Thompson Hopes S.C. Revives His Campaign

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Mike Huckabee and Chuck Norris Receive Warm Welcome at Clemson

In a lively atmosphere rivaling a rock concert, Mike Huckabee and Chuck Norris encouraged Clemson University students to vote Huckabee in Saturday's primary election.

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Pressed, Romney said: "Are you listening to what I'm saying? . . . Ron is a wonderful friend and adviser. He is not paid. . . . But I do not have lobbyists running my campaign. Ron Kaufman is not even at the senior strategy meetings of our campaign."

Aside from Kaufman, lobbyist Vin Weber, a founder of the Washington firm Craig & Winstock, serves as Romney's policy chairman.

Huckabee on Thursday raised the thorny issue of the Confederate flag, which roiled the 2000 primary. Eight years ago, McCain refused to take a position on whether the flag should be allowed to fly over the State House, saying that was a state issue. After the campaign, he said he regretted that stance and argued that it should come down.

The legislature has since voted to allow the flag to be displayed on the State House grounds, instead of on the capitol dome. Huckabee said the flag is a state issue. McCain said last spring that he believes the issue has been settled.

McCain campaigned in Columbia on Thursday, where he received testimonials from a group of legislators and was introduced by Jack Kemp, one of the GOP's leading economic conservatives, and Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), a strong opponent of abortion and of wasteful government spending.

Staff writers Juliet Eilperin with McCain, Michael D. Shear with Romney and Joel Achenbach with Thompson contributed to this report.