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Political Notebook: Huckabee brings closure to one S.C. feud Sunday, Jan 20, 2008 By Aaron Sadler Stephens Washington Bureau COLUMBIA, S.C. - Mike Huckabee did more than give political speeches during his week of campaigning in South Carolina: he ran a few laps around the state's capital city, strummed a few notes on his bass guitar and even mended some fences. Mutual support for Huckabee's presidential bid brought together two up-and-coming Palmetto State Republicans who had been bitter rivals. The men - Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer and Mike Campbell, who lost the 2006 GOP primary to Bauer - toured with Huckabee as he barnstormed the state leading up to Saturday's presidential primary. A bitter campaign last year appeared to leave some bad blood between the two men, as they noted on Huckabee campaign stops. Bauer prefaced an introduction of Campbell at an event in Columbia by saying it was "hard to believe" the two men would share a stage. "If Mike Huckabee can bring together Mike Campbell and Andre Bauer after probably what was the bloodiest battle in South Carolina politics, imagine what he can do for Democrats and Republicans in South Carolina," Bauer said. Campbell easily won the Republican primary last year with 47 percent of the vote to Bauer's 37 percent. But Campbell's margin wasn't high enough to prevent a runoff. Bauer won the runoff 51 percent to 49 percent and went on to a second term as lieutenant governor. Campbell, son of the late South Carolina Gov. Carroll Campbell, was named last year as Huckabee's campaign chairman in the state. Bauer got on board with an endorsement Thursday. Political rally, Huckabee style Rare is the Huckabee campaign event where the Arkansan doesn't jam on his bass guitar with a local band. Friday, he played "Sweet Home Alabama" with Lexington, S.C., band Lucas War Hero at a late-night rally on the University of South Carolina campus in Columbia. The rally/rock concert drew about 1,000 students. A similar event at rival Clemson University attracted a crowd of about 3,000 people on Thursday. Friday's event was short on speeches and long on lyrics. The set-up even incorporated strobe lights and a fog machine. And like at most every Southern rock concert, a few spectators shouted for the band to cover the Lynyrd Skynyrd hit "Free Bird." Two 24-year-old men from Salisbury, Md., opened both university rallies with parody songs they had written about Huckabee. Matt Robins and Jared Shelton have posted videos of the songs on YouTube.com. They include a take on Deep Blue Something's "Breakfast at Tiffany's." Their version is "Breakfast at Huckabee's." With Shelton on acoustic guitar and Robins on vocals, they performed their version of the Beatles' "Help!" and Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson." The Beatles lyrics were changed to "Won't you please vote Huckabee, Huckabee, woo." And fitting the Southern Baptist minister, they changed the chorus to the Simon and Garfunkel tune: "Here's to you, Mr. Huckabee, Jesus loves you more than you will know. God bless you please, Mr. Huckabee, the White House holds a place for those who pray." Beebe defends mascot In the face of sanctions on Arkansas State University for the use of the nickname "Indians," Gov. Mike Beebe defended his alma mater during a recent appearance on a nationally broadcast radio show. Beebe said he is "still an Indian," though ASU officials are nearing selection of a new nickname and logo to appease college sports' governing body. Beebe received a bachelor's degree in political science from ASU in 1968. The National Collegiate Athletic Association banned use of American Indian mascots. They are racially insensitive, the organization said. "I'm still an Indian, and it's not disparaging," Beebe said on Michael Feldman's public radio program "Whad'Ya Know," which visited Little Rock on Jan. 12. Feldman had asked Beebe if he wanted to take a stand on the issue. "I don't think they ought to have any bad caricatures. I think it should be positive. But the NCAA rules, and the NCAA says there will be no more Indian mascots unless you're Florida State - and that's because they're afraid of Bobby Bowden," Beebe said, jokingly referring to Florida State University's head football coach. The NCAA has granted a waiver allowing FSU to continue using its Seminoles mascot, citing a unique relationship between the university and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Feldman mentioned several names that have been suggested for ASU's mascot, including Red Wolves, Red Dragons and Ridge Runners. "I like the Indians," Beebe said, although in November he said he favored Red Wolves among the names being considered. ASU officials said they hope to have a new nickname by spring. At another point in the interview, Feldman asked Beebe if, like former Arkansas governors Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee, he has presidential aspirations. "You've got to be from Hope," Beebe said. Both Clinton and Huckabee are natives of that small southwest Arkansas town. John Lyon of the Arkansas News Bureau in Little Rock contributed to this report. |
