Obama Ahead in South Carolina in 2008 Elections

Huckabee scales back in Florida

Meanwhile, as both parties look to the Florida primary, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is scaling back his campaigning there due to a cash shortage, the New York Times reports Wednesday.

Huckabee told reporters he doesn't plan to advertise in the Sunshine State, the Times reported. Top Huckabee consultant Ed Rollins and other staff members have also agreed to work without pay, and his campaign stopped arranging transportation for the traveling media, the Times reported.

Huckabee's pullback may give his rivals a boost. Polls show Sen. John McCain, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and ex-Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney locked in a tight race for the nomination in Florida.

On Wednesday, Giuliani appealed to Floridians, who deal regularly with hurricanes, by backing a national catastrophe fund and saying he'd lower insurance rates.

In a nod to his stint as mayor during the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Giuliani said in a video on his web site that "only one Republican candidate has proven experience dealing with disaster. Only one will fight for a national catastrophe fund."

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama is enjoying a comfortable lead in the newest polls over rival Hillary Clinton as the South Carolina primary draws closer.

Palmetto State Democrats hold their primary on Saturday. In an average of polls compiled by RealClearPolitics, Obama is pulling in 42.8% of voters while New York senator Clinton is getting 30.6%. Former North Carolina senator John Edwards is trailing with 14.2%.

South Carolina will be one of the last dominoes to fall before Florida's Jan. 29 primary and the Feb. 5 "Super Tuesday," when the candidates compete for delegates from 21 states. The Feb. 5 contest could be a make-or-break day for White House hopefuls since it includes big states like California and New York.

In South Carolina, half of all likely Democratic voters are African-American, which may work to Obama's advantage. In exit polls conducted at the Nevada caucuses on Jan. 19, 83% of that state's black voters went with Obama, who is African-American.

Hillary in 08: Bill attracts attacks.

Mr. Bill Clinton has suddenly become the shining new target for the Obama Campaign in the 08 Democratic Primaries. With his outspoken personality he has made a few comments that have attracted the lime light and put the focus on his words instead of the beliefs of his wife. Could this prove to be beneficial for the Clinton Campaign or will voters hold responsible, Hillary Clinton, for the actions and words of her husband Bill?

The Guardian describes the scene well:

At Lizard's Thicket diner, by the side of a Columbia highway, he let his breakfast, a southern concoction of omelette and grits, grow cold.

He was enjoying taking questions from reporters too much to care about food. After weeks of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama being the top of the news agenda, he was the story today.

Standing with a cup of coffee addressing about 40 journalists crowded into the diner, he joked: "I like to stay out of the papers. I am not used to this. I am a little out of practise."

While aides pleaded for him to be allowed to eat and told reporters "no more questions", Bill Clinton could not resist taking another and another. He spoke about his role as Hillary's attack dog against Obama, about whether his presence was doing her more harm than good and about the increasing viciousness of exchanges between the Clinton and Obama camps.

Arguments were inevitable in politics, he said, adding: "This is a contact sport." Bill Clinton's shift from being Hillary's spouse, loyally standing behind her on stage and working daily town hall meetings, to top of the news agenda began yesterday morning.

The story accelerated after an ugly series of personal exchanges between the two leading Democratic candidates in a televised debate at the South Carolina holiday resort, Myrtle Beach.

Obama complained about Bill Clinton making statements that were "not factually accurate". The story grew overnight as Hillary Clinton confirmed she was leaving South Carolina - a virtual acceptance that she is not expected to win the state's Democratic primary - and would instead concentrate elsewhere.

She was leaving Bill in charge. He has won South Carolina before. Is this southern politician, one of the most formidable campaigners in modern history, capable of producing another surprise?

Sometimes labeled the first "black" president because of the rapport with African-Americans he established during his presidency, is he capable of defeating Obama - or at least narrowing his poll lead - in a state where about half the Democratic voters are African-American?

And there is another question. If he is going to be so dominant in the campaign, will he also interfere if Hillary wins the White House and he becomes, as he himself described it, the First Laddie?