(Georgetown) Jan. 7, 2004 - Charles Fore worked at Georgetown Steel 29 years and three months before he was laid off, "About 600 people that had jobs three months ago don't have 'em now. That's pretty drastic for a small town."

He's trying to figure out which Democratic candidate could help, "They're going to say what you want to hear, 'Oh, I'm going to give you all jobs.'"

Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt made his pitch for a new job for himself as president when he visited Georgetown on Wednesday, "My dad was a Teamster. I know what it means to have a father without a job."

North Carolina Senator John Edwards addressed a different constituency, technical college students, in Spartanburg, but with a similar theme, "We ought to say to new businesses that if you locate in South Carolina, we'll give you the seed money, the venture capital to start, so long as you produce good jobs, not minimum wage."

Both candidates need gains in the Palmetto State.

The most recent poll shows Howard Dean as the front runner with 16%, Welsey Clark and Al Sharpton at 12% and John Edwards is at 11%. Gephardt followed up with only 7%.

Twenty-nine percent of voters, like Charles Fore, are still undecided, "I try to decide who's going to do the best job and vote for them."

Gephardt headed to Myrtle Beach for a reception with voters after his appearance in Georgetown, while Edwards went to Greenwood.

By Megan Hughes
Posted 7:33pm by Brett Witt