Homestate Crowd Walks Out on Edwards

NewsMax ^ | 9/27/04 | Carl Limbacher

[wagglebee]

Half the audience who showed up last week to see John Edwards' first South Carolina appearance since he won his home state's primary in February walked out before he arrived - two hours late. And in another sign of trouble in paradise, the state's Democratic Senate candidate - whose campaign the Edwards visit was supposed to boost - declined to be seen on the same stage with him. Democrat U.S. Senate hopeful Inez Tenenbaum "has gone to great lengths to distance herself from the national party," reports the South Carolina newspaper, The State. Edwards "is about as close as she’s going to allow herself to get to the national party," the paper reports. The State noted, however, "Tenenbaum didn’t appear on the platform with him" at either the rally or a fund-raiser scheduled for later that day. Aides said she would have skipped the event altogether if John Kerry had been the guest of honor.

It didn't help that Edwards kept the crowd at Columbia's Martin Luther King Jr. Park waiting so long. As they sat for two hours in the sweltering heat inside the community center, Democratic officials were observed checking their watches and looking irritated. When State Party chairman Joe Erwin opened the door to let some air in, people began to get up and leave.

"The hall was about half-full by the time Edwards arrived," the State reported.

[wagglebee]

The Breck Girl is from South Carolina, he chases ambulances in North Carolina!

[deport]

Posted on Thu, Sep. 23, 2004

CAMPAIGN 2004

Edwards in Columbia: Let’s ‘outsource’ Bush

By LEE BANDY

Staff Writer

Democrat John Edwards returned to his native state for the first time as a vice presidential candidate Wednesday, only to concede this point — South Carolina will vote for President Bush in November.

This is a “tough” state for a Democrat, he said in a brief interview after an address to a “welcome back” rally attended by some 1,200 party faithful.

He rejected the notion that Democrats have written off most of the South, however.

“That’s not true,” said Edwards, a Seneca native who won South Carolina’s Democratic presidential primary in February.

“I’ve campaigned in not every but most of the Southern states,” he said, ticking off 11 he had visited.

End excerpt.........

[VRWCTexan]

More from THe State article: "....Edwards was running late, and the throng waiting to rally with him at Martin Luther King Jr. Park took notice. They sat for two hours in the sweltering heat inside the community center, a block off Five Points.

“The Democrats are back, and we’re hot,” said state party chairman Joe Erwin, who looked out over the predominantly white audience and said, “You look a little too hot.”

The restless crowd was not amused.

State Treasurer Grady Patterson, sitting in the VIP section, kept looking at his watch, wondering whether it was worth staying around. At times he covered his ears to shut out the loud music of the rock bands that were entertaining the crowd.

Several people left, saying they were tired of waiting for Edwards. Erwin was visibly irritated.

“Sorry for the delay,” he apologized. Erwin asked the volunteers to open all the doors to allow the cool, fall-like air to come in. He suggested the crowd take a break and mingle outside where cooler temperatures prevailed.

Some took the cue and went home. The hall was about half-full by the time Edwards arrived.

When he did finally arrive, Edwards disposed of his jacket immediately and declared, “I told you I would be back.”

Kerry promised the same while campaigning for the S.C. Democratic presidential primary in February, but he has yet to return since he won the nomination.

State party officials don’t expect Kerry to set foot in this state. Tenenbaum certainly doesn’t want him to make an appearance between now and the election.

Edwards spoke to the rally for about 15 minutes. His speech was mostly a rehash of his acceptance address at the Democratic National Convention in Boston —critical of President Bush for the war in Iraq, job losses and spiraling health care costs.

[reagan_fanatic]

Somebody pinch me...I'm dreaming.

[Tribune7]

Got it. He was born in S. C.

[Calpublican]

The only thing Edwards has a chance of winning in his homestate of NC is the Miss North Carolina Contest.

[SC_Republican]

heh-heh-heh

what a dufus and a putz.

[wagglebee]

He grew up in SC and left when he went to college.

[Petronski]

Two hour delay, boredom, early departure....

[snugs]

Can you imagine this happening to Cheney in Wyoming I think not but also unless it was totally unavoidable I cannot imagine Cheney being 2 hours late.

[ZOTnot]

...'ticking off 11 he had visited.....'

How true!

[Republican Wildcat]

South Carolina is not Edwards' home state. Did he mean North Carolina?

[diamond6]

Someone should put side by side photos of the Bush (60,000 people) rally today and Edwards.

[Republican Wildcat]

Oh, that's right...

[mombrown1]

Columbia, SC. What a lovely town. My daughter graduated from U. of SC. It's hot this time of year. Community center isn't very big. Not a lot of dims in S.C. compared to conservatives.

[Mercat]

Bush was about 15 minutes early in Lee's Summit MO. And talk about a rock star. As soon as the bus arrived, the crowd started yelling. For about an hour before there were people who were I guess supposed to get the crowd going but nothing did it like the sight of that bus and then he walked on and the crowd went wild@!!!!!!

[ntnychik]

Born in SC, representing NC (except he's not there).

[mombrown1]

It was North Carolina where he bankrupted three hospitals. Started in Charleston, SC.

[excelsior]

He is a Jimmy Swaggart clone.

When he runs out of ambulances to chase, he can go on the preacher circuit.

[potlatch]

Well, he's helping them lose! We've got to be grateful for small favors, LOL!