Can Old Loyalties Trump Racial Solidarity?

"There is a big difference between now and four years ago," Jackson said. "Hillary Clinton wasn't running then." He added that the consulting contract had nothing to do with his endorsement. Instead, he said, he prayed on his decision and decided that "she is really, really qualified to be president."

The NAACP fundraiser comes one month after Obama was the keynote speaker at the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus's annual gala. Obama's selection to headline the dinner event stirred a minor controversy within the 36-member black caucus, with Clinton's supporters pushing for her to speak at the event. After a brief impasse, the caucus decided to have Obama speak, but made clear that his presence did not amount to an endorsement.

The April 13 dinner sold out for the first time in the event's history, attracting an overwhelmingly African American crowd. Camera flashes illuminated Obama as he worked the receiving line and people tried to share a word with him or simply touch him.

"I'm excited about him. I think he'll be able to cross over to both parties," said Anthony Jenkins, a South Carolina banker who attended the dinner with his wife, Enid. "Still, Hillary has her experience. Plus she has Bill."

The contest for black support in South Carolina mirrors the national struggle Democratic candidates are waging to win black elected officials' support. Many have long-standing ties to the Clintons or Edwardses or others but are nonetheless tugged by racial solidarity with Obama and the excitement they see his campaign generating among their constituents. Moreover, Obama's early fundraising prowess has convinced observers that his campaign will be formidable to the end.

"To be frank, I like all the Democratic candidates very much," said Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), a former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus who has endorsed Obama. "But in looking at Senator Obama, I have had to ask myself would I ever again in my lifetime see another African American in a real position to become president?"

By contrast, Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-Fla.) has endorsed Clinton, explaining that their longtime friendship outweighs racial kinship. "President and Mrs. Clinton are my friends," Hastings said. "While he is very promising, I never met Senator Obama in my life until he came here."

Overall, relatively few black elected officials have made public endorsements, preferring not to show their hand until the primary picture comes into sharper focus.

"I think people are going to be very, very intelligent in how they conduct themselves in this," said Rep. James E. Clyburn (S.C.), the No. 3 Democrat in the House, who so far has stayed neutral in the contest even as his campaign committee has received contributions from candidates Clinton, Biden and Edwards. "Everybody is going to play it close to the chest to see what happens."