McClatchy, this morning:
Ever since Ronald Reagan in 1980, the winner of the South Carolina Republican primary has gone on to win the party's presidential nomination. Yet as Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee head into today's vote, the state Republican Party chairman concedes that the Palmetto State might not be able to pick the national front-runner this time. "This is a different time," Katon Dawson said Friday.
Each traditionally early state has a lot of pride about what their contest usually accomplishes: Iowa rejects the CW, New Hampshire rejects the Iowans, etc. This pride plays a part in driving people to the polls. South Carolina is supposed to crown the Republican nominee. Now, it's more like a pawn move in an endless game.
-- Eve Fairbanks