Lining'em Up

I know endorsements don’t mean much (just ask Howard Dean), but. . .

South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn intends to endorse John Kerry, officials said Wednesday, a coup for the Democratic presidential front-runner the day after his win in New Hampshire.

The backing of the six-term Democratic congressman, the dominant black politician in his state, is critical in South Carolina, where almost half the voters in the Feb. 3 primary are expected to be minorities. Clyburn was courted by all of the Democratic presidential candidates.

Clyburn had been carrying water in SC for Dick Gephardt — and John Edwards had been hoping to pick up his endorsement after Gephardt dropped out.

Now it looks like all Edwards has is his charm and the hope that SC voters won’t go for a South-disdaining Kerry.