South-Carolina
A subdued Donald Trump in South Carolina
Greenville, South Carolina
I’ve now seen three versions of Donald Trump in the state where I grew up. In 2016, he was the impassioned underdog, battling against Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz in a state many in the national media assumed would decide against a New York limousine liberal and stop the Trump Train in its tracks. In 2020, he was the prideful, over-the-top champion of the conservative cause — he bellowed through a sweaty speech, calling out to the universal Republican endorsements in the audience, playing the hits to a stadium crowd mere weeks before the word “coronavirus” was known to the average American. And now in 2024, in the middle of a Greenville conference center room carefully prepared for a Laura Ingraham-hosted town hall, he is exhibiting a manner you rarely see from him: he is subdued.
The questions from Ingraham are pointed. (I add the note that I am a guest on her show, and a Fox News contributor, so I am biased.) She raises the big question early on: if it is true that Democrats are so good at cheating the early ballot/mail-in system, how do you expect to win? The implication, obviously, being that his continued complaints about these things do nothing to change the policy, and set up an obvious excuse should he lose in 2024. Trump answers: “Swamp them.” And that is his favored approach, as simplistic as it can be — win by so many that he cannot be denied, which he maintains the polls show now even though they do not (in the latest Fox poll, he is within the margin of error in Michigan, for example — a state he absolutely must win, especially if Pennsylvania is lost).
But still, he is subdued. When a questioner from the audience raises the issue of Ukraine aid, Trump handily pivots to flattery, complimenting the man on his common sense, and explicitly eschewing the labels of conservative and liberal. But then he dodges the question, saying that instead the need is for Europe to pay its fair share, as he demanded before and will demand again, citing varying amounts that would meet that obligation. He decries giving foreign aid to nations that hate us. He never says we should not be sending money to Ukraine, or that they hate us, or that they are corrupt. In Washington, it’s the most blatantly known fact that Trump is closer to the majority of the Senate than he is to J.D. Vance. And why wouldn’t he be? He remembers the Cold War, and he likes devastating responses, not running away from a fight like wussy men. He dismisses Nikki Haley not over neocon tendencies, but because she could never hope to beat him. His natcon supporters can only hope he fights the way they wish — until then, he’s not interested in their intellectual thinkpieces.
His answer when confronted with Nancy Pelosi’s latest near-incoherent claims of Russian compromise are perhaps the most effective recitation against such absurdities: that he had hard sanctions against Russia and Putin, that he killed the Nordstream pipeline and Joe Biden revived it, and that he took a destructive policy agenda against Russian proxies in Iran when Biden gave them cash and enabled them. There will be no 2024 debates, the Biden White House will be sure of that, but this was an answer that would have been impossible to rebut on stage.
Ingraham challenged Trump on his response to the death of Alexei Navalny, deemed insufficient and narcissistic by many on MSNBC, whose Just for Men voice of moral authority Joe Scarborough has done literally nothing about Navalny in recent years — the last time he mentioned him was in 2020, before Joe Biden was sworn in. (To Joe, the only useful Russian is a dead one who can be weaponized against Donald Trump.) Trump’s response was more measured than his Truth Social post, calling Navalny a brave man, who died for his bravery, and would have been alive if he had stayed outside Putin’s orbit. But then he compared himself to Navalny again, albeit on a lesser scale, for his persecution at the hands of New York judges and Georgia prosecutors. For his fans, who probably had not heard much of the Russian dissident prior to last week, it played.
But still, he is subdued. Perhaps this is just his age. His voice has changed, his mannerisms are more restrained, he seems somehow less goofy and more serious. Perhaps that’s the weight of all these cases hanging over his head. Perhaps it’s because he knows this is, realistically, the last time he can stand for the office and restore his status as a winner in the minds of all. Or maybe, just maybe, it’s a recognition that figures like him in American history rarely get happy endings. Either you win, or you go down — and you go down hard. He’s fighting for his life. But also, for today at least: he’s winning.
South-Carolina
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What our Post expert thinks about USC vs. South Carolina
The Trojans pulled out a thrilling 71-67 victory over Clemson to move onto the second round thanks to 53 points fro Jazzy Davidson and Kara Dunn.
The Gamecocks sent a message to the field that they’ve come to play after beating Southern 103-34 in Round 1. That win made an impression on bookmakers, who set this line for this game at South Carolina -22.5.
New customers in AZ, CO, CT, DC, IA, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, MO, NJ, OH, PA, VA, VT, WV, or WY. Must toggle on this promotion in your bet slip and wager $5+ cash on any market (min. odds -500) within 7 days of account opening to receive $200 in FanCash. Promotional FanCash expires 7 days from issuance (at 11:59pm ET). Terms, including FanCash terms apply-see Fanatics Sportsbook app.
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.
USC’s Jazzy Davidson and Kara Dunn on wild OT win over Clemson
Trojans’ Jazzy Davidson and Kara Dunn share their feelings
Sports Pulse
COLUMBIA, S.C. ― The second round of the Women’s NCAA Tournament features a Monday night game between the USC Trojans and the USC Gamecocks, raising the question: Who is the real USC?
Ella Sather and Alyssia Hamilton, reporting for USA TODAY Sports Network, posed the question to the players from top-seeded South Carolina and No. 9 seed Southern California. The answers were somewhat expected but also … enlightening.
One Trojan said, “Honestly, before this, I’ve never heard anybody call South Carolina USC,” while a Gamecock delivered this bit of possible bulletin-board material: “I actually didn’t know they were a school until I got to college.”
These players are likely to know each other pretty well after the second-round game, which we predict USC will win.
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCIV) — On the verge of clinching a ticket to the Kelly Cup Playoffs, the South Carolina Stingrays faced off against the Allen Americans Saturday at the North Charleston Coliseum, cheered on by 5,430 fans.
For the second straight night the Rays scored early, with forward Anthony Rinaldi sending home a goal giving the Stingrays a 1-0 lead only 3:14 into the period.
Over ten minutes later the Stingrays doubled their advantage thanks to Kyler Kupka who knocked home a center goal fed by Dean Loukus on the power play.
South Carolina was ahead 2-0 with 4 minutes left in the first, however Allen Americans player Danny Katic scored a quick goal making it 2-1 at the end of the first. Allen seemed to gain momentum after that goal with Harrison Blaisdell tying the game early in the second with a shorthanded goal.
Now with the two-goal lead buffer gone the Rays were searching for a break in Allen’s defenses.
READ MORE | Stingrays sign forward Casey McDonald after four-year college career at LIU
Yet again one of the newest team acquisitions delivered as Rays player Rinaldi tucked home an odd-man chance just over five minutes into the second period pushing South Carolina back in front, 3-2.
The Allen American’s goalie Marco Costantini was peppered with shots from the rays throughout the second, as they worked to regain a larger edge. Costantini blocked 17 shots on goal in the second period and both teams moved to the third maintaining a 3-2 score.
Over seven minutes into the third period Kupka punched home his second goal of the night, building South Carolina’s lead back to 4-2. The Americans responded quickly however, when forward Michael Gildon made a score with 8:19 left in regulation.
Heading into the final minutes of the game with only a one-goal cushion, the Stingrays earned a much needed insurance goal at the hands of Casey McDonald.
Though the Americans pulled their goalie to bring out an extra player with 2:32 left, they ended up scoring only one goal, unable to totally cover the two goal lead that the Stingrays had continually built up.
With this victory, the Stingrays have qualified for the Kelly Cup Playoffs for the 30th time in 33 seasons. South Carolina has points in 15 of its last 16 games, and have 24 wins at home this season, second most in the ECHL.
The Stingrays will return to the North Charleston Coliseum on March 22nd, against the Allen Americans for Pucks and Paws Day presented by Washes and Wags Pet Grooming at 3:05 p.m.
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