Outside — a lot of noise, a lot of passion

By GINA SMITH - gnsmith@thestate.com

MYRTLE BEACH — They came to wave banners for their favorite presidential candidates.

They came to raise awareness about issues like education and climate change.

And they came to raise a little you-know-what with candidates who, they say, aren’t talking enough about the most important issues to them during this election season.

While Thursday’s Fox News Channel debate didn’t kick off until 9 p.m., the sidewalk in front of the Myrtle Beach Convention Center was abuzz all afternoon with a hodgepodge of supporters and protesters hoping to connect with the steady stream of pedestrians, motorists and members of the media.

Tourists with cameras oohed and aahed at a gigantic sand sculpture featuring the faces of the six participating candidates.

But they had to lean close to one other to discuss how former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s teeth or Mitt Romney’s hair looked in the sculpture.

Otherwise, they wouldn’t be heard over the steady roar of dozens of Romney supporters.

“R-O-M-N-E-Y,” yelled Brad Williams, of Myrtle Beach, into a megaphone. “Vote for Mitt. He’s our guy.”

The crowd of Romney supporters responded with cheers, jumps and pleas to passing drivers to honk for the former Massachusetts governor.

Nearby, a group of sign-toting Ron Paul supporters tried to best the Romney crowd with yells of their own.

And Jeri Thompson posed near the sandy likeness of her husband, former Tennessee U.S. Sen. Fred Thompson, while she talked with photographers.

Above it all, the Ron Paul blimp loomed large and silent.

“This is a real circus,” said Leroy Bray, who bought a condo in the beach community seven years ago and now spends each winter there. “We decided to come out here today just to see what it’s all about. I guess it’s good for Myrtle Beach. It’s definitely exciting.”

The event is estimated to have brought between 5,000 and 6,000 visitors to Myrtle Beach, said Mark Kruea, spokesman for the city, as he walked the sidewalk, making sure everyone was having fun but behaving.

There was plenty of serious talk going on as well.

People in scuba gear and bathing suits and even one person dressed up as Frosty the Snow Lady held a sidewalk news conference, urging the candidates to make climate change policy a priority.

That includes legislation to lessen carbon emissions from industries, encourage recycling as well as the conservation of gas and build more mass transit, said Dawn Moore, a New York retiree in goggles who spends her winters in Myrtle Beach.

“Now is the time for global change to be a top issue,” she said.

Meanwhile, Buel Baggott, of Florence, circled around the convention center, slow as a shark.

In the back of his truck, the 82-year-old has launched a one-man crusade.

A poster attached to the tailgate reads, “A vet of WWII objects to pay taxes for foreign language use in U.S.A.”

Baggott said a TV ad that featured Spanish writing got him going two months ago.

“It’s an insult to any service personnel to come back and see these other languages all over the place,” said the Navy veteran.

How do other drivers respond?

“You’d be surprised how many people give me the thumbs up,” he said. “No one’s given me the bad finger so far.”

Reach Smith at (803) 771-8462.