Edwards Continues Courting S.C.
HILTON HEAD, S.C. -- John Edwards kicked off his fourth consecutive day campaigning in South Carolina with a stop at the Hilton Head Diner. Edwards shook hands with patrons and even made his way back to the kitchen to meet with the cooks. And how he resisted the temptation as he walked past freshly baked chocolate chip cookies the size of a Frisbee is beyond me.
Edwards stood on a stool in the middle of the parking lot and gave a brief bullhorn speech to a crowd gathered around him.
"I'm here today to ask you to reach out to your friends, to reach out to your neighbors," said Edwards. "I'm running against two candidates who have a hundred million dollars plus. My campaign is much more of a grassroots campaign, which means word of mouth, telephone calls, knocking on doors. It means doing the work that has to be done to get our people to the polls."
At a press conference before stepping back on the The Main Street Express, Edwards was asked how even though he's reminded voters that he's from a mill town in SC, whether his message still resonates with the people in a more affluent community such as Hilton Head.
"I think the whole state of South Carollina is a place that I understand," said Edwards. "As opposed to just flying in, doing a campaign event or two and flying back out, this is the place I have lived. I know the people of South Carolina and I know the struggles they're going through."
Bob and Beverly Campbell aren't registered voters in the Palmetto State, but the retired couple living in Hilton Head part-time came to the diner after reading in the newspaper this morning that Edwards would make a visit. The Campbells remembered the last time they met a presidential candidate – Michael Dukakis in 1988.
"He was late to show up, too," said Mr. Campbell as we chatted by the takeout counter still waiting for Edwards 20 minutes after his scheduled arrival. But they stood patiently with the rest of the crowd and seemed rather pleased once they scored a handshake.
As Edwards marched through the gauntlet of palms waiting for him throughout the restaurant, one gentleman audibly voiced his approval of Edwards's attire.
"He's wearing a sports jacket with jeans," he said. "You gotta respect that in a candidate!"