Clinton: Easley's endorsement 'politically very meaningful'

RALEIGH, N.C. — Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton characterized Gov. Mike Easley's endorsement of her Tuesday as "politically very meaningful."

Easley decided to endorse Clinton, lending his support to her underdog effort to beat Sen. Barack Obama in the state's May 6 primary.

"Hillary Clinton gets it. She gets it. It’s time for somebody to be in the White House who knows what challenges we face in this country," Easley said.

Before the announcement, Easley and Clinton walked around North Carolina State University.

"I think it's a tremendous boost to the campaign and its a reaffirmation of the momentum that we have in the state and a reaffirmation of Sen. Clinton's message and its importance ... to the people of North Carolina," Tom Hendrickson, an adviser to Clinton in North Carolina, told The Associated Press.

Easley is a Democratic super-delegate who has served as the state's governor for two terms. His decision came despite several polls showing the New York senator trails Obama in North Carolina as they compete for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Elon University Poll Director Hunter Bacot said the endorsement may help move Clinton's numbers a few percentage points, but will likely only serve to solidify support among conservative Democrats such as Easley.

"I think it will help her attract the type of voters she's been attracting throughout her campaign – usually the moderate to lower-income white vote, particularly in more rural areas," Bacot said. "She's been strong in that demographic throughout."

Like almost all the state's super-delegates, Easley had initially supported former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards during his second bid for the White House. He becomes just the second super-delegate from North Carolina to endorse Clinton, while six of the state's 17 super-delegates have pledged to support Obama.

While he is not a super-delegate, Edwards remains the biggest prize among North Carolina Democrats, Bacot said. Since leaving the race in January, Edwards has remained silent on which of his two former rivals he plans to support.

A former state attorney general, Easley has focused largely on education programs during his eight-year tenure. He's called on both of the presidential candidates to talk more about the issue.

"Gov. Easley understands that education and a good economy are intertwined, and he understands that more than anyone else in the country," Hendrickson said.

Two week ago, Easley wrote a note to Obama imploring the Illinois senator to take part in a debate that would have taken place Sunday in Raleigh. Obama declined, saying he wasn't sure it would fit with his schedule, and the state Democratic Party later abandoned the debate plans.

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BTW, I am a Christian American of A F ri can, white, French, Scottish, and NAtive American descent. But American born first.

RevD
April 30, 2008 6:55 p.m.

OhYea, gotta go now, but will return after 9:00 to take this up. I believe it is going somewhere.

RevD
April 30, 2008 6:42 p.m.

We have been controlled too long by the puppet masters behind the scenes who take our legitimate concerns and observations and turn them into fears to make us vote for them. I'm tired and the American people are tired of being pun ked by fear. We are a strong and powerful people, and together we can do anything. But i's gonna take all of us. That is why I can't go along with anyone who will divide us by race, party, class, or anything else. Hillary is doing everything she can to cast doubt and fear and uncertainty and negativity. The only thing I've heard from Obama is let's get together and PUSH. He expresses faith in the American people and their ability to change to get things done for the good of this nation. That resonates with me because I have faith in the American people and the God most of us believe in.

RevD
April 30, 2008 6:40 p.m.

OhYea, most of the stuff you see on posts, and even in the way many white working class Americans vote is because they are afraid of the unknown. Everybody knows that Hillary is a lying, shameless, politician who will say and do anything to get elected. Since we know her, we have a general sense of what she will do. This Obama fellow is unknown, so instead of looking for the good in what he says, we look for every reason not to trust him. We don't know him, so we try to gauge him by his church, his pastor, or anything else that will give us a level of comfort in dealing with him and helping us to make up our minds. But as a former officer in the military, if you make a decision based on fear instead of carefully thought out facts, and clear judgment, you mess up big time. Mess-ups to me mean body bags and coffins. I refuse to let any man control me with fear. I have not been given a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind. See next post...

RevD
April 30, 2008 6:19 p.m.

RevD, I will tell you two things I know a number of people are thinking. 1) Hillary will be ineffective. And a vast number of Americans like a govt that does nothing because it can then do no harm. Go tax Richie Rich and everyone is happy. 2) A lot of people are scared to death of A f ri Cans and their in your face bigoted and violent ways. The fact that Obama's wife and preacher say what they do scares many people. The b l ack rac e is so protected, sheltered and allowed to act the fool now, what is it gona be like with one in the White House, AND who obviously has ties to people of hate and anger. What can be said for these types of civial misbehavior. I know you have a reason for a pass?

OhYea
April 30, 2008 5:32 p.m.