[Updated Jan. 28, 2008]

With the South Carolina primaries now history, the nation's political epicenter moves south to Florida, with an eye toward Feb. 5 -- Super Tuesday. The University of South Carolina's Office of Media Relations has compiled a list of faculty experts who can discuss a range of topics relevant to this presidential cycle and how they will resonate with voters in the Palmetto State and the Southeast. Topics include the economy, healthcare, the war in Iraq, energy and the environment. To arrange interviews, call Peggy Binette or Margaret Lamb at 803-777-5400, or e-mail the faculty member. E-mail addresses are listed with the names.

Media coverage and race
Ernest Wiggins, an associate professor, teaches news writing, reporting and media ethics and conducts research on media performance and the portrayal of people of color, particularly African Americans. Wiggins can discuss media coverage of the 2008 presidential campaigns in regards to race and the breaking political stereotypes. He has taught at the university since 1993. Contact: 803-777-3325 (O); 803-261-1791 (H). E-mail (preferred): ernest.wiggins@gmail.com.

South Carolina politics
Dr. Blease Graham, a professor of political science and a scholar of Southern and South Carolina politics for more than 30 years, can offer incisive commentary on the candidates and how they will fare in the Palmetto State. He also can discuss the mood of the state's electorate, key issues for voters, voter turnout, the impact of population change on the state (nation's fastest growing Latino population, retirees settling in South Carolina), as well as the climate of South Carolina politics as it has become increasingly Republican and urban in the last 20 years. Contact: 803-777-3621 (O), or cgraham@gwm.sc.edu.

Universal Healthcare
Although recent polls have shown that the majority of Americans believe that the federal government should guarantee health insurance for everyone, many disagree on what the system should be. Dr. Allan Brett, a professor at the University of South Carolina's School of Medicine, is a proponent of universal healthcare. Brett is a member of the Physicians for a National Health Program, whose 14,000 members are advocates for a single-payer national health program. His views on universal access to healthcare were the subject of an editorial in a recent issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine. The director of the Division of General Internal Medicine, Brett directs the medical school's course in medical ethics and is chair of the Ethics Committee at Palmetto Health Richland in Columbia, S.C. Contact: 803-540-1000 (office/ask for Linda Leitner) and abrett@bellsouth.net.

An insider's perspective on media and 21st-century politics
Charles Bierbauer, dean of the university's College of Mass Communications and Information Studies and a former political reporter for CNN, can discuss political media coverage and how it has been changed by the Internet, blogs and the 24-hour news cycle. Bierbauer covered presidential campaigns from 1984 - 2000, including the dramatic Supreme Court decision that concluded the 2000 presidential election. Contact: 803.777.2013 (O); 803.413.1392 (cell); 803.748.0918 (H). E-mail: bierbauer@sc.edu.

Politics and the black vote
Dr. Todd Shaw, an assistant professor of political science, is an expert in American racial and ethnic politics, African-American politics, as well as urban and local politics. Among the areas of public policy he examines are housing policy, especially affordable housing, public housing and community development. Shaw's areas of expertise and insights are particularly relevant for the 2008 presidential race, when African Americans no longer can be counted on to vote as a bloc and when African Americans and women are considered serious presidential contenders. Contact: 803.777.6507 (O); 803.799.9190 (H); shawtc@gwm.sc.edu.

Grassroots Activism
Dr. Laura Woliver, a professor of political science, is an authority on grassroots politics and social movements, American political parties, interest groups and gender and politics. As an expert in the area of women and politics, Woliver can discuss representation issues, campaign dynamics regarding gender, gender gap in voting, women and public policy and women and the law. She is the author of two books, "The Political Geographies of Pregnancy," (2002) and "From Outrage to Action: The Politics of Grass-Roots Dissent." Woliver also is the former national president of the Women's Caucus for Political Science (2004-2005). Contact: 803.777.7442 (O); woliver@sc.edu.

South Carolina political history
Dr. Walter Edgar, a professor of history and director of the university's Institute for Southern Studies, specializes in South Carolina history, politics and culture. Edgar's book, "South Carolina: A History," is considered the definitive history of South Carolina. Edgar can discuss the history of politics in the Palmetto State, how South Carolina fits into the Southern political landscape and the state's centuries-old love/hate relationship with external authority. Contact: 803.777.234 0 (O); edgar@sc.edu.

Latino Immigration
Dr. Elaine Lacy is a history professor at the University of South Carolina-Aiken. Lacy is an authority on the history and demographics of Latinos in South Carolina and Latino immigration in the Southeast. Lacy established the university’s Consortium for Latino Immigration Studies, which conducts research related to Latino immigration in South Carolina and the Southeast. Lacy can discuss the immigration process and immigration reform in connection with the 2008 presidential election. Contact: 803-463-3045 (cell) and lacy@sc.edu.

Polling and elections
Dr. Robert Oldendick is a political science professor and an expert on elections and polling. As director of the university’s Institute for Public Service and Policy Research, he oversees the operations of the institute’s survey research laboratory. Oldendick can discuss public opinion, political polling, polling procedures and the relevance of polls. Contact: 803-777-4566 (office); 803-960-3413 (cell) and e-mail oldendick-bob@sc.edu.

U.S. Foreign Policy
Dr. Gordon Smith, director of the Walker Institute for International and Area Studies, is an expert on U.S. foreign policy. He is well known for his research and writings on U.S.-Russian relations and Russian politics and law. Smith can discuss the importance of U.S. foreign policy in the 2008 presidential elections and the impact that terrorism has had in shaping U.S. foreign policy in the 21st century. Contact: 803-777-8180 (office); 803-799-5147 (home); email smithg@sc.edu

Economic impact
Dr. Douglas P. Woodward, an economics professor and director of the Moore School of Business’ Division of Research, is an expert on the U.S. economy and, particularly, South Carolina’s economy. He has conducted extensive economic impact studies and has a long-term study under way on the impact of Latinos on South Carolina’s workforce. Woodward can discuss the role of the economy in the 2008 presidential election. Contact: 803-777-4424 (office); 803-629-2923 (home); email woodward@sc.edu.

Race and Southern politics
Dr. Bobby Donaldson is an authority on African Americans in the South and the history of race. Among the courses he teaches are African-American intellectual and cultural studies with an emphasis on the American South and the civil rights struggle in South Carolina. Donaldson can discuss the role that African Americans will play in the upcoming presidential campaign and election and the significance of the African-American vote in the South. 803.777.6282 (O); DonaldBJ@gwm.sc.edu.

Middle East history
Dr. Kenneth Perkins, a professor of Middle Eastern and North African history, can provide historical context to the culture, unrest and politics of the region. A prolific author, Perkins has written, translated or edited seven books and contributed to more than 120 book reviews to scholarly journals during his 30-year career studying the region. Perkins is president of the American Institute of Maghreb (North African) Studies and is a member of the Middle East Association and the Middle East Institute. 803.777.2355 (O); kp@sc.edu.