The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Spartanburg Remainders: CBS Debate Inspires Media Fear and Loathing

Posted on | November 13, 2011 | 15 Comments

SPARTANBURG, S.C.
We had to leave Wofford College about an hour after last night’s Republican debate ended, because the Herman Cain campaign was having a private post-debate event at the Marriott Hotel. So I didn’t have time to upload many of my photos and video of the “spin room” activity, nor to register much of the headline reaction:

Foreign policy debate highlights
differences within Republican field 
— New York Times

CBS panned for Republican debate performance
— Politico

The Big Loser of the Night: CBS
— National Review

Bachmann, Paul Call Debate Moderators ‘Disgraceful’
— ABC News

Was it really that bad? The one glaring omission was that they never discussed the situation in Mexico, where narco-terrorist gangs and human trafficking pose a serious risk that our next-door neighbor could descend into “failed state” nightmare. It could be like having Somalia or Waziristan on our southern border, and yet Mexico was never mentioned last night.

My other big gripe about Saturday’s debate? Two words: Jon Huntsman.

Reports swarm the man I dubbed “Governor Asterisk.” Jon Huntsman represents no significant Republican constituency, he worked for the Obama administration, and his poll numbers are less than the margin of error. So of course, the media love him.

Reporters interview Eric Fernstrom, a top adviser to Mitt Romney’s campaign. Here’s an interview I did with Romney’s state campaign chairman, South Carolina treasurer Curtis Loftis:

“I fully expect to win South Carolina,” Loftis says. “People love Mitt Romney.”

As I said, however, there was no time to upload that last night, because we all piled into our cars and did a caravan over to the Marriott for the Cain campaign post-debate party.

Linda Hansen and Mark Block of the Herman Cain campaign. A few minutes later, Block held up his cigarette pack, a signal that it was time for a smoke break. We went outside and I asked how the campaign was going. Block said, “We’re kicking ass, Stacy.” The event ended while we were out smoking, and pretty soon the Cain entourage poured out the doors, loading into two SUVs. I saw Cain briefly and he said they were flying back to Atlanta, then to Wisconsin on Monday before going to Iowa on Tuesday.  Then they roared off. “A million miles an hour,” as Block says.

Here’s an interview with a South Carolina supporter of Herman Cain who attended the post-debate event at the Marriott:

When the Cain event ended, our blogger caravan across town to the home of a Tea Party family who showed us some true Southern hospitality:

Grassroots conservative operative Austin James relaxes and discusses the 2012 campaign as bloggers gathered at an after-party that went on into the wee hours.

Herman Cain supporters Donna and Dennis Thorstad hosted a crew of bloggers who stayed up talking politics — and singing oldies — until 2 a.m. Mrs. Thorstad got up Sunday morning and fixed breakfast for everybody. They’re awesome.

My 12-year-old son Jefferson did an excellent job as my blog assistant on this trip. We are about to get out on the road and head back 450 miles north toward home. Hit the freaking tip jar!






Category: Debates, Election 2012, Fear and Loathing in Spartanburg, South Carolina

Comments

15 Responses to “Spartanburg Remainders: CBS Debate Inspires Media Fear and Loathing”

  1. Mike
    November 13th, 2011 @ 1:43 pm

    Appreciate the work you did covering the debate last night. But I sure do wish we could get a different format for these events. It’s pretty hard for someone to give their thoughts on a subject in a minute or less.

    Be careful driving home.

  2. richard mcenroe
    November 13th, 2011 @ 2:02 pm

    It’s okay, Jeffrey steers really well from the passenger seat.

  3. Donald Douglas
    November 13th, 2011 @ 2:30 pm

    Nice blogging, McCain!

  4. Adjoran
    November 13th, 2011 @ 2:56 pm

    And with all the video gaming practice, he could probably dodge a deer, too!

  5. Adjoran
    November 13th, 2011 @ 2:58 pm

    One good thing from CBS:  now I’m hearing more people than ever wonder out loud how the media ever won “ownership” of debates, especially those among Republicans. 

    The contenders – Romney, Cain, Gingrich, and Perry – should organize their own and refuse to participate in any more media-run show trials.

  6. Joe
    November 13th, 2011 @ 2:59 pm

    Especially necessary if Stacy failed to get the insurance rider on the rental car. 

  7. Joe
    November 13th, 2011 @ 3:00 pm

    So what did CBS do wrong?  Not fire potato guns at heads of the candidates when they failed to say what CBS moderators wanted to hear. 

  8. Mike
    November 13th, 2011 @ 3:39 pm

    As an experienced renter of vehicles, always, always get the insurance rider.

  9. richard mcenroe
    November 13th, 2011 @ 4:29 pm

    — or a competent 12-year-old.

  10. ThePaganTemple
    November 13th, 2011 @ 4:31 pm

    Rick Perry mentioned something about the Mexican border as an example of how he’s had experiencing with security issues that would count as qualification for President. But as soon as he mentioned it, his time was up and none of the moderators brought it up again, at least not in the hour I saw. I’m not sure Perry even got another question after this.

    By the way, I still think Perry is a shitty debater, and he was a shitty debater here. Just not quite as shitty. Enough of an improvement to look good compared to his other fiascoes but still not good.

    People love Mitt Romney

    Is that guy really that deluded?

  11. Anonymous
    November 13th, 2011 @ 10:22 pm

    This appears to be one of the better road trips in your life, Stacy. I’m glad to see it.

    I know that a lot of folks on the left are really great about letting strangers crash in their pads.  What they miss out on is the notion of true hospitality, and how great it is to be welcomed into the home of people who work hard to achieve prosperity.

  12. FenelonSpoke
    November 14th, 2011 @ 12:14 am

    I liked the interview with Dr. Betsy Jabbour. She seemed like a nice woman and were I to live in SC I certainly wouldn’t mind going to see her; It’s not often I run into a woman dentist.

  13. Anonymous
    November 14th, 2011 @ 9:28 am

    Linked at RR:


    Understanding the Unexpected (and Unfunded) Rise of Newt Gingrich

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