S.C.'s Clyburn Takes Center Stage

When House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) addresses a joint session of the South Carolina legislature today at 12:30 p.m. ET, Democrats with an eye on the White House would be well advised to listen.

House Majority Whip James Clyburn is considered a "must-have" ally for Democrats hoping to win the state's presidential primary. (AP)

Clyburn is widely seen as one of the Palmetto State's most influential politicians, and aides to the congressman are billing the speech as an important message to candidates hoping to win the state's Jan. 29, 2008, Democratic presidential primary.

In the speech, excerpts of which were provided to The Fix, Clyburn uses soaring language that echoes -- quite literally -- some of the rhetoric Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is using on the campaign trail. Quoting the South Carolina state motto -- "While I breathe, I hope" -- Clyburn adds: "We have been elected because we inspire hope."

He also lays out the "three E's to South Carolina's future -- education, energy and the environment." Hope, says Clyburn, means "furthering the education and well being of our children," "developing new economies and discovering alternative sources of energy to support them," and "protecting the serenity and safety of our environment."

Again invoking Obama-like language, Clyburn's prepared text says: "We've been too busy in recent years erecting barriers among us, which are harmful to the long-range best interest of our state and country. It's time we come together as South Carolinians and Americans."

Clyburn is the first African American to address a joint session of the South Carolina legislature and only the second member of Congress; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) is the other.

"For a man who cut his political teeth in South Carolina at sit-ins and marches during the Civil Rights movement, to be invited by the legislature ... to address the body is a poignant and historic occasion," said Clyburn spokeswoman Kristie Greco.

A Clyburn endorsement is coveted by the Democrats eyeing the White House. But Clyburn has given a variety of answers on the question of whether he will endorse, telling the Associated Press in mid-February that he would not back a candidate prior to the South Carolina primary, but then changing his story in early March when he told the Chicago Sun-Times's Lynn Sweet that he would likely back a candidate (though he didn't say when an endorsement would be announced). A Bloomberg article featured on Clyburn's House Web site says Clyburn won't endorse anyone until after the Iowa caucuses, which are set for Jan. 14, 2008.

Regardless of his ultimate endorsement plans, the Democratic White House aspirants aren't taking any chances -- relentlessly courting Clyburn in hopes of winning his backing. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared at an event in February in Charleston honoring Clyburn, and most of the 2008 candidates are expected to be in attendance at Clyburn's Fish Fry in Columbia on April 27 -- the day after the first Democratic debate of the presidential campaign in Orangeburg, S.C. (The Fix, of course, will be there for all of the festivities.)

It remains to be seen how influential Clyburn's endorsement will be. In 2004 Clyburn initially backed Rep. Dick Gephardt (D-Mo.), who dropped from the contest before South Carolina's primary. Clyburn then switched allegiance to Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), who lost the state to native son John Edwards.

By Chris Cillizza | April 10, 2007; 9:00 AM ET | Category: Eye on 2008
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