(Charleston-AP) Feb. 2, 2004 - Democratic presidential contender John Edwards criticized rival John Kerry on Monday for accepting contributions from lobbyists and supporting trade pacts that he contends have cost US jobs.

Edwards told an audience at the College of Charleston that he doesn't take contributions from lobbyists, although Edwards did accept one donation in 2002 directly from a lobbying firm. He also has accepted more than $150,000 worth of flights aboard the corporate jets of special interests.

Edwards told reporters after the speech that Kerry had voted for the North American Free Trade Agreement and other trade pacts that had helped cost Americans their jobs. Edwards was not in the Senate when NAFTA passed, but he has said he would have voted against it.

Edwards and Kerry were in a statistical tie in a poll in South Carolina, which Edwards has said he must win in his come-from-behind bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Edwards attended a two-hour service at a predominantly black church service Sunday morning in Columbia's Bibleway Church on Atlas Road. Afterward he said, "We have work to do. Don't we brothers and sisters? We have much work to do."

One woman, who attended the service, says she got a good vibe from Edwards, "I felt like he was being honest."

But, another man wasn't as sure about Edwards, "I'm not so convinced, so sure that location, that he's from South Carolina is enough to convince me he's my brother."

Talking to campaign workers in Georgetown, Edwards emphasized his childhood ties to the region and modest upbringing. Edwards says, "We want our children and our grandchildren to grow up in an America that's no longer divided by race. You can I together can build an America like that."

Of the seven states with contests Tuesday, South Carolina is the only one where Edwards has a lead over front-runner Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts. Right now, most polls show him in tight race for first place with John Kerry in the Palmetto State.

But Kerry, who campaigned in North Dakota Sunday, doesn't have any plans to come back to South Carolina before February 3rd. And neither do Howard Dean, Wesley Clark, Joe Lieberman or Dennis Kucinich.

In fact the only other candidate with South Carolina on his schedule is Al Sharpton, who spent Sunday in Aiken.

Edwards hopes by putting his face in front of potential voters, live and in person, it will be enough for voters to choose him on February 3rd, "It's time for you, the people of South Carolina to choose a president."

The Democratic presidential primary is Tuesday, February 3rd. Polls open from 7:00am to 7:00pm.

Reporting by Heather Brown

updated 2:19pm by Eva Pilgrim