Here are three interesting stories to cap off an otherwise semi-interesting Tuesday:

• South Carolina Burglars Lower Themselves into Store
  

  [... It wasn't exactly "Mission Impossible," but three burglars managed to break into a grocery store by lowering themselves through a hole in the roof, then eluded the alarm system for two hours by crawling on their stomachs, police said. ...]

• Dems showing signs of surge in Lowcountry
  

  [... South Carolina has been considered a Republican stronghold for decades, but local Democratic party leaders say the red tide is ebbing. ...]

• Professors plan bipartisan bid for Sensenbrenner’s seat
  

  [... Political scientist Jeff Walz, 40, plans to run against the longtime Republican congressman as a Democrat. Historian James Burkee, 39, will run as a Republican. ...]

The last TPS video of the day for July falls in the “oldie but a goodie” category. Will Ferrell lands a spot-on President Bush interpretation that does a great job of presenting the best solution for the global warming “crisis” (emphasis on the “quote fingers”).

UPDATE: A press release from Sanford’s office confirms that he has endorsed Tim Scott. But in typical Sanford style, he actually spent most of the release talking up Sen. Greg Ryberg (R-Aiken) in a less-than-subtle attempt at playing all sides. The governor did not however offer any love for Ryberg’s competition, Rep. Converse Chellis (R-Dorchester).

In the statement, Sanford “called on the General Assembly to look outside of its ranks to find a qualified, reform-minded Treasurer who will be committed to continuing reform of the Budget and Control Board and of the Treasurer’s office.”

If elected, Scott – a financial services professional and longtime chairman of the Council – would become the state’s first black constitutional office holder since Reconstruction. In addition, Gov. Sanford said that if the General Assembly opts to choose a new Treasurer from within its own ranks, his endorsement would go to Senator Greg Ryberg. [Press Release]

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The Palmetto Scoop has learned that Gov. Mark Sanford intends to endorse Charleston County Council Chair Tim Scott to fill the South Carolina treasurer post vacated by Thomas Ravenel. The decision comes against the better judgment of numerous GOP legislators who have reportedly told Sanford that they will not vote for Scott.

The special election will be held Friday by the 170 members of the State Legislature.

A press release from the governor’s office Tuesday morning announced that Sanford would make an endorsement at a 2 p.m. press conference.

American Research Group has released its July 2007 poll for the South Carolina presidential primaries. The numbers are fascinating. Rudy Giuliani regains the GOP lead from John McCain but, most notably, Barack Obama charges to the top of the Democratic field.

On the Republican side, Ron Paul shows up for the first time at 3 percent while Sam Brownback and Tommy Thompson fail to reach 1 percent. Mitt Romney continues to have difficulty gaining momentum as he falls a point to tie with unlikely candidate Newt Gingrich at 7 percent.

For Democrats, John Edwards is hanging tough in third with 18 percent. Bill Richardson picked up a point while Chris Dodd lost one.

REPUBLICANS:

Rudy Giuliani - 28%
Fred Thompson - 27%
John McCain - 10%
Newt Gingrich - 7%
Mitt Romney - 7%
Mike Huckabee - 3%
Ron Paul - 3%
Duncan Hunter - 1%
Tom Tancredo - 1%
Sam Brownback - 0%
Tommy Thompson - 0%
Undecided - 13%

DEMOCRATS:

Barack Obama - 33%
Hillary Clinton - 29%
John Edwards - 18%
Joe Biden - 3%
Bill Richardson - 2%
Chris Dodd - 1%
Dennis Kucinich - 2%
Wesley Clark - 1%
Undecided - 12%

(h/t American Spectator)

House majority whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) Monday told the Washington Post that a strongly positive report on progress on Iraq by Army Gen. David Petraeus likely would split Democrats in the House and impede his party’s efforts to press for a timetable to end the war. Said Clyburn, “I think there would be enough support [amongst Blue Dog Democrats] to want to stay the course and if the Republicans were to stay united as they have been, then it would be a problem for us…”

That’s not some renegade freshman Congressman making those remarks. That’s the third ranking Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives and the person most responsible for corralling his party’s votes.

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UPDATE: In From The Cold makes an interesting point about the “recalibration” on Iraq by Democrats inside the beltway.

The Habele Outer Island Education Fund, a South Carolina based nonprofit comprised of former Peace Corps Volunteers and other education-minded Americans, announced Monday that it is awarding over $3,500 in high school scholarships to students from a remote and underdeveloped Pacific Atoll of Micronesia. The organization said the recipients are two girls aged 17 and 18 from the islands of Falalop and Asor on Ulithi Atoll in Yap State.

They will be attending classes at the all-girls Bethania High School in the Republic of Palau.

“These isolated atolls in Micronesia face a gamut of social, political, and economic challenges,” said Habele’s founder Neil Mellen. “The Secretariat of the Pacific reports that fewer than a fifth of these islanders have access to acceptable sanitation and that infant mortality rates are five times higher than those the United States.”

Micronesia, which means “small islands,” is a federation of islands in the central Pacific formerly administered by the United States Department of the Interior. With numerous economic problems including high unemployment rates, Micronesia depends heavily on U.S. and foreign aid.

“These girls are the future of our islands,” said Mario Suulbech, a Habele volunteer who lives on the Island of Falalop. “Sadly, some people here are still skeptical about the value of education and the role of women in our changing traditions.

“These particular girls are working hard to prove them wrong, to build a brighter future for their families, and our island community.”

One of the awards being granted, the “Oceanic Society Sea Turtle Scholarship,” is made possible by the support of the Oceanic Society in recognition of the community’s ongoing support for a local sea turtle research and conservation program. The Oceanic Society is a U.S.-based non-profit marine conservation group involved in environmental expeditions and education in Micronesia and around the world. Like Habele, they recognize the unique difficulties faced by students in the region.

Habele says the scholarship winners will travel to and from the school with money raised by their families, and have signed a strict performance contract that ties their scholarships to academic targets.

For more information, check out Habele’s official website or read the official blog.

Readers at the “Blogland of Earl Capps,” the official blog of South Carolina Treasurer candidate Earl Capps, have suggested the official campaign song be “For the Love of Money” by Bulletboys. We don’t really do the 80’s hair band thing, but it’s Earl Capps’ style and we feel the good people of the Palmetto State will learn to love it.

WE BACK CAPPS!

When we heard late Monday that fellow blogger and Summerville resident Earl Capps, 36, announced he would accept the state treasurer post vacated by Thomas Ravenel if elected, we were elated. We consider Earl to be a friend and ally in the blogosphere (Check out his site, “The Blogland of Earl Capps,” here). He is a constant source of poignant commentary and information on subjects often not covered by mainstream media news sources but important to South Carolinians. And following his announcement, we are proud to make one of our own.

After weighing the decision overnight, The Palmetto Scoop staff has decided to officially endorse Earl Capps in his bid to become South Carolina’s next treasurer. We feel comfortable that Capps is a welcome alternative to some of the old-hat options being considered to fill the void and that the College of Charleston graduate student will make a bold effort to restore dignity to the tarnished treasurer’s post.

We’ve expressed our qualms with this Friday’s election, but assuming it proceeds as scheduled, Capps is the only candidate that we would back. But it will take some effort to get him elected.

The only votes that count will be cast by the 170 state legislators, so the best thing we can do is contact them — by e-mail, phone or even in person — and request they back Earl Capps. You can find your senator and representative, as well as contact information, at the S.C. Legislature’s online site.

But the election is this Friday, so time is short. Let’s make Earl Capps the next S.C. Treasurer!

Could a blogger really be elected State Treasurer? We’re not sure. But all he needs is 86 votes to win.

The Palmetto Scoop proudly Backs Capps, and we hope you will call your state senators and representatives and encourage them to as well.