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Political Hash
2/1/2010 12:30 AM

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Staff reports

The political scene heated up considerably in South Carolina last week - and that was before the Republican gubernatorial debate on Thursday.

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, a candidate for governor, started with his comment likening the delivery of welfare to the poor to giving food to stray animals. Following up that comment, here is what some of our politicians had to say:

* Andre Bauer, Republican candidate for governor: "Yes, I believe government is 'breeding a culture of dependency' which has grown out of control, and frankly, amounts to little more than socialism, paid for by hard-working, tax-paying families - against their wishes.

At the same time, I feel strongly that we can and should help our neighbors who are truly needy. ... However, there's a big difference between being truly needy and truly lazy."

* Henry McMaster, attorney general andRepublican candidate for governor: "I'm sure Lt. Gov. Bauer realizes he chose his words poorly in this instance. However, I think all conservatives share his concern about the huge debt which entitlement programs are placing on future generations.

"The lieutenant governor has now clarified his position. I hope Democrats will now stop their cynical effort to inflame passions and exploit the issue for political gain."

And what did the Democrat candidates have to say?

* Dwight Drake, Democrat candidate for governor: "I condemn Bauer's attack on hungry children because their parents don't have a job. During his time as lieutenant governor, the state's unemployment has doubled and is now one of the highest in the nation. This is no time to attack children to pick up a few votes."

* Mullins McLeod, Democrat candidate for governor: "Blaming hungry children for their economic situation and threatening to withhold food and nutrition is just plain wrong. It's much more than a poor choice of words, and all South Carolinians, Democrats and Republicans, should join us in denouncing Bauer's divisive comments."

* Jim Rex, Democrat candidate for governor: "If the intent of Lt. Gov. Bauer's remarks was to blame children, who are not responsible for their own predicaments, or to blame adults, who want to work but cannot find jobs, it is regrettable. It is reprehensible that a statewide elected official would compare his fellow citizens to stray animals."

* Vincent Sheheen, Democrat candidate for governor: "I am disgusted by Mr. Bauer's comments and call on him to apologize to South Carolina's unemployed workers and their families. You're sick and tired of being embarrassed by elected leaders in South Carolina, and I am too. But words like Mr. Bauer's don't just embarrass me - they make me fear for our state's future."

The world of South Carolina politics is about more than Republicans and Democrats. First Lady Jenny Sanford reminded us in a talk Thursday that our state ranks low in the number of women in political leadership.

* Jenny Sanford, S.C. first lady: "We have very few women who are elected to office and very few women involved in the system."

Makes one wonder if Mrs. Sanford will one day push the envelope to become a political candidate.

And our two U.S. senators saw things differently in voting on the nomination of Benjamin Bernanke to a second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve.

* Sen. Jim DeMint, voted against the nomination: "Chairman Bernanke's easy-money policy fueled the housing bubble and his push for Wall Street bailouts made things worse. It's clear that this administration will not take responsibility for its economic mistakes and plans to continue a reckless battle against free markets and American jobs."

* Sen. Lindsey Graham, voted in favor of Mr. Bernanke: "Unemployment continues to rise in South Carolina and I know people in our state are hurting. The economy today is not where any of us want it to be. I think it is unfair, though, to try and hold Chairman Bernanke responsible for all our economic problems. There is plenty of blame to go around."

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