“In America, we have determined that the best way to live in peace is to live in peace.”

— Frank Keating, former Oklahoma governor who visited South Carolina last week as he mulls running for the Republican presidential nomination and spoke about the war in Iraq among other topics.

The Buzz

GOOD WILL HUNTING

Interesting Christmas cards — or holiday greetings, if you prefer — abound this time of year.

The governor’s family, as usual, appears on the front of his card with a nice note about what mom, dad and the boys have been up to this past year.

The Buzz received another perfectly pleasant photo-type card, this one with a handy calendar, from U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C. Instead of the usual winter setting, the Wilsons chose to include a picture from one son’s wedding and another son’s graduation.

We’re not sure we’ll use the calendar if we have to look at the Wilsons’ ear-to-ear grins every time we need to check the date.

That brings us to the most unique Christmas card we’ve seen: Karen Floyd, the Republican nominee for state superintendent, and her family decked out in camouflage flanking about 30 dead ducks.

The card reads: “Hurry, Santa, Hurry! The Floyds are out of Shells.”

SILENCE IS GOLDEN

Gov. Mark Sanford’s name is being batted around the presidential race rumor mill again, this time in a Washington Times opinion piece by a former staffer.

Joel Mowbray, who worked for Sanford when he was a congressman, writes that Sanford “could capture conservatives' imagination with his unrelenting adherence to core principles.”

Isn’t it that relentless refusal to budge that’s caused an almost insurmountable rift with the Legislature?

Mowbray goes on to say Sanford “hasn't even hinted that he's interested in running for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.”

However, the Buzz thinks Sanford’s silence on whom he plans to support in the GOP presidential primary speaks volumes.

GRADY’S NEXT STOP? THE LEGISLATURE!

The Central Midlands Caucus of the South Carolina Silver-Haired Legislature is seeking members for 2007.

Anyone who is 60 or older and a registered voter is eligible to file between Jan. 8 and Feb. 9. The cost is $20.

The Silver-Haired Legislature develops recommendations that generally affect senior citizens then submits its ideas to the governor and Legislature.

For more information, call the Central Midlands Area Agency of Aging at (803) 376-5390.

The Buzz would like to nominate state Treasurer Grady Patterson, who was beat in last month’s election by whippersnapper Thomas Ravenel. Surely Patterson would like to continue to offer his opinion to the governor and legislators.

WHAT THEY MAKE

Go to thestate.com for a searchable list of salaries for state employees earning more than $50,000 a year.