Election Hijinks!

This was a supposedly a big week in United States Democracy, a number of state primaries and opportunities for election pundits to opine. My favorite bit of analysis was Moira Liason's statement on NPR yesterday, she said "the primaries demonstrated both the power and the limits of power of the Tea Party." Thank you for that. Most of the coverage concerns California and Arkansas. But what about South Carolina? The above tweet is from a noted Teabagger talking about Alvin Greene. I wish someone could get him on the radio! According to this piece from Mother Jones, Greene is "an unemployed 32-year-old black Army veteran with no campaign funds, no signs, and no website" who won the SC state primary. How did he do that? The consensus suggests a plot, a Greene plant so to speak. Is this the power of the tea party? Newsweek suggests that Alvin Greene has a better name than his opponent Vic Rawl,  "perhaps voters chose based on their reaction to the names, which appeared as “Alvin M. Greene” and 'Vic Rawl.' Maybe “Senator Greene” has a nicer ring than 'Senator Rawl.'" Hmm. Unfortunately this story might be over by the time you read this blog post - as evidence has now emerged that Greene has a dirty record - nudie pictures and co-eds. Whoops - but If we have more candidates like Greene though, I will pay more attention come November.

Comments

[chamblee54]

The first two letters of Mr. Erickson's handle are very appropriate...ewwwwwww.

[JT]

I'm willing to grant that Alvin Greene is a nice man, and a sincere and honest person, and probably not even a big pervert - though I have no idea how showing someone a porn pic is a felony, but whatever.

How a guy with no campaign signs, no campaign to speak of, no fundraisers, no meet-and-greets documented, nothing - gets 100K votes is a big fucking mystery.

I don't even suspect Mr. Greene of being personally involved in any shenanigans, but I want to know how these votes were counted.

Something stinks.

[lipwak]

Look at the interview he did with Olberman last night. The man is an idiot, obviously a Republican plant. (Yes, a human being with a soul but certainly not Senator material.)

[K.]

A perfect storm of knavery and foolishness, JT. Open primaries mean you can vote for whomever you like. Wouldn't you vote for Orly Taintz in the republican primary if you were a democrat in California? Combine this with racial issues ( affiliation voting ) and positive press on vets and you get this. As an independent, it kinda pisses me off that I can't partake of the primaries ( god knows, the republicans need some adult guidance in their selection process far more than the democrats, this foolishness notwithstanding ). But the potential for serious mischief is just too great.

So yeah, the 64 amero question is, "who ponied up the cash to run this sock puppet"? I would start at the Appalachian trail, and work my way west to Argentina, if you know what I mean. Someone got nervous.

[Spaceman One]

Ask Rahm or Chuck!

[K.]

No need. I have it on good authority that they _both_ had sex with Nikki Haley.

[QuizmasterChris]

I don't think the man is a plant nor an idiot. Shame on so-called 'liberals' for declaring anyone who isn't a typical slick DLC shill to be a plant. Most people don't follow local politics AT ALL and a better name will win in a race like this.

It could be great having a regular guy with real problems in the Senate.