Greenville center offers private space for each Democratic hopeful
BY SCHUYLER KROPF
Of The Post and Courier Staff
Whoops! Charleston has lost out on hosting the biggest debate of the S.C. Democratic presidential primary for one key reason: not enough dressing rooms.
Instead, the Jan. 29 debate will be held at Greenville's Peace Center for the Performing Arts, where the nine candidates will have their choice of 14 private rooms of isolated luxury in which they can dab on makeup and collect their thoughts.
"It may be the most important debate of the whole primary season," Democratic Party Chairman Joe Erwin of Greenville said Wednesday in announcing the site.
Locally, Democrats suggested the College of Charleston and the Gaillard Auditorium as possibilities, arguing that Charleston and the Lowcountry are more of a Democratic stronghold than Greenville or Rock Hill, the other contender.
The local sites were rejected after officials with sponsor network NBC said the candidates needed private greenrooms. In other words, no forced doubling-up or co-mingling ahead of airtime.
The 2,200-seat Peace Center happens to be well within the city limits of Greenville, which recognizes the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Greenville County does not, so initial plans to hold the debate at Furman University, which is in the county, were changed.
The 90-minute debate will come at a critical point in the Democratic race: two days after the New Hampshire primary and five days before South Carolina's Feb. 3 vote, the first in the South. It will be carried live on MSNBC, NBC Radio and in-state NBC affiliates.
Candidates who have confirmed they will attend are former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri, Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun of Illinois and the Rev. Al Sharpton.
Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, retired Gen. Wesley Clark and Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio have not confirmed. A moderator has not been named.
"This debate offers additional proof of how important South Carolina is in the presidential selection process for 2004," Erwin said.
Party officials will now begin work on a ticket distribution plan, which will be announced within 30 days.
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