When John Kerry entered the Democratic presidential race last year, the U.S. senator from Massachusetts seemed to place a premium on South Carolina's first-in-the South primary.

He visited the state several times, attracting good crowds and winning the endorsement of many influential Democratic leaders. His supporters and campaign staff were upbeat. Optimism reigned.

Kerry, the perceived front-runner at the time, appeared to offer so much promise. Many saw him as the Democrat who had the best chance of beating President Bush in 2004. He even looked presidential.

Aware of the number of retired veterans in the state and the strong emphasis placed on the military here, the senator went to great lengths to burnish his image as the top national-security candidate in the field.

The decorated Vietnam veteran had a rapport with retired military in the state, particularly black people. His hope was to motivate enough veterans to vote for him to enhance his claim to be the alternative to Bush on foreign policy.

Kerry's advisers always felt his national security experience - won in Vietnam and deepened by almost 20 years in the Senate - was his strength.

South Carolina is home to more than 400,000 veterans, more per capita than any state.

Kerry had great plans for reaching out to these retired military men and women. His combat experience made him kindred spirits to many veterans, he thought.

He came to South Carolina on Sept. 2 to officially launch his presidential campaign by standing in front of an aircraft carrier. With the USS Yorktown as a backdrop, Kerry focused on his record as a decorated Navy veteran. He was joined on the platform by members of the boat crew he commanded in Vietnam.

The purpose was to give him credibility to serve as commander-in-chief.

He has not returned to South Carolina since giving a Sept. 12 speech on college tuition at Benedict College. He seems to have written off the state and its Feb. 3 primary.

That would be understandable: The most recent S.C. poll conducted by the American Research Group of Manchester, N.H., shows Kerry getting only 2 percent of the vote. He has fallen behind former Senator and Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun and New York civil rights activist Al Sharpton. In fact, U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio is the only person standing between Kerry and last place.

Calls to Kerry's S.C. campaign office go unanswered. His state chairman, House Democratic Leader James Smith of Columbia, a member of the Army National Guard, has been called to active duty.

Ben Gregg, a Democratic consultant who endorsed Kerry, said he doesn't think the senator is a factor. He laughed when asked whether Kerry had written off South Carolina.

Kerry has sharply curtailed visits beyond Iowa and New Hampshire, the two crucial states that vote first in the nominating process. He is skipping South Carolina and six other states that vote Feb. 3.

Katie Lelyveld, spokeswoman for the Kerry campaign in Washington, rejected suggestions the senator had written off the Palmetto State.

"South Carolina is very much in play," she said.

Kerry's problem here is one of image - that of a northeastern liberal. His message of hope and opportunity is not all that bad; it's just that his image, fair or not, trumps his message.

South Carolina would probably be more receptive to Kerry's message if it came from another person.