Is it still ‘a great day in SC?’ Fewer agencies seem to be using greeting

Is it still “a great day in South Carolina?” Depends on who you ask.

The catchphrase — introduced by former Gov. Nikki Haley — became a familiar greeting for anyone calling a state agency during Haley’s six years in the Governor’s Mansion. Haley, now U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, instructed all state employees to tell anyone calling in that “It’s a great day in South Carolina” before getting into the caller’s business.

But the Buzz has heard the greeting less and less since Haley left Columbia for New York City in January.

In 15 different calls to state agencies in recent weeks, the Buzz only learned about how it was “a great day” four times.

Different responses even were received on the same day, so Buzz ruled out the possibility that the greeting was dropped on days that were — in the estimation of state government or its workers — not great.

When Gov. Henry McMaster took office in January, he said state agencies would continue using the greeting, saying it would maintain continuity in state government.

We asked the governor’s office if state employees were slacking off or if the guidelines for answering the phone were being loosened.

Buzz did not get a response.

(Which is not great.)

Veteran SC operative joins White House press team

The White House has named a long-time S.C. political operative as new deputy press secretary to Donald Trump.

Hogan Gidley was named to the White House press team on Tuesday, the Washington Post reports.

Gidley is a veteran of several S.C. campaigns. He previously was executive director of the S.C. Republican Party and worked on former Gov. David Beasley’s unsuccessful 2004 U.S. Senate campaign.

Gidley later went on to work for former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum’s 2012 presidential campaign, then joined the 2016 presidential bid of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Most recently, Gidley was director of Huckabee’s political action committee HuckPAC. He joins a White House press team headed by Huckabee’s daughter, Sarah Huckabee Sanders.

Upcoming at the State House

▪ A legislative oversight panel will hold several meetings reviewing state agencies. The meeting at 1 p.m. Monday will offer a chance for public input on the Commission for Minority Affairs, the Department of Natural Resources and the Patriot’s Point Development Authority.

▪ The sentencing reform committee will hold an on-the-road meeting on community work-release supervision at Mount Pleasant’s municipal complex at 10 a.m. Wednesday.