Who knows what to make of this Haley mess?

We at VUI are continuing to not throw stones at the personal life of Nikki Haley or the personal honor of Will Folks and Larry Marchant.  All we know for sure is none of our staff have had relations with any of the three. As for they have or have not done, no one outside the three of them knows for sure.  

What we do know is something that is not popular to say at this time.  Haley folks will not like this.  But, the Haley camp is either exploiting this matter for support or they are inept at handling a crisis situation.  

When Folks's allegation first arose, Haley should have ignored it.  Laugh off questions from reporters. Haley should have said, "so many bloggers just say anything, I am not going to play their gotcha politics."  The media loves to have a chance not to take a blogger seriously. 

The Haley camp did not do that.  They chose the play the age old "woe is me" play in the political campaign playbook.  It goes back to Louisiana and the Long brothers.  Governor Earl K. Long of Louisiana would say, "look at what they are doing to me because of what I am trying to do for you."  

That play does work, especially in local politics where people know the candidate and doubt they are whatever they are charged to be.  But, when a statewide or national candidate plays that play and makes an absolute denial, he has to be careful, because he opens himself to someone with stronger credibility coming along and making a similar charge.  

When that happens, the campaign goes into what VUI calls the "woe is me" mode.  A campaign gets off track and starts spinning that this and that person or campaign is out get them.  Conspiracy theories start being floated.  Thus, a bright and positive campaign turns into to a campaign that is paranoid and looks for enemies at every turn.  

 There is one more point.  It comes from an old boxer.  He said once, "when you get in the ring, there are gonna be fellas who are going to rabbit punch and hit you below the belt.  A champion takes the hit, grins, and says "is that all you got" and knocks the hell out of his opponent.  The also ran looks to the referee and says, "did you see what he did to me?"


VUI does not know who is right or who is wrong in the Haley mess.  But, South Carolina needs a champion as Governor, not an also ran.