South Carolina's New Number Two Dressed as Slave Owner

Although South Carolina Lieutenant Governor Ken Ard resigned in disgrace last week due to ethics violations, it looks like his replacement will be just as embarrassing for the Palmetto State.

Meet Glenn McConnell. You may recognize him from his well-publicized fondness for dressing up like a plantation owner. But, you know, not in a racist way…

The Republican lawmaker is perhaps best known for his unapologetic embrace of the Confederacy, grabbing national headlines in 2010 when he appeared in photos dressed as a confederate general — posing with two people presumably imitating slaves: McConnell is a member Sons of Confederate Veterans, Secession Camp #4, as he proudly lists on his official bio. He also owns a store that sells confederate memorabilia.

Asked in a 1999 interview on ABC's Nightline what he thinks when he sees the Confederate Flag, he replied… "I don't see black and white. I don't see racism." He added that it "hurt[s] our feelings" when people bring up race with the flag.

It's a good thing McConnell doesn't see color. That way, he won't notice the bright shade of red on Gov. Nikki Haley's face whenever she has to explain one of his racially tinged gaffes.

And if he can't see black and white, he definitely won't be able to read the thousands and thousands of letters he'll receive when he throws his next Confederate costume gala.

Tags: Civil War, Nikki Haley, Racism, Republicans, Slavery, South Carolina

From the Pork Barrel: Jogging for President

* Rick Perry is hoping to outrun his ineptitude. I don't know, have you seen the muscle mass on his ineptitude?

* Two Democratic state representatives are trying to ban cheerfulness in South Carolina. (To be honest, I didn't even think they had that there. Like cable.)

* Barack Obama is hoping to beat George Bush in Iowa next week.

* Mitt Romney asks the question with which wise men the world over have been wrestling for years: What's up with Newt Gingrich being so miserable?

* 650+ rabbis agree: President Mitt Romney will turn us all into a bunch of faygalas!

* Reddit sets its sights on keeping Sen. Lindsey Graham from re-winning his seat in 2012. Which shouldn't be hard, since he's not up for reelection till 2014.

Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Tags: Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Health, Internet, Iowa Caucus, Jewish, LGBT, Lindsey Graham, Mitt Romney, National Organization for Marriage, Nikki Haley, Pork Barrel, Primaries, Reddit, Religion, Republicans, Rick Perry, Senate, South Carolina, State Legislature

Gross Gubernatorial Slash Fiction Alert!

EEEEEEUUUUUUWWWWWW. South Carolina creepster-blogger Will Folks has posted a narsty (yes, it's so nasty it gets an extra consonant) excerpt from what he claims is an accurate account of his alleged affair with South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley. Either this guy is a total delusional freakazoid or he's the king of TMI. Either way, the makeout scene is totally vom-worthy.

If you're a fan of barfing, enjoy this nibblet…

Nikki and I kissed even harder and heavier than we had before (away from the lights of the Vista, we weren’t worried about people seeing us here), and at one point I slid my hands under her turtleneck and felt her breasts over the black bra she was wearing. [...]

Nikki told me that night that she had never been unfaithful to her husband — and that up until that evening she had never so much as kissed another man before.

Grossy-gross! We would attempt to cleanse your palate with an excerpt from some ladyblogger's account of her steamy affair with NJ Governor Chris Christie or something, but no one has come forward with that particular tale.

Yet.

Read More »

Tags: Chris Christie, New Jersey, Nikki Haley, Sex, South Carolina, Will Folks

Sarah Palin Will Win the GOP Nomination, It Is Written in the Stars

Chris Matthews — in this clip from Morning Joe — makes a pretty compelling argument for why Sarah Palin will definitely without a doubt one hundred percent certainly you can bet your children's indentured servitude on it win the Republican presidential nomination.

Well, probably…

I can't decide whether the very idea of this is more Hahahahahahahahahaha! or Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!! One thing I do know: The oh-twelve primaries will not be Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…

(via Andrew Sullivan)

Tags: Chris Matthews, Iowa, Joe Scarborough, MSNBC, New Hampshire, Nikki Haley, Primaries, Republicans, Sarah Palin, South Carolina

Quote Unquote: South Carolina and South Asia

South-Asian American blogger, engineer and a micropaleontologist Abhi's feelings after watching Indian-American Nikki Haley win the Republican nomination for South Carolina's governorship…

"When we were kids our parents forced us to be doctors or engineers. When I have a kid I am going to force him/her to be a governor."

I understand the guy's sentiments, but I personally would never force my child into such a degrading profession.

(via Ben Smith)

Tags: Health, Nikki Haley, Quote Unquote, Science & Technology, South Carolina