Meanwhile, Howard Dean performed an emergency transplant on his faltering bid, replacing his campaign manager with a former Al Gore operative. Wesley Clark missed a campaign stop in Charleston because of a logistical misfire.
With the icy climes of Iowa and New Hampshire behind them, the Democratic hopefuls hop-scotched across the South and West. Seven states, including South Carolina, have primaries or caucuses Tuesday, and the results from those contests are expected to shape the rest of the primary season.
Kerry's campaign continued to pick up steam, with Clyburn, South Carolina's top black Demo-crat, expected to endorse Kerry today.
Clyburn's nod "could give South Carolina to Kerry, and that's the end of Edwards," said Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political scientist.
Kerry, endorsed by Sen. Fritz Hollings a week ago, also won support from best-selling author John Grisham, who was in Charleston on Wednesday night for a combination book-signing/campaign stop. "I think he's electable," he said.Clark, who also has high hopes for a strong South Carolina showing, was a no-show Wednesday at the Meeting Street visitors center. About two-dozen people waited for him, including Marilynn Durkee, who said Clark "knows the value of life when you send troops out."
Clark touched down briefly in South Carolina to refuel but had to skip Charleston because aviation rules required rest for his flight crews. That left Edwards as the lone candidate to do any substantive campaigning in the state.
In Orangeburg, Edwards, a native of Seneca, kicked off his "Bringing it Home" campaign to a rousing crowd at storm-closed S.C. State.
With the whir of chainsaws and rumble of utility trucks outside, he said that South Carolina is a must-win contest and skirted questions of what happens if he does not take the first Southern prize. "I'm going to win in South Carolina," he said.
The North Carolina senator also promised not to go negative. "Our campaign is not based on the politics of cynicism. It's based on the politics of hope." That promise didn't extend to President Bush. "The South is not George Bush's back yard. The South is my back yard."
For the most part, his message played well to the largely black audience. "I like him because of his integrity and honesty, and he is addressing issues that affect the average American," said retired educator Vivian Ray of Orangeburg.
South Carolina is the nation's first Southern primary and is seen as a key test of how blacks will vote.
While Edwards didn't win Clyburn's endorsement, he did get backing from Ike Williams, former candidate Dick Gephart's campaign manager.
Edwards shows the best commitment of issues relevant to the South -- poverty, race and discrimination, said Williams, formerly of Charleston, adding that Kerry will be tough to overcome. "I think the die is cast, but I believe Edwards deserves a chance."
The Rev. Al Sharpton has done well in S.C. polls. A frequent visitor to the state in recent weeks, he focused on Missouri on Wednesday, gaining endorsements of 18 black elected officials there. Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich were in Oklahoma.
Dean, however, went to Vermont for a strategy session, where he asked Roy Neel, longtime associate of Gore, to join his campaign as CEO. Dean campaign manager Joe Trippi then quit. In a further sign of distress, Dean asked staffers to defer paychecks for two weeks.
Still, the race remains a mix, with polls by American Research Group showing Kerry leading Clark in Arizona, Clark leading Edwards in Oklahoma, and Edwards leading Kerry in South Carolina.
Schuyler Kropf, James Scott, Jason Hardin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Click here to return to story:
http://www.charleston.net/stories/012904/sta_19clyburn.shtml