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Article published Dec 14, 2003
Gephardt goes south to woo supporters

Tom Langhorne
Staff Writer

Launching verbal grenades at President Bush and trumpeting the endorsement of a prominent African-American congressman, Democratic presidential hopeful Dick Gephardt brought his campaign to Spartanburg Saturday morning.Speaking against the backdrop of a huge American flag in the University of South Carolina Spartanburg's Army National Guard and University Readiness Center, Gephardt served his breakfast audience of several hundred people a buffet of blistering anti-Bush criticism while seeking their votes in the state's Feb. 3 Democratic presidential primary.The 62-year-old Missouri congressman, 1988 presidential candidate and former leader of U.S. House Democrats assailed "crazy Bush tax cuts," called the president "W," and accused Bush of treating potential anti-terrorist allies with "arrogance" and "bravado."Denouncing what he characterized as Bush's tax cuts for the rich, Gephardt said the president's "survival of the fittest" economic policies are immoral."He's not leading us in the right directions; I think he's leading us in the wrong directions," Gephardt said.Saturday's campaign event, part of what Gephardt aides called "the endorsement tour," also was intended to remind Democrats that Gephardt has been endorsed by Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., the first African-American to represent South Carolina in Congress since 1897 and former chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus.Clyburn, who was introduced and endorsed by state Sen. Glenn Reese, lavished praise on Gephardt before the candidate spoke. State Rep. Brenda Lee co-hosted the event with Clyburn.Gephardt repeatedly said Clyburn's support would be vital to his campaign.Spartanburg County Republican Party Chairman Rick Beltram, who crashed the Democratic campaign event with Young Republicans Chairman Josh Marthers, agreed that Clyburn's endorsement would pay off handsomely for Gephardt."It's going to be a huge benefit," Beltram said.Gephardt's 27-minute speech touched on a litany of issues traditionally important to activist Democrats. He demanded that the federal government guarantee health insurance to all Americans, advocated an international minimum wage and derided Republicans whom he said falsely believe affirmative action no longer is necessary.Predicting that he will defeat Bush next year, Gephardt also said he could do a better job of managing the war on terrorism. He accused the president of charging ahead without the support of other nations."Our president now has isolated us in the world at a time when we should be the most engaged in the world," he said.After Gephardt's speech, self-described liberal Democrat Claire Wofford of Greenville said he had impressed her.Wofford, director of the USCS Women's Center, declared herself "pro-choice, pro-environment and pro-health care." But she wasn't ready to declare herself for Gephardt just yet."He's obviously got a lot of support from African-Americans, and I was impressed by that," she said. "I'm going to check out all the candidates."Spartanburg resident Alice Henderson, also a self-described liberal, said she is eager to find a Democratic candidate who can energize voters younger than 30."I'm a strategic voter, a term I've heard for people who are looking at the long term," said Henderson, a history professor at USCS.Spartanburg County Democratic Party Chairman Albert Smith said the county will benefit from the expected parade of presidential hopefuls passing through as the primary draws nearer."It really shows that the national party is committed to reclaiming the South, and that the candidates themselves haven't written us off," Smith said in an apparent allusion to South Carolina's recent history as a Republican stronghold in presidential elections.In a news conference outside the Readiness Center after his speech, Gephardt told reporters that Bush would do significant damage to the environment, the economy and education if he is re-elected."If he gets four more years, uninhibited by the need to be re-elected, look out," he warned.Gephardt flew into Spartanburg Friday night after a fund-raising event in New York City, his aides said. From Spartanburg, he and Clyburn campaigned in Rock Hill, then were expected to hold rallies in Columbia and Orangeburg.Tom Langhorne can be reached at 562-7221 or tom.langhorne@shj.com.