James Carville practiced his shtick at the Young Democrats convention Saturday.

The so-called "Ragin' Cajun" said although the Democratic group was celebrating its 80th anniversary, he had to be fair and note that the Young Republicans were older.

"The Young Republicans were founded in 1924, when John McCain was their keynote speaker," Carville said.

Later, Carville asked the audience if he was joking too much.

"Y'all want to have some fun?" he said. "The hell with all this political business, huh?"

More of Carville's jokes after the jump.

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UNC president Erskine Bowles, and U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole take in the second half of the UNC vs. Clemson basketball game on Sunday in the Smith Center. Bowles ran unsuccessfully against Dole in the 2002 Senate race. (Robert Willett)

CLEMSON, S.C.—John Edwards, speaking Wednesday at Clemson University, in the middle of the heavily Republican upstate, asked the crowd to tout his favorite-son status in the state.

Despite a second-place finish in Iowa and a third-place finish in New Hampshire, Edwards wouldn't discuss bowing out—even if he lost South Carolina, Taylor Bright reports.

"I've said it all along, I'm in it for the long-haul," Edwards said.

When asked how long the long-haul was, Edwards said, "Long haul is to the White House," Edwards said. "How many different ways do you want me to say this?"

His spokeswoman, Teresa Wells, said after the rally the campaign would not elaborate on Edwards' plans past South Carolina.

"That's all we have to say about it," Wells said.

More after the jump.

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MANCHESTER, N.H.—Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards' uphill climb toward the White House grew perilously steeper Tuesday after he finished a distant third among Democrats in the nation’s first presidential primary.

The loss follows a second-place finish in last Thursday’s Iowa Democratic caucus. Each defeat makes it harder to raise money and harder to convince potential supporters that he can win, Barb Barrett reports.

Edwards is the only Democrat with the experience of a previous White House bid, but he fared only marginally better in the critical first two contests than he did four years ago.

Edwards congratulated Obama and Clinton for their success in New Hampshire, but told cheering supporters Tuesday night that he plans to keep pushing toward the nomination.

Edwards was scheduled to fly to his native South Carolina today for appearances at Clemson University and in Columbia to gear up for the state’s Jan. 26 Democratic primary. He trails in polls in the Palmetto State, whose primaries are critical early contests for presidential contenders in both parties.

"As long as Edwards has money, he’s still alive," University of Virginia political analyst Larry Sabato said Tuesday.

Raleigh attorney Ronnie Ansley said he hopes to challenge Republican Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler next year.

Ansley, 45, said he comes from an agriculture background in Northampton County and recently was elected president of the Future Farmers of America Alumni organization. He has bachelor's and master's degrees in agriculture education from N.C. State University and Clemson University, respectively, Rob Christensen reports.

Ansley's name might be familiar. He lost to Beverly Perdue in the 2000 lieutenant governor's race, to Brad Miller in a 2002 U.S. House race, and lost again in 2004's N.C. Supreme Court scrum.

Troxler was elected in a close race in 2004, edging out Democrat Britt Cobb after a several-month long dispute over the vote count. Cobb, who is now secretary of administration, had been appointed agriculture commissioner by Gov. Mike Easley after Meg Scott Phipps resigned as a result of a fundraising scandal.