***Palmetto Morning Presented by Jim Dyke & Associates***
THIS FIRST — After non-so narrowly escaping impeachment, Governor Mark Sanford is not quite out of the woods. “Some House Democrats plan to help a Republican push impeachment to the House floor, despite a subcommittee vote Wednesday to censure Gov. Mark Sanford for his trips to Argentina to see his mistress,” reports The Greenville News. “Rep. James Smith, a Columbia Democrat and one of seven subcommittee members to vote for censure, said he has talked with other Democrats about getting the impeachment resolution onto the House floor so members can at least express their opinions on the issue.”
HAPPY HUMAN RIGHTS DAY — here’s to hoping none of you are wronged.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY — State Rep. Nathan Ballentine (h/t @adriennelevy), Mick Zais, Republican candidate for State Superintendent of Education (h/t @ragley) and the NRCC’s Mike Shields who was reportedly visited (prematurely) by a grim reaper on Tuesday.
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NATIONAL LENS — 103 years after President Theodore Roosevelt was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and 45 years after MLK’s, President Obama accepted one of his own.
BABA WAWA — “Hours after a legislative subcommittee voted to recommend censure rather than impeachment for her husband, ABC aired the first lady’s story as part of Walter’s ‘The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009.’ First Lady Jenny Sanford told Walters she was hurt after “Hearing Sanford describe his Argentina lover this summer as his ‘soul mate.’ … Walters asked Sanford if she thought she was the governor’s soul mate this year. ‘Well, clearly not,’ she replied.”
MERRY X-MAS ONE AND ALL — Rep. Henry Brown is “unhappy about the trend of replacing ‘Merry Christmas’ with ‘Season’s Greetings’ or ‘Happy Holidays,’ [and] has introduced a symbolic resolution to preserve Christmas. ‘I am troubled by the growing sentiment that the phrase “Merry Christmas” is not appropriate and I am worried that attempts to celebrate a “politically correct” holiday season may cause the loss of some of the traditions sacred to this widely celebrated holiday,’” said Brown.
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WAR, HUH, YEA — “Former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania told students at Spartanburg Christian Academy on Wednesday to heed what they learned in school because soon they would be on the ‘front lines’ of an ideological battle,” reports the Spartanburg Herald Journal. “Santorum was in town to campaign for Congressman Gresham Barrett, a Republican running for governor. Santorum has been critical of Republicans who have supported the Bush administration’s bank bailout — commonly called TARP — saying that act opened the door to continue bailing out failing industries under the Obama administration. Barrett is one of those Republicans who voted for TARP, which caused him to suffer a lot of attacks back home. When asked about Barrett’s vote, Santorum said that was probably the only thing the two men disagreed on.”
2012 WATCH — “Former state GOP Chairman Barry Wynn said Santorum was potentially a ‘strong candidate’ because Pennsylvania isn’t an easy state for a Republican to get elected in. As for his presidential run, Santorum said, ‘I’m looking at it.’ But he said his primary objective at this point wasn’t necessarily to become president in 2012 — just to make sure there was a different one.”
GOING ROGUE? “Sen. Jim DeMint (R) endorse[d] Texas Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams’ Senate candidacy later [yesterday], a move designed to thin the GOP field running to replace Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R),” writes The Fix (aka Chris Cillizza). “By endorsing Williams in Texas, DeMint is sure to stoke chatter that he is setting up his own rogue — with apologies to Sarah Palin — political operation to rival that of National Republican Senatorial Committee John Cornyn (Texas). Cornyn has largely avoided offering any comment about the expected special election in his home state but conventional wisdom is that national Republicans would like to see wealthy Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst as the candidate.”
GAME OFF — DeMint canceled a fundraiser planned next week in Rock Hill, citing obligations in Washington, D.C.
FIELD HEARING — “U.S. Rep. John Spratt on Wednesday held a Budget Committee hearing on the impact of the recession on social services in South Carolina. Spratt heard testimony from Sue Berkowitz, director of the S.C. Appleseed Legal Justice Center, an agency that helps low-income people with legal, economic and educational needs,” reports the Rock Hill Herald. “Berkowitz talked about how the federal stimulus package has extended unemployment insurance for people out of work. ‘Our safety net programs help families during these difficult times, and we must work to help all eligible families take advantage of the programs,’ she said in a statement released by Spratt’s office.”
DAYBOOK — Residents across the Pee Dee will have a chance to voice their opinions on health care reform during a telephone town hall meeting next week with Spratt. The town hall meeting has been specially designed to answer questions for the citizens of Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence and Marlboro counties beginning at 7 p.m. on Dec. 15. During the one-hour session, residents will have the opportunity to ask Spratt questions, make comments or talk about their experience with the current health care system in place by the U.S. Government. Those who wish to participate should call Spratt’s office in Darlington or Washington before 2 p.m. on Dec. 14 and leave a phone number. Constituents should call (843) 393-3998 for the Darlington office or (202) 225-5501 for the Washington office.
LISTS — Spratt makes it on the GOP’s list of Dems they want to retire.
EMBOLDENED CHARGE — “News that about $6 million in stimulus money preserved three jobs at campaigner Mark Penn’s firm has emboldened [Rep. Joe Wilson’s] charge to audit recovery act spending,” reports The Hill. “Wilson first announced his effort to audit stimulus dollars on Tuesday, citing concern that many of the jobs the White House claimed the recovery act saved or created were actually ‘fake.’ But the congressman seemed particularly enraged this morning after learning about $6 million was awarded to Burson-Marsteller, a public relations firmed owned by Penn that did work in conjunction with this year’s digital television transition.”
TARP-TWEET — @bobinglis In Rules Committee now asking to amend the Barney Frank “Consumer Protection Act.” My amendment would turn off TARP’s revolving charge card
USE OF UPSPENT TARP FUNDS — “Rep. Bob Inglis (R-S.C.) on Wednesday proceeded with his effort to require all unspent bank bailout funds be used to pay down the federal debt. Inglis’ effort, which would be attached to the House Financial Services’ massive financial regulatory overhaul, would require the Treasury to return money leftover from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) to federal coffers.”
FOR NEXT TIME — “A proposed bill in South Carolina would define the chain of command should a governor go missing again,” reports WBTV-TV. “The bill filed Wednesday by Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell would specify the lieutenant governor would be in charge during a public emergency if the governor is out of state and has been out of touch for 12 hours.”
DAYBOOK II — “A council created by South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford to look at ways to cut costs and eliminate waste in the state’s transportation programs is going to work. The first meeting of the state Interagency Transportation Coordination Council is scheduled for today. The council will work to promote use of existing transportation choices for the public.”
UPSTATE — Komen affiliate widens service area
COLUMBIA — Job fair has thousands of applicants, few openings
SUMMERVILLE — Plans for big Lowcountry development revealed
FORT MILL — $200,000 winning lottery ticket sold
GREENVILLE — Positive job market forecast
FORT MILL — Families raising money to bring troops home for holiday visit before deployment
SPRINGFIELD — Residents assured police protection adequate following arrest of officer
WHERE CREDIT IS DUE — “Fresh from a successful effort to get off the warning list of its accrediting association, S.C. State University is preparing for its 10-year accreditation renewal from that same organization, university president George Cooper said during a meeting with reporters Wednesday. Last year, SACS placed S.C. State on its warning list because of concerns it had about the school’s finances and its governance,” The State reports. “The school’s board of trustees clarified the role of its president on a pair of voice votes in October. And Tuesday, SACS officials said S.C. State would be removed from the warning list, a boost to a school that has struggled to deal with declining state financial support and criticism that board members had too much sway in carrying out policy. ‘This is good to hear,’ U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, a powerful alum who had been unhappy with the direction of the school said of the SACS decision. ‘I hope the board will now focus on policy making and leave administering those policies up to the president and his administration.’”
ELDERS — Lt. Governor Andre Bauer will honor a senior citizen with the Outstanding Older South Carolinian Award.
POISED — Charleston Mayor Joe Riley called a press conference on Wednesday to announce that the Charleston region is poised to be a leader in the new economy.
FINALLY THIS — SCREW UP; GET A PARTY — “State employment agency officials could cut short a crucial meeting today to celebrate the retirement of executive director Roosevelt ‘Ted’ Halley, who decided to leave early as news broke that he failed to tell state lawmakers about a key law change. Tens of thousands of out-of-work South Carolina residents were missing out on additional federal money because of the omission. … The luncheon costs $25 to attend, which will cover the food and a gift for the outgoing director. The invitation instructed attendees to make checks payable to ‘Roosevelt T. Halley Retirement.’”
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