South Carolina had its second presidential visit in three days Wednesday when Bill Clinton made an unannounced visit to Kiawah Island, where he was expected to be for the rest of the week.
The former president landed at the executive airport on Johns Island with golf clubs in tow and shook hands with just about everyone in sight.
"Big jets started showing up and, lo and behold, Bill Clinton got off the first one," said Jack Moore, who was at the airport to meet friends when Clinton arrived.
Former President Bill Clinton arrives Wednesday at Charleston Executive Airport on Johns Island.
"He shook hands with all of us," Moore said, adding: "He looked really good for having all the operations and things lately."
The former president, who hadn't been to Charleston in years, had surgery to eliminate fluid and scar tissue in his chest cavity four weeks ago. The operation was a cleanup of complications from his heart bypass last year.
Clinton's New York office had no comment on the reason for the trip beyond saying, "no public schedule."
The ex-president's wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, and daughter, Chelsea, were not with him and it was unknown if they planned to join him. The senator's office said she was scheduled to stay in Washington the rest of the week.
After shaking hands at the airport, Clinton got into a security vehicle and left. "There was a bunch of Secret Service," Moore said.
People at the airport told Moore that Clinton was scheduled to stay at Kiawah's $125 million, 255-room Sanctuary Hotel, which opened in August. The resort is the most expensive hotel ever built in South Carolina and features a lavish 3,100-square-foot presidential suite. Kiawah spokesman Matt Owen said it is the hotel's policy not to confirm details about any potential guest.
Clinton's visit was a surprise for a lot of people, not just the civilians at the airport. The state Democratic Party didn't know he was coming, and neither did the office of U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn, D-S.C., a close ally of Clinton during his eight years in the White House.
Clinton's arrival came two days after President George W. Bush visited the Statehouse in Columbia to press his case for reconfiguring Social Security.
Clinton has a tie to Charleston: He's listed as the international chairman for the committee to bring an African-American history museum to the city.
