http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/192045.aspxCOLUMBIA, SC -- Just a few hours before tonight's debate, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) sat down with NBC News to discuss his thoughts on the 2008 presidential race, his state's all-important primary, and his own political future. In response toen-USCommunityServer 2.0 (Build: 60608.1)http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/192045.aspx#192169Tue, 15 May 2007 23:12:04 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:192169Still Crazy After All These Years"Loves Me Like A Rock"-Paul Simonhttp://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/192045.aspx#192261Wed, 16 May 2007 01:05:30 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:192261Jennifer in Rock Hill, South CarolinaIt's interesting to see in South Carolina - a state that leans Republican - so many Republicans dissatisfied with their entire roster of presidential candidates. It shows how distant Republican leaders are from their party and from the everyday lives of working people. On issues like healthcare, jobs, stem cell research, and the war in Iraq, the Republicans are offering the opposite of what most Americans are saying they want. Anyone paying attention should expect strong Democratic gains in the next election.http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2007/05/15/192045.aspx#192352Wed, 16 May 2007 02:29:13 GMT8a5d2dbc-a0e4-4c7a-979f-3188051f228e:192352Orville, Greenville, South CarolinaWhy SHOULDN'T the taxpayers pay for the primary? They pay for them in most other states- in fact, until 2004, SC was the ONLY state that had the primaries run by the parties themselves. This was a result of pre-Civil Rights-era maneuvering to disenfranchise minority voters. (This was back when the Democrats were the only game in town. There was no Republican primary until 1980.) As a result, no party even attempted to open all the polling places until the 2004 Democratic Primary. In addition, the last time there was a Republican primary, the party closed at least 1/5 the polling places, even after they had been sued to open as many as possible- and, in some cases, failed to report the closings until the day of the election. (See coverage in The State (Columbia), The Greenville News, and Salon.com) In addition, two of the three Republicans still in the race (John McCain and Alan Keyes.) called for a federal investigation of the poll closings, saying it had violated Federal law. (Only one candidate fully accepted the results and dismissed calls to investigate- George W. Bush...)