The South Carolina primary campaign peaks in the churches today where North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and the Rev. Al Sharpton will make final stands in front of black audiences, the undeniable heart and soul of the Democratic Party vote.
Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry is campaigning in North Dakota today as his strategists contemplate the possibility of earning a knock-out sweep.
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MIC SMITH/STAFF
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Eric Lesser of Massachusetts lets out a yell while holding a giant "E" during a Saturday rally for Sen. John Kerry at the U.S. Customhouse in Charleston.
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Kerry is running strong in all the states holding presidential votes Tuesday -- Arizona, Delaware, Missouri, New Mexico and Oklahoma, in addition to South Carolina and North Dakota. But he trails Edwards here -- the latest Zogby/MSNBC/Reuters poll shows Edwards widening his lead to 4 percent in the past 24 hours -- while in Oklahoma he's in a shootout with retired Gen. Wesley Clark.
Polls indicate Kerry has an insurmountable lead in Missouri, Tuesday's richest delegate prize.
Running the table could make Kerry unstoppable. Ideally, he would like to chase Clark, Edwards and Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman from the field in one blow, then finish off New England rival Howard Dean four days later in Michigan.
The Massachusetts senator's chief of staff, Mary Beth Cahill, said Saturday that historical odds are against the sweep. "It has never happened, somebody winning everything. There is no precedent for that," she said. "So I think it's extremely unlikely."
But you never know.
With all the candidates gone from the state Saturday, Democrats began grappling with another issue: fears that interest in the primary has faded to the point that Tuesday's turnout could be less than the projected 225,000 voters.
"Turnout could be suppressed because there seems to be a winner already," said Wofford College political scientist Robert Jeffrey.
During their South Carolina campaigns, the seven candidates -- with the exception of Sharpton -- seemed timid. They didn't produce the kind of controversial headlines guaranteed to drive up interest in a state that views politics as a contact sport. Dean acknowledged the harmony during Thursday's soporific nationally televised debate in Greenville, saying off camera, "This is so mellow."
Such gentlemanly conduct is the polar opposite of Republican behavior in 2000 when George Bush and John McCain needed heavy padding and raincoats in South Carolina to dodge the flying mud in what was billed as make-or-break primary.
McCain came into South Carolina that February after scoring a huge upset win in New Hampshire, dashing prohibitive favorite Bush's confidence, much as Dean, the former front-runner, fell victim in Iowa. Bush's response team went into action, targeting McCain directly, through surrogates and through what many saw as covert operations.
The two contenders sparred over the ban on interracial dating at conservative Bob Jones University, where Bush started his campaign in South Carolina.
They tried to tar each other as Bill Clinton clones and wrangled over who was more dedicated to helping veterans. During one debate, Bush even held up a flier that had been put on car windshields attacking him. It was like a Hatfield and a McCoy facing off for a county council seat.
Charges flew from both camps almost daily for a week, but the unmistakable lowlight came when a 14-year-old Spartanburg boy received a phone call from a pro-Bush push pollster. Push polling is a phone technique in which callers steer voters to their candidate by accusing rivals of dirty deeds.
In this case, the caller accused McCain of being "a cheat, a fraud and a liar," feeding the in-state frenzy. A clearly shaken McCain savaged the Bush campaign's tactic and then made his own campaign appearances with the 14-year-old.
A post-primary analysis of the Bush-McCain scrum indicated the sparks actually increased turnout, bucking conventional wisdom that negative attacks turn voters off.
More than 565,000 people went to the polls, and Bush was restored as the establishment favorite by winning with better than 53 percent of the vote to McCain's 42 percent.
Gov. Mark Sanford, then a pro-McCain U.S. representative from Charleston, remarked afterward that the rough campaigning set the tone. "Either you define yourself or someone defines you," he said.
Negative campaign TV ads from the candidates and support groups just before the vote also were less accountable then; new federal election laws require candidates to appear in the ads delivering a message that they approve them.
The Democrats' timidity in South Carolina this year is partially because they came in under a different dynamic than in 2000, said University of North Carolina political scientist Ferrel Guillory.
For one thing, the "Democrats still have a multi-candidate field," he said. "It isn't down to just two."
Guillory added, "There has been a effort by the Democrats to lower the volume a little, but when it gets one against one, the volume may go up. I wouldn't say the campaign here is ho-hum, it's just different."
One political watcher said Edwards, ironically, may be suffering from the positive tone he set early.
Although Edwards' plan of not going negative vaulted him into second place in Iowa, University of Georgia political scientist Ruth Ann Lariscy said voters need to hear the candidates verbalize their differences.
It's a kind of reinforcement, she said. "Politics is messy, and voters have to make distinctions among candidates," she said.
Emory University political scientist Merle Black has another theory for the civil tone: The race is over.
After the debate Thursday, Black said most of the candidates seemed reconciled to Kerry's being unstoppable.
"With the exception of Howard Dean, it was a huge concession speech to John Kerry," Black said. "I read the others as throwing in the towel."
Black said there is no reason for the Democrats to heighten the intensity now, since Bush is the real target and the pack is starting to think unity. "There was no real reason to be angry at one another," he said.
As the campaign winds down, Edwards looks strong in his native state. Polls released Saturday showed Edwards still leading in the state he has called a must-win if he is to continue his bid. A Zogby poll gave him 26 percent of the Democratic field in South Carolina, up slightly from Friday.
Kerry fell back a couple points to 22 percent, although the race is still too close to call.
The rest of the pack was far back in single digits. It would take a remarkable turnaround for any of them to vault ahead here, especially since none are scheduled to come back into the state except Edwards and Sharpton.
Edwards will hit churches from Columbia to Georgetown today and end up in Charleston tonight in time to watch the Super Bowl in two area bars. Sharpton will concentrate his efforts in the Aiken area.
None of the campaigns was giving any ground Saturday. Volunteers continued working the phones, rallies were held, and concerts were presented, all in the name of boosting turnout.
All the campaigns are planning to get out their supporters Tuesday by ringing phones, knocking on doors and offering free rides to the polls.
Where to Vote: Charleston County
Precinct Name Precinct Location
Awendaw Awendaw Town Hall
Charleston 1 Hazel Parker Playground
Charleston 2 Hazel Parker Playground
Charleston 3A Mason Preparatory School
Charleston 3B Moultrie Playground
Charleston 4A Memminger Elementary School (cafe)
Charleston 6 Mason Preparatory School
Charleston 7 Mason Preparatory School
Charleston 8 CPW Building
Charleston 9A Mitchell Elementary School
Charleston 10 CPW Building
Charleston 11A Courtenay Middle School
Charleston 12A Buist Academy Elementary School
Charleston 13A W.J. Fraser Elementary School
Charleston 17 Burke High School Fine Arts Center
Charleston 18A Burke High School Fine Arts Center
Charleston 20 James Simons Elementary School
Charleston 21 Mitchell School
Charleston 22A Sanders-Clyde School
Charleston 24 Bayside Manor
Charleston 25A Rivers Middle School
Charleston 27 Joseph Floyd Manor
Charleston 28A Joseph Floyd Manor
Charleston 30 Freddy Whaley Community Center
Christ Church 1B Mount Pleasant National Guard Armory
Christ Church 2A Jones Recreation Center
Christ Church 2B Jones Recreation Center
Christ Church 3 Mount Pleasant New Library
Christ Church 4 Awendaw Town Hall
Christ Church 5 Jennie Moore Elementary School
Christ Church 6 Cario-Pinckney Cafeteria Building
Christ Church 7A Cario-Pinckney Cafeteria Building
Christ Church 7B Cario-Pinckney Cafeteria Building
Christ Church 7C Laing Middle School
Christ Church 8A Laing Middle School
Christ Church 8B Jones Recreation Center
Christ Church 8C Trident Academy
Christ Church 8d Trident Academy
Christ Church 9A Laing Middle School
Christ Church 9B Mamie Whitesides Elementary School
Deer Park 1A A.C. Corcoran Elementary School
Deer Park 1B A.C. Corcoran Elementary School
Deer Park 2A A.C. Corcoran Elementary School
Deer Park 2B Northwoods Recreation Center
Deer Park 2C A.C. Corcoran Elementary School
Deer Park 3 Alice Birney Middle School
Edisto Island Jane Edwards Elementary School
Folly Beach 1 Folly Beach Civic Center
Folly Beach 2 Folly Beach Civic Center
Isle of Palms 1A Isle of Palms City Hall
Isle of Palms 1B Isle of Palms Recreation Center
Isle of Palms 1C Isle of Palms Recreation Center
James Island 1A Fire Station
James Island 3 Westchester Playground
James Island 5A Stiles Point Elementary School
James Island 5B Stiles Point Elementary School
James Island 6 James Island High School
James Island 7 Fire Station
James Island 8 Fort Johnson Middle School
James Island 9 James Island Middle School
James Island 10 Fire Station
James Island 11 James Island High School
James Island 12 Stiles Point Elementary School
James Island 13 James Island Recreation Center
James Island 14 James Island High School
James Island 15 James Island Middle School
James Island 17 Harborview Elementary School
James Island 19 Harborview Elementary School
James Island 20 Murray-Lasaine Elementary School
James Island 22 Fire Station (Riverland Terrace)
Johns Island 1A St. Johns High School Gym
Johns Island 1B St. Johns High School Gym
Johns Island 2 St. Johns High School Gym
Johns Island 3A Haut Gap Middle School
Johns Island 3B Haut Gap Middle School
Johns Island 4 St. Johns Fire Station No. 5
Kiawah Island Kiawah Island Fire Station
Ladson Ladson Elementary School
Lincolnville Lincolnville Town Hall
Mcclellanville Lincoln High School
Mount Pleasant 1 Mount Pleasant Academy
Mount Pleasant 2 Alhambra Hall
Mount Pleasant 3 Alhambra Hall
Mount Pleasant 4 Moultrie Middle School
Mount Pleasant 5 Mamie Whitesides Elementary School
Mount Pleasant 6 Moultrie Middle School
Precinct Name Precinct Location
Mount Pleasant 7 James B. Edwards Elementary School
Mount Pleasant 8 Mount Pleasant National Guard Armory
Mount Pleasant 9B James B. Edwards Elementary School
Mount Pleasant 9C Mount Pleasant City Hall Gym
Mount Pleasant 9D Mount Pleasant City Hall Gym
Mount Pleasant 10 Mount Pleasant City Hall Gym
Mount Pleasant 11 Mount Pleasant City Hall Gym
North Charleston 1A Gethsemane Community Center
North Charleston 1B Chicora Elementary School
North Charleston 2A Mary Ford Elementary School
North Charleston 3C E.A. Burns Elementary School
North Charleston 5 Jenkins Orphanage
North Charleston 6 Miner Crosby Building
North Charleston 7 Brentwood Middle School
North Charleston 8 Chicora Elementary School
North Charleston 9C Ronald McNair Elementary School
North Charleston 10A Malcolm Hursey Elementary School
North Charleston 10B Malcolm Hursey Elementary School
North Charleston 11 Morningside Middle School
North Charleston 12A Brentwood Middle School
North Charleston 12C W.B. Goodwin Elementary School
North Charleston 13B W.B. Goodwin Elementary School
North Charleston 14A Lambs Elementary School
North Charleston 14B Lambs Elementary School
North Charleston 15A Hunley Park Elementary School
North Charleston 16 Highland Terrace Community Center
North Charleston 17 Felix Pinckney Community Center
North Charleston 19 North Charleston High School
North Charleston 20A Park Circle Building
North Charleston 23 Park Circle Building
North Charleston 24 School Of The Arts
North Charleston 25A Matilda Dunston Elementary School
North Charleston 27 Persephone Moultrie Community Center
North Charleston 28A Midland Park Elementary School Cafeteria
North Charleston 30 Trident Tech 910 Building Lobby
North Charleston 31 Midland Park Elementary School Cafeteria
North Charleston 32 Pepperhill Elementary School
North Charleston 33B Hunley Park Elementary School
St. Andrews 1 St. Andrews Elementary School
St. Andrews 2 St. Andrews Playground Building
St. Andrews 3 W.L. Stephens Aquatic Center
St. Andrews 4 St. Andrews Elementary School
St. Andrews 5 St. Andrews Elementary School
St. Andrews 6 Farmfield Tennis Courts
St. Andrews 8 Stono Park Elementary School
St. Andrews 9 Stono Park Elementary School
St. Andrews 10 Stono Park Elementary School
St. Andrews 11 St. Andrews Playground Building
St. Andrews 12 St. Andrews Playground Building
St. Andrews 13 West Ashley Intermediate School
St. Andrews 14 Charles Towne Landing Dome
St. Andrews 15 Charles Towne Landing Dome
St. Andrews 16 Charles Towne Landing Dome
St. Andrews 17 Orange Grove Elementary School
St. Andrews 18 Orange Grove Elementary School
St. Andrews 19 Charles Towne Landing Dome
St. Andrews 20B Ashley River Elementary School
St. Andrews 21 Ashley River Elementary School
St. Andrews 22 West Ashley Intermediate School
St. Andrews 23 Oakland Elementary School
St. Andrews 24 C E Williams Middle School
St. Andrews 25 Bees Ferry Fire Station
St. Andrews 26 West Ashley High School
St. Andrews 27A Church Creek Fire Station
St. Andrews 27B West Ashley Middle School
St. Andrews 28 Springfield Elementary School
St. Andrews 29A West Ashley Middle School
St. Andrews 29B West Ashley Middle School
St. Andrews 30A Jewish Community Center
St. Andrews 31A West Ashley Middle School
St. Andrews 31B Springfield Elementary School
St. Andrews 31C Oakland Elementary School
St. Andrews 32A West Ashley High School
St. Andrews 32C West Ashley High School
St. Andrews 32D West Ashley High School
St. Pauls 1 Adams Run Civic Center
St. Pauls 2A C.C. Blaney Elementary School
St. Pauls 2B C.C. Blaney Elementary School
St. Pauls 3 Meggett Town Hall
St. Pauls 4 Hollywood Fire Station
St. Pauls 5 E.B. Ellington Elementary School
St. Pauls 6 St. Pauls Fire Station No. 6
Sullivan's Island Sullivan's Island Elementary School
Town Of Seabrook Seabrook Town Hall
Wadmalaw Island 1 Edith Frierson Elementary School
Wadmalaw Island 2 Edith Frierson Elementary School
Where to vote: Berkeley County
Precinct Name Precinct Location
Alvin Alvin Community Center
Bethera Macedonia Fire Department No. 2
Bonneau Bonneau Fire Department
Bonneau Beach Lake Moultrie Fire Department
Boulder Bluff 1 Goose Creek Municipal Center
Boulder Bluff 2 Boulder Bluff Elementary School
Cainhoy Cainhoy Elementary School
Carnes Crossroads 1 Whitesville Fire Department
Carnes Crossroads 2 Pineridge Fire Department
Cordesville Cordesville Fire Department
Cross Cross Elementary School
Daniel Island Daniel Island Medical Center
Devon Forest Devon Forest Elementary School
Eadytown Eadytown Fire Department
Goose Creek 1 Goose Creek High School
Goose Creek 2 Goose Creek High School
Goose Creek 3 Marrington Elementary School
Hanahan 1 Hanahan Fire Department
Hanahan 2 Hanahan Elementary School
Hanahan 3 Hanahan High School
Hanahan 4 Hanahan Middle School
Hilton Crossroads Sandridge Fire Department
Howe Hall Howe Hall Elementary School
Huger Huger Fire Department
Jamestown Jamestown Fire Department
Precinct Name Precinct Location
Lebanon Lebanon Men's Club
Macedonia H.E. Bonner Elementary School
McBeth Santee Circle Fire Department
Moncks Corner 1 Berkeley High School
Moncks Corner 2 National Guard Armory
Moncks Corner 3 Berkeley Middle School
Moncks Corner 4 Berkeley Intermediate School
Pimlico Pimlico Community Center
Pinopolis Berkeley Elementary School
Russellville J.K. Gourdin Elementary School
Sangaree 1 Sangaree Intermediate School
Sangaree 2 Sangaree Intermediate School
Sangaree 3 Sangaree Elementary School
Shulerville Shulerville Fire Department
St. Stephen St. Stephen Middle School
Stratford 1 Stratford High School
Stratford 2 Stratford High School
Stratford 3 College Park Middle School
Stratford 4 College Park Middle School
Wassamassaw 1 Longridge Fire Department
Wassamassaw 2 Pineridge Fire Department No. 2
Westview 1 Westview Elementary School
Westview 2 Westview Middle School
Westview 3 Westview Middle School
Whitesville-Berkeley Whitesville Elementary School
Where to Vote: Dorchester County
Precinct Name Precinct Location
Archdale Fort Dorchester High School
Ashborough East Dorchester Presbyterian Church Ashborough West Old Fort Baptist Church
Ashley River Oakbrook Middle School
Beech Hill Beech Hill Elementary School
Carolina National Guard Armory
Clemson DuBose Middle School
Coastal Coastal Center Delemars Sand Hill United Methodist Church
Dorchester Cuthbert Community Center Flowertown Summerville High School
Four Hole Harleyville-Ridgeville Elementary School Germantown Cornerstone Baptist Church Givhans Givhans Fire and Rescue Greenhurst Spann Elementary School Greenwave Summerville High School
Grover Grover Fire Station
Harleyville Harleyville Community Center
Precinct Name Precinct Location
Indian Field St. George Middle School
Irongate Fellowship of Oakbrook Church
Knightsville Knightsville Elementary School
Newington Newington Elementary School
North Summerville Alston Middle School
Reevesville Reevesville Town Hall
Ridgeville Ridgeville Town Hall
Rosinville Indian Field Fire Station
Rosses Dorchester Career School
Saul Dam Beech Hill Elementary School
Spann Spann Elementary School
St. George 1 National Guard Armory
St. George 2 Dorchester County Office Building
Stallsville Stallsville United Methodist Church
Tranquil Oakbrook Elementary School
Trolley Dorchester Career School
Tupperway Knightsville United Methodist Church
Windsor Windsor Hill Elementary School
