The South Carolina Congressional Black Caucus Institute Democratic Primary Presidential Debate

It was U.S. Congressman and House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC) who was instrumental in bringing an international and political spotlight to not only South Carolina, but to the African American voting potential.

“This is our third debate in South Carolina. We opened up this primary season with a historic debate at South Carolina State University, an HBCU (Historically Black College/University) that people thought would not be capable of hosting a debate of this magnitude, and it did extremely well. I’m told by Google that by 10am the morning after the debate, they got 1.3 million hits on South Carolina State University. That was incredible. We followed with a second debate, this time at The Citadel, and it came out magnificently. For our third debate, we approached the Congressional Black Caucus and asked them to help us, the good people of South Carolina, with our number one industry, tourism. Help up get certain issues, contentious issues, behind us, and I went to Congresswoman Kilpatrick, Chair of The Congressional Black Caucus and to Congressman Bennie Thompson, Chair of The Congressional Black Caucus Institute and I said to them, “As the Institute goes forward with it’s planning for a nationally televised debate, whoever you partner with, please consider a site in South Carolina.” "Brad Dean and the leaders here in Myrtle Beach approached me with an idea of hosting the debate here. I told them that I would do my best, but I would have to have the blessings of Kilpatrick and Thompson.”