AIKEN - South Carolina Democrats and Republicans on Wednesday denounced a shot taken at former U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond in a fund-raising letter by a presidential hopeful, U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.
In a letter sent to Democrats throughout the South, Mr. Edwards writes: "It is no wonder that the rest of America has such a stereotypical view of Southerners. You and I must show America that the Old South of (U.S. Sen.) Trent Lott and Strom Thurmond is in the past, and the New South can produce true leaders who can unite and not divide."
Political furor over Mr. Edwards' letter broke out days before all nine Democratic presidential hopefuls were scheduled to debate at the University of South Carolina on Saturday.
Criticism of a 100-year-old South Carolina political legend just before hitting the state for a major presidential debate "was ill-timed and showed poor judgment," said state Sen. Tommy Moore, D-Clearwater. He said Mr. Thurmond's personal appeal crossed lines of party and race.
"When you start talking about the New South, Sen. Thurmond epitomized that," Mr. Moore said. "This man has given his life to helping people. To refer to him in the context of racism and the Old South is not fair."
Indirectly, Mr. Edwards' letter referred to remarks by Mr. Lott, the former Senate majority leader, that some saw as praising the segregationist stand Mr. Thurmond made in his 1948 run for president.
South Carolinians of both parties still revere the Thurmond name and political legacy, said Luke Byars, the interim executive director of the South Carolina Republican Party.
"He's going in the opposite direction when he insults one of our most beloved and legendary political figures," Mr. Byars said. "It's clear that Edwards is not ready for prime time."
Added Mr. Moore: "The Strom Thurmond of 1948 is not the Strom Thurmond of today."
Mr. Edwards' campaign did not back down.
"The views that Sen. Lott and Sen. Thurmond expressed, Sen. Edwards believes, are out of step with the values of most Southerners," said Jennifer Palmieri, Mr. Edwards' campaign spokeswoman. "Sen. Edwards believes that the segregationist views of Sen. Thurmond .. were wrong."
Reach Jim Nesbitt at (803) 648-1394 or jim.nesbitt@augustachronicle.com.
