SENECA - Sen. John Edwards hopes an all-day blitz across South Carolina Monday will get the voters out today to ensure him a solid victory in the state’s Democratic presidential primary.
Starting in Charleston in the morning, the first-term U.S. senator from North Carolina rolled into Seneca, his birthplace, at 7:15 p.m. in a steady chilling rain to an enthusiastic greeting by nearly 500 supporters who packed the Seneca River Baptist Association’s Family Life Center on South Poplar Street.
"A national poll already shows me beating George Bush," Sen. Edwards said to thunderous applause.
The "Welcome Home Rally" was carefully choreographed with dozens of signs handed out by youthful campaign workers to supporters who filled a backdrop of bleachers. Representatives of national and local media organizations lined two tiers of risers on the other side of the gym floor to film the rally.
Sen. Edwards touched on his theme of changing what he sees as two Americas, one for the rich and one for everybody else.
Harvard Ayers of Boone, N.C., a teacher at Appalachian State University, said he has taken time off to campaign for Sen. Edwards.
"We got to do something about that man in the White House," Mr. Ayers said. Mr. Ayers is part of about 60 North Carolina campaign workers who will be urging South Carolinians to vote today.
Panny Sanders of Walhalla, who went to school with Sen. Edwards’ father, Wallace Edwards, said, "I like very much what he stands for, and we need Bush out."
Walter Atkinson of West Union said he thought Sen. Edwards could get something done, but conceded Mr. Bush would be hard to beat.
"You gotta pull for the players on the home team," Mr. Atkinson said.
Oconee County Democratic Party official Mike Evatt said the support and renewed interest in the Democratic Party in Oconee County overwhelmed him.
"A lot want to see Bush out and John Edwards has energized the party, the independents and the moderate Republicans," Mr. Evatt said.
Carlton King of Seneca, who brought his mother Carolyn to the rally, said, "If I live to be 100 this won’t happen again in Seneca. This creates a lot of pride in your hometown."
Interim Oconee County Supervisor Harry Hamilton, who went to school with Sen. Edwards’ mother, Bobbie Wade Edwards, said he supports the man who was once a student when Mr. Hamilton was principal at Northside Elementary School.
"He must have been a good student, because I don’t remember him being in trouble," Mr. Hamilton said. "And you remember the bad ones more than the good ones."
David Williams can be reached
at (864) 882-0522 or by e-mail at
williamsde@IndependentMail.com.
