A Brief Moment in the Sun

Not long after the votes are counted on Tuesday, the nation's presidential candidates will abandon the cold and snow of New Hampshire for the mild weather of South Carolina, home of the first-in-the-South presidential primaries.

Both the Republican and Democratic contests -- slated for January 19 and January 26, respectively -- have the potential to shape the national races and advance the campaigns of native Southerners Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and John Edwards of North Carolina. Moreover, the Democratic primary has the potential to make history, should U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, an African-American man from Illinois, win.

Yet South Carolina's moment in the national spotlight will be a fleeting one, according to a column by veteran reporter Lee Bandy of The State. Bandy argues that the GOP's lock on the presidential vote in South Carolina ensures that no candidate will pay much attention to the Palmetto State after the primaries. Consequently, South Carolina's 4 million residents -- like Southerners in general -- will be relegated to the sidelines as a pivotal presidential election unfolds.