As part of our continuing live coverage of the S.C. primary season, I bring you this true Tale from the Campaign Trail:

On my way into the Ringling Bros. circus in Greenville today with my son, I ran across a group of John Edwards supporters handing out flyers. One approached me and asked: “Are you voting Tuesday.”

“No,” I said. He didn’t asked me why not. I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I was probably going to vote for Bush.

Anyway, he started in with his schtick, right away with health care. “John Edwards has a plan that guarantees health care for children until they turn 18, even if you have personal coverage.”

He handed me a flyer that read:

“Edwards on the Issues.” Sure enough, there was the health care plan: “Edwards proposes that for the first time in history, America should require health insurance for every child. His plan provides tax credits to help families with rising premiums so everyone will have access to affordable health care. To bring down healthcare costs, he will take on insurance companies, drug companies, and HMO’s.”

So he’s not going to guarantee health care, he’s going to require it. So does he plan to make child health insurance like auto liability insurance in many states? As for lowering health care costs, it sounds like trial lawyer talk to me, someone who’s “in your corner.”

I don’t know how many votes these folks gained for Edwards, but I didn’t see anyone canvassing for the other candidates.