Private Poling Claims Should Not Derail Haley

There is substantial reason to find fault with embattled South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley -- although that reason is not the claims of half of her state's political consultants that they have conducted private poling for Ms. Haley in hotel rooms.

Instead, her pandering as a "family values" candidate marks her as substandard. (Among South Carolina Republicans, substandard earns magna cum laude status: A state senator publicly argued that voters should shun Mrs. Haley because she is a "raghead" (or a "fxxking raghead"), then explained that the remark was merely part of a "freewheeling" radio broadcast.)

In an environment that enables the likes of Ted Kennedy, David Vitter, Bill Clinton, Mark Sanford, John Ensign and Newt Gingrich to carry on in public office and in private debauchery, however, it is difficult not to root for Mrs. Haley to overcome rumors (even solid-sounding rumors) of indiscretion. Even if the current allegations -- and five more -- were true, could Mrs. Haley be a bigger dick than any of those guys, or hundreds of men in similar circumstances?

UPDATE: South Carolina's Republican Party chair has condemned state senator Jake Knotts' "raghead" remark; Sen. Knotts has apologized for an "unintended slur" (while claiming Mrs. Haley is "pretending to be someone she is not, much as [fellow raghead] Obama did."

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