BY CLAY BARBOUR
Of The Post and Courier Staff
COLUMBIA--The remnants of Hurricane Ivan tried but couldn't stop first lady Laura Bush from making her scheduled stump appearance Friday, a $1,000 per-person fund-raiser for Republican U.S. Senate hopeful Jim DeMint.
Bush arrived in town around noon and spoke briefly to reporters at the Columbia Metro Airport before rushing to the event across town. Originally the first lady was to speak to the press during the fund-raiser. A DeMint spokesman said that plan was scrapped due to fluctuating weather conditions.
"There was some worry that she would have to fly right back out," said Kara Borie, a DeMint spokes-woman.
In the end, Bush did attend the luncheon and was joined by most of the state's GOP leaders, including U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, Gov. Mark Sanford and state Speaker of the House David Wilkins, R-Greenville. Officials with the DeMint campaign said about 250 people attended the rally, raising about $250,000 for his campaign.
DeMint is in the middle of a fight against S.C. Education Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum for retiring Sen. Fritz Hollings' seat. So far most political watchers agree he leads the race.
Many say there are two reasons for this: Tenenbaum's campaign is wrestling with too many internal issues, and DeMint has long been the chosen candidate of President Bush.
"Tenenbaum seems to be imploding, meanwhile DeMint is backed by a president that will likely win this state by 15 to 20 points," said Neal Thigpen, a Francis Marion University political scientist.
Tenenbaum recently dismissed her campaign director, Carol Butler, and her media consultant, Bill Carrick.
Bush said very little Friday. She called DeMint a "friend" to the president and said he shares her husband's views on taxes, education reform and the war on terror.
"George needs a man like him in the Senate," she said.
The media were not allowed inside the fund-raiser, but many of those who attended said the first lady made similar comments during the event.
"She didn't need to do much," Thigpen said. "Just show up and wave the flag and say 'He is on the team with my husband, the president.' That's usually enough."
It seemed to be enough for DeMint, who praised the first lady after the event. "She's a first class lady," he said. "And to have her here in support of me is very encouraging. It shows the president considers this an important race.
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