The weather outside is frightful (for SC)

by Jason George

COLUMBIA, S.C. – If the Republican candidates thought they left the bad weather in Michigan, they're thinking differently today, as sleet, ice and snow are forecast across much of South Carolina, just three days before the primary.

The threat of inclement weather already forced former Gov. Mitt Romney to cancel a morning event in Greenville. That wouldn't be too big a deal except he only had two events scheduled in South Carolina today before heading off to Nevada, where the weather in the Las Vegas area is supposed to be cold but clear.

No word yet if the weather will affect Gov. Mike Huckabee, who's taking full advantage of his chartered plane on Thursday with three of his six events occurring at various airports across the state. (Land. Talk. Takeoff. That's the plan anyway.)

Snow and fog caused problems a couple days before the Iowa caucuses, but by and large Iowans and New Hampshire residents know how to deal with the powdery stuff. This being the South though, that's not the case. One local politician told me last night that any ice accumulation would freeze the campaigns here in there tracks.

As someone who grew up in Memphis, Tenn., I can testify to Southerners skittishness with such weather: I once got out of high school – for two days, mind you – just for the forecast of snow.
It never came.