Kerry, Edwards vie for S.C. prize

South Carolina’s primary became a battle between John Edwards and John Kerry on Wednesday with Edwards making his first appearance here after New Hampshire and Kerry winning a key endorsement.

“This is a two-man race,” former S.C. Democratic Party chairman Dick Harpootlian said. “It’s Kerry and Edwards.”

Kerry campaign officials confirmed that U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., will endorse Kerry today.

Clyburn, South Carolina’s only black congressman, had formally endorsed U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt, who dropped out of the race after placing fourth in Iowa. Clyburn’s endorsement was highly sought after by all the presidential candidates.

Picking up Clyburn’s endorsement after winning the New Hampshire primary Tuesday means Kerry, of Massachusetts, enters the race for next Tuesday’s S.C. primary with a big boost.

“It’s becoming more and more evident,” said Edwards’ S.C. spokeswoman, Jenni Engebretsen, “that South Carolina is the showdown of Feb. 3.”

As recently as Monday, Kerry hinted he could win the presidency without winning the South, leading some observers to predict he might write off the S.C. primary.

Kerry’s apparent interest in bringing the fight to Edwards in South Carolina is a good thing, said John Moylan, Edwards’ S.C. campaign director.

It adds legitimacy to the theory that Edwards is a threat to Kerry, Moylan said, and adds to the attention the S.C. primary will get.

“It’s good for the Democratic Party and good for South Carolina,” he said.

Clyburn’s endorsement is good for Kerry, especially when coupled with that of U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings.

“It’s a huge endorsement,” said James Dukes, Kerry’s S.C. campaign manager. “It sends a strong message.”

Democratic Party executive director Nu Wexler said Clyburn would make South Carolinians pay attention.

“Congressman Clyburn is well-respected, and South Carolina Democrats trust his political judgment,” Wexler said.

Edwards countered Wednesday during a campaign stop in Orangeburg that he has been endorsed by most of the congressman’s staff and many of Gephardt’s aides.

Kerry will personally accept Clyburn’s endorsement at 10 a.m. today in Columbia. He will be in South Carolina for a candidates’ debate tonight in Greenville and a forum Friday in Columbia.

Kerry is coming to South Carolina with a posse. Hollings, along with Kerry’s “Veterans Brigade” will bring four busloads of veterans from all over the state to campaign for Kerry in the next few days.

Kerry’s campaign said the senator has 22 staff working in the state and 56 endorsements. The International Association of Fire Fighters and the International Longshoreman Association Local 1422 are making plans to work the state for him.

Over the next week, former U.S. Sen. Max Cleland of Georgia, U.S. Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York and singer Carole King will campaign for him.

Hollings, state Rep. Jerry Govan of Orangeburg and state Sen. Phil Leventis of Sumter have been calling potential Kerry supporters and others to try to win endorsements and votes.

Harpootlian said the campaigns of retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean are faltering here — a contention with which both Clark and Dean disagree.

After coming in second in New Hampshire — when he had held a big lead there earlier this year — Dean is “toast,” Harpootlian said. Dean’s S.C. spokeswoman did not return repeated phone calls seeking comment.

Clark, who identified South Carolina early on as a priority in his campaign, is now working more in other states where he doesn’t face as much competition, Harpootlian said.

Clark’s campaign said the general is in no way abandoning South Carolina and very much plans to contend — and win — here.

Edwards was at S.C. State University on Wednesday, where he made it clear he considers South Carolina home turf.

“Now the job all of us have to do is continue this movement, this campaign in South Carolina, the state of my birth,” Edwards said.

Later he extended his reach to the entire region.

“The South is not George Bush’s back yard, it’s my background,” he said, before vowing to beat Bush in at least five Southern states if he is the nominee. “I will not forget where South Carolina is after Feb. 3.”

Later, he told reporters he could beat Bush in North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Arkansas and West Virginia and “have a shot” in Kentucky and Tennessee.

Edwards has been to South Carolina 21 times in the past year, Engebretsen said.

On his 21st trip, Edwards stressed the need for fair and equal access to health care and education and the need to help the 35 million Americans living in poverty.

Those are issues S.C. State students are listening for, said Khyla Craine, 21, a nursing student from Ann Arbor, Mich. She is president of the college’s NAACP chapter.

Sophomore Federick Wilson, 20, a history education major, said he became interested in Edwards after the senator finished second in Iowa last week.

“I’m looking for someone who is electable, someone who can relate to what’s going one, someone who can appeal to not just Northerners.”

Reach Talhelm at (803) 771-8339 or jtalhelm@thestate.com Reach Gould Sheinin at (803) 771-8658 or asheinin@thestate.com