# Political nobody wins SC Democratic US Senate nomination in strangest political upset of the year. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 9, 2010, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518 "2010-06-09T07:48:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2010, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/201 "2010-06-29T22:29:52Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > It’s a difference of degree, but a weird one. At least in the Palin interviews, she’d respond to questions. This guy doesn’t even seem to know what an interview is… The truth is that he’s responding as most politicians are advised to do–by making declarative statements that put him in a good light. I was at a training a few months ago, and this is \*de rigueur \*when dealing with the media: never answer the question with anything that could possibly be bad, even if your answer is utterly non-responsive. Greene’s not very good at it because he only has a very few stock answers. If you look at any political interview, except for some of the more candid ones, you’re going to run into some surreal moments when they run out of stock answers. Palin got there relatively quick, and she wasn’t too good at keeping track of them early on, so it got weird–and because of who she is, the weird got looped. Greene’s worse (though not nearly as much worse as one would hope), so it gets there even quicker. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/202 "2010-06-30T00:21:47Z")
> [@StusBlues](#): > > Seriously, _ **seriously** _, how different is this from the early Palin interviews? No one’s actually taking Greene seriously? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/203 "2010-06-30T09:52:26Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > OK, this has to be heard to be believed. > > [Wonkette interviews Alvin Greene](http://wonkette.com/416353/wonkette-exclusive-the-alvin-greene-interview) > [@](#): > > He is not thinking about the presidency yet (nor should he, as it will come to him through the Dao naturally). He thinks Obama is doing “okay.” Am I the only one waiting for him to say “[I like to watch](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078841/)”? ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/204 "2010-06-30T13:57:02Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > It’s a difference of degree, but a weird one. At least in the Palin interviews, she’d respond to questions. This guy doesn’t even seem to know what an interview is… But, see, that’s what makes him a Real American. He isn’t some stuffed shirt fat cat educated ivory tower socialist liberal! He’s a down to Earth veteran! He probably even shoots his own dinner! VOTE GREEN(E)! VOTE GREEN(E)! > [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > No one’s actually taking Greene seriously? I saw starbursts! And now I gotta change my shorts. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![legalsnugs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@legalsnugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legalsnugs)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/205 "2010-06-30T17:53:52Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > No one’s actually taking Greene seriously? Well, the South Carolina Democratic Party is. They have to - he’s their duly elected candidate for US Senate. More South Carolinians voted for him to be their candidate than any other nominee, so unless and until someone shows he is not entitled to be, he’s it. Of course, “taking Greene seriously” could have a wide spectrum of meanings. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/206 "2010-06-30T19:26:05Z")
> [@legalsnugs](#): > > Well, the South Carolina Democratic Party is. They have to - he’s their duly elected candidate for US Senate. More South Carolinians voted for him to be their candidate than any other nominee, so unless and until someone shows he is not entitled to be, he’s it. > > Of course, “taking Greene seriously” could have a wide spectrum of meanings. I don’t think the South Carolina Democratic Party is taking Greene seriously, in spite of your assertion otherwise. Being the nominee doesn’t mean anyone is taking him seriously. I haven’t heard of anybody who is. ---
**Author:** ![legalsnugs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@legalsnugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legalsnugs)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/207 "2010-06-30T20:01:33Z")
> [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](#): > > I don’t think the South Carolina Democratic Party is taking Greene seriously, in spite of your assertion otherwise. Being the nominee doesn’t mean anyone is taking him seriously. I haven’t heard of anybody who is. Like I said, “taking him seriously” could have a wide variety of meanings. They are absolutely taking him seriously in that although he IS the nominee, they’ve distanced themselves far, far from him and have offered him absolutely no support. That sure makes them look good, doesn’t it? They took his filing fee and put his name on the ballot and now they are seriously disturbed that he won the nomination and that SC Democrats in general look like morons for voting for a complete unknown. Mr. Greene has become a major thorn in their sides, for a really good reason. They did a crappy job on the senatorial primary. I take Alvin Greene’s nomination very seriously and I am seriously ashamed of the South Carolina Democratic Party for their part in this whole snafu. The only person in SC not hurt by SCDP’s unmitigated negligence is incumbent Jim DeMint (R-SC). And that’s serious. I certainly hope the SCDP is taking all of this, and Alvin Greene, their elected candidate, seriously. If you define seriously as in “think he can win the election,” then no, probably not. But then, no one took his primary candidacy seriously either, did they? ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/208 "2010-06-30T20:56:21Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Am I the only one waiting for him to say “[I like to watch](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078841/)”? Good one! ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/209 "2010-07-01T16:59:37Z")
> [@legalsnugs](#): > > Like I said, “taking him seriously” could have a wide variety of meanings. They are absolutely taking him seriously in that although he IS the nominee, they’ve distanced themselves far, far from him and have offered him absolutely no support. That sure makes them look good, doesn’t it? They took his filing fee and put his name on the ballot and now they are seriously disturbed that he won the nomination and that SC Democrats in general look like morons for voting for a complete unknown. Mr. Greene has become a major thorn in their sides, for a really good reason. They did a crappy job on the senatorial primary. I take Alvin Greene’s nomination very seriously and I am seriously ashamed of the South Carolina Democratic Party for their part in this whole snafu. The only person in SC not hurt by SCDP’s unmitigated negligence is incumbent Jim DeMint (R-SC). And that’s serious. I certainly hope the SCDP is taking all of this, and Alvin Greene, their elected candidate, seriously. > > If you define seriously as in “think he can win the election,” then no, probably not. But then, no one took his primary candidacy seriously either, did they? He was a last minute candidate who plopped down 10,400 bucks he should not have had. He was a complete unknown, non politician. Then he won the election. How could the Dems have forseen such a development or had plans for it ? ---
**Author:** ![legalsnugs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@legalsnugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legalsnugs)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/210 "2010-07-01T18:47:19Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > He was a last minute candidate who plopped down 10,400 bucks he should not have had. He was a complete unknown, non politician. Then he won the election. How could the Dems have forseen such a development or had plans for it ? He filed in March, the primary was in June. You’d think in 3 months \*someone \*could have run a background check on the guy. His opponent could have said something, anything, about him, or at least found out what his campaign planks were. But the point is, a majority of the SC democrats voted for him, so he’s the Democratic candidate for the US Senate. And maybe, just to make a nice change, the SCDP should take him seriously. This is no joke. This is 50% of our senate seats. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/211 "2010-07-02T19:24:08Z")
It’s possible the SCDP feels that even a Republican would be better than this clown. He was a total nobody who did zero campaigning, had zero visibility and zero participation in the party - no prior involvement, no activity during the race. And he’s a complete moron. If he legitimately won, he won by some weird conjunction of the actual candidate being unliked _and_ the voters not caring enough otherwise to even try. That means he isn’t the South Carolina Democrats’ pick, he’s the “default” we don’t want _that guy_. So what is the go forward strategy? Try to get behind, in front of, and all around Greene and (a) polish his presentation, and (b) manipulate him to party ends? Distance themselves from him and hope he doesn’t win? Watch him win the Senate race, and then cringe at everything he does in the Senate for the next 2 years? Get him expelled based upon the criminal charges/conviction, then try to get a special primary or something and hope it’s early enough to recompete for the November election? They’re screwed either way. If they don’t support him, then the Repubs use that against them. “Greene’s the duly elected Dem candidate and they didn’t support him because he wasn’t the party candidate.” But if they go get behind him, the Repubs just slam them with that. “Greene is the _best_ the Democrats could find. They picked this idiot. Who do you want, a guy with an IQ 80, or our man?” ---
**Author:** ![StusBlues](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@StusBlues](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StusBlues)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/212 "2010-07-02T19:37:48Z")
Yeah, it’s not in the best interests of the SCDP to back this guy. A few years ago, Nebraska’s most rural congressional district nominated a guy I went to college with, Adrian Smith. Smith isn’t at the Alvin Greene level, but I was in student government with him for a whole school year and he only opened his mouth once–to oppose funding the campus gay programs group. He ended up serving a couple of terms in the Unicameral, impressing no one; I believe his most impressive efforts were to repeal our motorcycle helmet laws. When he ran for Congress, several of the big Republicans out west started having events and raising money for the Democrat. Flagrantly Republican newspapers endorsed the Democrat. Republican party leaders wrote op eds asking voters to come out for the Democrat. Smith still won. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2010, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/213 "2010-07-02T22:03:50Z")
> [@](#): > > He filed in March, the primary was in June. You’d think in 3 months someone could have run a background check on the guy. His opponent could have said something, anything, about him, or at least found out what his campaign planks were. And how would he have done that? Check his campaign website? Ask him? The baffling thing here is that he doesn’t seem to actually _have_ planks. ---
**Author:** ![legalsnugs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@legalsnugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legalsnugs)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/214 "2010-07-03T06:01:03Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And how would he have done that? Check his campaign website? Ask him? The baffling thing here is that he doesn’t seem to actually _have_ planks. Why \*not \*ask him? Talk to him? But nobody did that. No one. No one took him seriously. Apparently that was a mistake. So, now what? Democrats who can read won’t vote for Greene - he obviously cannot do the job (I’m sure the porn charge will go away - it’s idiotic), but the state will surely suffer under Demint’s continued king-building, hell-no, waterloo idiocy. He’s as big an embarrassment as Greene’s nomination! So Democrats will vote for the Green party guy or someone else, splitting their vote so that Demint will have an easy win, which was not guaranteed by any means if Rawl had been the candidate. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@Captain\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/215 "2010-07-03T12:43:59Z")
If I was in South Carolina, I would vote for him. And why not? The Congress are either stupid or thieves to let this nation go to where it has gotten to the last 20 years. I care not to think that out officials are crooks, so they must be stupid. So as a citizen, it is my duty to find the dumbest person possible and vote for that person. I mean, the state already has Lindsey Graham, the closeted son of Gomer Pyle. A retarded governor who disappears from the state and goes all the way to Argentina to his mistress, with his (good looking) wife, and the state of South Carolina wondering where in the hell their governor is. Then there was Strom Thurmond, a man elected by the people of South Carolina for the past 1000 years, who was a racist who had a secret half black daughter. The people voted for this man until he was in his upper NINETIES. for real, and completed his last term at 100. Why, people of South Carolina, did you re-elect a man in a depends undergarment? Dunno about Jim DeMint, except for his strange name, Jim DeMint. Minty fresh! As an aside, South Carolina is the only southern state I have never been in. Virginia counts too, except for the airport, but I have never been to South Carolina. Probably never go. ---
**Author:** ![legalsnugs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@legalsnugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legalsnugs)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/216 "2010-07-03T18:05:04Z")
> [@Captain\_Midnight](#): > > If I was in South Carolina, I would vote for him. > > And why not? The Congress are either stupid or thieves to let this nation go to where it has gotten to the last 20 years. I care not to think that out officials are crooks, so they must be stupid. So as a citizen, it is my duty to find the dumbest person possible and vote for that person. > > I mean, the state already has Lindsey Graham, the closeted son of Gomer Pyle. A retarded governor who disappears from the state and goes all the way to Argentina to his mistress, with his (good looking) wife, and the state of South Carolina wondering where in the hell their governor is. Then there was Strom Thurmond, a man elected by the people of South Carolina for the past 1000 years, who was a racist who had a secret half black daughter. The people voted for this man until he was in his upper NINETIES. for real, and completed his last term at 100. Why, people of South Carolina, did you re-elect a man in a depends undergarment? > > Dunno about Jim DeMint, except for his strange name, Jim DeMint. Minty fresh! > > As an aside, South Carolina is the only southern state I have never been in. Virginia counts too, except for the airport, but I have never been to South Carolina. Probably never go. South Carolina deserves better than Demint AND Greene, but who? Ah, there’s the rub. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/217 "2010-07-03T23:42:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Why not ask him? Talk to him? But nobody did that. People are asking him now, though, and he can’t really seem to answer them. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/218 "2010-07-04T01:43:52Z")
> [@Captain\_Midnight](#): > > I mean, the state already has Lindsey Graham, the closeted son of Gomer Pyle. > > As an aside, South Carolina is the only southern state I have never been in. Lindsey Graham is probably one of the more honorable, smartest Republican Senators. If you think he’s a Gomer Pyle caricature, then you have no idea of what he is or what he stands for. And I say that as a rather liberal person. If you’ve never been there, why do you think you have insight into their politics? ---
**Author:** ![legalsnugs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@legalsnugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legalsnugs)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2010, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/219 "2010-07-04T06:16:02Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > People are asking him now, though, and he can’t really seem to answer them. Yeah, I think that might have been helpful to know BEFORE the primary, don’t you? > [@samclem](#): > > Lindsey Graham is probably one of the more honorable, smartest Republican Senators. If you think he’s a Gomer Pyle caricature, then you have no idea of what he is or what he stands for. And I say that as a rather liberal person… I agree. He seems to try to work across the aisle, but keeps getting slapped down by teapartiers and hardline rightwingers and nothing gets done. I don’t think that’s how government is supposed to work, but that’s just my opinion. I could be wrong. (Dennis Miller) ---
**Author:** ![SlackerInc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slackerinc/32/275_2.png) [@SlackerInc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SlackerInc)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2010, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518/220 "2010-07-05T11:07:18Z")
> [@Walton\_Firm](#): > > If you have the ability to verify that your vote was counted correctly, then you also have the ability to prove to someone else who you voted for. Which means that you can be bribed or pressured to vote for someone other than your preferred candidate. This is why I don’t share the enthusiasm many other progressives have for Oregon’s statewide vote-by-mail system, which essentially has everyone vote absentee. I mean, this brings us right back to where we were before the secret ballot. Employers (or, yes, unions) can have “parties” for their employees/members to get together and fill out ballots. Authoritarian patriarchs can sit at the kitchen table and get all the adults in the household (which could include a lot of twentysomethings these days–“All in the Family” was ahead of its time in that portrayal) to fill out the ballots together. BTW, I’m impressed that after going nearly seven years without visiting this board, I was still able to sign in and the software knew right when I had last visited and had my old posts available with a click! Why so long away, you ask? I have found that Google searches generally answer most SD-type questions these days; but just now I had one about thermometers (why they work upside down) that resisted being Google-able for whatever reason. Its answer turned out to be found in the archives here; but as long as I was here, I thought I’d post something before scooting off for another seven years or so. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-nobody-wins-sc-democratic-us-senate-nomination-in-strangest-political-upset-of-the-year/542518.md?page=12)