Presidential hopefuls debate tonight in Columbia

Ten Republican presidential candidates will share the stage in Columbia tonight for their second televised debate of the 2008 campaign season, and an unusually influential group will be looking on.

Tonight's debate not only will be broadcast nationally by Fox News, but Republican chairs from most of the 50 states will be in the audience as well. The unique crowd will give the debate added importance, said College of Charleston political science professor Bill Moore.

"State party chairs are the No. 1 partisans within a state, and they can have significant influence within their state," he said.

"This will be one of the defining moments of the campaign, if not the defining moment," said state Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell, R-Charleston.

The excitement was building Monday, state Party Chairman Katon Dawson said. "It is unbelievable," he said. "I haven't seen this many satellite trucks since the Super Bowl."

Moore said while most people won't watch the debate, they still will hear something about it.

"This idealistic image of this voter thirsting for information simply doesn't occur, especially this early ... but if someone hits a home run, really stands out, then that's what will be on TV the next night and that's what the voter will see," he said. "If someone makes a major mistake, that could also be the news."

One thing working against big news coming out of the University of South Carolina's Koger Center is the number of candidates — two more than the April 26 Democratic debate at South Carolina State University.

"It's not like a presidential debate where you have two candidates," Moore said. "When you have eight or 10 candidates, it really doesn't give people much exposure. You're talking nine minutes max if the moderator never said a word."

The big GOP week kicked off Monday with the 40th annual Silver Elephant Dinner, the party's big fundraiser, in Columbia.

Fox pundit Sean Hannity's keynote address could be likened to a rally cry for the presidential race.

"This is the moment of truth. It is now your opportunity to select the best person we have," Hannity said before launching into a series of jokes following the theme "You might be a liberal if … "

Notable guests included presidential candidates former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas; South Carolina's U.S. Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint; Gov. Mark Sanford; and House Speaker Bobby Harrell of Charleston. A message from President Bush also was aired, calling on Republicans to hold on to the White House.

The South Carolina Republican primary is Feb. 2, but that likely will be moved up because of Florida's plan to move its primaries to Jan. 29.

Dawson said he's determined to ensure South Carolina's is the first primary in the South.

More than 20 states are eyeing presidential contests on Feb. 5, meaning South Carolina's winner would get an important boost heading into the thick of the voting. Also, for Republicans, winning the South Carolina primary has special cache because the winner here has gone on to win the nomination ever since 1980.

Reach Robert Behre at 937-5771 or rbehre@postandcourier.com.