WHAT'S AT STAKE

South Carolina offers 54 Democratic delegates.

WHERE THEY STAND

Barack Obama had the support of 38 percent to Hillary Rodham Clinton's 25 percent and John Edwards' 21 percent, according to a new C-SPAN/Zogby tracking poll. Edwards seems to have rallied support after his debate performance, inching up 6 points in the poll.

If Obama wins, as expected, it would provide an important boost to his campaign. Conversely, a poor showing for Edwards -- who was born in the state and won the primary in 2004 -- could doom his campaign. His problem was perhaps crystallized in a line Obama used in Monday's debate. He said the race is one where "you've got an African-American and a woman and ... John."

THE FINAL PUSH

Obama, who fared poorly with women in New Hampshire, gathered around a table with some in Charleston and Columbia to talk about economic issues that particularly affect women, such as child care costs.

Meanwhile, Clinton gathered emotional endorsements at Columbia's historically black Benedict College. She was joined on stage by former New York Mayor David Dinkins and Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., one of the highest-ranking black members of Congress. Stacey Jones, a college dean, said, she understood the temptation to vote for Obama.

"For some of us it may take a very, very bold step to walk into that voting booth and focus on our community's future rather than acting on pure emotion," she said. "Let's do the right thing and elect Sen. Hillary Clinton."

Edwards, in Columbia, courted the young voters who polls say are largely drawn to Obama.

LOOKING TO FLORIDA?

Clinton and the Florida Democratic Party clamored to restore the state's 185 delegates. The national party penalized the sate for holding their primary before Feb. 5.

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