After suggestions by some in the media of a racial element in pre-NH polling and the suggestion by Obama supporter Jesse Jackson Jr. that Hillary Clinton did not shed tears for Katrina victems, race as a political issue on the campaign trail is now becoming a central issue and tactic in South Carolina and the Democratic nomination.

The movement so far began with some comments made by the Clinton camp before the NH primary. An argument against Barack Obama began by suggesting that though the profound rhetoric of Martin Luther King helped fuel the Civil Rights movement, it was President Johnson who helped push through the legislation that brought an end to segregation. It was an argument that was supposed to say something along the line of “change needs to work in harmony with experience to create outcome” which is structured to say that though Obama has great rhetorical skills and can engage a crowd, he doesn’t have the experience to accomplish what he promises.

However that comment, along with the accusation that those polled in NH may have mislead pollsters, has lead to a series of articles being published in the mainstream media and in blogs pushing race as an issue.

Reports are that some black leaders in South Carolina took offense to Clinton’s comparison of MLK, Johnson, Obama and herself and also to Bill Clinton suggesting that Barack Obama was a “fairy tale” concerning his record on Iraq. To help diffuse the situation Bill Clinton appeared on the Rev. Al Sharpton radio show. You can hear the show here.

To make matters worse a Clinton supporter, Andrew Cuomo, used the term “shuck and jive” in relation to Barack Obama when discussing the campaign trail. The phrase is highly charged and seen as racially insensitive. Cuomo denies that he meant anything and apologized, but it only served to add to the perceptions.

Meanwhile Hillary Clinton told ABC News that she was offended that people would suggest she is using race as an issue. From ABC News:

“Well, I think its regrettable because both of these accusations are baseless and divisive and any fair reading of what both of us said would be clear and I think it’s regrettable that these are being in a way used to try to divide people in our country during this election and I’m not going to have any part of it,” Clinton told ABC News. “I personally find it offensive.”

The latest is that Senator Obama’s campign is now circulating a memo that highlights statements made by the Clinton campaign that it thinks could be interpreted as being racially insensitive. Despite the memo the Obama campaign deniesthat they are suggestion the Clintons are using race as a divisive issue. However the suggestion has made some in South Carolina, including Representative James E. Clyburn, angry. Clyburn had promised not to endorse a Democratic candidate during the nomination process as part of a deal to get SC’s primary moved up on the schedule. The Representative did talk to Clinton and Obama and told the New York Times that he will hold true to his promise not to endorse.

The story seems to be growing and developing and its effect in South Carolina, where African Americans represent a large percentage of the voting block, could be felt by the Clinton campaign.