National Spotlight Turns To North Carolina

Election Officials Expect Record Turnout, As Democratic Candidates Fight For Tar Heel Support

(AP)  Not since 1988 has North Carolina had much of a voice in choosing a presidential nominee. Back then, it joined several Southern states to help pick Al Gore, a neighbor from Tennessee.

But the longer-than-expected race between Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination will thrust the state into the national spotlight when it has its say May 6. Indiana also votes that day.

The primary, offering 115 national convention delegates, comes two weeks after Pennsylvania gave the former first lady the win she needed to stay in the race. But Obama is favored to win North Carolina, the largest prize among the contests remaining.

“My crystal ball wasn't working well last year, and I certainly would not have anticipated this,” said state Democratic Party chairman Jerry Meek. “But, in retrospect, having a May primary was a tremendously astute decision.”

Voters, especially new ones, have taken note.

More than 165,000 people have registered to vote in North Carolina in the first three months of the year, a nearly threefold increase from the same period in 2004. Election officials expect a record turnout May 6 - about half of the more than 5.7 million registered voters, compared with past turnouts ranging from 16 percent to 31 percent.

Another wild card: A new law allows unregistered voters to sign up and vote on the same day through May 3. Both campaigns have launched efforts to turn out those voters, and the polling sites have been flooded since they opened last week.

As of Thursday morning, more than 81,000 “one-stop” ballots had been cast - about eight times higher than during the 2006 primary, according to the state Board of Elections. An additional 8,700 absentee ballots have been collected, officials said.

Voter registration is up overall, but the biggest boost has been among blacks.

More than 45,000 black voters have registered in the first three months of 2008, compared with just over 11,000 in the same period four years ago. Blacks make up more than 20 percent of the state's registered voters, according to Board of Elections data.

Those numbers bode well for Obama, who has won strong black support throughout the primaries.

There are other signs Clinton will have a hard time achieving victory in North Carolina.

Neither of the state's top two Democrats, outgoing Gov. Mike Easley and former White House hopeful John Edwards, have endorsed a candidate. Among superdelegates who have made their choice known, Obama has a 6-1 edge. The 10 remaining superdelegates, including Meek, are uncommitted.

The two Democratic candidates vying to replace Easley, who is barred by law from seeking a third consecutive term, are not only backing Obama but have made their support for him a feature of their campaigns.

State Treasurer Richard Moore has run radio ads on stations popular with black listeners noting he “was the first Democrat running for governor to endorse Barack Obama for president.” His rival, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, has sent mailers to likely black voters with a photo of her with Obama.

State Republican party officials have made the gubernatorial candidates' connection to Obama the focus of a TV ad scheduled to begin airing Monday that includes footage of Obama's controversial former pastor and calls the Democratic presidential hopeful “too extreme for North Carolina.” On Wednesday, Sen. John McCain, the GOP's certain presidential nominee, called the ad “offensive” and asked party officials not to air it, but they refused.

Tar Heel politics are often both unpredictable and contradictory.

The state elected the populist Edwards to serve alongside arch conservative Jesse Helms in the Senate. It has not voted for a Democrat for president since 1976, when Georgia Gov. Jimmy Carter swept most of the South, but it has elected a Democratic majority to the state Senate for more than 100 years.

“People in North Carolina tend to look at individuals and offices distinctly and make the decision based on the person and the office,” said Elon University pollster Hunter Bacot. “We have such a large number of independents. And they are true independents - they split ballots.”

North Carolina has roughly 9 million people, making it the nation's 10th largest state. It is home to the Marine Corps' Camp Lejeune and the Army's Fort Bragg, two massive installations whose troops have suffered heavy losses in Iraq and Afghanistan.

What's left of a once vibrant manufacturing and textile industry is in tatters. Many voters blame the North American Free Trade Agreement, agreed to under President Clinton, for the decline and the thousands of job losses that followed.

The state's largest city, Charlotte, has become an international financial center as home of Bank of America Corp. and Wachovia Corp., the nation's leading retail and consumer banks.

It's high-tech economy, led by the many companies with facilities based at Research Triangle Park outside Raleigh, have withstood the national economic downturn. Home values have not suffered the same widespread decline as in other states, and North Carolina's income tax revenues remain strong compared with others.

Both Clinton and Obama started campaigning in the state long before this week's Pennsylvania primary. Clinton debuted quirky TV ads asking voters to submit questions, to which she responded in conversational spots. Obama has blanketed the state with his own ads.

Some political observers say Clinton needs to win North Carolina, the last big stop on the road to the August convention in Denver, to convince unaligned superdelegates that momentum has swung in her favor. Superdelegates are elected leaders and party officials who can vote for any candidate. That, they said, is her only chance to overcome Obama.

“She's got to build momentum - serious momentum - in order to make that argument,” said Jeff Link, a Democratic strategist who advised former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack's brief presidential run. “She has to have a winning streak.”

[lynwhite-2009]

I see some white americans saying they would vote for a Black man for President but on the other hand, why? when you can vote for a white woman.I would love to see a Black man become the first Black President of the United States of America

[realpatriot1]

metroduck75,

A truly strong woman would''ve kicked Bill''s sorry fat *** to the curb as soon as they left the White House!

Instead, she sends the message to her daughter and other young women that they should stay with their abuser as long as he can help your career.

[jockh]

Hillary lies again.

The Federal Election Commission has just reported that her campaign debt is $15 million and not $10 million as the Clinton camp reported because she failed to list her $5 million loan among the debts.

This means that even after her new surge of fundraising, she is still $5 million in debt; but Hillary is still smiling; why? Because she knows that her $110 million fortune is nice and safe. It%u2019s the ordinary person on the street who is tricked into losing money on a campaign that is doomed to fail.

Mitt Romney put $42 million of his own money into his campaign, why doesn%u2019t Hillary show she has complete confidence in her campaign and put in some of her own millions. Why? Because she knows it%u2019s a lost cause.

Those of you who are fooled into contributing to her campaign ask yourself why she LOANS her own money but wants you to GIVE your money?

[blackspirit3]

TO ALL THE WHITE FOLKS WHO WILL NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA BECAUSE HE IS BLACK, WHO WS NEVER EVER GONNA VOTE FOR HIM AS A RESULT OF HIM BEING BLACK, PLEASE BE MAN OR WOMEN ENOUGH TO ADMIT IT. DON''T HIDE YOUR RACISM BEHIND REV WRIGHT WORDS. IF REV WRIGHT NEVER EXISTED YOU WOULD NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA. BE MAN ENOUGH AND WOMEN ENOUGH TO ADMIT IT. IF HILLARY WAS A BLACK WOMEN WHITE WOMEN WOULD NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH HER, ADMIT THAT AS WELL. MANY AMERICAN WHITES STILL HARBOUR ILL WILL AND FEELINGS TOWARDS AFRICAN AMERICANS PERIOD. HIDING YOUR HATRED FOR OBAMA BEHIND REV WRIGHT WORDS IS WHAT COWARDS DO. BE WHO YOU ARE AND STOP FRONTIN AND DUCKIN AND DODGING AND COMING UP WITH FICTICIOUS REASONS FOR WHY YOU WON''T EVER VOTE FOR A BLACK CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT. BE HONEST FOR A CHANGE. IF OBAMA CHANGE DON''T WORK FOR YOU, AT LEAST COME TO THE TABLE HONESTLY. FOR A CHANGE

[metroduck75]

Real Men Loves Strong Women.

Hillary''08 ALL the way, baby!!!

[metroduck75]

Hillary is like a CatWoman.

No matter much the Elites and the Villans in the News Media try to kill her off... she NEVER dies.... LOL

I love that in a woman.... I think that''s very HOT.... :-)

[libra127]

never recieved an endorsement from one military general from any branch of service

Posted by BLKPRESIDENT at 09:11 PM : Apr 24, 2008

Your ignorance about Hillary is getting you in trouble again, BLKPREZ ! She has been endorsed by the following military flag officers:

General Wesley Clark
General John M. Shalikashvili
General Johnnie E. Wilson
Admiral William Owens
Lt. Gen. Joe Ballard
Lt. Gen. Robert Gard
Lt. Gen. Claudia J. Kennedy
Lt. Gen. Donald L. Kerrick
Lt. Gen. Frederick E. Vollrath
Vice Admiral Joseph A. Sestak
Major General Roger R. Blunt
Major General George A. Buskirk, Jr.
Major General Edward L. Correa, Jr.
Major General Paul D. Eaton
Major General Paul D. Monroe, Jr.
Major General Antonio M. Taguba
Rear Admiral Connie Mariano
Rear Admiral Alan M. Steinman
Rear Admiral David Stone
Brigadier General Michael Dunn
Brigadier General Belisario Flores
Brigadier General Evelyn "Pat" Foote
Brigadier General Keith H. Kerr
Brigadier General Virgil A. Richard
Brigadier General Preston Taylor
Brigadier General John M. Watkins, Jr.
Brigadier General Jack Yeager

[blkpresident]

Hello, My name is Lil'' Missy Clinton and I want to be your president. Yet she has never:

been in the military
never commanded troops
never attended war training
never recieved an endorsement from one military general from any branch of service
never held a top secret military clearance
never passed any legislation while serving on the US Senate Armed Services Committee
never ever seen at an airport welcoming the return of a member of the Armed Forces defending our way of life
never ever briefed by the Joints Chiefs of Staff on military readiness.

Yet this woman wants to play president with the lives of our brave men in uniform. Send her back to her kitchen stove in NY BEFORE our military suffers under her mis-management. We are a nation at war and lil'' missy wants to play dress up dolls and pipe dream.

[rufisgufis]

FIGURES DON''T LIE - BUT LIARS CAN FIGURE!

CLINTON IS BEHIND IN NUMBER OF ELECTED DELEGATES;

CLINTON IS BEHIND IN NUMBER STATES WON;

CLINTON IS BEHIND IN NUMBER OF CAUCUSES WON;

CLINTON IS WAY AHEAD IN NUMBER OF LIES TOLD.

[kansas1946]

The Pied Piper of Hamelin (or) Hosannahs for Obama is a new cult that has overtaken America''''s youth. Under the leadership of Rev. Wright, the demagogue of the left-wing of the United Church of Christ, has created the Obama cult.

Their message is: Haiti America - Vote Obama! We want to change you.

Who are you going to call? Ghost Busters!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by andylance1 at 05:01 PM : Apr 24, 2008
******************************

Yawn...

[blkpresident]

Hillary-Steinem ''08?

America can do better than this. Wonder who these broads would tap as Secretary of State, someone like Jane Fonda?

Vote smart North Carolina.

[andylance1]

The Pied Piper of Hamelin (or) Hosannahs for Obama is a new cult that has overtaken America''s youth. Under the leadership of Rev. Wright, the demagogue of the left-wing of the United Church of Christ, has created the Obama cult.

Their message is: Haiti America - Vote Obama! We want to change you.

Who are you going to call? Ghost Busters!

[samthetvcat]

LOL . . . here''s my repost:

pt 1
It''s not negativity, it''s disloyalty that''s the problem. Hillary''s become disloyal to the party. When she has to be treated as a hostile witness and asked several times whether she actually thinks the Democratic frontrunner could win, that''s a problem for the party. When she says that the GOP front-runner has passed the commander in chief threshold but the Democratic nominee has not, that''s a problem for the party.

It''s a problem for the party - INCLUDING for Hillary - because people don''t reward disloyalty with support. Hillary CLAIMS she''''s got the superior electability position because she can win Pennsylvania because she can win the blue-collar vote. WRONG - to win Pennsylvania you need a united party, and you ALSO need to be able to retain the black vote.

The tide already seems to be turning - apparently Joy and Whoopie on The View were already starting to see bright sides of having McLame become President (if Hillary were to become the nominee). If you look at the comments, a LOT if not the majority of Barack supporters are suddenly feeling very much the same way.

[samthetvcat]

pt 2
It''s not just about the math, it''s not just about ''blue collar workers'', it''s not just about Indiana - it''s about party unity to ensure a win in November if you''re truly a Democrat. The media seems to be buying into Hillary''s argument which takes the black vote as a given. I think the onus is now on her to prove her claims that she''s a doer with solutions who can bring the party together for a win - the test is North Carolina, and she needs to prove she can woo back blacks and maintain their allegiance.

Two months ago, either one of them could have won. Then one of them sold her followers on the idea that the alternative wasn''t commander in chief material to gain the upper hand and turned the rest of the party she needs to win against her. Now neither can win - unless they BOTH subvert their ambition for the good of the party. Barack''s already pledged his allegiance yesterday. Time for Hillary to do the same, because SHE CAN''T CLOSE THE DEAL EITHER. Pennsylvania was yesterday - the media''''s flying way high over public sentiment on this one. Earth to the media . . .

[samthetvcat]

PS This campaign isn''t supposed to be about the two candidates, it''s supposed to be about US, us and the US - our future, our economy, restoring balance, peace, prosperity, our values. Please let''s all keep what really matters in perspective!

[samthetvcat]

-----"Some political observers say Clinton needs to win North Carolina, the last big stop on the road to the August convention in Denver, to convince unaligned superdelegates that momentum has swung in her favor. Superdelegates are elected leaders and party officials who can vote for any candidate. That, they said, is her only chance to overcome Obama."-----

It''s SO much more than that - I posted something about this last night about how Hillary can''t win Pennslyvania without the black vote, so NC is THE big test of whether SHE can unite the party behind HER any more than Barack. Sigh, I laid it all out better before . . . maybe I''ll just repost my argument . . .