Protesters gather at Biden event

COLUMBIA -- The 100 or so protesters, the flashing motorcade and a swarm of law enforcement officers Friday let Terry Cunningham know it would be no ordinary visit to the State Museum.

On the museum's second floor, Vice President Joe Biden came to help raise cash for the re-election of U.S. Rep. John Spratt, the longest-serving member of South Carolina's congressional delegation and a Democrat who faces a tough challenge from Republican state Sen. Mick Mulvaney in the 5th District.

"I thought, 'What is going on?' " Cunningham said. She came from Camden to the museum with her husband, Ralph, and their 3-year-old grandson, Julian.

Biden was in the city for a library dedication at the University of South Carolina.

The protesters, who traveled from all over the state, used the occasion to send Washington, D.C., a message: Stop spending money. Some of the protesters identified themselves with the tea party movement, others were there as advocates of the FairTax, and some came to campaign for Mulvaney.

John Lajoie, 6, paid no mind to all the fuss. He said if he had the chance to meet the vice president, he wouldn't have questions for Biden.

"Probably not because I have nothing to say," he said. He came from Lexington with his mom, Amy, to see the pirate exhibit.

Outside, where the temperature hovered between 95 and 98 degrees, about 20 people from the Charleston area took part in the protest, including John Steinberger and Jack Jackson, advocates of the FairTax, a plan to replace federal income taxes and payroll taxes with a national retail sales tax, among other components. "We just want people to realize there is a better way," Steinberger said.

He said he hoped that Biden took notice of the crowd, but even if he didn't see the turnout -- or it didn't matter to him -- for several hours, passers-by on the busy Columbia roadway did.

One of the event organizers, William Stallings of Rock Hill, stayed up until 3 a.m. with his wife making signs, including one with a picture of a baby and the words "Stop! Spending my money."

"We want our freedoms back, a responsible government and less spending," Stallings said.

Reach Yvonne Wenger at 803-926-7855.