Posted on Tue, Aug. 22, 2006

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ELECTION 2006

Ravenel, economic board’s chief to debate

GOP candidate for treasurer to meet with chairman of Board of Economic Advisors in TV forum

By AARON GOULD SHEININ

asheinin@thestate.com

A spat between two state Republicans who have sparred over finances and one’s political aspirations will move to a public, televised forum Thursday.

Republican treasurer candidate Thomas Ravenel and John Rainey, chairman of the state Board of Economic Advisors, will meet at 10 a.m. to discuss their differing opinions about South Carolina finances. They will meet in the governor’s conference room of the Wade Hampton Building on the State House grounds.

The meeting will be televised live by ETV’s South Carolina Channel (Channel 802 on Time Warner in Columbia) and on ETV’s Web site, at http://www.myetv.org/.

Over the past few weeks, Ravenel and Rainey have carried on a sometimes pointed exchange of letters that began with Rainey questioning Ravenel’s commitment to the position for which he is a candidate.

Last week, the two men agreed to meet face to face to discuss their disagreement over the unfunded liability the state is carrying on its books for its pension system.

Ravenel claims it’s $27 billion; Rainey and others say it’s $18 billion — or less, depending on how it is calculated.

Rainey declined to comment Monday. Efforts to reach Ravenel were unsuccessful, but his campaign manager, Rod Shealy, said Thursday’s meeting would be “a very, very healthy dialogue — and useful.”

The meeting itself, and ETV’s decision to carry it live, elevates the race for treasurer from a down-ballot campaign with little electoral interest, Shealy said.

“It pulls this race out of an unknown race, something that nobody pays attention to or cares about, onto the front burner.”

Shealy said he and Ravenel were sure Rainey would honor his word from last week and conduct the meeting in a manner that “is fair and aboveboard.”

Carrying the meeting live helps fulfill ETV’s efforts to be “known as a place people can turn to for coverage of issues that are important to them,” said Rob Schaller, ETV’s director of communications.

When ETV officials learned of the meeting between Ravenel and Rainey, officials aimed to televise the talks, said Catherine Christman, ETV’s vice president of communications. She said the airing is the kind of “C-SPAN-like” programming for which the South Carolina Channel was created.

Washington-based C-SPAN provides coverage of a range of public affairs events on cable and satellite television systems.

The length of the program depends on how long the two men talk, Christman said.

“It’s cameras rolling,” she said. “It’s two important people in the state explaining their respective positions.”

The dispute between Rainey, a key ally to Gov. Mark Sanford, and Ravenel began when Rainey questioned Ravenel’s commitment to the job. In an article in The Greenville News, Rainey said he could not publicly support Ravenel because the Charlestonian would not promise to serve all four years of his term if he wins this fall.

Ravenel has long been considered a potential challenger to U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a fellow Republican, in 2008 and has refused to say whether he would finish his term.

Rainey called Ravenel a “dilettante,” and Ravenel responded by accusing Rainey of having inherited his wealth rather than having earned it.

Trav Robertson, spokesman for incumbent Treasurer Grady Patterson, a Democrat, said Thursday’s summit provides Ravenel an opportunity for edification. Ravenel has tried to blame Patterson for the state’s financial woes. Robertson said Ravenel is misguided.

The meeting “will show the voters of South Carolina that Thomas Ravenel isn’t capable of calculating aspects of the state budget and retirement system,” Robertson said.

As for ETV’s involvement, Robertson said he “hopes that ETV in the future affords Mr. Patterson equal and unencumbered airtime.”

Reach Gould Sheinin at (803) 771-8658.