Hm.

South Carolina has a reputation for dirty tricks, and next week’s special election between former Gov. Mark Sanford (R) and businesswoman Elizabeth Colbert Busch (D) is no exception.

Push Polling.  The most obvious example in terms of “South Carolina’s reputation” is… Bush V. McCain.  And behold the “on one hand” “on the other hand” use in the wikipedia article.  This one comes down to this:

An unidentified party began a semi-underground smear campaign against McCain, delivered by push polls, faxes, e-mails, flyers, audience plants, and the like.^[14][54] These claimed most famously that he had fathered a black child out of wedlock (the McCains’ dark-skinned daughter Bridget was adopted from Bangladesh; this misrepresentation was thought to be an especially effective slur in a Deep South state where race was still central^[49]), but also that his wife Cindy was a drug addict, that he was a homosexual, and that he was a “Manchurian Candidate” traitor or mentally unstable from his North Vietnam POW days.^[14][48] The Bush campaign strongly denied any involvement with these attacks;^[48] Bush said he would fire anyone who ran defamatory push polls.^[55] During a break in a debate, Bush put his hand on McCain’s arm and reiterated that he had no involvement in the attacks; McCain replied, “Don’t give me that shit. And take your hands off me.”^[47]

Now then…

“What would you think of Elizabeth Colbert Busch if I told you she had had an abortion?”
“What would you think of Elizabeth Colbert Busch if I told you a judgeheld her in contempt of court at her divorce proceedings?
“What would you think of Elizabeth Colbert Busch if she had done jail time?”
“What would you think of Elizabeth Colbert Busch if I told you she was caught running up a charge account bill?”
“What would you think of Elizabeth Colbert Busch if she supported the failed stimulus plan?”
“What would you think of Elizabeth Colbert Busch if I told you unions contributed to her campaign?”

I would go for the big one and ask “What would you think of Elizabeth Colbert Busch if I told you … she was the sister of Stephen Colbert?”

… Kind of what she’s best known for nationally, but may not have made a dent regionally.  And I don’t know if he has statewide appeal.

In other … allegations of “dirty tricks“…

A website connecting users looking for casual, and often extramarital, affairs is making Mark Sanford the face of their new marketing campaign.

AshleyMadison.com unveiled a billboard on Interstate 26 in Columbia, which shows a younger Mark Sanford smiling, next to the words, “Next time use….AshleyMadison.com to find your ‘running mate’.”

Mark Sanford posits… Just what is this website?

“South Carolina is the land of strange politics and in essence, dirty political tricks,” Sanford says.  “I think the reality we’ve all seen over the years, is you never know quite what’s coming in the last week of a campaign and I put this in that category.”

A front group for the state Democratic Party?  Is that what he’s implying?

And, yes indeed, strange politics.  Like… to quote his opponent during the one debate they had… “When we talk about fiscal spending and we talk about protecting the taxpayers, it doesn’t mean you take the money we saved and leave the country for a personal purpose.” — Appalachia Trail, he saideth.  (Sanford didn’t have a response in the debate… which is odd, because that’s the one thing you know is coming.)

According to AshleyMadison.com Founder & CEO Noel Biderman, said “Mark Sanford’s overcome a series of personal and professional hurdles to earn his place back in public service. While he recognizes the consequences of his actions, he maintains that his affair refined his life, but should not define it.”
Biderman hopes his campaign will strike a chord with voters to help secure Sanford’s place back in office. “There’s a changing tide,” Biderman adds. “More and more Americans are willing to forgive and forget. Millions of people have affairs and powerful politicians are no exception.”
The naughty dating site said they plan to add several more billboards in the weeks leading up to the big special election on May 7.

(Blink).  (Blink).  (Rub eyes.)  No, I don’t understand that rationalization either.  It’d be better to just say they’re taking advantage of the circumstances around the special election for publicity, and not cloud it around supposed “support” for either candidate.

For what it’s worth… Ron and Rand Paul have both lent their endorsements for Sanford. As has Larry Flynt… even though, politically speaking, that shouldn’t make sense.  Except to make a point about politics and sex, which I suppose trumps

ON TO MASSACHUSETTS.  Sort of regrettably, the “moderate”-ish man won the Republicna nomination.  And there really wasn’t too much entertainment value in the other candidates either.   Maybe there’ s something in the Independent candidate on the ballot… who gets tagged in the media with this label:

— perennial candidate Jack E. Robinson III

First ran in 2000, apparently.  Will never repeat this high water mark.

At least there’s the Socialist Workers Party candidate.  The party’s been shuffling her around on various ballot spots since 1993.

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