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Subscribe to RSSGREENVILLE, S.C. -- The folks at Tommy's Country Ham House in Greenville are expecting a record crowd Saturday morning, and the mob's not coming for the grits.
In a state famous for its bizarre brand of Republican politics, mere hours after polls open in South Carolina, the primary's two frontrunners are hosting dueling campaign events at the restaurant over breakfast. Same time. Same place.
Call it the Ham House Showdown.
Incredulous reporters first thought there was a mistake. Both Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney scheduled events at Tommy's Country Ham House in Greenville, S.C., at 10:45 a.m. ET Saturday. For Romney, the event will be his final public appearance before results are announced Saturday night.
Not quite a duel at high noon, but close.
The Gingrich campaign put their public schedule on their website roughly an hour before the Romney campaign emailed out theirs to reporters. Now, neither campaign is backing down.
"We have had this event on the books. Our schedule went out first. We are confirmed at our event," Gingrich campaign spokesman, Nathan Naidu, told reporters aboard the USS Yorktown following a Gingrich event. "We are more than happy if Gov. Romney would like to join us at our event and have some ham."
A Romney aide said: "It is pure coincidence the events were scheduled at the same time and we are not changing our schedule."
The Gingrich spokesman added, "We are more than happy to treat Gov. Romney to ham at our event."
Reporters were told that Caroline Vinvick, Gingrich's Greenville regional director, called and woke up the owner of the restaurant, Tommy Stevenson, Friday night. He said none of Romney's people has contacted him about an event. The Gingrich campaign is confirmed for 10:45 a.m. ET, Stevenson reassured Vinvick. Meanwhile, outside Romney's rally Friday night in Greenville, volunteers were overheard telling supporters to head to Tommy's Saturday morning to support Romney.
National media -- seizing on the opportunity for pithy, ham-related headlines and the potential for a political showdown that could rival any from the debate stage this season -- are preparing to flock to the restaurant Saturday morning.
Some may want to bring helmets to prepare for what could be a dangerously packed house. All will bring their appetites.
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Kinda sums it all up don't it?
Leroy: "I simply do not understand..." Exactly my point in general - the same you make in your previous comment. I say: to the #$%^@ barricades! Or: boycott everything, then the barricades. There is no truth without justice. Citizens' arrests? Why not? Subvert the subverters? In every way possible. America! Wake up! Wake up! You are a sleeping giant. The Mighty Few are utter and complete scoundrels and cowards, hiding behind the police, the Supreme Court, and lies, lies, lies.
To bad it's not Halloween, Romney and Santorum with Newt between them, they could be the HAM sandwich and bring Paul covered in butter as a slice of toast.
Old Brain No Eyes... you, buddy, are a RACIST.
Newt better watch it they may slice up Newt that fat pig and eat him up too. After they kill Newt for pork barrell politics then Mittens can baptize the dead body. That's what Mormons do.
I am very pleased that Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney are taking the lead in this process. Cream always rises to the top. Either one will be 1000 times better than the loser in our White house.
Can't wait to see Obama shelved in 2012.
I was for Romney, but now, I think I will hoot for Newt.
Kevin-747617
Santorum might take Newt home after they do him in so his kids can play with him for 2 hours.
Barack Obama rose from a poor fatherless family to become the first black president of the USA against all odds, but Joey here calls him a "loser." YOU are the "loser" Joey, fool...
Either one will be 1000 times better than the loser in our White house.
The closest either one of them get to the Whitehouse will be the sidewalk on Pennsylvania Ave. Ham sandwiches are not allowed on the grounds.
Th Ham in the White House will be canned Spam looking for another job after this General Election.
So you think.
May the best ham hock win. Seriously though, Newt will most likely win because he is the better debater with Romney becoming the mud slinger. People are very tired and disgusted of trash digging poop throwing tactics that accomplish nothing but disrespect between same party rivals. It only makes the entire process a three ring circus of clowns and fools.
Newt had no choice but to defend against and criticize Romney who should have focused mainly on what he is going to do to defeat Obama instead attacking Newt.
You're right, Newt is the MASTER DEBATER.
Bread and Circuses. Ham, greens and ham house brawls. Fund-raising dinners and politicians. Famine and war. Same old, same old distractions from their real agenda. It's beginning to look like if you wish for peace, you must prepare for war. The rich win again.
Actually Obama does consider himself a MasterDebater but had better starting practicing often on his techniques or Newt wil beat his meat to a pulp.
If the Newt does happen to get the nomination and goes against Obama, I'm going to order extra barbecue wings and a bunch of popcorn. It will be a riot seeing Obama spank the Newt and send him home to wife #3.
I wish someone would grill Romney and Gingrich on the real issues, since neither's presidential agenda seems to have any meat to it. Each certainly has a bone to pick with the other, yet people are left asking where's the beef. If I could be there in the flesh, I'd roast them both.
If they're looking for the beef, thay should have gone to Phillies steak house. Tommys Country Ham house has ham only.
Man we got some troglodytes making comments tonight. Proving that rightwingers are really, really, really....morons. Incapable of thinking. Paranoid. Selfish. Tormented by the inferiority complex - and justifiably so.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlRXQEA0yj0 Judge not, lest ye be judged ;o)
I can't believe these are the Best and Brightest the Republicans have to offer. A Gordon Gecko who keeps his millions in Cayman Island Accounts and a Pasty old guy with a Rap sheet a mile long who is into Open Marriages...
Party of Family Values, Yeah Right!
Oh yes, I believe in lower taxes. But every time Republicans cut taxes the lion's share of cuts goes to the wealthy. As an American of more "ordinary" income I'm more than happy to give Democrats my vote than sell out for chump change. It kind of makes me think of some woman being expected to get in the sack on the first date with only a dinner and two drinks.
Need an example? Wal-Mart to it's credit asked that a second round of tax cuts would only go to to the poor and middle class after Republicans pushed through the first round when George W. Bush was in office. Wal-Mart reasoned that the working poor and middle class would be most likely to spend money to stimulate the economy during the recession of the early 2000's. Republicans would have nothing of it.
All we need now is Bobby Flay to come in and ask if they are ready for a throw down.
Whatever you do, don't report on the position of the candidates. This nonsensical media dominated theatre mocks our democracy, which is not surprising considering we are a Fed/media run feudal state.
The only candidate whose position is worth reporting on is Ron Paul, who of course is ignored.
He's either asleep or home resting from the gew days of pressure of a debate. He gets very tired without his Geritol.
obama gets very stupid without his teleprompter
this is why obama got elected in the first place and will get elected again no body running against him who ever picks these republican cantidates really needs help
obama is a massive failure; anybody who thinks he deserves reelection needs help
NEWS SPECIAL REPORT from fox and repuke teapugger head quarters.
rom the rumhead former governor now inspiring candidate of the 1% ers for the nations highest job has 5 secret wives living on his relatives compound in good ole Mexico. this is partially confirmed thru his tax returns he has so willing opened for all to see.
NEWS FLASH from koch fox lumbaugh repuke teapugger central
newt grichhead former speaker of the house has checked into a clinic in georgia to be treated for a severe case of sex addition. it is rumored that his therapist is none other than a guy named tiger.
SPECIAL NEWS FLASH from norquist fox central
rick sandyman senator from pennsy has been filmed by tmz as special quest at the annual drag queen convention in say it ain't so utah. yes he was sporting his favorite mini skirt with orange painted finger nails and his favorite shade of lipstick passion pink.
FURTHER NEWS FLASHES AS THEY COME AVAILABLE
why is every other liberal post seem to be from some idiotic juvenile loser like the one above?
larry; how is moe and curly, dork?
ruface love to meet you so i could beat your lily white conservative neorepuke face to a pulp. love to see the days of the lawless west return for it would be open hunting season
dear Alex Moe and Garrett Haake
you`ll be in the biased criteria untill you cover the news & activities of both santrum & ron paul .
oboma idea of hope and change is that he hopes that americans are stupid enough to re-elect him so he can change amerrica to a socialist country its in his book audicity of hope
The gopers picture themselves as the stupid version of Robin Hood, rob the poor and give to the rich.
speaking of stupid; nice post leftard. did you think that up all by yourself; or did michael moore help you?
I just watch the goper debates and laugh my A$$ off. They are fantastic at name calling, it must be in the goper genes. That's all they can do,
Republicans appeal to people who actually love their country whether or not their husband gets elected President
Hey, in the tradition of Southern College Football, Newt and Mitt need to have tailgate party.
I am sitting here in Germany and wonder about the US.
Who is leading in the GOP primary?Mr 1% Romney and Mr Big ideas Gingrich.
But where are the new big ideas? Lower taxes? Less government regulation? My 11 year old son can write an essay
about that.
From the outside I must tell you. Truth and wisdom is a rare ingredient in the US primary election.
Watch: German preacher's thoughts on 2012
who cares what you think? obama is a failure; and his income makes him at or near the 1% you envious, class warfare morons whine about. anly an idiot thinks obama deserves relection
What's wrong Rufus, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed again?
wow genius; where did maobaqma's big new ideas get us? is unemployment even back to where it was when bush left office? (no). but the National Debt and budget deficits have skyrocketed
i'm fine leftard; i just enjoy gving stupid left-wing losers a hard time
You're pretty crabby this morning, Don;t you see the humor in this article. Ham hocks going to Johnnus Country Ham House to debate each other. Only the gopers could have picked a fitting name to match their wits.
Rufus:
So you liked losing 750,000 jobs a month under Bush's reign.
we had 4 democrate presidents who had a misstress fdr, jfk, lbj,bc 1 lusted jc republicans 0 that we know of
ows wants the 1% to support the so they don't have to work
The story is about the Republican primary but the Obama haters post about the President and the First lady.
How sad!
not sad; only right genius; obama is a failure and all of the Republicans have better records of success than obama
you mean First Ho
So Rufus, you cn't come up with anything to say about the Republican candidates? Nothing but hate.
I feel sorry for you.
hey genius; i already said all of them have better records of success than obama; try to keep up ok?
and which you know is true golf
What better records? Have any of them been President?
Newt is more successful with women
Romney is more successful as a corporate raider and putting people out of work
Santorum is more successful with bringing home new babies for the kids to play with
Paul is more successful at making the GERITOL company profitable
Yup, you're absolutely right.
Joe, you forgot about Pres, Eisenhower..Or was he not republican enough for ya?
Golfsleft, yes, reading comprehension seems to be a tough thing for your average GOP voter. And in my opinion that is exactly what the GOP counts on in elections. How else could they convince so many to vote againest their own self interest. The GOP uses those hot button issues, race, guns, welfare, and the average GOP voter is led like a lamb to slaugher.
I work in the south, and in my office, I am the lone liberal. I can say from my slice of republican pie, that I work with every day, the biggest issue with Obama is his color. When you start to question them in depth about what exactly it is that they have a problem with, they spit and sputter, and talk about birth certificates, secret muslim meetings, teleprompters, all the new code words for black. Has Obama done things I don't agree with, oh yes, more than a few. But in my opinion, he is HEADS AND SHOULDERS above the opposition.
You have Mitt, born rich. So, no he doesn't have any idea what it is like to struggle. I don't think releigion belongs in government, so I don't care that he is Mormon. I have Mormon friends, and they are as Christian as any self identified Christian I know. Then you have Newt. It amazes me that he was run out of congress over ethics violations, and yet you want to make him President. He has been married three times and unfaithful to two out of the three(maybe all three) and you think he would remain faithful to the American people? What a quandry for the Conserative Christians.
I find it funny that most Christians would rather choose between those two than vote for Obama, when in reality, he is heads and shoulders above any offering of the Republican party. He is a great American example of what you can do if you put your mind to it. He was a child, that by all odds could have ended up on a street corner or dead before he was 30. He grew up in an era that was not very accepting of mixed race children. He kept his nose to the grindstone and got his education. I am sure there were other choices he could have made that would have had different results, but evidently he believed that if he worked hard and strived he could do anything, regardless of his race. He from all appearance's has a great family and family life. He seems to love his wife.
I haven't seen anything that would make me think Obama is any less Christian than any other self identified Christian I know. I have had several self identified Christian friends send me emails detailing how he is a closet Muslim, I haven't seen any proof. Not that his religion should be an issue anyway. It seems that the only requirement to call yourself Christian is a few hours in a pew every week. It would seem that nothing else is required. Before you start your Christian attacks on me, know that I was born and raised Southern Baptist. I no longer attend church, because I think more than a few hours on a pew should be required to claim the name.
rufus3 obomama just asked congress for another 1trillion