Do You Remember Rob Miller, The Guy Running For The South Carolina House Seat Joe Wilson Occupies?

A few days ago, in an unkind, even thoughtless, throw-away intro to a post about Tarryl Clark that didn't appear at DWT, I kind of lumped South Carolina Democratic congressional candidate Rob Miller in with Elwyn Tinklenberg. Tinkenberg is an unabashed conservative-- he ran against Michele Bachmann in 2008-- who is anti-Choice, against equality for gay people and as backward and reactionary, at least on social issues, as your garden variety Republican. He actually has nothing to do with Rob Miller whatsoever.

Well... he has one thing to do with Rob. Both were the beneficiaries of massive outpourings of disdain for the moronic statements of their opponents. I doubt many of Tink's donors knew he favored a constitutional amendment to make sure same sex couples could never get married under any circumstances or that a woman should not be allowed to ever have the medical procedure that she and her physcian had decided on because it offended his-- Tink's-- religious sensibilities. I mentioned that I had tried to find out about where Miller stood on some of the core issues of the day but had been unable to. Someone from the campaign saw the post and yesterday I had an excellent talk with the former Marine officer, who did a couple of stints in Iraq. Unlike any number of bizarre Republicans claiming military honors they never won, Rob's military awards are breathtaking-- and real, including the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat Distinguishing Device (‘V’ for Valor) for operations in Al Fallujah, Iraq; the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for leadership during cold weather training in Bridgeport, California; the Combat Action Ribbon for operations in Iraq; the Navy Unit Commendation for operations in Mosul, Iraq; the Good Conduct Medal (X2); the National Defense Medal (X2); the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; the Iraqi Campaign Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; the Armed Forces Service Medal; the Humanitarian Service Medal for Operation Sheltering Sky in Liberia; the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (X3); the Marine Corps Drill Instructor Ribbon; and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Medal.

No wonder he wanted to talk about service to the country! To Miller that's what running for office is all about: service. Too abstract a concept? I asked him about the issues-- he's good on them (even having come out publicly against the Stupak Amendment)-- and I asked him if we can expect to see him join the Blue Dog Caucus in Congress. He laughed. "I get asked that all the time." He said he wouldn't be joining the Blue Dogs and an impeccable source told me that the Blue Dogs approached Miller several time bearing gifts-- promising to raise money for him the way they are for conservative corporate shill and DCCC stooge Lori Edwards in Florida-- and he turned them down flat. It takes guts and conviction to turn the kind of easy money the Blue Dogs offer their recruits, the kind of conviction an unscrupulous political creature like Lori Edwards has never imagined and the kind of conviction a patriot like Rob Miller could never get through a day without. "What South Carolinians are looking for is an independent voice that represents hard working people in this district... There is so much corporate lobbyist influence in Washington that you can't get anything done for ordinary families and if you do, it's all watered down." Yep, this guy wouldn't be the right fit for the Blue Dogs.

"The biggest difference between Joe Wilson and me is service. Joe Wilson continually shows that he serves the special interests of Washington and Wall Street instead of serving the hard-working people on Main Street. Whether he's bailing out big banks or sending jobs overseas by casting the deciding vote on CAFTA, Joe Wilson represents everything that's wrong with Washington. While South Carolina's suffering from one of the highest jobless rates in America, Joe Wilson is off trying to privatize Social Security and cut Medicare. South Carolina needs a Congressman who will serve the people who elected him, and unfortunately Joe Wilson has shown that the only job he cares about is his own."

.