Edwards visit stirs GOP

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Republicans churned out a list of Tenenbaum quotes supporting the national Democratic ticket of Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and North Carolina's Edwards, but suggested she might skip out Wednesday.

"We had a schedule conflict and didn't know for certain that he was coming, but we've rearranged our schedule so Inez can be there," said Kay Packett, the Tenenbaum campaign spokeswoman.

Tenenbaum had a long-standing commitment to a Washington fund-raising event with U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, Packett said.

Tenenbaum has sought to position herself as a moderate "South Carolina independent" in her contest with Republican Congressman Jim DeMint for the seat of retiring Democrat Ernest F. Hollings.

Luke Byars, state GOP executive director, noted also that Tenenbaum had a prior commitment during a recent visit to Charlotte by Kerry.

DeMint, too, had to rearrange his schedule when former President George H. W. Bush was made available for a Tuesday appearance in Florence, said DeMint campaign manager Terry Sullivan. A Tennessee event with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist was scrubbed to allow for Bush's visit.

Edwards, a Seneca native, will be making his first trip to his native state since becoming Kerry's running mate. His last appearance was May 1 at the state Democratic Party convention in Columbia, three months after his lone presidential primary victory, in South Carolina.

John Moylan, a Columbia lawyer who was Edwards' state chairman and is now working with the Kerry-Edwards campaign, said plans for Wednesday's visit aren't complete.

Edwards will speak at a Kerry-Edwards fund-raising dinner at the Capital City Club, Moylan said. A public event is planned to precede it, but no time or location had been set Thursday.

With just over five weeks until the Nov. 2 election, it will probably be Edwards' only campaign appearance in South Carolina, Moylan said.

Kerry, who mostly ignored the state during the primary campaign, isn't expected to visit.

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