Knotts' slur stirs the Haley storm
Lawmaker calls candidate a 'raghead' on Internet show
By JOHN O’CONNOR - [email protected]

Lexington state Sen. Jake Knotts called political rival and Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley a “raghead” on an Internet political talk show Thursday evening.

The term is a slur typically used against Arabs or other ethnic groups who wear turbans or headdresses. Haley, a state representative from Lexington, is the child of Indian immigrants.

“We already got one raghead in the White House,” Knotts said. “We don’t need another in the Governor’s Mansion.”

According to those present and watching the show, “Pub Politics,” Knotts also talked at length about Haley’s parents’ religion and her family. Haley was raised as a Sikh, but converted to Methodist and has said she attends both services. “Pub Politics” host Wesley Donehue said the video will be posted today.

Haley’s religion was raised as an issue during her first S.C. House run in 2004, when anonymous fliers claimed — inaccurately — that she was a Hindu. Haley won the race, unseating the House’s longest-serving lawmaker.

Haley is in a four-way contest for governor. Knotts is a longtime ally of Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, who is also running for governor. Wednesday, Bauer campaign consultant Larry Marchant said he had a one-time sexual encounter with Haley in 2008. Bauer asked Marchant to resign, but Haley accused Bauer of “fishing” the story to the press. The allegation was the second in as many weeks against Haley, who has maintained she has been faithful to her husband of 13 years.

Though they both hail from Lexington, Knotts and Haley have been adversaries, as they represent opposing wings of the county’s Republican Party. Haley is a longtime supporter of Gov. Mark Sanford, who has been a Knotts adversary.

“What the race in ’04 proved was the goodness of the people of South Carolina,” Haley said after a Columbia campaign stop. “What the race in 2010 will prove is the goodness of the people of South Carolina, that there fewer people of the Jake Knotts (ilk) and that there are a lot more good, educated people (who) want their voice heard in government.”

Haley campaign manager Tim Pearson said that Knotts was an embarrassment to the state, and that South Carolina voters would make it clear on Tuesday they are better than this.

S.C. GOP chairwoman Karen Floyd called on Knotts to apologize, which he did late Thursday.

Knotts said his comments were meant as humor.

“My ‘raghead’ comments about Obama and Haley were intended in jest,” Knotts said in a statement. “Bear in mind that this is a freewheeling, anything-goes Internet radio show that is broadcast from a pub. It’s like local political version of ‘Saturday Night Live.’

“Since my intended humorous context was lost in translation, I apologize. I still believe Ms. Haley is pretending to be someone she is not, much as Obama did, but I apologize to both for an unintended slur.”

Knotts was not a scheduled guest on the show, said Donehue, who is also the Senate Republican caucus spokesman. The other host, Senate Democratic Caucus spokesman Phil Bailey, said Knotts’ views do not reflect those of the show.

“Pub Politics” has featured reporters, including those from The State, bloggers, political scientists and elected officials discussing the week’s political news.

“People talk,” said Donehue. “It’s an open discussion of politics over beer.”

“I, along with everyone else at the table, was shocked,” he said of Knotts’ comments.

The Knotts slur capped a day of elbow-throwing, in which Bauer challenged Haley to take a lie-detector test to prove she has not had a sexual affair, as the former Bauer campaign staffer claimed.

Bauer said he, too, would submit to a polygraph test to prove he had no part in pushing the story into the media.

“Nobody has been a better friend of transparency than Andre Bauer,” Bauer said in a news release. “ … Ms. Haley, on the other hand, speaks of transparency, but apparently only for other people, not for herself. And now, we learn that she is refusing to release phone and text messages which could clear up some of the unfortunate recent allegations.”

Haley, whose signature issue is government transparency, has said she will not open her state e-mail and phone records to the public after a claim made last week by political blogger Will Folks that he and Haley engaged in an inappropriate physical relationship in 2008.

Haley has said opening the records would be a waste of time and a distraction from the real issues of the campaign.

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This story should mesh nicely with this one to give folks a good picture of everyday life in the great Palmetto State.

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Don't forget THIS ONE
 

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Haley's awesome.  She's moved from third back in December to breaking into the lead by double-digits (10.6%) as of May 28.

The May 28 poll came after the first allegation of sexual infidelity, and rumor has it that it was Gresham Barrett's campaign that leaked the dirt.  Barrett, of course, vehemently denies that.  The second sexual infidelity allegation came from a consultant to Andre Bauer's campaign.  That consultant resigned the day after he made the allegations.  So, that's two rumors––both admittedly unsubstantiated––from two good ol' boy opponents of Haley.  Go figure.

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The second dude sounds gay.  I heard his statment a few days ago.

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Any relation to Lindsey Graham?

 

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June 8th I will send a message to the good ole boys in SC......

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Latest from Andre Bauer...

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20100604/NEWS/306040022/-1/rss

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Latest from Andre Bauer...

http://www.greenvilleonline.com/article/20100604/NEWS/306040022/-1/rss

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Sooooooo glad I got out of that backwards lost-in-time state 6 years ago.

Don't let the door knob hit you where the good Lord split ya!

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June 8th I will send a message to the good ole boys in SC......

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Seriously?  Its fucking 2010.

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Sooooooo glad I got out of that backwards lost-in-time state 6 years ago.

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Start a thread about the Civil War, and you'll think it's 1861.






 

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I am going to be traveling.  Can I vote absentee?

I am going to be out of town on election day, how do I vote?
"Absentee" voting is available to registered voters who will be out of the county on election day. Also, if a registered voter is unable to go to the polls due to disability or if employment keeps a voter on the job site the entire time the polls are open (7AM until 7PM) and this is verified by the employer, this is a valid reason for absentee voting. Applications for absentee voting can be requested by the voter in person or by phone. Even an immediate family member may request an application be sent to a voter. Once the application is returned by the voter, the ballot will be mailed for voting and then must be returned to the Voting Office no later than the close of polls on election day (7PM) in order to be counted. Persons who are 65 years of age or older may vote by the absentee method if they wish to do so and properly apply.

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Start a thread about the Civil War, and you'll think it's 1861.


 

Few things are as clearly defined as the right of individual Americans to own and use firearms. The right to bear arms was deemed so critical by our Founders that they spelled it out in absolute terms, and it is my belief that any governmental action that undermines that right is in turn undermining the very freedoms that built our great nation. I hold a Concealed Weapons Permit myself, and in this state we have issues that make it difficult for CWP holders to rightfully carry – we need to make the rules that govern carrying far more simple. As governor, I will continue to fight against any government infringement on the 2nd Amendment.

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Right now, there's a radio ad on in which Mike Huckabee is endorsing Bauer.  Yet another reason not to vote for him, IMHO.

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Who do you folks like for the other races?  I have only been following the race for the Gov.

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I know/knew some of the people that ran with the Bauer crowd here in Charleston.  They were complete shitheads.  Several of these folks were in the mortgage business with a friend of mine.  There was lots of drama, questionable business practices, inappropriate relationships, wild parties.

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Right now, there's a radio ad on in which Mike Huckabee is endorsing Bauer.  Yet another reason not to vote for him, IMHO.

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I did my senior year at Porter-Gaud (elite Charleston prep school) old Charleston money is very genteel and polite by the light of day...once the sun goes down the Charleston elite get down and dirty.

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I did my senior year at Porter-Gaud (elite Charleston prep school) old Charleston money is very genteel and polite by the light of day...once the sun goes down the Charleston elite get down and dirty.

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I'm in the 4th District, where Bob Inglis is our RINO rep.  I believe I'll be voting for Christina Jeffrey in that one.  ETA:  She's having a machine-gun social tomorrow (well, automatic rifles, anyway) if you're interested.  From her home page:

http://christinajeffrey.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/jeffreyevents.jpg

For treasurer, I'm leaning towards Curtis Loftis.  That race has been characterized by mud slinging, but when in doubt, vote against the incumbent.  Chellis, as far as I can tell, is just another good ol' boy.  Loftis may be too, but we'll see...

Sadly, I don't know a danged thing about any of the other down-ticket races.  There's just not any information out there where I typically look.  My mission this week (and probably over the weekend) is researching these, particularly the education superintendent candidates.

WIsh I could do better, but here's a link to the list of 2010 SC state candidates.  It's a good starting point, if nothing else.

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You know anything about Stoval Whittey (sp?)?

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I am not a prude but I saw shit that made me say WTF.

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Unfortunately, no.  I was just in Georgetown County and saw that he's running against Henry Brown in 1st District, but I don't know much of anything about either of those guys.  While I'm doing my research, I'll see what I can dig up on them and will post what I find.

(ETA:  Oops––Brown isn't seeking reelection, is he?)