Tuesday, Apr. 24, 2007

Democrats take stage in reddest of red states

Democrats, welcome to South Carolina.

You’ll find this to be a very conservative state, one of the most Republican in presidential election years. It ranks right up there with Utah and Idaho.

Just about everywhere you turn, you’ll find Republicans in charge. They occupy the Governor’s Mansion and are in control of the Legislature. Many local governments also are in the hands of the Republicans

And come Election Day, this state once again will vote Republican. It hasn’t voted for a Democrat since 1976.

But don’t be dismayed, Democrats. Enjoy your time in the spotlight this week.

Republicans are in a big funk right now. They have little to cheer about. The GOP, they fear, has lost its way.

President Bush’s job-approval rating has fallen to an all-time low. Party activists in this pro-military, patriotic state are beginning to question the wisdom of invading Iraq. Others are growing weary of the war.

And if that weren’t enough, a sizable number of GOP grass-roots activists are expressing deep displeasure with their choices for president. They say their slate is weak. Consequently, many are starting to shop around for someone else, like former U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee, to ensure they remain in the Promised Land.

In sharp contrast, Democrats are in an upbeat mood. They sense victory, a return to the White House in 2008.

Large crowds are expected this week for the candidates’ debate Thursday night, the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner on Friday and the state convention Saturday.

“I find the Democrats very excited,” said Columbia-based consultant Crawford Cook, who is supporting New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson for president. “I look for huge crowds. You’ll see diversity like you’ve never seen it before. You’ll see America right in front of your eyes.”

U.S. House Majority Leader Jim Clyburn, D-Columbia, said this will be “one of the best political events in the country.”

On Thursday, all eight announced Democratic presidential candidates will participate in the first-in-the-nation debate moderated by NBC’s Brian Williams. It will be televised nationally from the campus of South Carolina State University in Orangeburg.

The state Democratic Party says it has issued more than 400 media credentials.

The debate is critical. It will give the candidates a chance to strut their stuff before a national audience and give delegates an opportunity to compare the White House hopefuls without having it filtered through the media.

“I expect political junkies in every state will be tuning in,” said Carol Khare Fowler, who is expected to be elected new state party chair.

“The debate will be a defining moment,” said Trav Robertson, a consultant to Richardson.

Most of the early chatter is about Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, the two leading candidates.

There’s some concern about Clinton and whether the New York senator could carry a single red state.

Obama is the rock star, but some still question whether the Illinois senator has the depth of experience to be president.

Richardson seems to have the best resume of any, having served in Congress, as ambassador to the United Nations, as energy secretary under President Clinton and as governor..

Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., a South Carolina native and winner of the 2004 primary, is a strong contender here, too.

South Carolina will play a huge role in determining the next president. The stakes are high.

U.S. Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., a White House hopeful, flat-out says the Democrat who wins the S.C. primary will be the next president of the United States.

That’s a mighty responsibility to place on the shoulders of a small state like South Carolina, which will vote Republican regardless in 2008.

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