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THIS FIRST — PUTTING THE GREEN IN GREENVILLE — “South Carolina’s role in the push for alternative energy takes the spotlight today when Energy Secretary Steven Chu visits Greenville and Aiken to highlight green activities.” The Greenville News’ Dolph Bell has the details. “Chu is scheduled to attend the groundbreaking ceremony for a biomass generation plant at the Energy Department’s Savannah River Site in Aiken before traveling to Greenville for a tour of General Electric’s turbine plant and a speech at the International Center for Automotive Research. Chu, co-winner of the Nobel Prize for physics in 1997, is a former professor of physics and molecular and cell biology at the University of California and former director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Scheduled to join Chu in Aiken are Gov. Mark Sanford, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, House majority whip, as well as U.S. Reps. Joe Wilson and Gresham Barrett, a gubernatorial candidate, and John Barrow of Georgia.”
BIG BONED — We’re leading the pack … in a big way. “SC tops national obesity rate” proclaims the Island Packet. Orangeburg has the highest rate; Beaufort has the lowest.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — Today is Wesley Don-E-hue, purveyor of all things digital (on the GOP side). He’s joined by the other Carolina’s Senator Richard Burr as well as their pop-‘icon’ Clay Aiken.
OPEN THE SHUTTERS — Today marks the official end of the 2009 hurricane season.
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NATIONAL LENS — “The Afghanistan strategy President Obama will detail Tuesday involves more than sending additional forces, experts and officials say, and will give the president a chance to address growing public skepticism,” USA Today reports. “Although [top U.S. commander, Gen. Stanley] McChrystal’s request for more troops dominated the debate over Afghanistan policy, both his plan and the one to be announced Tuesday involve more than extra forces. Key parts of the plans developed by McChrystal and the administration include: Reducing civilian casualties; Protecting the population; Concentrating forces in key regions; Increasing the pace of training Afghan police and soldiers. McChrystal’s strategy has already yielded results in reducing civilian fatalities.”
SUNDAY SHOW RECAP — Senator Lindsey Graham said “he hopes that, in addition to sending roughly 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan, President Barack Obama sends the world a message that America will never again suffer an attack at the hands of al Qaeda. ‘From my point of view, the president is correct in assessing that Afghanistan is a war that must be won because the national security implications of what happens in Afghanistan will follow this country for decades, so I support the president,’ Graham said on ABC’s ‘This Week with George Stephanopoulos.’ … Graham said the country can ‘find money for the war’ by cutting back on other spending, including health care reform. ‘Our national security future depends on getting it right in Afghanistan,’ Graham said, ‘and there’s no better use of taxpayer dollars than to defend America in my view.’”
VIEWPOINT — ONE BOND — Rep. James Smith who recently served a tour in Afghanistan writes in a Greenville News Op-Ed, “As a captain with the South Carolina Army National Guard, deployed to Afghanistan, I witnessed the great strength of America from remote and impoverished areas. I was deployed to serve as a mentor for the Afghan National Police (ANP). Respecting human rights, providing security, fostering stability and creating goodwill results in a most unbreakable bond. With commitment, these types of bonds can reach far beyond the borders of Afghanistan. … Reflecting these priorities, our national security strategy is built on three pillars: defense, diplomacy and development. Yet, diplomacy and development — two-thirds of our security equation — account for only 7 percent of our overall national security budget. This must change. … To help bring attention to this need for increased, smart and effective development efforts, I’ve joined a group called ONE. ONE is a campaign and advocacy organization backed by more than 2 million people who are committed to the fight against extreme poverty and preventable disease. Development assistance plays a strong role in saving lives by promoting regional stability and strengthening our diplomatic power through good will. Helping others is not just a moral imperative — it serves U.S. national security interests as well.”
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BRIG TOUR — “South Carolina Attorney General Henry McMaster is touring a Navy brig that could one day hold Guantanamo Bay detainees,” reports The Associated Press. “Spokesman Trey Walker says the Republican gubernatorial candidate requested the Monday meeting in Charleston to discuss how brig officials have handled the enemy combatants that have been housed there in years past. The Obama administration has not said which states will get detainees when the Guantanamo Bay facility is closed.”
MARK YOUR CALENDARS — “Those purchasing new or used firearms between 12:01 a.m. Friday and midnight Saturday will pay no taxes, according to the South Carolina Department of Revenue. Ammunition, carrying cases and other accessories are NOT included in the tax-free sale.”
2012 WATCH — Apparently, Mike Huckabee commuted the sentence of a person of interest in the slaying of four police officers in Pierce County, Washington. Coincidentally (or not), the AP reports Huckabee is leaning against another presidential run.
TIS THE SEASON — Gov. Mark Sanford flipped the switch this evening for the lighting of the state Christmas tree.
TIME IN — “South Carolina lawmakers will meet again this week to debate whether to remove Governor Mark Sanford from office.”
DROP IT — The Island Packet wants the impeachment effort to end “for South Carolina’s sake.”
AIKEN FOR A PUBLIC OPTION — Robert Botsch’s University of South Carolina Aiken political science research and methods class conducted a telephone survey gauging public feelings on healthcare and Sanford. “A majority of Aiken residents surveyed recently say that federal health care reform should include a public insurance plan. A majority, regardless of political party affiliation, also think that Gov. Mark Sanford should resign, the survey of 400 residents found.” (Aiken Standard)
DAYBOOK — State Rep. Nikki Haley, Republican candidate for governor, will speak to the GOP Patriot’s Club at 7 pm today at the Maryville Social Hall in Georgetown. The public is invited. Contact club president Vikky Ferris at (843) 546-5590 for more information.
VOTING RECORDS AND VISION — The New York Times’ Shaila Dewan pays a visit to SC to highlight the latest on the Graham/DeMint scenario. She reminds that “the voting records of Mr. Graham and Mr. DeMint are actually not that far apart — according to the American Conservative Union, which gives Mr. Graham a lifetime rating of 90 out of 100, he voted with Mr. DeMint on bellwether issues 80 percent of the time in 2008. Mr. DeMint is the only senator the group designates as a ‘Defender of Liberty,’ its highest accolade. Instead, the two men diverge on their vision of the party’s future. Mr. DeMint, who declined an interview for this article after several requests, has said he would prefer having fewer, but ideologically pure, Republicans in the Senate rather than more Republicans who were ideologically suspect.”
QUOTABLE — “But here, perhaps even more than elsewhere, politics has become much more polarized as conservative anxiety has taken root under Mr. Obama. In a different climate, said John Graham Altman, a former Republican state lawmaker, Mr. Graham’s negotiation with Mr. Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee in 2004, over the cap-and-trade bill might have been viewed very differently. ‘It could have been, “Oh, look at Lindsey, he’s pulling one over on Kerry, he’s got the Brahmin by the big toe,”’ Mr. Altman said.”
MCCLATCHY — DeMint sets himself up as a kingmaker
COMPETING INTERESTS — REVISITING — “Two local congressmen disagree on the effectiveness of federal stimulus money awarded to South Carolina thus far,” writes the Times & Democrat. “Second District U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson says a new government Web site shows stimulus spending is ‘out of control.’” Wilson: “‘I think (the stimulus package) has been a failure all around. What (the Obama administration) indicated initially was money for shovel-ready projects, but only 4 to 7 percent was used for that.’ … House Majority Whip James Clyburn … said he’s pleased with the progress so far. ‘Most economists agree that it helped to stop the free-fall in the economy and is starting to get us back on track,’ the Democrat said in his statement. ‘What I do know is the state Department of Education has reported saving or creating nearly 1,400 jobs with stimulus money. The Savannah River Site has reported more than 2,300 jobs have been created or saved as a result of the $1.6 billion I secured for clean-up efforts at SRS, and more jobs are on the way.’”
SINGLE GENDER — “Windy Hodge’s fifth grade class at Boiling Springs Intermediate School is a place where notebooks are decorated with glitter pens and stickers, math concepts are learned with cheers and the reward for a job well done is an in-class spa day. Sure, it’s a little girly, but that’s OK. The boys have a classroom to themselves down the hall. They’re researching and writing about dinosaurs and pirates,” reports the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. “The 14 single gender classes at BSI seem to reflect the positive findings of a recent survey on single gender programs in South Carolina. … More South Carolina public schools offer single gender classes than any other state in the nation. More than 150 schools are now offering the option to parents. … ‘These survey results show pretty clearly why South Carolina schools are trying to offer single gender classes,’ State Superintendent of Education Jim Rex said in a news release. ‘Students, teachers and parents think they work. In schools where they are available, they’re a popular option.’”
GENDER-TWEET — @MickZais Single-gender classrooms are a great fit for some students, though not all. Evidence from Boiling Springs. http://bit.ly/5urRWd
DEDUCTING PLEASURE WITH BUSINESS — “South Carolina federal lawmakers continue to push for legislation that would allow business travelers to deduct expenses incurred by bringing their spouses along on work trips,” reports the Post & Courier’s Allyson Bird. “U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham and U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, both Republicans, recently organized a meeting in Washington to promote the deduction, which would amend the IRS tax code to a previous wording. The former spousal tax deduction ended in 1993. Graham introduced a bill in the Senate, and Brown co-sponsored the companion House bill. Proponents of the deduction say bringing more people to a destination compounds benefits to the area by pumping the spouse’s dollars into the local economy and potentially prolonging the couple’s visit. A business traveler who brings a spouse along on a work trip might choose to come early or stay late to enjoy the surroundings.”
COLUMBIA — Boys & Girls Club gets big boost
STATEWIDE — S.C. program would allow professionals to teach part time
SUMTER — Where does Sumter’s growing number of homeless go?
COLUMBIA — State considers cutting even more from spending on colleges and universities
BEAUFORT — Trailblazing Beaufort doctor enters local hall of fame
NETTLES TO REPLACE WILKINS? “President Barack Obama is expected to nominate Bill Nettles of Columbia to become South Carolina’s next U.S. attorney, according to sources familiar with the process. Nettles would replace Walt Wilkins of Greenville. The nomination could come by the end of the year,” according to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. “U.S. Reps. John Spratt and Jim Clyburn recommended Nettles in August. … Earlier this year, Nettles represented Olympic swimming gold medalist Michael Phelps after photos were published of Phelps holding a bong at a party in Columbia. Wilkins, a Wofford College graduate, was appointed U.S. attorney by former President George W. Bush in May 2008. He would not comment on whether his departure was imminent. ‘I serve at the will of the president,’ Wilkins said. ‘Until a replacement is ready to take over, I’m going to do my job. But I expect someone will be replacing me.’ Wilkins also would not discuss his next move. There is speculation that he will challenge 13th Circuit Solicitor Bob Arial.”
ALL IN THE FAMILY — Wilkins’ uncle, David Wilkins, former U.S. ambassador to Canada and speaker of the South Carolina House of Representatives will participate, today, in the Greenville tour of General Electric’s turbine plant with Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
THE ECONOMY STUPID — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers doesn’t consider the economic impact in Lake Hartwell management decisions. Rep. Gresham Barrett is working to remedy the situation after last year’s 22 foot drop dramatically affected several businesses.
“THE CONVERSATION DARTED and shifted among the nearly 200 businesswomen who filled The Citadel’s cavernous alumni hall. They gathered at a networking event put on by the Charleston-based Center for Women under the pretext of business. But the chatter quickly strayed from purely professional topics into personal lives, the quality of nearby schools, local restaurant recommendations, settling in after relocating to Charleston, nightmare bosses, the richness of the chocolate truffles being passed around, then back to business again. Most conversation ended with a quick shuffling of business cards. Local women business leaders are increasingly seeking out these types of female-oriented networking events, which has triggered the startup of several new industry-specific organizations under such names as Women in Defense and Commercial Real Estate Women.” (Post & Courier)
DIVISION-TWEET — @AntonJGunn Is it surpising 5 and 6 ranked SEC teams beat number 1 and 2 ranked ACC teams? Nope ACC is weak.
FINALLY THIS — The Poker Playing Priest heads to LA this week. He’s trying to turn the 100K he’s already won into a cool million.
THAT’S IT FOR THIS MORNING – STAY TUNED ON TWITTER OR FACEBOOK FOR UPDATES THAT JUST CAN’T WAIT UNTIL TOMORROW. HAVE A GOOD ONE!
