Rolling Stone Magazine recently interviewed U.S. Senate candidate, Jaime Harrison (D. SC), about his upcoming tight race against incumbent U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R. SC). Ryan Bort talks with Harrison about his career in Democratic politics in the South including his time as the head of the South Carolina Democratic Party, working for the DNC mobilizing voters of color, how the coronavirus epidemic has taken a terrible toll on South Carolina and how Graham has shamelessly morphed himself into a Trump sycophant. Harrison has often talked about how he wants to usher in a “New South”. Here’s a little example of how times have changed in South Carolina:
You worked on Inez Tenenbaum’s [unsuccessful] Senate campaign in 2004. How do the interactions you’re having with some of these more marginalized groups now compare to what you were seeing 15 years ago? When do you think South Carolinians began to lose faith that politicians can help better their lives? Or has it been more of a gradual disillusionment over decades?
I think it’s been a slow process. When I was on Inez’s race and I was the political director for the coordinated effort, one of the things I wanted to test out was a more service-oriented outreach effort. In Florence County, South Carolina, I worked with a local bank and a church to pilot a home ownership workshop. There was a woman I watched the entire time sit there and take notes. Afterwards I went up to her and I said, “So, did you enjoy it?” She was in tears and said, “I’m so grateful, because Inez Tenenbaum and the Democratic Party is going to help me realize my dream of owning a home.” That sparked something in me. That type of passion is something a TV ad, a piece of mail, or a radio spot can’t buy. I filed that away in my head and when I decided to run for the U.S. Senate I told my staff one first things I want to do is Harrison Helps, because I want people to see what my values are, not just tell them. I believe that’s a much more powerful way to persuade somebody that you are the right person. We just had our second annual Harrison Helps school supplies drive. We raised over $15,000 of school supplies, and gave them out to almost 850 kids in three regions of South Carolina. It was fabulous, and we were able to do it socially distanced.
Folks are suffering now. It’s not good enough for me to say to them, “Well, you just wait until I get elected in November.” How is that going to help them deal with the fact that they’ve lost their job? That’s what I believe that we fundamentally have to do. Get back into the community and become grassroots-connected people. Listen to the pain and the hardship and the hopes and the aspirations of people right now and try to do what you can, even as a candidate, to address those things. I think that if we can do that people will regain that faith again in that old process. It’s an old way of doing politics, but it’s a way that was particularly effective back in the day.
Give the whole interview a read. It’s worth it. By the way, some conservatives are actually blaming Graham for Trump’s potential loss:
Tucker Carlson on Fox News, one of President Trump’s most devoted defenders, is pointing a finger at another Trump wingman — Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina — for selling the president on a sit-down with Bob Woodward for his new book.
It is not clear, however, if Mr. Carlson blames Mr. Graham for the 17 other times the president spoke to Mr. Woodward for the book, on the record.
“It was Lindsey Graham who helped convince Donald Trump to talk to Bob Woodward,” said Mr. Carlson, citing an anonymous source, during his show on Wednesday night. “Lindsey Graham brokered that meeting. Lindsey Graham even sat in on the first interview between Bob Woodward and the president. How did that turn out?”
Give the New York Times piece a full read. It’s just hilarious to read about Republicans tearing each other apart. By the way, Harrison and Graham are scheduled to square off in three debate:
▪ 7 p.m. Oct. 3 at Allen University in Columbia, moderated by Judy Gaston of WIS. The debate also will air in Myrtle Beach, Charleston, Charlotte, Augusta and Savannah.
▪ 7 p.m. Oct. 12 at the WSPA studios in Spartanburg moderated by Amy Wood of WSPA, in conjunction with the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce. The debate also will air in Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Aiken.
▪ 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at SCETV’s studio in Columbia moderated by Gavin Jackson of SCETV, in conjunction with the Post and Courier. The debate is scheduled to air statewide.
Let’s keep up the momentum to flip South Carolina Blue and usher in a New South. Click below to donate and get involved with Harrison, Biden and their fellow South Carolina Democrats campaigns:
Jaime Harrison
Joe Biden
Joe Cunningham
