The anonymous Republican congressman who wants Trump to go play golf

He thinks Tim Scott will run against him, wants him to and hasn't rule out switching his allegiance. But only on background, of course.

In my most recent piece for McClatchy on Sen. Tim Scott’s 2024 presidential decision, one of my newsiest quotes was almost scalped by editors.

“The anonymous stuff needed to come out,” came the message via Slack on the afternoon before publication.

I quickly calibrated my protest.

The anonymous quotes — from a single member — were the meatiest part of the story, underscoring the pressure South Carolina elected officials felt in having to climb aboard the Trump train so early, even as their homestate brethren considered their own White House options.

“I think it’s crucial to keep it for the story to have real traction,” I replied to my editor. “It’s significant because it’s not from an operative or staffer but a congressman. And once I started my questioning he said he would answer me honestly but only on background.”

Editors reconvened and reinserted the quotes that appear in the story in the screenshot below …

You can read the entire South Carolina dive HERE.

The following (below) is the entire conversation with the congressman — which began on the record, after an aide provided his cell phone number — and then quickly descended into background only. It’s a behind-the-curtain look at how these interviews transpire, the constant dilemma around using anonymous sources and the unvarnished thoughts of a Republican weighing the price of crossing Trump in a key southern state.

I’ve eliminated the top minute of the conversation to protect the anonymity of the congressman while we were on the record.

Congressman X: Before we keep going, I’m happy to give you a quote through my team, but anything we said, can I use on background?

Catanese: Well, I’m trying to do on-the-record interviews.

Congressman X: Ok, I’m good. I won’t participate in that. But if you want to do it a different way. Or you can get quotes through my team if you want.

Catanese: Quotes through your team how?

Congressman X: You can ask my comms director, name redacted, you can ask questions in writing and we’ll answer them in writing. Words matter and I don’t want to misspeak.

Catanese: I’m doing these through the principal, through each member themselves.

Congressman X: I understand what you’re trying to do. I just don’t want to facilitate what you’re trying to do because I have a feeling it’s going to not be very kind to the people involved. Not to malign you but obviously … anyways, it’s fine.

Catanese: Not kind to the people involved how?

Congressman X: Well you write the story and I’ll tell you how. No, it’s fine. You need quotes, you can go through my team.

Catanese: Ok, you want to talk on background. Is there something that I’m missing here?

Congressman X: No, you’re not missing anything. I think I know exactly what you’re writing. But I don’t want to facilitate you writing that.

Catanese: Ok, what do you think I’m writing.

Congressman X: Are we on background?

Catanese: Sure, we can go on background for this. Because I don’t really understand the issue.

Congressman X: Yeah, I think everybody’s doing what they have to do because President Trump is the only one who’s announced …