Hear from Rod Brind'Amour whose Carolina Hurricanes lead the New York Islanders 2 games to none in the best-of-seven series. Tune in to WRAL News+ -- Ch. 34 over-the-air, Spectrum Ch. 1257 or in the WRAL News app on your smart TV or mobile device.

Now on WRAL News+: Canes coach talks comeback win, 2-0 lead in playoff series

Have you noticed an unusual smell or flavor in your tap water over the past few days?

What's wrong with Raleigh tap water? Algae bloom at Falls Lake behind the smell, color

'Earthy and musty:' Here's why your tap water may taste strange this weekend in Raleigh

The "Dueling Dinosaurs" exhibit opening this weekend at Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences will feature what's believed to be the most complete T. rex skeleton ever discovered.

'Dueling Dinosaurs:' One-of-a-kind dig, laboratory access at Raleigh science museum

DinoLab at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences

All assets associated with the tag: democracy

Democracy Coverage

In his second State of the Union address, President Joe Biden said: "In the past two years, democracies have become stronger, not weaker. Autocracies have grown weaker, not stronger."

Fact check: Biden says democracies thriving, autocracies weakening

PolitiFact: False

A Meredith College poll found that 61% of Republicans believe use of force may be needed to save the country from a perceived disappearing way of life.

NC voters worry of civil war, brace for possibility of political violence

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PHILADELPHIA — President Joe Biden traveled to Independence Hall on Thursday to warn that America's democratic values are under assault by forces of extremism loyal to former President Donald Trump, using a prime-time address to define the midterm elections as a “battle for the soul of this nation.”

Biden Warns That American Values Are Under Assault by Trump-Led Extremism

Newly Aggressive Biden Shifts From Compromise to Combat

New accounts show then-president Donald Trump was more directly involved than previously known in exploring proposals to use his national security agencies to seize voting machines, according to reporting at the New York Times. 

IT WAS SHORT WITH PENCE AS THEY WERE RUSHED TO SAFETY. "NEW YORK TIMES" SHOWING ACCOUNTS THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS MORE INVOLVED THAN PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AND EXPLORING PROPOSALS TO USE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCIES TO SEIZE VOTING MACHINES. SIX DAYS AFTER TRUMP DIRECTED RUDY GIULIANI TO CALL DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND ASK IF IT COULD TAKE CONTROL OF VOTING MACHINES IN KEY SWING STATES. GIULIANI DID SO BUT ACTING DEPUTY SECRETARY SAID HE LACKED AUTHORITY TO AUDIT OR IMPOUND THE MACHINES. REPORTEDLY TRUMP PUSHED

Trump attempted to seize voting machines in swing states

The Carolina Peace Center holds a press conference as an observance and remembrance to unity, peace and patriotism on the first anniversary of Jan. 6, 2021.

Carolina Peace Center: The answer to Jan. 6 is to vote

Carolina Peace Center remembers Jan. 6, 2021

Megan Bryant and Daniel Prosterman co-wrote the Citizen Baby series, which cover how government works for the youngest among us.

N.C. couple co-author Citizen Baby board book series to get kids involved in political process

Megan Bryant, children's book author

Former President Barack Obama delivered a speech at the Democratic National Convention that called on the America to defend democracy, and directly called out the current President Donald Trump. Obama said that Trump has, "no interest in treating the presidency as anything but one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves."

I never expected that my successor would embrace my vision or continue my policies. I did hope for the sake of our country that Donald Trump might show some interest in taking the job seriously, that he might come to feel the weight of the office and discover some reverence for the democracy that had been placed in his care. But he never did. For close to four years now, he has shown no interest in putting in the work, no interest in finding common ground, no interest in using the awesome power of his office to help anyone but himself and his friends. No interest in treating the presidency is anything but one more reality show that he can use to get the attention he craves. Donald Trump hasn't grown into the job because it can't and the consequences of that failure are some fear. Great. Here's Joe was the last one in the room. Whenever I faced a big decision, he made me a better president, and he's got the character and the experience to make us a better country. And in my friend Kamila Harris, he's chosen an ideal partner who is mawr than prepared for the job, someone who knows what it's like to overcome barriers and who's made a career fighting to help others live out their own American dream. This president and those in power, those who benefit from keeping things the way they are, they are counting on your cynicism. They know they can't win you over with their policies, so they're hoping to make it as hard as possible for you to vote and to convince you that your vote does not matter. That is how they win. That's how a democracy withers until it's no democracy at all. And we cannot let that happen. Do not let them take away your power. Do not let them take away your democracy. They believe that no one, including the president, is above the law and that no public officials, including the president, should use their office to enrich themselves or their supporters. They understand that in this democracy, the commander in chief does not use the men and women of our military who are willing to risk everything to protect our nation as political props to deploy against peaceful protesters on our own soil. They understand that political opponents aren't un American, just because they disagree with you. A free press isn't the enemy, but the way we hold officials accountable, that our ability to work together to solve big problems like a pandemic depend on a fidelity to fax and science and logic and not just making stuff up.

Obama delivers DNC speech calling on Americans to defend democracy, bashes Trump's presidency

Obama delivers empassioned DNC speech

What does a Brit know about American politics? If that Brit is Luke Bretherton, the answer is quite a lot.