On the trail: Party time for Obama supporters

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) - There’s a party going on in South Carolina’s capital city. In the streets surrounding the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, crowds of people are hooting and hollering. You’d think that the hometown team just won the big game - but what’s being celebrated is Barack Obama’s victory in South Carolina’s Democratic presidential primary.

Hundreds of Obama supporters are waiting in line to get into the convention center, where the senator from Illinois will give his victory speech later this evening. It’s a carnival atmosphere as they yell “fired up” and other Obama slogans.

Inside the convention center, the noise gets louder. Obama supporters are waving signs and placards and celebrating. CNN is on the big screens here and the crowd went wild when correspondent Suzanne Malveaux, who’s inside the hall on the press riser, appeared on-screen. When former President Clinton appeared on the same screen, speaking at a Missouri campaign event, some in the crowd began to boo.

–CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser