Fred Sanford, Obama, Hilary, Orangeburg

Screening tonight at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg. It’s a historically black state college. They have a digital media major (I think it’s called that) so they’re learning Final Cut and editing commercials and short docs and some of the students are getting paid to edit university footage. Ellen just moved here from New York City to run the museum studies and I met an English music prof as well who was excited about the design for interkosmos. Not a bad turnout: about 30. It’s a Sunday night in Orangeburg. Luckily Ellen made her students come. Dropped Cat off at the airport and we ate lunch at Maurice’s Barbeque. Heavy on the confederate décor, it was pretty much of a white supremacist family restaurant. We’d been warned but went anyway. The Big Joe pork sandwich was fine but didn’t really live up to the hype. Now the hush puppies with the confederate flag mustard was good. The fries were mediocre. Cole slaw was acceptable though i imagined it had been in the fridge for some time. Went with the unsweetened tea.

The campus is getting excited about the Democratic Presidential debate coming here to Orangeburg next week. I read in the papers that Obama is in the lead. Hilary is not generating a lot of excitement in the sovereign state of South Carolina, but Bill’s coming next week with her to pump up the show. I’m not sure where I stand. I kind of feel like the Clintons had their chance. I do think it’s ridiculous the idea that America is “not ready” for a woman president. That’s absurd. Obama seems cool but it’s hard to see what he stands for and the dude’s never been in a tough race. He cakewalked to election in the Senate in 2004 when the Republican candidate imploded in wife-beating allegation scandal. Same thing did in the Albany rep this past election. Get the wife beaters out!!! Virginia Tech is starting to fade out of the news cycle though they still show the same footage over and over of the overweight cop with an assault rifle running (sort of) along the sidewalks. It’s amazing how many cops were there in the vicinity.

Sitting outside on the grass at the university. Beautiful day in a nice state. Sleeping at my cousin Tracy’s tonight. Didn’t get to see them much. Then off to Asheville tomorrow. Special thanks to Mark Dabney who helped set up the show and his gaffer Walter. They were running Sanford and Son episodes before the movie. Lamont, you big dummy!