By Pamela Gentry, Senior Poltical Producer

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Posted Jan. 25, 2008) –   It’s High Noon in the Palmetto State, and Saturday’s showdown between the two biggest guns in the primary will provide a true test of who has the hearts and minds of Black America.

The television airwaves in South Carolina are jammed with political ads. .Every commercial break chock full of back-to-back campaign ads touting the virtues of each candidate.  Most ending with a reminder: “Vote Saturday.” 

Sen. Hillary Clinton (D- N.Y.) returned to the state for a blitz of morning television appearances and whistle stops across the state, ending the day here in Columbia, where she was joined by her husband for a rally.

Her top rival Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has a couple of roundtable discussion with women, an important voting block he needs to engage for their support as he makes his final campaign stops across the state before tomorrow’s primary. 

Clinton has been doing well among women voters, an advantage she’s also enjoyed with Black female lawmakers.  Clinton has secured the support of seven of the 10 Black women in Congress who have endorsed candidates.   Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones, (D-Ohio), who serves as Clinton’s national co-chairwoman, will be in the South Carolina today lending her support. 

With the number of African Americans expected to turn out, the Columbia chapter of the  NAACP announced it will have voting monitors at polling places to assure no one is turned away, and they plan to have paper ballots in case of an “emergency,” such as voting machines malfunctioning.
 

By Pamela Gentry, Senior Politcal Producer

COLUMBIA, S.C. (Posted Jan. 25, 2008) – Lawmakers got the message from the American people this week and agreed to get a check in the mail to help folks out during this economic slowdown.

It’s not hard to figure out why.  The American people are pissed, and lawmakers know what it means if voters take that frustration to the voting booth in November.
 
With the Democratic South Carolina primary just days away, House Majority Whip James Clyburn, a native of the state, said he was pleased that the “stimulus package that will provide timely, targeted, and temporary assistance” to families during the economic slowdown.

While the package has the blessing of Congress and the White House, some Black lawmakers says it’s not perfect. 

“I am disappointed that there are no provisions extending benefits to the unemployed,” says Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio), who’ll be in South Carolina this weekend campaigning for Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) “They are the ones who have been hit the hardest by the drastic downturn in the economy.” Ignoring these folks will bring the same problems back, she said.

The deal on table now gives folks tax refunds from $600 to $12,000; provides money to 35 million needy working families; awards tax relief to businesses that make new investments; and ignites mortgage lending reforms.

Rep. Elijah Cumming (D-Md.), who’s backing Sen. Barack Obama, (D-Ill.) for the White House, agrees with Tubbs Jones when it comes to improving the economic conditions for the American people.  “To truly help those who are being hit the hardest, it is critical that any stimulus package include provisions dealing with food stamps and unemployment benefits,” Cummings said.  This package does not.

Both Obama and Clinton issued statements praising the plan and touting their own.

Obama said, “Experts agree that what struggling families need right now is immediate tax relief to stimulate our economy, which is why my plan has always called for a $500 tax cut for working families and a $250 supplement to their Social Security check.
Clinton countered, “I have been calling for extending tax rebates to these lower-income Americans, and will push to ensure that these families receive the full assistance that they need.”
 
The question now is whether the stimulus package will work and will either party or candidate will reap a reward because of it.