APNewsBreak: Gov. Easley to endorse Clinton **NORTH CAROLINA**

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080428/ap_on_el_pr/clinton_easley;_ylt=Aj7sFwUeuk.czMBGNrVn1Gms0NUE

APNewsBreak: Gov. Easley to endorse Clinton **NORTH CAROLINA**

By GARY D. ROBERTSON and BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writers 28 minutes ago

RALEIGH, N.C. - Gov. Mike Easley will endorse Hillary Rodham Clinton for president, The Associated Press has learned.

Easley was expected to announce the endorsement Tuesday morning in Raleigh, the state capital, one week before North Carolina's primary on May 6, according to persons close to the governor and to Clinton. The individuals spoke on condition of anonymity because a formal announcement had not yet been made.

Easley is a Democratic superdelegate who has served two terms as governor. His decision comes despite several recent polls showing Clinton trailing rival Barack Obama ahead of the state's May 6 primary.

The endorsement is a major boost for the former first lady. Besides being a respected figure among Democrats in the state, Easley is one of the all-important superdelegates likely to choose the party's presidential nominee.

[Dinger]

1. Whoa, Nice One! : )

:thumbsup:

[rodeodance]

4. you bet!!

[Texas Hill Country]

2. very nice!!!! one more SD!!!

[rodeodance]

9. good for the Gov:-)

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

90. Apr 14: Gov Easley is being sued for repeatedly destroying public records

Edited to add - this endorsement won't help Clinton in North Carolina.
Isn't that what Karl Rove is accused of doing in the White House?
Destroys public records on a regular basis

North Carolina Governor Sued By Media Over Emails

April 14, 2008 Stephanie Cruz - AHN

Raleigh, NC (AHN) - Several media organizations on Monday filed a lawsuit against Gov. Mike Easley, accusing his administration of routinely violating the state's public records law by deleting official e-mails.

The complaint was filed in Wake County Superior Court by 10 media groups seeking a court order against state employees to prevent them from deleting, destroying, or concealing government e-mails.

The lawsuit is asking the Court to compel North Carolina Cabinet officials to require all personnel to abide with state public records law.
...
The law states that all e-mails sent to and from government offices are "public records if they contain information related to the transaction of public business" and should be be kept for future reference.

The suit stemmed from a former Dept. of Health and Human Services official's statement that Easley's office follows an unwritten policy to delete e-mails daily. Two other public information officers affirmed the fired worker's claim.

...The media groups who sued Gov. Easley include: The Associated Press; The News & Observer, The Charlotte Observer; the North Carolina Press Association; The Fayetteville Observer; The Wilson Daily Times; The Alamance News; Freedom Communications and Freedom Eastern North Carolina Communications; Media General Operations Inc.; and The John Locke Foundation

...more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

91. Easley hurt mentally ill-Withheld millions from mental health (that was allocated for mental health)

Easley withheld millions of $ from mental health care budget to plug otherbudget holes

Governor's Candidates Focus on Woes of Mental Health System

WRAL News Apr. 25, 2008

Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina's mental health system has never received so much attention from the public, let alone the major-party candidates for governor.

That's largely due to the widespread failure of a reform effort initiated by the Legislature in 2001 and carried out by Gov. Mike Easley's administration, which tried to create a community-centered method for treating the mentally ill, substance abusers and the mentally disabled.

...The idea behind the 2001 reform was to shift the state's mental health programs away from institutional care to community-based treatment offered by private providers. The General Assembly set aside money to help local agencies that manage patient services to build up their treatment capacity by adding short-term hospital beds and crisis services.

The intention was to keep patients from ending up in jails or emergency rooms following a breakdown.

Instead, the state's institutions are used more than ever. Replacing government-run psychiatric services at the county level led to no care in some rural areas because private or nonprofit providers either couldn't survive financially or simply left the area.
Easley also intercepted tens of millions of dollars earmarked for mental health to plug a budget shortfall.

...more at the link

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

94. Here's why we in NC unaffectionately call him "Crash Easley"

Here's why we in NC unaffectionately call him "Crash Easley"

Easley Won't Be Thrown Off Track

Dan Kane & Rupen Fofaria, News & Observer May 10th, 2003

Gov. Mike Easley walked away from a high-speed crash Friday at Lowe's Motor

Speedway, got into a second race car and raced some more at speeds up to 160 mph.

No big deal, said NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace. "I don't think it's dangerous," he said.

But Rep. Mickey Michaux, after hearing of the wreck, said a governor should be more careful.

"I think if I was governor, I'd be a little more circumspect," said Michaux, a Durham Democrat.
"I don't think I'd be in a race car. But hey, you take a chance crossing the street."



...more at the link

[ErinBerin84]

3. I strongly dislike Senator Clinton,

but congrats to her and her supporters on this endorsement!

[rodeodance]

6. thanks for congrats

[Seen the light]

5. His aide lied to me apparently

I spoke to an Easley aide within the past week or so and he said that Governor Easley was going to remain neutral until after the nominee was decided.

[rodeodance]

7. tsk tsk

[MNDemNY]

14. A political aid lying? I'm shocked!

[Seen the light]

17. I know right?

Oh well, congratulations to Senator Clinton.

[Doityourself]

16. JUDAS! lol

[annie1]

76. :D.

[knight_of_the_star]

59. Might have been poorly informed

Aides don't know everything and some are likely less in the loop than others.

[Hawkeye-X]

8. And a week from tomorrow, Mike Easley will receive a pie in the face

after a blowout victory by Obama, as expected - by over 15%!

Mike - don't back the loser - you apparently ignored your aide.

Hawkeye-X

[tekisui]

12. His terms of Governor are over.

He's not up for re-election, he can afford to back the loser.

[NorthCarolina]

13. Exactly n/t

[rodeodance]

19. awh gee he was leading by at least 30 pts at one time

[MoonRiver]

10. Sweet!

Go Hill go! :kick:

[rodeodance]

37. a sweet for the sweet lady

[MoonRiver]

70. Yes, Hillary is the best of the best!

:loveya: Hillary

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

11. Congratulations, Sen. Clinton.

:kick:

[rodeodance]

28. ~YES WE WILL~~

[emilyg]

15. Excellent.

[hogwyld]

18. Congratulations Hillary!

That's a nice pick up for her campaign and for her supporters.

[rodeodance]

20. That was kind of you. Thanks

[rodeodance]

21. *CITIZEN-TIMES: Hillary visits Asheville NC

*CITIZEN-TIMES: Hillary visits Asheville NC

Good pics and story


http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=hillary

[rodeodance]

22. photo

http://cmsimg.citizen-times.com//apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?NewTbl=1&Avis=B0&Dato=20080424&Kategori=PHOTO20&Lopenr=424015&Ref=PH&Item=1&MaxW=490&MaxH=320

[rodeodance]

24. “We don’t want Obama. We want your mama,” another supporter yelled.

Chelsea Clinton mingles with crowd


http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080428/POLITICS01/80427020/1223/POLITICS
Chelsea Clinton mingles with crowd

Dale Neal and Carol Motsinger • [e-mail] • published April 28, 2008 12:15 am


The Clinton family seems to have taken a liking to Asheville.

Three days after Sen. Hillary Clinton brought her presidential campaign to the Civic Center — and a month after former President Bill Clinton stumped for his wife at Asheville High — their daughter Chelsea Clinton came to town Sunday to attend church and meet with supporters.
Advertisement

After morning service at Central United Methodist Church downtown, she fielded questions about her mother’s positions at a movie theater.

“I’m so proud of both of my parents, but nothing would make me more proud than for my mom to be my president,” she said to supporters at Cinebarre theater at Biltmore Square Mall.

Hillary Clinton is battling Sen. Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination ahead of the May 6 North Carolina primary.

A Clinton supporter at the theater asked which would be more historic — electing the nation’s first woman president or the first African-American president.

“I think we’re making history by having this conversation,” Chelsea Clinton replied.

“We don’t want Obama. We want your mama,” another supporter yelled.

[rodeodance]

25. Chelsea Clinton mingles with crowd (in NC) was the headline

[RememberWellstone]

23. Good pick up!

The train is moving.

[rodeodance]

87. and its picking up speed

[ccharles000]

26. He was a great governor too bad he is leaving.

[Jamastiene]

95. Yeah, I liked him too.

Term limits...can be a good thing and a bad thing, depending on who it is. Bush leaving is a good thing. Easley leaving, I'll miss him.

[rodeodance]

27. Bill Clinton to visit 11 cities in N.C. (Hillary in NC for two days also)

http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080427/POLITICS01/80427010/1223/POLITICS


Bill Clinton to visit 11 cities in N.C.

The Associated Press • published April 27, 2008 2:22 pm


Clinton officials said Sunday that he will campaign for his wife, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton, in Boone, Wilkesboro, Elkin and Mount Airy on Tuesday. He'll then visit Apex, Sanford, Lillington, Dunn, Hope Mills, Lumberton and Whiteville on Wednesday.

Those stops will come after Hillary Clinton's own two-day tour of North Carolina. Along with her visit in Wilmington on Sunday night, she has stops in Graham, Salisbury, Concord and Charlotte on Monday.

[Indenturedebtor]

31. Uh Oh

Bill Clinton to visit 11 cities in N.C. (Hillary in NC for two days also)



http://www.citizen-times.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=...


Bill Clinton to visit 11 cities in N.C.

The Associated Press • published April 27, 2008 2:22 pm


Clinton officials said Sunday that he will campaign for his wife, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton, in Boone, Wilkesboro, Elkin and Mount Airy on Tuesday. He'll then visit Apex, Sanford, Lillington, Dunn, Hope Mills, Lumberton and Whiteville on Wednesday.

Those stops will come after Hillary Clinton's own two-day tour of North Carolina. Along with her visit in Wilmington on Sunday night, she has stops in Graham, Salisbury, Concord and Charlotte on Monday.

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

Not sure that's a good idea for you guys... But congrats on the SD.

[haymakeragain]

29. Hooray for Hillobeans!!! HOORAY!!!

Hooray!!!

[rodeodance]

30. The mature Obama fans just said congrats. without the name-calling.

[haymakeragain]

32. I'm immature.

Should I call my lawyer?

[rodeodance]

40. “We don’t want Obama. We want your mama,”

[haymakeragain]

43. People in hell want ice water, so soooory, she cannot win.

How again does she win? Can you please explain how she wins the nomination, specifically?

[rodeodance]

45. ~~DENVER ~~~

[haymakeragain]

47. What, you gonna shoot him in Denver? What do you mean?

Spell it out. You Hillarians are afraid to own up to the fact that you gotta steal this on a low level not seen ever before. How you gonna do it exactly?

[rodeodance]

84. Stop the VIOLENT posts!

[PBS Poll-435]

33. Wow....with a week to go....

We might be able to squeek out a victory in NC!

[rodeodance]

35. keep your digits crossed

[PBS Poll-435]

36. But how I will I dial at the phone bank?

:P

[rodeodance]

39. silly me. Glad you are doing that work . I did some this weekend also. Go HILLARY

[haymakeragain]

41. Are you gonna get 70%?

That's what you need from here on out.

[PBS Poll-435]

42. Thanks for the reminder!

All eyes on Guam!

[haymakeragain]

44. Can she even get 70% of Guam?

Is she gonna get what she needs to win anywhere, or is this all for show?

[PBS Poll-435]

48. I think KY or WV will be close to 70%.

They haven't gone Democrat since Bill won those states in the GE.

[haymakeragain]

53. You better hope it's more thank "I think", it's gotta be "for certain"

She needs 70% of every remaining state to get even. Is she gonna get it or not? If not, how is she gonna get the nomination exactly?

[PBS Poll-435]

56. The same way Obama would...

(That is...before today... :rofl:)

A combination of pledged delgates & super-delegates.

How did Obama plan to win without the 2025 needed?, (before today, of course! :rofl:)

[haymakeragain]

58. He'll leave the last primary up 125,

the rest will be in the bag long before Denver. Hillarious is done, unless you can tell me how she does it?

[PBS Poll-435]

64. The same way he would....by adding super-delegates to his earned(pledged) delegates.

Assume Hillary has the popular vote lead going into June.

Lets say by 350,000-400,000.

She is leading nearly every poll by a dramatic margin against McPlane.

You think they would give it to Obama?

Not This Time...

[dbmk]

97. In all fairness 65% will be enough in Guam to get 75% of the delegates.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/dbmk

[rodeodance]

49. The obama fans are running scared last few days

[PBS Poll-435]

51. I know. The tone has definitely changed

Much more "bitter."

[haymakeragain]

55. I got your bitter,

danglin'.

[PBS Poll-435]

57. I am afraid I am going to need a translation on that....

Thanks in advance!

[haymakeragain]

62. You want bitter,

I got danglin' bitter.

[PBS Poll-435]

67. That really is no help.

Try it with fewer apostrophes...

[haymakeragain]

54. Scared of Hillarious and the whining Hillarians?

Doubt that.

[mckeown1128]

34. Great... now when Hillary loses it will be an upset. :) NT

[rodeodance]

38. drop the spinning. your posts are boring

[mckeown1128]

60. Hey... I beat my own drum...

you may think my posts are boring...but I find them entertaining... and that is all that matters. :)

[GoldieAZ49]

46. Sweet! Congrats Hillary!

:toast:

[hannybal]

50. Overrated endorsement

Remember that endorsement don't have as much impact as we think. Kennedy and Kerry endorsed Obama in Massachusetts yet Clinton won there.

[PBS Poll-435]

52. One of the top 5 endorsements going into NC...

It isn't Gore or Edwards, but this will do, for sure!

[tnlefty]

61. The top picture is a very good one of her.

n/t

[rodeodance]

85. it's one of my favorites. thanks

[BlueIdaho]

63. Gov. Easley goes job hunting at the Clinton Jobfair.

Unfortunately he will discover they're all minimum wage jobs.

[PBS Poll-435]

69. If you get paid at all, right?

Sucks to be a Obama groupie today...

:P

[rg302200]

74. Why's that?

We also picked up a SD in Sen. Bingaman...see its your tone that drove me from being a staunch Hillary supporter to an Obama supporter. I dispise that woman with every fiber of my being and if the SD's take the nomination from Obama it will be a travesty on the same level as the 2000 election!

For shame on Hillary.......

[PBS Poll-435]

77. MY Tone?

My playful banter?

Is this your first trip to GDP?

[rg302200]

79. No not first visit

Been around since '04 just don't post much...sorry for the use of Tone, maybe banter should have been a better choice of words. But my point was the SD pick ups!

[PBS Poll-435]

80. I have also been around since 2004, and I think you would be very hard pressed

to find me ever saying anything negative about anyone.

It does happen sometimes, but usually just for a couple of days each month...

:P

[Raffi Ella]

65. YEAH!

K&R

[rodeodance]

82. love it

[Hoof Hearted]

66. Just when I thought this day couldn't get any better THANKS Rodeo! This is GREAT NEWS for the ~LADY~

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[rodeodance]

81. Twas a sweet day for Hillary.

[Stand and Fight]

68. Wonderful news and fantastic pictures! n/t

[Yossariant]

71. Excellent! She has really cut into Obama's lead, too. Great news.

:woohoo:

[JoFerret]

72. That's nice

Good

[Thrill]

73. Thats a good endorsement. But its not likely to help much

Now if she were to get Governor Hunt's endorsement. Easley is a conservative governor. Who won't help much with the Liberals here.

[annie1]

75. woot! I read that he asked both of them to talk to him about education....

so that was an easy pick up for hil. Right on. :D. THis is one of the reasons she is my pick too. Education is one of the biggest issues for me, as you can see by my sig.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

78. MyOMy and what I hear here is NC was Obama country....SWEET

[JeanGrey]

83. It won't help in that state at all.

[Beacool]

86. Wonderful!!!!!!!!!!

If he can deliver half as well as Rendell did in PA, Hillary might do well in NC.

[Marie26]

88. Big endorsement

Elizabeth Edwards too. Now if John Edwards would just endorse...

[Maribelle]

89. A bad bad day for Obama. Truly a downward plunge.

:applause:

[SeaLyons]

92. K&R

Great endorsement.

Go Hillary!!

[Jamastiene]

93. Thank you, Gov. Easley.

I'm glad I voted for him.

[futureliveshere]

96. Good for her.. But Not so Good for him.... NC is Obama country.

But this will certainly help reduce the margin. After all, the state machinery is with the governor. Congrats HRC.

[marions ghost]

98. Mike Sleezeley

a throwback Dino ending his term votes for the status quo. :boring: