Obamania hits North Carolina

By Libby

Most eyes are on the PA primary but early voting starts here in North Carolina in just a week and Michelle Obama is winning hearts and minds with a sweep of speaking engagements across the state. Earlier reports indicate both Democratic candidates for Lt. Gov. of NC have endorsed Obama and the leader of the two is actively campaigning for him. Meanwhile the local Obama organization hit the streets last weekend to conduct a voter registration drive.

Over the weekend, all 20 Obama field offices sent out more than 1,000 volunteers to register "thousands and thousands" of new voters, according to Deputy National Campaign Manager Steve Hildebrand. "We've registered Democrats, we've registered Republicans, we've registered independents," Hildebrand said.

Speaking for myself, I'd say that lends some credibility to Obama's unity theme. They're out there inspiring everyone to get involved.

Recent polling shows Obama with a 20-point lead over Clinton and it's been reported of 56 regional Democratic chairs, 20 have endorsed with 12 for Obama and 8 for Clinton. However, four in 10 voters are said to be still undecided, so I suppose there could be a surprise Clinton comeback but barring any alarming development, one can feel rather confident that Obama will take this state in the primary.

The general election remains more of a mystery at this point. For one thing, 20 percent of Clinton supporters say they would vote for McCain if their candidate doesn't win the Democratic nomination, while 13 percent of Obama supporters say the same in reverse. This early in the game, I expect many who make these impassioned vows now will come to their senses nationally, but in NC, a state with a large military family presence, while one third of the voters believe McCain's age is an issue, pro-McCain sentiments such as this are of some concern.

"[It's] his whole background," said Democrat Robert Brown, 46, an online trader from Chapel Hill. "He was a prisoner of war. He's an upfront, straight-talking man."

To call McCain "an upfront, straight-talking man" should rightly elicit sardonic laughter. That it's so widely believed is thanks to a free booze plied, barbecue fed, adoring press corps. That's why I keep asking the partisan bloggers to let the race go to the people and focus on McCain. That narrative isn't going to change itself and we're going to need all the lead time we can get to force the truth into the media upon whose coverage most of America will decide its votes.