Why Are South Carolina Politics So Nasty?

Washington Post: “And so, the media has flocked South, left taciturn New England behind in search of a quiet spot — the corner booth of a bar, perhaps, or a well-appointed office downtown — hoping to be blessed with those magic words, you didn’t hear this from me, but. South Carolina: home to whisper campaigns, dirty politics, back-alley knife fighters, and other cliches. A land where consultants share shibboleth with bank robbers: No fingerprints, please. It’s a week before the primary, and the Palmetto State is all anonymous fliers and unlisted numbers.”

“In fairness to the natives, South Carolina’s electoral nastiness may be a matter of timing more than geography. The window to win the nomination is rapidly closing, and there’s little advantage in holding back.”