerting you to an e-mail. Especially during a super-charged election year.

Well the South Carolina Democratic Party wants you to know their people want to be in church on Sunday morning – not sitting around some office waiting for stragglers to file for office.

All kidding aside, I think the Democrats have a point. After all, this is South Carolina, buckle of the Bible Belt. But we have state laws that set the filing period for candidates running for a bunch of offices. By statute, the candidates file between noon on March 16 and noon on March 30. Well, this year, those dates come on Sundays.

And, I’m not good enough to do the math, but it’s got to be possible for the closing of the filing period to come on Easter Sunday. The opening fell on Palm Sunday this year.

So a short while ago, I get an e-mail from the South Carolina Democratic Party that was really addressed to state Attorney General Henry McMaster. Now, I hadn’t realized that his office had rendered an opinion that to me (if the quote is correct) is pretty unintelligible. It says, according to the Dems release: “I am unaware of any prohibitions to the various committees with whom the statements of intention of candidacy are to be filed receiving such on a Sunday in order to comply with such provision.”

Now, the Dems pretended they understood that sentence, so much so that they fired back, “Unfortunately, this opinion runs counter to South Carolina’s principles, and fails to consider that, when the ‘various committees’ accept filing, actual people have to be present regardless of their preference to be in church.” Now that I can understand. It means lots of people in South Carolina go to church on Sunday, and they’d prefer not having to worry about candidates needing to file for office.

As Carol Fowler wrote on behalf of the S.C. Democratic Party, “Having candidates file for office between 8 a.m. and noon on a Sunday may not be illegal, but it goes against the values of our state, which for a great many of us include Sunday morning worship services. I am disappointed that these values weren’t taken into consideration when you rendered your opinion.”

So, how about this: Change the silly state laws so the filing period doesn’t open and end on a Sunday.

Don’t you think this would be a good idea?

WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Majority Whip James E. Clyburn today released the following statement criticizing House Republicans for defeating the GIVE Act, HR 5563, legislation that promotes volunteerism and reauthorizes national service programs.

“What demonstrates true American values more than volunteering?  What better way to give back to our country and community than engage in service work? When our cities and our towns are in crisis, how do we rebuild them and get our neighbors back on their feet?  With volunteers-people giving their time, their care, their resources to make our neighborhoods and our nation a better place.  I am truly confounded as to why my colleagues would divide on partisan lines and defeat a bill that strengthens and provides for our national service organizations.

“This bill was approved unanimously by the Education and Labor Committee
44 to 0.  It authorizes extremely successful and effective organizations such as AmeriCorps, VISTA, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Foster Grandparent Program, and Senior Companion Program. It also creates a new service-learning program called Summer of Service, which engages youth in service through summer volunteer opportunities.

“What do my Republican colleagues have against volunteerism?”

There was a very funny video from two guys in Tennessee asking if the Democratic candidates worried about Al Gore joining the field. Of course, all of the candidates quickly dismissed concerns. But, take note. All of these same candidates have lots to say about global warming, climate change and the world we leave to our children. How much has Al Gore influenced the direction of the Democratic presidential campaigns?

There are thousands of people here in Charleston at the Citadel talking about more than candidates. They’re here to draw attention to issues. Sen. Biden says we have to start telling the truth. Sen. Obama acknowledges we failed to ask the right questions upfront. Sen. Kucinich says we should walk out today. What are we going to do to stop the war?

We’re here at the Citadel - cadets, canons, calibration - and the roads are filled with people who represent all the faces of America. From green America to fair taxation, from pandabears to public education, the parade grounds of the Citadel are bursting. Welcome to the July 2007 Democratic Presidential debate. Join us in commenting as you watch on CNN tonight.

Lt. General John Rosa, President of the Citadel, submitted a welcome video to those who will be visiting the campus for the July 23 Presidential Primary Debate. Here’s LTG Rosa’s video:

Go to www.youtube.com/contest/DemocraticDebate to see YouTube video questions for the July 23 presidential primary debate at The Citadel in Charleston, SC.

People from across the nation are submitting their questions to the candidates for this groundbreaking and historic event. CNN anchor Anderson Cooper will moderate the debate, but the questions come from regular folks like you and me.

You can submit your own YouTube question for the candidates by going to www.youtube.com/debates. Questions must be 30 seconds or less, and they should be personal, original, and creative.

CNN and YouTube are teaming up to host the first-ever voter-generated presidential debate. For the first time in presidential debate history, the Democratic debate in Charleston, SC will feature video questions submitted to YouTube which will be broadcast and answered by the candidates on CNN. CNN’s Anderson Cooper will moderate the two-hour debate and pose follow-up questions.

The debate will be at the Citadel in Charleston, SC, on Monday, July 23 from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm (ET) and will air live on CNN.

YouTube users can submit their questions at www.youtube.com/debates.

Presidential candidate John Edwards and actor Danny Glover will hold two events in South Carolina Wednesday, June 6, 2007. Edwards and Glover will have a lunch event in Florence and a meet and greet in Bishopville. Here are the details:

The Anderson County Democratic Party has launched a new website at www.andersondemocrats.com.

The website features a calendar of local Democratic Party events, downloads of their monthly newsletter, and important information about their thriving county party.

Visit the website often to stay on top of all the latest information in Anderson County.

An Open Discussion with the House Majority Whip

House Majority Whip and Sixth District Congressman James E. Clyburn will be in Columbia, SC on Wednesday, May 30 and is inviting the media to talk with him about current events. The media roundtable with Congressman Clyburn will be held at 1:00 PM in the conference room of his at 1703 Gervais Street.

For more information, contact Hope Derrick at (803) 799-1100.

Former President Bill Clinton will be guest of honor at a reception on Friday afternoon, May 18. South Carolina Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler announced that the fundraising event will be held at a private home in Columbia.

“We are delighted that President Clinton has agreed to attend the reception,” said Fowler. “He is tremendously popular with South Carolina Democrats, and many of them will welcome an opportunity to see him again.”

The reception will take place while the former president is in Columbia to speak to the NAACP’s annual Freedom Fund event. For more information on the Democratic Party event and tickets, please call 803-799-7798.

The convention was packed full of loyal SC Democrats, with introductions by former Governor Jim Hodges three of the Presidential candidates spoke about their campaigns and promises if elected and the election of Carol Khare Fowler as Chair of the State Democratic Party round out the action from Saturday.

Hodges:
We’re going to win b/c we’re right on the issues.

Clyburn:
Help the Dem. party reclaim its place in SC
The fish fry is a thanks to you for all that you do.
With the first debate here we have turned the page in SC, in O’burg, in SC State U.  By 10am yesterday 1 million 3 hundred thous. were asking about SCSU.
We are on the move again. We need to put the past behind us and become a great community for our children.
Referring to Joe E.: He is a shining example of what can be done with a young man with a dream who loves America.

Erwin:
Quoted N. Merchant song, These are the Days. “These are the days, see the signs”
The signs are speaking to you.
When I was leaving SCSU there were all these kids around. And when I looked at their faces, I didn’t see a black face. I didn’t see a white face. All I saw were beautiful faces.

Carol:
When you grow up 1 of 7 children, it’s hard not to become a democrat.
Pivotal point in my life. I saw Bobby Kennedy and he made sense to me.
In our party and our state we just need to stop leaving people out. This is the most important thing.
We have to set an example that everyone knows that they have a place with us.
3 people who set nomination and 2nd were all examples of what Karen believes the party should include. Bacari, Colleen Connely, & Leslie Price
We need to find people like them (Bacari, etc) and give them the training to run for office.
I don’t necessarily believe that a woman is more organized or committed than a man for this job…but I believe that this woman is willing to do what is needed.

The Convention Center was packed with Democrats eager to learn about or support the 2008 Democratic presidential candidates. Before the formal dinner, hundreds joined together for more personal discussions with each other and individual campaigns. Lower key than the main dinner, state and local dems posed for more comfortable conversation during the annual Jim Clyburn fish fry.

The Annual Jefferson Jackson Dinner, hosted in each state by the respective Democratic Party, was sold out days before the event this year. With all eight Democratic presidential candidates having a spot on the agenda, the dinner was served to a standing room only crowd. Each presidential candidate made his or her own style of entrance and a brief but fiery speech.

The debate is over and everyone’s arguing about who won and who lost. It was exciting to be on location with all the media. An entire parking lot on the SCSU campus was devoted to national trucks with massive satellite feeds and the press building offered multiple rooms with rows of tables, wide-screened TVs, and strained wireless connections. Take a look at some more photos from around the campus.

We’re here and are going to try live-blogging the debate. So far it looks like about 75% of the expected crowd is here and all set to go. We passed the SC State band and the press stage with Keith Olberman and Chris Matthews on our way to our table. We’ll have to see what the evening brings…

Follow along our comments as we watch this evening.

Not so much “debating” - more like round-robin campaign pitches. I know, I know, there haven’t been real debates in years, but I was a speech major in college, so it’s a pet peeve of mine. With this many candidates, it’s difficult to even let them all get their pitch in. I can’t tell if they are letting everyone get equal time either. Are they giving more time to the “first tier” candidates? Or am I imagining that?

Biden got a good one in with his “yes” answer to gaffes.

Leading Democrats running for the Presidency are traveling to Orangeburg and South Carolina this week. Top candidates recognize this as both an opportunity to position themselves within the field of Democratic candidates running for President. Thursday evening at 7 PM on NBC news, eight Democratic candidates for President of the United States will make their case to the voters of South Carolina and the nation.

For South Carolina, it presents an amazing chance for this state to have South Carolina issues, values and voices front and center in the national spotlight. Let’s do it right! I want to hear what South Carolinians think of the candidates?