Kerry's effort in S.C. last-minute

[Feanorcurufinwe]

The Massachusetts senator has been all but absent here, except for his campaign kickoff last fall and a two-day swing through the state after his win last week in New Hampshire. His surrogates fanned out across the state Monday, but there was a slapdash feel to the effort. Columbia College administrators, for example, got a call from Kerry's staff Sunday asking if the candidate's sister could visit Monday. When Diana Kerry arrived at the small women's college 24 hours later, there were only about 30 students and faculty members to greet her. They gathered in a spare conference room, devoid of the signs and campaign literature that usually mark such appearances. Except for Kerry's topic -- her big brother -- and the red, white and blue Kerry button on her chest, it felt more like a college lecture than a political event.

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The students might not have been exactly rapt, but faculty members seemed excited.

Mona Enshazly, head of the college's business department, has always voted Republican. This year, she says, she's voting for Kerry.

"I am very disappointed with Bush's performance, especially in international policy. As an Arab American, I really can't stand him," she said. "I'm impressed with Kerry's experience. Hearing his sister speak just confirmed that he's the one. He's had that exposure to the world that I think we need."
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/news/7860869.htm