Presidential debate a hot ticket

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But that doesn't mean all is lost.

The Democrats are sponsoring debate-watching parties.

The nearly 2,000 debate tickets go to the South Carolina Young Democrats, Furman University, the campaigns of each of the nine presidential campaigns and the South Carolina Democratic Party and NBC affiliates and staff.

"Demand for debate tickets has already exceeded our limited supply," Joe Erwin, state chairman, said in a news release. "Our first priority had to be those Democrats who work so hard in every county across this state to put on elections and stand up for core Democratic values."

At least two debate parties have been set up in Greenville — one at Allen Temple AME Church and the other at Coliseum Ristorante, which are both in the West End Historic District. Democratic leaders are hoping other local groups will sponsor parties.

The debate will be aired on MSNBC five days before South Carolina's Feb. 3 presidential primary, the third in the 2004 election cycle and the first in the South.