COLUMBIA--Contrary to early reports, the thick haze seen wafting over the Statehouse last week was not caused by anti-cigarette tax protesters taking a synchronized smoke break.

It was smoke, all right -- smoke coming from the ears of House Republicans.

Already livid with Gov. Mark Sanford for supporting a 53-cent per pack cigarette tax increase in exchange for a lower state income tax, House leadership went ballistic Wednesday when a group of senators led by Finance Chairman Hugh Leatherman came out in support of Sanford's plan.

Not only did the Senate dare to propose a tax increase, it snubbed the House proposal to refinance tobacco bonds to pay for rising Medicaid costs.

As soon as the senators finished announcing their tentative support for Sanford's plan, House Speaker David Wilkins and Ways and Means Chairman Bobby Harrell of Charleston blasted the Senate, saying, "A lot of people just want to raise taxes."

Up here, them's fighting words. And the House was clearly ready for battle.

Wilkins has been adamantly opposed to the tax increase, which almost passed the House last year, and on Thursday moved in for the kill. The speaker held the House until late Thursday, when the chamber approved a Medicaid reform package that included no increase in the cigarette tax.

First-round winner: the House.

The tax still could come up, but Wilkins made a loud statement that it is going to be nearly impossible to get it through his House -- something Sanford has conceded would be tough.

A lot of people around here are now asking: Where's the love in the forecasted Republican love fest? It's getting testy enough that some Statehouse observers wonder if it's the Democrats or the House Republicans running the Sanford-bashing Web site.

BILL ON THE ROCKS

Politics, however, make for strange -- and changing -- bedfellows. At the same time all this was happening, the House passed stricter drunken driving laws, voting to lower the state's DUI level for which a person is believed to be under the influence of alcohol from 0.10 percent blood alcohol content to 0.08. The bill would lead to an immediate 30-day driver's license suspension or a 60-day suspension if the person has had another DUI conviction in the past 10 years.

Sanford praised the action as a step toward safer South Carolina highways.

"We've got the deadliest roads in the nation as far as our DUI death rate is concerned, and this bill would be a huge step toward fixing that problem," he said.

On this one, however, it is the Senate that may be the odd arm-of-government out. There seems to be a growing reluctance to change the law, despite the threat of Congress holding back some highway funds. A number of senators, including President Pro Tempore Glenn McConnell, say the state should instead toughen laws for chronic drunken drivers or those with 0.15 percent blood alcohol content. A few, instead, want to sue the federal government over the mandate. Stay tuned.

SIR, YES, SIR

This guy gets no respect: As the war got under way last week, Sanford prepared to ship out for Alabama, where he will undergo two weeks of training for his job in the Air Force Reserves. The governor mentioned to reporters that his staff has a pool going on how long he'll last (good thing gambling's legal now).

Funnier still, Sanford intimated how -- for security precautions -- the White House was in touch with his office last week. Someone from D.C. was quizzing Chief of Staff Fred Carter for Sanford's contact numbers. They wanted to know how they would get in touch with the governor for the next two weeks.

"What are you talking about?" Carter said. "He's going to be under your jurisdiction."

The White House response: Oh, uh, yeah.

HITTING A SOUR NOTE

State Rep. Catherine Ceips fired off a "patriotic" missile at the Dixie Chicks, drafting a resolution that asks the country group to apologize to "the military families of the state of South Carolina" for their remarks and -- oh yeah -- play a free concert.

Some Statehouse observers found this missile a little unguided, however. At a London concert, lead singer Natalie Maines told the audience they were ashamed the president was from Texas -- meant as a criticism of George W. Bush, not the military.

The irony: Part of the stated reason for this war is to free the Iraqi people from an overbearing government and install a democratic one, which allows its citizens the freedom to criticize their leaders.

The Dixie Chicks are supposed to open their U.S. tour in Greenville in May. Perhaps, instead, they'll opt for Wide Open Spaces -- and wide open minds.

TGIF --NOT

It has been a long few weeks for House members, especially Charleston Rep. Bobby Harrell. The Ways and Means chairman has guided the budget debate through the House, which culminated two weeks in a midnight-oil debate that lasted all week. Last week, Harrell and the speaker spent much of their time defending a plan to refinance the tobacco bonds as a way to pay for Medicaid costs without raising taxes.

By Friday, Harrell was beat and ready for some time off with his kids. But he spent much of the day on the phone with his business, his office in Columbia and even reporters.

At one point, his kids asked what happened to the day off.

"This is a day off," he said.

PSC UNDER SCRUTINY

The Public Service Commission will be on the front-burner in the Senate this week. Two versions of PSC reform will be in McConnell's Judiciary Committee, first in subcommittee and then in full committee. The House passed a version of PSC reform late last month but it will likely need some, uh, reform.

Contact Brian Hicks at (843) 937-5561 or bhicks@postandcourier.com.