EPISODE · Aug 19, 2026 · 10 MIN
H1, Segment 2 - Callers debate SC political candidates, debate performances, and Trump's influence.
from The Charlie James Show Podcast
Host Charlie James fields calls from South Carolina voters discussing the political climate surrounding the Republican primary race between Ralph Norman and Darlene Graham. Callers voice mixed opinions on candidate qualifications, debate performances—specifically pointing out Graham's struggle to answer a question regarding Taiwan—and the influence of Donald Trump's endorsements. While some callers argue that supporting a candidate aligned with Trump's agenda is paramount regardless of debate performance, others stress that South Carolinians are independent thinkers who should vote based on individual candidate merit rather than outside national pressure. The segment concludes with the host previewing an upcoming discussion about the chairman of the South Carolina Freedom Caucus being turned away from a Darlene Graham campaign event.
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Transcript Charlie James: All right, you're right. It's just a little under two and a half years—about two and a half years Donald Trump, I said a year and a half, is two and a half years he's got left in office. All right, we got a lot of folks on the phones right now. Let's go to Richard in Caesar's Head. How you doing, Richard? Richard: Hey Charlie, looked pretty sharp this morning on Newsmax. Charlie James: Thank you. Not bad for 8:50 in the morning. Richard: Yeah, well, I was waiting for you. I thought it was about 8:30, but yeah, you were good. So, I got a couple of things. You know, we all watched it last night, and I thought it was kind of tacky to have that yellow legal pad hanging over the podium for one thing. Didn't think that was too sharp. And then the number other deal here is the old Jackie Gleason show when he didn't know the answer, he'd go "hummina hummina hummina." And I thought she was saying that when she got asked about Taiwan. And the third thing I want to run by quick is, I bet you President Trump saw that and he went, "Oh my gosh, what have I done? I've got to change my tune." Same with the Lieutenant Governor, you know, he screwed up on that, too. I told my wife, I can see him doing it for three months, but not for six years. Say, that's it, just be a stand-in. So, that's all I got, Charlie. Thank you. Charlie James: I appreciate it, Richard. Thank you. Charlie is in Pelzer. Charlie, what's up? Charlie: It's Johnny. Charlie James: I'm sorry, what's your name? Johnny: Johnny. Charlie James: Oh yeah, how are you? What's on your mind this afternoon? Johnny: What's the ads that on TV that Norman should have where that ask question, "How do you feel on national security?" It'd be "Not my expertise." "How do you feel on taxes?" "Not my expertise." "How do you feel on the people of South Carolina?" "Not my expertise." "How do you feel on Democrats donating you money?" And show her with a big thumbs up, and then have a picture of Ralph Norman, the man with the experience to help y'all. Charlie James: There you go. You're exactly right. I appreciate it, thank you. And listen, guess who's already capitalizing on this? Can you guess who's campaigning on it right now, as we speak? Dr. Annie Andrews. She's doing that exact same thing. Vinnie, Boiling Springs, how you doing, my friend? Vinnie: Hey Charlie, how are you, buddy? Charlie James: Good Vinnie, what's going on, man? Vinnie: Well, first off I want to start off, my polling place where I normally did my last polling wasn't at the same place. I had to go to Spartanburg. Mine originally was First Baptist Church of Cherokee over off of 11. Both my wife and I both voted Ralph Norman. That's number one. Number two, that guy Steve, this one's a message out to him. Oh my god, buddy, listen, I respect your patriotism, your voting, and as an American, but please do your research. If you didn't listen to that answer yesterday with Darlene, don't be a follower, start being a leader of your own mind. This guy has experience, Ralph Norman. You vote for the other one, she doesn't have nothing but a full chest. Charlie James: But here's the thing though, this is the time of year, and I appreciate it, thank you Vinnie, this is the time of year, and we got the campaigns. Because remember, when we were at the Sherry Biggs event the other night, the Graham team, they were all around the table. They were all circling the table there, listening. Listening in. Trying to make... They got their folks, I mean, so you've got very few talk radio shows local in South Carolina right now. Very few. And they're calling them. These seminar callers are calling them, telling, "Oh, you've got to vote Trump's endorsee, you've got to vote." No. No. No, not the way it works. Let's go to Dario in Rock Hill. Dario, welcome. Dario: Thank you. Really enjoy your show. This is a first-time caller. Charlie James: Well, you're going to get the bell! There you go. All right, welcome, ...
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H1, Segment 2 - Callers debate SC political candidates, debate performances, and Trump's influence.
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