Alvin Greene and Mark Levin

On Monday, Mark Levin interviewed Alvin Greene, U.S. Senate candidate.

It was stunning.

To say Greene is not a polished candidate is an understatement.

Levin was very patient and gracious. He didn't go on the attack though Greene gave him many opportunities.

Is this the best the Democrats in South Carolina have to offer?

Truly bizarre.

Listen to the audio of Levin's interview with Greene.

Transcript

MARK LEVIN: Why are people running around saying you're a Republican plant? Are you a Republican plant?

ALVIN GREENE: (Pause) No.

LEVIN: But, I mean, but why are they saying that you are? Is it because that you beat the establishment, or what's that all about?

GREENE: I've always been a Democrat. And... I want to focus on the issues, my job. My number one issue is jobs, number two - education, and lastly, number three - justice. Those are the three issues I'm focusing on and, and...

LEVIN: Do you know who James Clyburn is?

GREENE: Yes.

LEVIN: Have you ever talked to James Clyburn?

GREENE: No, I haven't.

LEVIN: Why is he running around...?

GREENE: I've met him before...

LEVIN: What?

GREENE: But I haven't talked to him about anything about what's going on now.

LEVIN: Well, why is he saying that you're part of a Republican hoax or set-up? I mean, why wouldn't he pick up the phone and ask you directly?

GREENE: (Pause) I have nothing to say about that. I just want to say that I'm, you know, that I'm focusing on the issues of getting South Carolina and America back to work, and you know, I'm the best candidate for United States Senate in South Carolina.

LEVIN: Well, let me ask you this: How would you get America back to work?

GREENE: (Pause) Yes, I'm, you know...

LEVIN: How would you do it?

GREENE: ...focusing on the issues and getting America back to work.

LEVIN: All right. Lower your radio because I think that's causing some confusion, or whatever the TV is. Can you lower that for me, sir?

GREENE: Just a moment. (Leaves the phone.)

LEVIN: Uh, oh. Maybe I should...

GREENE: (Returns to phone.) All right.

LEVIN: All right. That's better. So, what is the plan for creating jobs? What would you do?

GREENE: (Pause)

LEVIN: Would you cut taxes? Would you cut bureaucracy? Would you take the government's boot off the throat of the private sector so it could expand?

GREENE: (Long pause) We have to get our priorities in order. We spend 2000 more of our tax dollars on inmates than students. And, you know, we...

LEVIN: Yes, but I don't want dangerous people in the classroom. I want them in prison.

GREENE: Hmm. (Pause.)

LEVIN: Do you agree with me on that one?

GREENE: Yes, yes.

LEVIN: Yeah, yeah.

GREENE: But I agree about that, but it's not about that. It's about the nonviolent first time offenders, things like that that are...

LEVIN: Or maybe we could just put bars on the windows of the classroom and call them prison. I mean, there are different ideas out there.

GREENE: Yes. (Pause.) OK.

LEVIN: I think nonviolent, nonviolent first offenders, I don't think all of them should go to jail, actually.

GREENE: (Pause.) Yes, but...

LEVIN: But our prisons are full of an awful lot of violent people. Let me ask you this. I've got to ask you this because people are going to wonder. OK, sir? I'm not trying to be rude. What is this, what is this stuff with this woman and the computer, and law enforcement's looking at it. Are you able to speak to me about that?

GREENE: (Pause.) My lawyer's handling that.

LEVIN: Your lawyer's handling that. OK.

GREENE: Yes.

LEVIN: Can you tell me about your army career. Did you have to leave the army? Did they throw you out? You just retired? What happened there?

GREENE: (Pause.) OK. I mean...

LEVIN: Are you allowed to talk about that?

GREENE: OK. I mean, I left... It was an honorable discharge.

LEVIN: Yeah, it was honorable?

GREENE: Yes. Honorable, but involuntary. And it was just, just some issues. That's a long story. It's kind of like I ran into some things. It's kind of like the Air Force service, something like that, so... It's a long story.

LEVIN: Well, you know, you have to assume these things are going to come up because you're now a public figure, right?

GREENE: Yes, I believe they'll eventually come out... and we'll find out more.

LEVIN: What made you decide to run for the Senate?

GREENE: (Pause) To make a positive difference, and...(Pause)

LEVIN: Where did you get the money to put up your name? I understand it's not that cheap.

GREENE: I saved it. Um, I saved my... in the Army.

LEVIN: Yeah. So, you knew you wanted to run for the Senate for some time.

GREENE: (Pause) Yes, for a little while.

LEVIN: Well, why are the Democrats... You've got a guy, I don't even know his name, who you beat who's trying to use whatever rules he can use to stop you from running. I mean, I just want to be honest with you, which is this: Obviously you're not the strongest candidate in the world. You're not the strongest candidate I've ever spoken to, obviously. I think the Democrats don't have any trust that you're going to win, so what they're trying to do is knock you off in advance of the election. Am I right?

GREENE: No. (Pause) But some background about myself, I mean, I was born in Florence, South Carolina. I grew up in Manning, South Carolina, where I live now. I graduated from the University of South Carolina. You know, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Um...

LEVIN: So you graduated from South Carolina.

GREENE: Yes.

LEVIN: What was your major?

GREENE: Political Science.

LEVIN: So you're a pretty smart guy, right?

GREENE: Yes.

LEVIN: So, but, I mean, but, do you get nervous behind the microphone? Do you get nervous when you're being interviewed by the media? You're just not experienced about it?

GREENE: Well, this is my first time running for elected office.

LEVIN: Yeah.

GREENE: I am, uh...

LEVIN: All right.

GREENE: I'm 32 years old.

LEVIN: Yeah.

GREENE: I've 13 years of service, military service.

LEVIN: Now what did you do in the service?

GREENE: (Pause) OK, I mean, 13 years, that's almost my entire adult life. I was, in the Air Force, I was intelligence. In the Army, I was supply. And, but uh...

LEVIN: What do you want to tell my audience before I let you go? Anything?

GREENE: Just, you know, let's... (Pause) I want to tell them that, you know, that...

LEVIN: First of all, you're not a Republican plant. Is that correct?

GREENE: No. That's right. I have always been a Democrat, and, and...

LEVIN: Now how did you win? I understand you didn't campaign.

GREENE: (Pause) I campaigned, but I'm not focusing on campaigning. I'm going to just stick with, you know, just my, the issues that I'm focusing on -- jobs, education, justice, and, you know, what, better education for our children, justice in the judicial system. You know, we have to be sure that the punishment fits the crime and that.... And I believe that I am the best candidate for United States Senate.

LEVIN: Well, I know you do. But let me ask you this: Talking about justice and all the rest of it, do you have...?

GREENE: And my opponent...

LEVIN: OK. Well, now I have a question for you.

GREENE: OK.

LEVIN: Do you have...? What is...? How can I put this without getting you in trouble? I'm asking, my question is: How... what is your legal status in terms of have you been charged yet, or you don't know of? Is this hanging over your head? What's the deal?

GREENE: OK. My lawyer is handling...

LEVIN: You can't even tell me that.

GREENE: ...that. But, it's about...(Pause)

LEVIN: It's about justice, I know. But I, I mean, do you think you'll get justice in your case?

GREENE: (Pause) Well, we should have justice and... we need...

LEVIN: In all cases.

GREENE: ...justice. And like I said, I am the best candidate for the United States Senate, and...

LEVIN: All right. Well, I know you believe that.

GREENE: We have to stop my opponent and the Republicans from reversing forward progress in South Carolina and the United States.

The entire interview is a complete mess. This next part is shocking.

LEVIN: Who is your opponent?

GREENE: Incumbent Senator... (Pause)

LEVIN: Yeah -- you're looking at a piece of paper.

GREENE: (No response.)

LEVIN: What's his name, your opponent?

GREENE: Incumbent Senator DeMint.

LEVIN: Jim DeMint?

GREENE: Yeah. Republican incumbent Senator DeMint. Yes.

LEVIN: All right, sir. All right. Thank you for your time.

GREENE: All right.

LEVIN: All right. Take care.

GREENE: Thank you.

Greene doesn't seem to know the name of his opponent.

Unbelievable.

Greene had a script and he couldn't speak without it. He could barely speak with it!

This is all so odd. Really, REALLY odd.