(Columbia) May 11, 2005 - Governor Mark Sanford's
comments on WIS's Awareness program this past Sunday
that a black candidate might never be elected to
statewide office in South Carolina have been raising
eyebrows.
Awareness anchor Craig Melvin: "There's still not
an African-American elected to a statewide office.
Very few statewide generally."
Gov. Sanford: "Can I interject? I think there never
will be again. That's one of the things I think, that
is one thing that is so important."
Craig Melvin: "You said there never will be."
Gov. Sanford: "In the foreseeable future."
Craig Melvin: "Why is that?"
Gov. Sanford: "Look at the history you talked
about. Over the last 100 years it hasn't happened.
That is tragic."
Craig Melvin: "Why is that? Blacks represent 35% of
the folks statewide. Why can't one be elected
statewide. Is it racism? Is it..."
Gov. Sanford: "I don't know. It's too strong of a
statement to say never will be, I say it is a tragic
past that that has never happened."
Columbia Lawyer Steve Benjamin has a different take,
"I completely disagree with the governor." Benjamin ran
for state attorney general in 2002, "If you have the
right candidate with the right positions at the
right time who's willing to work hard and fundraise and
ask every South Carolinian for their vote, I think
that person can win, regardless of race, regardless of
party."
State NAACP president Lonnie Randolph says the
governor is exactly right. In a statement on Wednesday,
Randolph said, "With the present racial climate, the
governor is absolutely correct. If you think he's
wrong, look at the history. It has been since 1877
since a person of color has been elected to statewide
office."
The governor did go on to say in the
interview that if the General Assembly passed his
restructuring plan, a governor would be able to appoint
more people to offices that are currently elected. He
said in that way, more minorities would be appointed to
statewide office.
Orangeburg Representative Gilda Cobb-Hunter agrees.
She says a governor's appointment is the only way a
person of color will ever hold a constitutional position
in South Carolina because voters will not make it happen
any time soon.
You can watch Awareness on Sundays at 10:00am hosted
by Craig Melvin.
Reported by Craig
Melvin
Updated 7:21pm by BrettWitt
