South Carolina Ping
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Posted on 01/05/2007 10:29:28 AM PST by areafiftyone
U.S. Sen. John McCain has locked up nearly every major Republican donor in South Carolina to lead his 2008 finance committee, including some of the top names of President Bush’s 2000 campaign.
With just a year to go before S.C. Republicans cast their ballots for the party’s presidential nominee, McCain has built a formidable team. It includes Bob Royall, Bush’s finance chairman from his 2000 Palmetto State campaign, as well as top Bush fundraisers Florence surgeon Eddie Floyd, Midlands venture capitalist Larry Wilson and Bill Stern, chairman of the State Ports Authority and finance chairman of Gov. Mark Sanford’s recent re-election campaign.
The McCain camp plans to release the full finance committee list next week, but The State obtained an advance copy Thursday.
The decision by such high-level Republican donors is significant because it continues the trend of McCain picking up the endorsement of many of Bush’s top backers from 2000. That was the year McCain won New Hampshire then was crushed in South Carolina by Bush, who went on to win the nomination and the White House.
Warren Tompkins, Bush’s 2000 campaign consultant here, has signed on to manage the 2008 campaign of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. Efforts to reach Tompkins on Thursday were unsuccessful.
The high-level finance team comes in addition to the lengthy roster of top S.C. GOP elected officials who are backing McCain. They include U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, Attorney General Henry McMaster and Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell.
Royall, a former U.S. ambassador to Tanzania, ex-Commerce secretary and retired chairman of National Bank of South Carolina, said Thursday that McCain is the president the country needs.
“It’s a very complex world that we live in, and he has vast experience,” Royall said of the Arizona Republican. “He brings the kind of leadership for security in this country in time of terror.”
Royall said he was courted by other candidates, which made the decision to back McCain difficult.
“I had to take three or four months really to think about it,” he said. “I weigh all the candidates in this stage of the game, and having been involved in the past and present administration, I really think he’s the best person for the job.”
South Carolina has become a crucial Republican battleground on the road to the White House.
State GOP chairman Katon Dawson was impressed by McCain’s lineup.
“That is what I would call the ‘A Team,’” Dawson said. “That is a good list. Those are people who have substantially helped build the Republican Party in South Carolina.
“I certainly congratulate Senator McCain on surrounding himself with such excellent South Carolina citizens who have been the backbone of our political success.”
Richard Quinn Sr. is McCain’s top S.C. political consultant. He said Thursday the campaign will release the complete finance team later this month.
“All I can say is that we are excited and deeply gratified by the caliber of the people who have agreed to serve,” Quinn said. “These men and women know how to make a big difference in election campaigns.”
Floyd was a major fundraiser for Bush in 2000, earning “pioneer” status for the top contributors to the campaign. He was also on Graham’s 2002 finance committee and U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint’s 2004 team.
On Thursday, he called McCain “a great patriot.
“When it becomes obvious who you’ll support and who you’ll get behind, you ought to go ahead and make the decision and help,” Floyd said. “I was a strong member of the Bush team when John McCain ran the last time. I’ve called up a lot of my friends on the old Bush team, and I have not had one that did not want to be with McCain.”
These are not ceremonial positions, Floyd said. He expects once the team is complete that McCain will increase his visits to the state.
Wilson said he supports McCain’s positions on Iraq and government spending.
“In the last election cycles, it was split between himself and George Bush, and I supported George Bush. But this time, I see him being a clear choice in South Carolina,” Wilson said.
McCain is bad news and, I, for one, would never support him for anything. The base better wake up and realize that the GOP needs a "tell it like it is" leader who believes in and supports and fights for conservative ideals. That means standing up to Liberals. McCain is a RINO, RINO, RINO who is out for McCain, McCain, McCain.
All the money in the world cannot translate into votes.........That's what this last election showed........
Oh I know that but the World Nut Daily is saying he's finished already. McCain is no way finished - he's going to be very formidable to anyone running. He's practically drooling at the thought of being president and he's not going to make the same mistake he made in 2000. That is why we have to make sure he does make the same mistake.
I can't wait for "McCain-Feingold" to bite him in the arse............
I have a feeling alot of things will bite him in the Patootie once all the others start campaigning. He's got it easy right now - he's got the MSM on his side and big money coming in but when the Democrats get a hold of him and the other Republican candidates start on him it won't be smooth sailing for him.
If, by some ill-wind of Satan, McCain does manage to get the nom, his "friends" in the MSM will turn on him like a pit bull in a dog fight........
I'd tell him to his face to go fly a kite. But I heard he crashed every kite he owned.
God I hope he doesn't! Then he'll pick Lindsey Graham as his VP and then I'll have to be put away! LOL!
As for me an my extended family: we'll never support these hybrid types...
John Connally was in a similar position in 1979. How many members of the congressional delegation have signed on with McCain.
Is Slate not leftist, and was it SC or NC that spurned McCain before? Of course his butt buddy graham is from SC, but i don't think SC thinks that much of him anymore? I always seen graham as the vp candidate if mccain gets the nomination.
I'm sure alot of them have. I just have this gut feeling.
Will the McCaniacs re-surface to start up the "Straight Talk Express II"?.......Will Matt Lauer gush all over the camera lens over McCain?.......More than likely, yes....The Liberals not only want to choose their standard bearer, they want to choose ours also.......I predict that any Non-McCain candidate will find it difficult to get "face-time" in the news, pundit shows or print space in the media..................
It's the STATE not Slate. I think you might be a confused on the source. I think it was SC that spurned him.
Scary isn't it?
The high-level finance team comes in addition to the lengthy roster of top S.C. GOP elected officials who are backing McCain. They include U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, Attorney General Henry McMaster and Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell.
I notice tha Gov Mark Sanford is not among those listed, he is a great Governor ( little NC envy here). Conservative and practical, yet he is not onboard for McRino's effort.
SC rejected him the last time, he just didn't play well there, GWB went to *gasp* Bob Jones University, McCain wouldn't speak there if the stage was made of donor checks...
Uhhh Not any more - check this out:
If he does, after Jones trip (and statements) to Iran he really is nuts.
He's sooo desperate for the presidency. This is his last chance he thinks and that's why he's so desperate. He's been waiting since 2000 to run again.
Actually, I could plug my nose and vote for McCain/Graham.
Hopefully, their replacements in the Senate would be real Conservatives.
It will be hard for the dems to 'swift boat' McCain.
Which of the leading dems has military experience? Not Hillary, not Obama, not Richardson.
South Carolina Ping
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And Graham thinks he's going to be the VP.
Actually, would that be so bad? His Senate seat would be open for a conservative replacement in that case.
But I recognize that there is the risk that Pres. McCain could burst an artery in a fit of rage, whereupon Lindsee would become da Prez. Too terrible to contemplate.
you are right, i couldn't see. i went and looked, strange site.... mass and discussing mass are side bar topics, which is for? romney? i didn't see AZ in the side bar. also mccain and SC banking. and there were ads from a little town 30 miles from me.
Scary, yes.... mccain and graham two peas out of a pod, joined at the hip....
I hope the MSM abandons him.
YES... and running against Clinton / Yomama Obama..
It WILL BE a politically obscene election..
What is America smoking?.. nevermind I already know..
A large portion of the conservative base would not hold their nose and vote for a ticket containing either McCain or Graham.
I wouldn't be surprised to see a conservative third party candidate siphon off about 10% of the total vote and give Rodham/Obama a win with about 43% of the popular vote. All a 3rd party candidate has to do is tip one or two states into the blue column to swing the election to the dems.
It is imperative that we defeat McCain in the SC primary.
Royall, a former (blah, blah, blah) said Thursday that McCain is the president the country needs. "It’s a very complex world that we live in, and he has vast experience," Royall said of the Arizona Republican.Oh really Mr Royall?“He brings the kind of leadership for security in this country in time of terror.”
Monday, May 01, 2006 -- excerpt of John McCain’s appearance on The Don Imus show. Quote McCain:
"He [Michael Graham] also mentioned my abridgment of First Amendment rights, i.e. talking about campaign finance reform. I know that money corrupts. I would rather have a clean government than one where quote First Amendment rights are being respected, that has become corrupt. If I had my choice, I’d rather have the clean government."Well isn't that special. McCain thinks we have *QUOTE* First Amendment Rights. Then I'm suuuuure he feels the same about all our other *QUOTE* rights. Like the 2nd, 5th, 9th or 10th.
So sorry Royall. Any American who even thinks let alone says we have *quote rights* not only is unfit to be POTUS, he's unfit to be elected Dog Catcher. He's also an unmitigated, arrogant, mentally unhinged ASSH*LE and 'we' need him like Paris Hilton needs another pair of shoes.
However, McInsane is correct about one thing. If anyone knows about money corrupting politicians - it's HIM. (How are your Keating Five co-conspirators doing senator?)
I know.... pity.. but its true...
You know it will be that way too..
I know and I've thought from day one he was behind a lot of the MSM going against Bush. HE is too tight with those people and I can picture some quid-pro-quo going on.
Eewwww...
What a pair..
SEN. JOHN McCAIN: THE ULTIMATE "RHINESTONE HERO"
SEN. JOHN McCAIN: THE ULTIMATE "RHINESTONE HERO" Part II
U.S. Sen. John McCain is no War Hero
John McCain: The Manchurian Candidate
McCain Is Booed by Labor Activists
McCain Rides to Kerry's Rescue: "John Kerry is Not Weak on Defense" (Today Show alert)
John McCain SCREAMS AT 9/11 FSA MEMBERS FOR OPPOSING HIS BILL TO GIVE AMNESTY FOR ILLEGALS
A number of articles on McCain. (some the same as above)
McCain/Soros by Rabbi Areyh Spero
Soros' "Reform" (an article about Soros‘ instrumental hand in McCain/Feingold)
Not Child‘s Play [McCain/Schumer bill could effect FR?]
McCain's Letter (McCain aligns with Global Enviro activists)
Grassroots won't support McCain, and that's all that matters.
Has Romney visited your area of the state yet? If so, what did you think?
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