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May 2008
A look back at Scott McClellan’s time as the White House press secretary
In honor of former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan’s new book, “What Happened,” TPMtv has compiled video highlights (actually, they refer to them as “lowlights”) of his time working for the government:
McClellan’s “What Happened,” if you haven’t heard, is highly critical of the Bush administration.
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Pitt County preparing for second primary
Pitt County elections officials are gearing up for the county’s second primary June 24.
Each of the county’s 38 precincts and the Elections Annex will be open that day from 6:30 a.m-7:30 p.m.
There are two races appearing on the ballot in Pitt County, Dave Davis, interim director of the Board of Elections, said. Voters can cast their ballot in the Democratic race between Mary Fant Donnan and John C. Brooks for the N.C. Commissioner of Labor and the N.C. Senate District 5 race between Kathy Taft and Don Davis.
In addition to the June 24 primary, One-Stop Early Voting will be held June 5-21 at the Pitt County Agricultural Center, 403 Government Circle. The polls are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., and June 21 from 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Only voters who are registered as Democrat or those unaffiliated will be eligible to vote in the second primary. Of the unaffiliated voters, only those who either voted as a Democrat or did not vote in the first primary and now wish to vote as a Democrat in the second will be eligible to vote.
Only voters residing in Senate District 5 will be eligible to cast their vote for the Senate District 5 race. Any voter who is unsure what district they reside in can contact the Pitt County Board of Elections at (252) 902-3300.
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Political roundup: May 27
McCain vs. protester
John McCain was interrupted by a protester today during his speech in Denver.
McCain had been talking about potential threats on the world when he was disrupted, but his supporters began chanting, “John Mc-Cain,” to drown out the interruption.
“This may turn in to a longer speech than you had anticipated,” McCain joked after thanking supporters. Than on a serious note: “And by the way, I will never surrender in Iraq, my friends. I will never surrender in Iraq.”
Bill asks ‘why?’
Bill Clinton questioned the reasoning of people who are calling for his wife to quit the race to the White House today, saying that he could not remember any other candidate who had ever been asked to quit so early.
He added that she may still have a chance to win if she does well in the remaining primaries, and the Florida and Michigan votes are counted.
However, Rep. Jane Harman, (D) Calif., told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that she thought the race was about to end.
“This campaign needs, in my opinion, to be over very soon. I think it will be,” Harman said. “Obama clearly has the momentum. I am a proud Hillary delegate, but I predict the race will be over soon.”
Ron Paul talks revolution
On May 23, Ron Paul stopped by San Diego City Hall around Noon to discuss a revolution with supporters.
“It’s a lot more than about me,” Paul said. “It’s the message.”
He continued to say that as they transition past the primaries, they shouldn’t think of it as an ending.
“This can continue to expand,” Paul said. “We can build a firm committee of true believers in the revolution and this could be much bigger than even the campaign was. …The time is right and there’s something big going on in this country.”
Paul later told a reporter that he did not plan on running for president in a third party after the Republican Convention.
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McCain on SNL
OK, it’s been almost a week, but here are some clips on John McCain on Saturday Night Live May 17:
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Clinton appologizes for Kennedy remark
Hillary Clinton quickly apologized for remarks she made today that seemingly linked this year’s fight for the democratic nomination to Bobby Kennedy’s.
“My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. You know I just, I don’t understand it,” she said earlier today.
She later said she did not mean to offend anyone.
“I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation and in particular the Kennedy family was in any way offensive,” she said. “I certainly had no intention of that whatsoever.”
Click here to read an article about this from The Associated Press and to read more of the apology.
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McCain discounts Obama
Today while speaking in front of supporters, John McCain said he “admired and respected” Obama. But it wasn’t a sincere compliment.
“For a young man with very little experience, he’s done very well,” McCain said.
Check out this clip from MSNBC:
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McCain, Obama trade blows
Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama have heated up their campaigns by attacking one another on foreign policy:
—From TPMtv
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Clinton calls for Fla., Mich. votes to be counted
Hillary Clinton sent a new e-mail out today asking voters to help convince the Democratic National Committee to count the votes from the Michigan and Florida primaries.
“Millions of voters in Florida and Michigan are depending on you to help make sure they have a voice in this race,” Clinton says. “Will you stand up for them today?”
The DNC’s Rules and Bylaws Committee is meeting May 31 to make a decision about the currently uncounted votes.
“Now I need you to urge the DNC to make the right decision on May 31,” the e-mail continues. “I need you to remind them that in the Democratic Party, we count every vote.”
Click here to send a message to the DNC through Clinton’s Web site.
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Obama responds to Bush, McCain comments
While at a town hall meeting in Watertown, S.D., Barack Obama responded to comments made by President Bush yesterday in Israel, as well as some similar remarks from John McCain concerning foreign policy.
“I want to be perfectly clear with George Bush and John McCain and with the people of South Dakota,” Obama said. “If George Bush and John McCain want to have a debate about protecting the United States of America, that is a debate that I am happy to have any time, any place, and that is a debate that I will win because George Bush and John McCain have a lot to answer for.”
Here’s a video of his response:
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Edwards endorses Obama
After lots of waiting and debating, Sen. John Edwards announced his support for Barack Obama yesterday.
Here’s a short video, from Edwards:
On the way to Grand Rapids, Mich. to make the announcement, the Obama campaign sent out a message to supporters:
“I’m deeply honored by John’s support. He is a true leader who dedicated his career to improving the lives of ordinary Americans.
“John ran a strong, principled campaign for president, focusing on a number of important issues where we share common ground — universal health care, bringing our troops home from Iraq, and eliminating poverty in America.
“The way he ran his campaign was also important. He ran in a way that reflected our shared conviction that we need to fundamentally change politics.”
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McCain store goes green
John McCain’s online store has added a new department: McCain Eco-Friendly Items.
The new section offers shirts made from biodegradable fabric, organic cotton hats and shopping bags, and travel mugs and notebooks made from recycled materials. (The onesies are adorable.)
“Our campaign believes we can each do our part to protect the environment,” said campaign manager Rick Davis in an e-mail. “… Please take the time today to visit the campaign’s official store to purchase your eco-friendly McCain gear and encourage your friends, family and colleagues to do the same.”
While at the store, you can also follow a link to read more about McCain’s plan to combat climate change.
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Clinton’s message to supporters
After winning the primary in West Virginia, Hillary Clinton has sent a mass e-mail out to her supporters, reminding us all that she has no intentions of quitting this race until it is finished:
“After tonight’s tremendous victory here in West Virginia, it’s clear that the pundits declaring this race over have it all wrong. The voters in West Virginia spoke loud and clear — they want this contest to go on.
“I’m listening to the voters — and to you.
“With your help, I’m going to carry the energy of tonight’s victory into the next contests in Kentucky and Oregon. And just as always, I’ll be depending on you to share every step of this journey with me. You have worked your heart out, put yourself on the line for what you believe in, and given generously. And I’m not about to turn my back on you.
“We’ve proved conventional wisdom wrong time and again in this race. We did it again tonight in West Virginia. Let’s keep going.
“Thank you.”
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The Bush-McCain Challenge
MoveOn.org has created a new trivia game on their Web site that compares President Bush’s policies and quotes with those of John McCain. If you choose enough correct answers, you get to play the special “carrot” round.
Warning: This game may anger McCain supporters.
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Johnny’s mom
John McCain posted a special message with his mom, Roberta, in honor of Mother’s Day this Sunday. The most memorable quote comes from Roberta, as she talks about the day he was born and the 27 bottles of scotch they received.
“Well, you might as well enjoy it!” Roberta says.
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Three new faces on school board
Victories by Benjie Forrest, Mary Blount Williams and Jennifer Little will put three new faces on the Pitt County Board of Education.
Forrest will take the open seat held by Delano Wilson, who did not seek re-election. Williams defeated incumbent Sydney Scott of Belvoir, and Little defeated incumbent Betsy Leech of Greenville.
Forrest defeated Leon Johnson in the District 6B race. Forrest received 3,162 votes, according to unofficial results from the N.C. Board of Elections. Johnson got 1,448 votes.
Forrest could not be reached for comment Tuesday, but he recently said his priorities include improving student achievement and reducing the drop-out rate in Pitt County.
Mary Blount-Williams received 2,112 votes to unseat Scott, who received 1,838 votes, in District 2B.
“I have worked hard with all the schools, with the parents and the administrators to get things done across the county,” Blount-Williams said.
“I am looking forward to bridging the community together along with the Pitt County school board.”
Williams recently served as the president of the Pitt County PTA Council.
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Little defeats incumbent Leech on school board
Jennifer Little defeated incumbent Betsy Leech in the school board race for District 5B.
Little defeated Leech by 731 votes. Little received 3,106 votes and Leech received 2,375, according to unofficial results. A third candidate, Sean Kenny, received 719 votes.
“I am excited about winning,” Little said.
“I am excited about diving in soon to get busy for the kids and make a difference.”
Little said that the 2005 redistricting decision by the school board helped her candidacy.
“I think people are ready for a change,” she said.
Little said one of her priorities is to fix the problems associated with school assignment and reduce the size and term limits of the school board. The board currently has 12 members who served six-year terms.
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Owens re-elected to school board
Pitt County Board of Education chairman Barbara Owens was overwhelmingly re-elected to her seat.
Owens received 3,749 votes, according to unofficial results. Corey Rhodes received 1,188 votes and Michael Gillin received 584 votes.
“I am just delighted to have the opportunity to serve again,” Owens said.
“When I was out today seeing lots of people go to the polls, I was just hoping they were voting for me.”
Owens is the wife of Pitt County Board of Commissioners chairman Mark Owens.
Owens received 67 percent of the vote in her district to defeat her two challengers.
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Camnitz earns third term
Jill Camnitz will return for her third term on the Pitt County school board after defeating former school board member, Walter Gaskins.
“I feel great,” Camnitz said.
“Having served on the board for 12 years, I see it as an affirmation of what I’ve been doing.”
She served as the chairman of the school board in 2003-04.
Camnitz received 2,894 votes, according to unofficial results. Gaskins received 1,810 votes.
Camnitz said she looks forward to continuing to work for her priorities in the district that include improving student performance and making responsible fiscal decisions.
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Totals are in with all precincts reporting
Local results are in: Barack Obama takes Pitt County with 60 percent of the vote in unofficial polling. He was winning the state as well in unofficial totals.
Beverly Perdue also won Pitt County in the Democratic race for governor with 57 percent of the vote. Perdue was leading statewide.
In County Commissioner Dist. A: Incumbent Melvin McLawhorn , 4,753; Reginald Walton 1,924 with 16 of 16 precincts reporting.
School Board 1B: Clifton Hickman 1,268; incumbent Ralph Love 1,911 with 10 of 10 precincts reporting.
School Board 2B: Mary Williams, 2,112; incumbent Sydney Scott 1,838, with 8 of 8 precincts reporting.
School Board 3B: Incumbent Jill Camnitz 2,894; Walter Gaskins 1,810, with 10 of 10 precincts reporting.
School Board 4B: Michael Gillin 584; incumbent Barbara Owens 3,749; Corey Rhodes 1,188, with 10 of 10 precincts reporting.
School Board 5B: Sean Kenny 719; incumbent Betsy Leech 2,375; Jennifer Little 3,106, with 10 of 10 precincts reporting.
School Board 6B: Benjie Forrest 3,162; Johnson 1,448 with 10 of 10 precincts reporting.
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Davis leading in Senate 5; Taft close behind
Don Davis is the front runner in the state Senate District 5 race with nearly all of Pitt and Wayne county precincts reporting. His home county, Greene, still hadn’t reported its results.
At 9:45 p.m., Davis was leading with 32 percent of the vote, closely followed by Kathy Taft, who had 26 percent of the votes.
Ed Wilson had a slight edge over Tony Moore with 13.46 percent and 13.19 percent of the vote, respectively.
Chuck Stone and Charles Johnson rounded out the ballot with 9.43 percent and 5.38 percent of the vote, respectively.
State law says if the winning candidate doesn’t secure 40 percent of the votes cast, the second-place challenger can call for a second primary.
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Forrest wins Board of Education seat
Benjie Forrest won a seat on the Pitt County Board of Education as result totals began to filter in Tuesday night.
Forrest defeated Leon Johnson in the District 6B race. Forrest received 3,162 votes, according to unofficial results from the N.C. Board of Elections. Johnson got 1,448 votes.
Forrest will fill the seat that will be left vacant on the school board by Delano Wilson, who choose not to run for re-election this year.
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McLawhorn wins District A
Pitt County Commissioner Melvin McLawhorn has earned a convincing victory in the District A commissioner’s race.
The incumbent captured 71 percent of the votes to emerge over challenger Reginald Walton.
McLawhorn won 14 of the 16 precincts in District A, and finished with 4,753 of the 6,677 total votes in the district. The duo tied in Greenville Precinct 8B, and Walton won Greenville Precinct 7B.
McLawhorn did not return phone calls seeking comment Tuesday night.
Currently serving as the vice chairman for the county’s Board of Commissioners, McLawhorn, 59, is one of three commissioners who represent a combined district. Combined districts encompass two of the county’s single election districts. District A is a combination of Districts 1 and 2.
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Early results trickling in
The polls for the North Carolina Primary have closed, and the results are slowly being revealed.
With two of Pitt County’s 38 precincts reporting and the early voting results tallied, more than 11,000 ballots have been recorded.
Some candidates are already distancing themselves from their opponent.
Visit reflector.com for full county and state results.
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Deadline for voting looms
The 7:30 p.m. deadline for voting in today’s primary is less than an hour away, and officials are preparing for a wave of results.
In a new twist this year, Dave Davis, interim director of the Pitt County Board of Elections, said counties are required to send their results directly to the State Board of Elections.
The mandate is intended to make every county equal in their ability to release results to the public, he said.
In the past, Pitt County has published results via its Web site on election night.
“The state took away our old software that we used to manually enter in the results and print them out,” Davis said. “Now we upload the information directly to the State Board of Elections Web site.”
The Daily Reflector will provide local results on www.reflector.com as part of its primary election coverage. People who access the Web site can view the results county and statewide.
Davis said he has been assured by state officials the new system will work without any problems.
“They have told us that it is supposed to be able to handle it, but we shall see,” Davis said. “Of course, as a last resort you can always come to the office at the end of the night. We will post them on the door before we head home.”
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Notes from Precinct 11A
Diane Davis stood in the hot sun to electioneer for her nephew, Snow Hill Mayor Don Davis, who is running for N.C. Senate District 5.
She asked nearly everyone who walked by at the Greenville 11A polling place at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Martinsborough Road to consider voting for Davis in the Democratic Primary.
As Davis’ campaign manager, she spent the morning at the University Church of Christ before moving to the Martinsborough Road location.
She said that the national interest in the race between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton is driving Democrats to the polls.
“Being that North Carolina has a say-so in the presidential election, I would say that there are more Democrats out today,” she said.
“I know households that are split down the middle between Hillary and Obama.”
Machine setback Officials in 11A had to deal with a setback with the voting machine.
The machine that counts the votes after voters fill out the bubble sheet had trouble with a memory card this morning, said Tom Best, election official at the site.
Officials had to bring in a new card to fix the problem. Election judges from the three parties were brought in to witness the ballots being fed into the machine after they had been stored until the machine was operational.
The site had seen nearly 600 voters by 3 p.m. There were 400 early voters from that precinct, Best said.
Best is expecting to see about 800 voters come through today.
“We are tracking right along, not forming lines and everything is going smoothly,” he said.
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School board race drives Greenville couple
The Pitt County Board of Education election was the primary race driving Drock Vincent and his wife, Julie, to the polls.
The couple voted at 3:30 p.m. at the Greenville 11A polling place at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Martinsborough Road.
The have two small children who will be in the school system soon. They both attended Pitt County Schools as children.
“People are saying there is a need for change in the national election, but after the past three years of chaos on the school board, good tax-paying people are choosing to send their children to private schools,” Drock Vincent said.
“It may not be the reality of the school board, but it is the perception,” he said. “You can be sure we did not vote for anyone who is on the board.”
The Vincents are Republicans and said they do not have a dog in the fight when it comes to Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
“There are a lot of eyes on the national election, but we also need to pay attention to our city,” Julie Vincent said.
The Vincents live in the Bedford community with their two-year-old and four-year-old children.
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Pitt’s voter turnout reaches 25 percent
Pitt County election officials say the county’s voter turnout has reached 25 percent, the largest total since 2000.
More than 14,300 people have cast votes today, Dave Davis, interim director of the county’s Board of Elections, said, adding that the inclusion of One-Stop voters brought the countywide total to 23,483 when precincts reported at 3 p.m.
“We have more than doubled our turnout since the precincts reported this morning,” Davis said. “This is kind of what we were expecting. I know we have had bigger primary elections in the past, but this is already bigger than anything we’ve had in a long, long time.”
Davis said today’s total is already the largest for a primary since 2000, which is the oldest data immediately available to him.
The largest turnout was reported at Greenville’s No. 4 Precinct at Selvia Chapel Free Will Baptist Church, which Davis says is the county’s largest. Nearly 630 people had voted there.
Other large turnouts were at Winterville’s Central B Precinct (613), and Greenville Precincts No. 9 (600) and No. 11A (605).
The smallest turnouts have been at Precinct 1301 in Swift Creek and Greenville Precinct 7B at Elm Street Gym. Swift Creek had seen 133 people cast votes, while 145 people had voted at Elm Street.
“Our turnout is mostly East Carolina students, and I think a lot of them have gone home,” Barbara Brown, Greenville Precinct 7B chief judge, said. “It has been sort of slow because of that.”
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Illegal sample ballots distributed
The Pitt County Board of Elections has received a pair of complaints about illegal sample ballots being distributed today outside of polling places.
Dave Davis, interim board director, said two people have brought sample ballots which do not comply with state regulations to his office today. The ballots were handed out by campaigners at Greenville’s Elm Street poll and a Farmville polling location, Davis said.
The ballots, which provide voters with recommendations for various races, must include a notice for the campaign sponsoring them, Davis said. The examples brought to the board did not comply with state regulations, he said.
Davis said he had been contacted by one of the candidates who had representatives distributing the ballots. Don Davis, a District 5 Senate candidate, said he was not aware of the rules, and told the board director he would advise his workers to add the proper notification to each ballot.
Dave Davis said he did not want to speculate on the other candidates distributing the ballots, although he has an idea who they are.
“It’s just one of the things we have to watch for on election day,” Dave Davis said. “But there is really not a lot we can do about it except advise the candidates or their representatives of the rules again.”
Dave Davis said any sample ballots he obtains will be handed over to state election officials, who are the only ones with the authority to penalize candidates.
“As long as the people are outside of the 50-foot buffer zone we have for electioneering, there isn’t much we can do,” Davis said. “If the people who receive the ballots want to give them to us, then we can send them to the state and they can do what they feel is appropriate.”
The two people who brought in sample ballots earlier today declined to leave them, Davis said.
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Republicans scarce during today’s election
Republican voters have been tough to find during today’s primary, but those who have cast a ballot say it is the governor’s race that is peaking their interest.
Many of the voters approached outside of polling locations today have said they voted on a Democratic ticket, but a few Republicans are doing their civic duty.
Ryan Glover, a 25-year-old Republican, said he wanted to do his part in getting Fred Smith the GOP’s nomination for North Carolina’s gubernatorial race.
“I read Fred Smith’s book, and I really liked his philosophy,” Glover said. “He seemed like the right candidate for me.”
“This is mainly about exercising my right to vote,” Glover added.
Republican Barbara Venters said she also voted for Smith, although she isn’t sure about how effective any of the candidates will be.
“I’m not too excited about any of the choices, but I tried to do the best I could,” said Venters, who added that she also liked Smith’s book titled “A Little Extra Effort.”
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Steady turnout reported statewide
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina’s time to speak out in the historic race for the White House arrived Tuesday as voters steadily cast ballots for the presidential nomination, a race that overshadowed primaries for governor, Senate and statewide office.
In interviews at a handful of North Carolina’s nearly 4,000 polling places, voters often cited the economy and the war in Iraq as the top issues on their mind.
“I’m interested in a change, because of high prices, the boys overseas,” said Christine Hines, 84, as she walked out of Pearsontown Elementary School in Durham. She and friend Vivian Samuel, 78, both voted for Barack Obama in the Democratic presidential primary.
They arrived as Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue greeted a steady stream of voters at the school. She and fellow Democratic gubernatorial candidate Richard Moore, the state treasurer, worked the polls Tuesday morning to catch up with any last undecided voters.
“We have run a good campaign. We have worked hard to get our message out across North Carolina,” Moore said outside the polling station at Pullen Arts Center near N.C. State University. “It’s really … in the hands of the voters.”
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Card errors affecting Pitt County
Pitt County elections officials say they are not immune to a statewide problem with the cards which retain information from voting machines.
Dave Davis, interim director of the county’s Board of Elections, said four precincts have reported issues with the cards, but a backup system is proving to be effective.
“We’ve had some issues with them,” Davis said. “We’re getting card error messages on the machines when the chief judge puts the card in. It has been an issue all over the state.”
Davis said state elections officials are aware of the problem, but the only solution is storing the ballots until a replacement card can be located.
If an official has a defective card, they are required to place ballots into another slot on the machine for storage until a replacement card arrives.
Once a replacement card is located, the chief judge and another official enter the ballots, Davis said. The numbers are checked later by county officials to ensure they match up with the number of people who signed in.
“Everyone needs to know that if they cast a ballot in Pitt County, it will be counted,” Davis said. “This is just a little hiccup.”
Election officials and a representative from PrintElect, which manufactures the machines, will be checking in at polling locations throughout the day to ensure things are running smoothly, Davis said.
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Voter turnout steady so far
The turnout for today’s primary election has been pretty steady so far, an official with the Pitt County Board of Elections said.
Dave Davis, interim board director, said nearly 6,300 voters have cast a ballot this morning with 37 of the county’s 39 precincts reporting.
The turnout, which Davis says is approximately 7 percent of registered voters, has come with little waiting at most locations.
“We haven’t really had any long lines that I’m aware of, and things have been pretty steady,” Davis said. “It has been kind of what we expected so far.”
The Winterville Central B Precinct and Greenville’s 1503 Precinct have not reported yet, Davis said.
With the nearly 9,000 voters who cast early ballots included, Pitt County has seen about a 16 percent turnout so far, according to Davis, who says most voters are expected after 5 p.m. today.
Davis said more than 55,000 voters turned out during the last presidential election. While he doesn’t expect today’s numbers to get that high, he is thinking it may be close.
“We still have a big day ahead of us so we’ll see what happens,” Davis said.
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Presidential race on voters’ minds
The race for the Democratic presidential nomination was on many voters’ minds this morning as they cast ballots in the North Carolina Primary Election.
John Kondracki and his wife, Agnes, each said they voted for Sen. Hillary Clinton as they exited the polling location for Precinct 1506 at First Pentecostal Holiness Church.
Agnes, 82, said she has been a supporter of Clinton for many years.
“I have not known her personally, but I have followed her,” Agnes said. “She tries to help the poor. She tries to do what is right for the children, and she has experience.”
John Kondracki said he is skeptical of Clinton’s rival for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Barack Obama.
“I’ve heard a lot of things about him, and I believe he is a Muslim,” Kondracki said. “I don’t think he can be trusted. All of the youngsters don’t really know what they are doing, and they are voting for him. I guess it’s because he looks younger, and they like that.”
One younger voter who chose Obama today was Nequilla Greene, a 21-year-old East Carolina student from Raleigh.
“That was the reason I came out today,” Greene said at the Elm Street Gym poll for Precinct 1507B. “I wanted to vote for Barack. I think he will make a difference in our country.”
Greene cited the ongoing war and high gas prices as the issues which concern her most.
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Primary voting begins across county, state
North Carolina’s pivotal primary day arrived today as voters in Pitt County and across the state prepared to cast crucial ballots that could sway a historic race for the White House and equally competitive campaigns for the Executive Mansion.
Voters began to trickle in early this morning at several polling places around Greenville but no lines were reported at Winterville and Greenville precincts located at New Destiny Pentecostal, Hooker Memorial, Elm Street Gym and the Willis Building.
Even before the opening of polls at 6:30 a.m., the most significant primary in at least two decades has already brought signs of record turnout. Nearly half a million people had already cast early and absentee ballots as of Monday — more than half the total number of voters statewide who cast a ballot during the 2004 primary.
Pitt County voting was completed when the last ballots were cast between 3:30 and 4 p.m. Saturday. A total of 8,515 votes were cast at three polling locations.
“I can’t remember a primary that had this much excitement,” said Gary Bartlett, director of the State Board of Elections. “It’s truly fun to be part of making history, and I hope that this encourages voters to participate in all primary elections.”
The boon at the ballot box appears to hold the biggest sway over the Democratic races, including the top-ballot match between presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Bartlett said 85 percent of unaffiliated voters were choosing the Democratic ballot.
Lower down, the Democratic ballot also features the heated gubernatorial race between Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue and State Treasurer Richard Moore, who have been locked in a multimillion-dollar campaign for months.
On the Republican side, an equally narrow race for governor has placed Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory and state Sen. Fred Smith in a competition that’s too close to call.
Elsewhere on the statewide ballot, Tuesday’s primary will select a Democrat who will likely challenge Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole in the November election.
The two leading candidates in that race, state Sen. Kay Hagan and Chapel Hill entrepreneur Jim Neal, are strikingly different, but both are ending their campaigns with nearly identical schedules, with stops in Charlotte throughout the morning. Each planned to greet voters at Greenville Memorial AME Zion Church, with scheduled stops separated by only an hour.
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Clinton tells crowd she’s the woman
Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton spoke to about 500 people at Pitt Community College on Monday, telling the crowd she’s the best choice for the office.
The crowd cheered the candidate with chants of “Hillary, Hillary, Hillary,” as she stopped at the college for a final primary push. She was introduced by Gov. Mike Easley about 9 a.m.
“My husband, my daughter and I are all having the best time campaigning across North Carolina,” Clinton said, thanking the audience for gathering on short notice. The campaign announced the appearance late Saturday.
“You obviously care enough about the decision you have to make tomorrow to come out here,” Clinton said.
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When questioned, about one-third of the audience indicated they had participated in early voting.
Clinton re-emphasized her intentions to help create new jobs, renegotiate NAFTA and open the federal health care system so that all Americans can have access to health care and insurance.
She also promised to start bringing troops home from Iraq within 60 days of her inauguration.
She asked the crowd to think about what the next president will be facing, ticking off issues such as high gas prices, home foreclosures, jobs shipped over seas and the Iraq war.
“The problems facing the next president are going to be enormous,” but her experience and ability make here the best candidate for the job, she said.
Voters go to the polls today, and many will be voting in the Democratic primary between Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.
Obama visited Greenville last month, speaking to a crowd of 8,000 at East Carolina University.
Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, also visited the Greenville area, speaking to about 1,200 people at South Central High School Early in April.
About 500 people gathered at PCC’s Coburn Center this morning to see Hillary Clinton.
The visit coincided with final exams at the college, preventing many students from attending the event, said PCC President Dennis Massey.
There were student supporters of Clinton in the audience along with a smattering a faculty from PCC and ECU.
They listened intently while Clinton discussed her plans for supporting all levels of education.
She promised to increase investments in community colleges, along with ensuring community college students would have equal assess to Pell Grants as four-year college students. She promised to double college tax credits.
“Most importantly, we have to stop the middle man (private college loan businesses) from charging these outrageous interest rates,” she said.
Clinton said receiving federally funded, low-interest college loans allowed her to work for the Children’s Defense Fund, a nonprofit organization, after graduating from law school.
She also promised to emphasize funding early childhood education programs over No Child Left Behind.
Clinton also talked about improving the nation’s economy, referencing the achievements of her husband’s administration.
“I’m very proud of my husband’s economic record,” she said. “It wasn’t just the well-to-do that was doing better, everyone was doing better.”
The federal budget was balanced and the budget deficit was being reduced, she said.
“It’s a tragedy that we are now dependent on foreign oil and foreign money. But every single day, thanks to George Bush, who inherited a balanced budget and a surplus and literally threw it away, we have to hope that people in Beijing and Seoul and Tokyo … everywhere in the world give up and say, ‘Oh, we’ll just keep buying their debt.’ We were on the way to being out of debt when Bill left office.”
She promised new jobs through new energy investments.
“North Carolina can be a leader in taking what they grow and turning it into energy,” she said.
She pledged a $10,000 tax credit for people buying hybrid cars.
“The wealthy and well-connected have had their president,” Clinton said. “It’s now time for the rest of American to have theirs.”
ECU student Dana Hughes and friend Daniel Orton cheered her message.
“My aunt loves her. I love her. I’ve been pushing her since she ran for Senate,” Hughes said. “She’s for the things I’m for.”
Orton called himself a “conscientous objector” in the Democratic presidential primary, saying he liked both Clinton and Obama.
Orton, who is gay, said he appreciated Clinton’s honesty when she said in an interview that no presidential candidate could openly support gay marriage and hope to be elected.
Hughes said she would push her friend to support Clinton.
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Enthusiasm builds at Clinton event
Pitt County Commissioner Beth Ward fired up the audience as numbers began to rise before the arrival Monday of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
“Is this a great day to be in eastern North Carolina,” Ward asked at Pitt Community College’s Coburn Center, where Clinton was making a stop in advance of Tuesday’s primary.
“There is nothing finer than to be in eastern North Carolina this morning,” said Ward.
She, PCC president Dennis Massey and PCC students thanked the crowd for passing a local half-cent sales tax last year to fund construction at the college and other county schools.
“We are part of history in this country and this state. We have an opportunity in this state for the first time since I voted,” Ward said. “For the first time we in North Carolina are going to make a difference tommorrow.”
Clinton supporter Tom Taft also spoke, Volunteers later came on stage and began throwing T-shirts in the crowd and enthusiasm began to build. Some in the crowd put on the shirts they caught.
Gov. Mike Easley was due on stage to introduce Clinton.
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Clinton crowd begins to gather
Several hundred people have begun to fill Pitt Community College’s Coburn Center to see presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton, according to reports from the event.
The campaign said it was expecting about 1,500 people but at 8 a.m. plenty of space remained in the facility, located in the Ed and Joan Warren Building on Reedy Branch Road.
Clinton is expected to speak at 8:45 a.m. and was running on time, campaign officials said. Gov. Mike Easley also is expected to speak during the event.
Mary and Michael George arrived early and were rewarded with third-row seats on the floor of the gymnasium.
They were visiting their daughter in Greenville from Atlanta, Ga., and had not had a chance to see clinton yet.
“I have followed her career. I think she is wonderful and is as smart as they come,” Mary George said.
Being from Georgia, the couple won’t get to vote in Tuesday’s North Carolina primary. But Clinton gets their support, anyway, they said.
Traffic around the college was manageable early this morning and and parking still was available at 8 a.m.
Check back here later for more details.
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Clinton supporters get out word about Monday stop
Presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton’s Greenville office has become a non-stop flurry of activity in advance of her visit Monday.
Staffers print fliers, grab yard signs and send e-mails. And you can’t take a step in any direction without hearing a familiar refrain spoken into cell phones: “I’m a volunteer for Hillary Clinton’s campaign … Can we count on your support?”
“The goal is to have everybody in Pitt County called today,” said Amanda Hodges, who just recently began volunteering.
Clinton will visit Pitt Community College at 8:15 a.m. in the college’s Coburn Center, which is located in the Ed and Joan Warren Building on Reedy Branch Road. Doors Open at 6:30 a.m.
Supporters snapped into action, alerting the community of her impending arrival — not that they weren’t busy to begin with.
“All of my free time I’m plugging in here,” said Hodges, an East Carolina University employee and alum. “I’m at work during the daytime, but from five to nine, I’ll be here in the office. Tonight probably later.”
The office stilled for a short break Sunday afternoon to hear from former President of Rock the Vote Jehmu Greene and Rodney Slater, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Bill Clinton. Each lauded the group’s hard work and willingness to sacrifice their time.
“You must be doing something right because they’re sending in the big dogs now,” Greene said.
Slater offered his congratulations but also urged them to push on.
“We’re going to have to go up to that last moment,” he said. “It’s going to take that kind of effort … All that you’re doing today, the last final details, are very, very, very critical.” Today will be another full day for campaigners, but they’re all looking forward to hearing Sen. Clinton speak.
“We had been hoping she’d come but by this point didn’t think it was going to happen,” said ECU graduate student Lemuel Stanley, whose been volunteering for a month. “We heard [Saturday] and were jittery until two or three a.m. I’m not sure what time we went to bed.”
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Clinton to visit PCC Monday
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton will visit Pitt Community College at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, according to her campaign and the college.
Sen. Clinton will make a public address at PCC’s Minges-Overton Baseball Complex, weather permitting.
In the event of rain, she will make her presentation in the college’s Coburn Center, which is located in the Ed and Joan Warren Building on Reedy Branch Road.
Sunday, in advance of the visit, Jehmu Greene, former president of Rock the Vote, and Rodney Slater, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation under President Bill Clinton, held a canvass kickoff at the Greenville for Hillary Headquarters.
The event was at 1:30 p.m. at the campaign office at 2502 S. Charles Blvd.
Due to public safety and security issues surrounding Monday’s visit, a portion of Reedy Brand Road may be closed prior to and during Sen. Clinton’s PCC visit.
PCC Public Safety officers and other law enforcement officials will make every effort to assist students, faculty and staff trying to get to exams on time as well as guests who are trying to get to Clinton’s address on time, a college news release said.
PCC administrators recommend that Pitt faculty, staff and students enter campus from Memorial Drive on Monday morning.
PCC’s exam schedule will proceed as originally planned.
OBAMA DISPATCHES TROOPS
The campaign of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama on Monday will dispatch supporters to Greenville and elsewhere to campaign.
U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield will lead what the campaign is calling the Obama North Carolina Truth Squad on a 38 city tour. Times and locations for the visits were not announced.
Also coming to Greenville on behalf of Obama is former NAACP chief E Faye Williams, currently the the National Chair of the National Congress of Black Women.
Williams will be at the Obama Greenville office, 414 S Evans St. at 2 p.m.
She also is a former professor of international law at Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, La.
She previously served as legislative counsel and chief of staff for a District of Columbia council member.
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Clinton holds canvasses, BBQ this weekend
This weekend, the Greenville Clinton Campaign will hold canvasses on Saturday and Sunday to get out the vote for Hillary before the May 6 primary. On Saturday, canvassers will return from knocking on doors to join supporters and staff for a Get Out the Vote BBQ celebration. At 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Greenville for Hillary is having its canvass kickoff at the headquarters at 2502 S. Charles Blvd.; at 4 p.m. the Get Out the Vote BBQ begins at the same location; and at 1 p.m. Sunday, another canvass kickoff begins at the headquarters.
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Clinton in Kinston today
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will visit Kinston at 9 a.m. today as Tuesday’s showdown with Barack Obama nears.
Clinton will campaign at Harvey L. and Son - John Deere Sales and Service, 1291 U.S. 258 North.
It’s one of several stops planned in the state on Friday. She will host “Get Out The Vote” events in Hendersonville and Greensboro.
Later that day, she will deliver remarks at the North Carolina Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Raleigh followed by a “Get Out The Vote” event.
On Saturday, May 3, she will host rallies in Wake Forest, Gastonia and Mooresville.
Later in the day she travels to Indianapolis, Ind., which also holds a Tuesday primary, for a campaign event and is joined by special guest John Mellencamp.