COLUMBIA, S.C. — It’s the year of firsts. First female candidate, first African-American candidate.

The pundits talk about the splitting of the black female vote. But watching Democratic voters in South Carolina, it seems to me there is a split among all Democratic voters.

The South Carolina Democratic Party held a political stump meeting Friday evening. Only one candidate could attend: Hillary Clinton. The tickets-only event felt like a summer barbecue indoors. The party served hot dogs and set up tables so people could sit and chat.

At first, there were more press members than audience members. But soon, a mostly-white, mostly middle-aged audience began filling up the floor between press and the stage. Many people brought signs, some for John Edwards, some for Barack Obama and some for Hillary Clinton.

Clinton’s 20-minute speech focused on cleaning up the “mess” the President has made in White House.

“And I thought I was done being surprised by the Bush Administration,” she said. “After the Vice President shot that man in the face, I thought, ‘what else could happen?’”  

Although she received loud applause at her Bush-bashes and plans for tax cuts, universal health care and withdrawal from Iraq, there didn’t seem to be much enthusiasm in the room.

Perhaps these Democrats, like some of the voters I spoke with earlier, have not made up their minds. Three strong candidates — two making history. Which one should get their vote?

Sitting next to me, a man who covered the election for Tokyo remarked that his boss had no interest in the Republican race at all. Given all the talk nationwide about Obama v. Hillary, it’s easy to see why. There is not the excitement of a “first”-anything President.

Although Clinton’s speech rallied some voters, the crowd in front of me still seemed undecided. The largest bursts of applause seem to come before her appearance, when a Democratic Party spokeswoman predicted a record turnout of more than 300,000 voters Saturday.

Turnout during last week’s Republican race was down from the last Presidential primary.

“I take that as a sign they don’t like their candidates,” the spokeswoman said.

As for Clinton, she reminded voters that the changes she outlined were only possible if they vote for a Democrat. And while voting, choose one who can beat the Republicans, she said.

“I think they should be gracious and say, ‘well we’ve screwed this up so much we’re just going to go ahead and quit,’” she said. “I don’t think that’ll happen.”

Clinton pointed to her experience and promised, if elected, to work for the voters. 

“If you stand with me tomorrow, then I will stand with you every single day,” she said.