ROAST GOV WITH A
SIDE OF CHEESE
Gov. Mark Sanford was roasted Tuesday by legislators and friends
to raise money for the Indian Waters Council of the Boy Scouts of
America. The event netted more than $15,000.
Those closest to Sanford offered their insight and observations
on the governor’s first term. As Minority Leader James Smith,
D-Richland, observed, for Sanford — who has sometimes clashed with
legislators — the roast was “a lot like his day job.”
Here are some highlights:
——————————
“Here’s to you Mr. Governor-Dude, you stroll through the most
hallowed halls into the power budget meetings wielding a red ink pen
like a Samurai swordsman.”
— Jonathon Rush, WNOK radio host and the roast emcee
——————————
“I never made it to Boy Scouts, I kept tripping up on the ‘Safe
Driving’ merit badge. The governor had the same problem. He never
could get the ‘How Government Works’ badge quite down.”
— Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer
——————————
“I’m actually sitting in for Rep. (David) Wilkins, speaker of the
House. He wanted me to tell you he’s very sorry he couldn’t be here.
He had a very critical appointment trying to do the best he can to
kill Mark Sanford’s agenda in the Legislature.”
— Rep. Rick Quinn, R-Richland
——————————
“Just recently in my legislative district, the governor and
myself and (four) other local officials had an opportunity to do one
of those groundbreaking ceremonies...but there were five shovels....
The governor was standing there without a shovel. But he was quick —
did not miss a beat — he said, ‘Don’t worry, I got it covered,’ and
he reached in and pulled that silver spoon out of his mouth and
started digging.”
— Rep. James Smith, D-Richland
——————————
Tom Davis, Sanford’s co-chief of staff, offered this
primer on Sanford-speak:
• When he says: “I would
just simply say this...” He means: “Give me a second to find
out where I am and what I’m supposed to be talking about.”
• When he says: “But that
said, I would also say this...” He means: “I’m about to tell
a room full of reporters something I’ve never told my staff.”
• When he says: “I’ve got a
fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers of the state of South
Carolina...” He means: “Your bill’s about to be vetoed.”
• When he says: “Can I
borrow you for two seconds?...” He means: “The rest of your
day is about to be ruined, and I’m about to task you a monumentally
important and time-consuming task that will determine the fate of my
entire administration.”
• When he says: “Wait two
seconds...” He means: “Your question is really not important
to me, and I may or may not ever get back to you on it.”
• When he says: “Thanks a
lot, I’ve enjoyed this, to be continued...” He means: “I
never want to have this conversation ever again.”
— Compiled by Jennifer
Talhelm |