Tim Scott town hall at CofC with Newt Gingrich a full house
Tonight's Presidential Town Hall at the College of Charleston saw former House Speaker and current Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich fill the college's 700 seat Sotille Theatre (the doors were closed about a half hour before the event as there was no room for additional attendees).Leading with a short opening speech followed by a Question and Answer session, Gingrich's presentation focused on a number of issues, including education, internet, regulatory and legislative reform, immigration and labor issues were major points of discussion, with plenty of questions coming from College of Charleston students.
Gingrich opened fire early, saying he would defund the NLRB to protect businesses, including Boeing.
He then praised Senator Larry Grooms for leading the state's effort to ramp up its enforcement of immigration laws, blasting the Obama administration's efforts to obstruct Grooms' legislation and promised that he would "side with South Carolina" against litigation filed by several Latin American nations, declaring that "no President has the right to side with foreigners against the people of a state."
While there weren't a lot of elected politicos in attendance (but former Congressman Tommy Hartnett and former Governor Jim Edwards were there), a number of activists and leaders from local Tea Party groups were there. There were a number of Occupy activists spotted entering the event, but unlike the recent Michele Bachmann event, they behaved.
Plenty of news media from local, state and national outlets were also on hand, putting the spotlight upon Gingrich, Scott and the College, which has become a must-stop destination for Presidential candidates from both parties in recent years.
Special thanks are due to the Department of Communication's "Bully Pulpit" team, headed by Dr. Amanda McSwain, for organizing what was one of the biggest and best-run events of the current Presidential campaign cycle. We've been told they're hard at work bringing other Presidential candidates to the campus, following up on a successful run in the 2008 cycle, which brought five candidates, including John McCain and Barack Obama, to the College.
While there weren't a lot of elected politicos in attendance (but former Congressman Tommy Hartnett and former Governor Jim Edwards were there), a number of activists and leaders from local Tea Party groups were there. There were a number of Occupy activists spotted entering the event, but unlike the recent Michele Bachmann event, they behaved.
Plenty of news media from local, state and national outlets were also on hand, putting the spotlight upon Gingrich, Scott and the College, which has become a must-stop destination for Presidential candidates from both parties in recent years.
Special thanks are due to the Department of Communication's "Bully Pulpit" team, headed by Dr. Amanda McSwain, for organizing what was one of the biggest and best-run events of the current Presidential campaign cycle. We've been told they're hard at work bringing other Presidential candidates to the campus, following up on a successful run in the 2008 cycle, which brought five candidates, including John McCain and Barack Obama, to the College.
My second thought concerns Congressman Tim Scott. Since his election, Rep Scott, has established himself as something of a poltical powerhouse not just in the tri-county or the low country. He is starting to have supporters across the state from the Grandstrand to the Pee Dee to the midlands and the upstate. I have to wonder, is he positioning himself for a state-wide office? Governor Tim Scott? Senator Tim Scott? With Senator Demint's early announcement that he is not running for a third term and Governor Haley's issues in Columbia the potential could be there.
I have a feeling that we could be watching politcal history being made and the ascent of dominant political star on both SC and national stages. If nothing else at the rate he is going, perhaps Congressman Scott can reverse the blunders of Jim Clyburn has suffered upon this state...teg