The most recent article posted on the PalmettoJournal.com website (which deducting from the rebuke I received from one of the editors of the Palmetto Journal is ostensibly owned and operated by both males and females even though my previous use of the word “he” is widely recognized as the proper use of the word when the gender of the subject is unknown) seems to point to a certain obsession they seem to have with me personally. Have I said something they do not agree with? What pray tell could it be?

The questions I have for the staff at the Palmetto Journal are simple:

- Why are you writing about Jimmy Moore?
- Who am I in the grand scheme of things?
- If I am so “unimportant,” then why have you now devoted two consecutive full-length articles on your website about me and my writings on Commonvoice.com (not that either me or the editor are complaining about the free publicity you are giving us)?

The Palmetto Journal referred to my previous article as a “long diatribe.” Nevermind the fact that they decided to respond to my article with an even longer article of their own entitled “Jimmy Moore’s Kettle Burnt?” (This article was written and posted at 2:10am on Sunday morning. Getting a little anxious, aren’t we, Palmetto Journal? If I am so “unimportant,” then why would you stay up into the wee hours of the morning just to write an article about me?).

One correction I would like to make to the infallible Palmetto Journal is when they said that they “didn't call Jimmy a flack...” in their previous article. However, looking at the specific quote from the article reveals this is inaccurate. Here is the quote:

“The next phase involves the flacks and hacks (people like Will Folks and Jimmy Moore)

The evidence speaks for itself.

I have never hidden from the fact that the articles I post on Commonvoice.com are my personal opinion about a variety of subjects. Additionally, I have always encouraged people to share their opinions about my articles. That is what makes Commonvoice.com so different from the one-sided view you get from websites like the Palmetto Journal.

Every single article and newspaper headline on Commonvoice.com has an easy way for ANYONE to express their comments about what they think about the topics and discussions. The editor even allows people to write him letters to the editor that are posted on the website for other readers to comment on as well. It is this interaction with the readers that has made Commonvoice.com grow in popularity over the past year.

The last time I checked, the Palmetto Journal does NOT have this feature on their website. Besides the fact that they have been on hiatus for most of the past year, they are still content with shoving their opinions down your throat until you choke. They will ALWAYS refuse to let YOUR voice be heard on their website. That is THE major difference between Commonvoice.com and the Palmetto Journal.

As for the Mike Cubelo defense used by the Palmetto Journal, Mikey has just as much of an opportunity to post articles on Commonvoice.com as any of the other contributing writers do. It is his choice if he decides to only write about one article every other week. I have made it my goal to write 2 articles a week since I started as a contributing writer on Commonvoice.com in December 2001 (in fact, I am coming up on my 100th article very soon!).

Think about it, if Mikey had something to say that people wanted to read on Commonvoice.com, then he would make a point to write more articles than he does. Although the Palmetto Journal describes my writings on Commonvoice.com as “prolific,” it is only because I have disciplined myself to write articles for Commonvoice.com each and every week. I feel like I owe it to the editor and to the readers who so graciously allow me the opportunity to share with them my opinions.

The Palmetto Journal deserves some kudos for pointing out the three or four mistakes I have made in the articles I have written during the past year on Commonvoice.com. You guys (again using it in the generic sense of the word) must have a lot of extra time on your hands to research all the articles I have written on Commonvoice.com to find those few mistakes. Of the tens of thousands of words I have written, your crack research staff should be commended for finding this handful of mistakes that I made. Everybody stop reading right now and give the Palmetto Journal a big round of applause (APPLAUSE...that means you...clap, I say, clap...there you go!).

There is no doubt in my mind that the readers of Commonvoice.com are tired of reading about the squabble between this website and the Palmetto Journal. There will not be another article from me about this subject because there are too many other stories to write about in the coming weeks before the election. Frankly, THAT is what people want to read about. Again, I say who am I?

It is time to get down to the heart of the matter behind this disagreement. This has nothing to do with Jimmy Moore, Commonvoice.com or the Palmetto Journal. Frankly, most people could care less about any of us. This discussion is really about who the next governor of South Carolina is going to be. And like it or not, Mark Sanford will be the next governor of South Carolina.

The 2002 South Carolina gubernatorial race has been about defeating Jim Hodges since day one. It has been Hodges’ inability to get anything done in the last four years as the governor of South Carolina that has caused both Republicans and Democrats alike to seriously consider voting for Mark Sanford. The evidence abounds on the failure of the Hodges administration.

It is the height of hypocrisy and insincerity for Jim Hodges, who calls himself the “education governor,” to hail the fact that our students finished second to last on the recent standardized test scores. If that is Jim Hodges’ idea of progress, then it is obvious why we need a change in leadership in Columbia.

It is time for Mark Sanford to be the next governor of South Carolina.

Although he wasn’t my first choice for governor during the GOP gubernatorial primary, he is now the clear-cut choice against Jim Hodges. If Bob Peeler had won the GOP primary, then he would have been my choice. Heck, even if Reb Sutherland would have prevailed in the seven-man race, I would have voted for her over Jim Hodges any day of the week! But, Mark Sanford prevailed in that race and is the only real choice for the voters of South Carolina on November 5th.

THAT is much more important to write about than either me or the Palmetto Journal!