Presidential hopefuls mix football, politics

Chris Asouzu, left, a Bush supporter, waits patiently with son Christopher, 12, who wanted to meet his favorite presidential candidate, Sen. John Edwards, center, of North Carolina, during the Palmetto Capital City Classic football game Saturday in Columbia. (Renee Ittner-McManus/AP) e-mail this story

With blacks likely to account for 40 to 50 percent of voters in the Democratic presidential primary on Feb. 3, the game between Benedict College and South Carolina State University, historically black schools, drew candidates in force.

"As governor of Florida and senator, one of the things I'm proudest of is my efforts on behalf of all our people to be treated with respect and dignity," Graham told a covey of reporters outside the stadium.

Jobs, health care and the well-being of U.S. troops in the Middle East were mentioned most often Saturday, said Graham, an outspoken critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policy.

He and Edwards, senators from Florida and North Carolina, respectively, and Gephardt, a Missouri congressman, made the rounds of parties and tailgaters amid stifling early fall heat that intensified the fragrance of broiling meat on hundreds of grills.

A fourth candidate, Simpsonville's Ken Hill, campaigned at the Young Democrats' street rally Saturday night.

Dave Thomas, 25, a Benedict student from West Palm Beach, Fla., was following Graham with a campaign sign "because it's a great opportunity to see somebody from Florida who did a great job when he was governor."

But Thomas said he wasn't prepared to identify his choice for the Democratic nomination.

College of Charleston student Dabin Wise, 22, said he was surprised when a presidential candidate walked up and grabbed his hand. And no, he hasn't made a choice yet and "wouldn't have recognized him immediately" even after seeing Graham on television.

Scott Anderson, Graham's state campaign director, said indecision still prevails because few people other than hardcore activists are focusing on the February primary, although as the nation's third 2004 contest, it could go a long way toward deciding the nomination.

"We don't think anybody has traction now," Anderson said.

Polling suggests a state Democratic electorate with approximately half of the likely voters undecided and the 10 candidates, not including Hill, tightly bunched with 1 to 10 percent support.

Edwards later met with young campaign volunteers in a downtown restaurant, and Graham was the keynote speaker at a Young Democrats South Carolina street rally. He is scheduled to visit a predominantly black church today in West Columbia.

Gephardt left for a meeting in Washington of the Congressional Black Caucus.

In an interview with The Greenville News, Graham dismissed published reports that fund-raising shortcomings have jeopardized his campaign.

Far from reassessing his campaign, Graham said, he is "prepared to go forward with a plan that puts a lot of emphasis on South Carolina as (the first of) a group of Southern states that come right after Iowa and New Hampshire. We'll have the resources to carry the campaign."

The Associated Press reported Friday that Graham, who rates in the low- to mid-single digits in most polls, including those in South Carolina, would raise less than the projected $4 million to $5 million for the year's third quarter.

Edwards arrived at his downtown meeting in a motorized trolley packed with young supporters.

Taking note of his audience, Edwards cited his support for legislation to allow federal payment of tuition for students who commit to teaching and homeland security careers, and another allowing grants to school districts that require community service as a condition for high school graduation.

As president, Edwards said, he would "make opportunity available to more Americans than ever before — and that includes young people who want to give back to their country."

At the first mention of President Bush by Edwards, the crowd launched into animated booing and hissing. "Yeah, right," a smiling Edwards said.

"This president makes his father look pretty good," he said, referring to George H.W. Bush, president from 1989 to 1993.

Dan Hoover covers politics and can be reached at 298-4883.