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North Carolina is one of several traditionally Republican states where John McCain just can’t quite seem to pull away from Barack Obama. The Republican candidate has been at least slightly ahead in six of the seven monthly polls conducted in the state and was tied in the seventh. But, his advantage has always remained in single digits, often the low single digits. This month, it’s more of the same as the latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey finds McCain ahead 50% to 47%. That’s not too much different than the results from a month ago. Eighty-one percent (81%) of Obama supporters...

Obama Says He'll 'Need to Win' North CarolinaLast Edited: Tuesday, 19 Aug 2008, 10:02 PM EDT By MIKE BAKER Associated Press Writer RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Democrat Barack Obama said Tuesday he will "need to win" in North Carolina in November, asking supporters to fight for the White House as both presidential candidates continue to open their wallets to compete in the state. Obama and Republican rival John McCain have both been expanding staffs in North Carolina, underscoring the precariousness of polls in a state that hasn't voted for a Democratic presidential candidate in more than three decades. "We've got...

Easleys took lovely trips abroad; we got the billBy Scott Sexton | Journal Columnist Published: July 3, 2008 It's a rhetorical question with an obvious answer, but one that nonetheless bears asking in light of Gov. Mike "Tax Hike" Easley's lame attempt at explaining the extravagant (and taxpayer-borne) costs of overseas junkets that he and first lady Mary Easley enjoyed. Who is dumber, a European restaurateur who tries to sell a cheeseburger and onion rings combo for $60 or the rube from Brunswick County who pays $60 for it? Hmmm. Yet Easley used that very example in a news conference...

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley is being lauded by the nation's top teacher lobbying group as "America's Greatest Education Governor." The National Education Association planned to give Easley an award Thursday during the group's annual meeting in Washington. The NEA cites Easley for his "More at Four" program for at-risk preschool students and the "Learn and Earn" program, which allows high school students to graduate with a diploma and an associate's degree. Easley also got the Legislature to create a program that allows students to finish college without debt.

Durham, N.C. — A Durham couple charged with kidnapping, rape and assault was involved with a satanic cult, a prosecutor said Monday. (Snip) Johnson, who was third vice-chair of the Durham County Democratic Party and vice-chair for the Young Democrats, was charged with two counts of aiding and abetting. Prosecutors said she knew her husband planned the crime and watched as they were committed.

This is Carolina Day, the 232nd anniversary of the Battle of Fort Sullivan. If you are not a native of South Carolinian (and possibly even if you are), you likely have never heard of Fort Sullivan and the significance of this day. Most American school children have heard stirring stories of the battles of Concord Bridge and Lexington Green, relatively minor skirmishes fought by the Minutemen of Revolutionary lore. These were fought in April 1775, and at Concord Bridge was fired the "shot heard 'round the world." But it was at an unfinished, palmetto-log fort on Sullivan's Island where the...

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE KATHERINE JENERETTE’S 75-Day Whirlwind Campaign for US CONGRESSDATE: June 10, 2008MORE INFORMATION: www.jenerette.orgPHOTOS at: www.jenerette.org/photos       KATHERINE JENERETTE’S 75-Day Whirlwind Campaign for U.S. CONGRESS SUBJECT: Republican Congressional Candidate Katherine Jenerette thanks All-Volunteer Campaign Team - Congratulates U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, Jr. and remarks on the November Election I want to take this opportunity to congratulate U.S. Rep. Henry Brown, Jr. and offer my support to both him and to all the members of the Republican slate of candidates for the November 2008 general elections. With the primary election behind us it is time to...

A long-running battle between the U.S. Forest Service and a Republican congressman who set a runaway fire that damaged federal land has been settled, with a $4,747 hole burned in the lawmaker's pocket. That's the amount Rep. Henry E. Brown Jr. (R-S.C.) paid the agency on April 20 to cover the cost of suppressing the March 5, 2004, blaze that jumped from his property to the adjacent Francis Marion National Forest, charring 20 acres. Brown previously had paid a $250 fine. The payment extinguished a four-year dispute marked by allegations of political pressure, a failed counterclaim by Brown and threats...

Katherine Jenerette says she has entered the Republican primary for the First District Congressional seat out of frustration with the GOP. "The Democrats have a home team advantage now," Jenerette says, "and Republicans need a congressman who can go toe-to-toe with them. We've had a Republican Congress for six years, and we can have more of the same or we can have someone in there that will make a difference. "I am not afraid to say what needs to be said and push legislation for family and values, fiscal responsibility, national security and subjects like immigration and border control. Republicans...

We have a three way Republican Primary in South Carolina’s First Congressional District. Henry Brown is an incumbent Congressman running for this fifth term. I really have no feelings toward Brown one way or the other. He isn’t one to show up in the media much. He received a rating of 96 from the American Conservative Union for 2007, not too shabby and he’s been involved in government for about 27 years, starting in the city council, moving up to state office and then Federal.He has two challengers in the primary. The first, Paul Norris, is the President of...

Leo McKinstry says the current craze for genealogy reflects an unhealthy combination of snobbery and inverse snobbery, and is a poor replacement for national history When I visited the National Archives at Kew last week the place was full of them, scurrying about with their plastic wallets in hand, a look of eager concentration on their faces. It was impossible to escape their busy presence as they whispered noisily to relatives or whooped over the discovery of some new piece of information. These were the followers of one of Britain’s fastest-growing craze, the mania for researching family history. Studying bloodlines...

((The bill allows for fines as high as $10,000 when an employer knowingly hires an illegal immigrant. Sanford says federal law won't allow fines that range that high.)) COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford says the Senate's illegal immigration bill has penalties that can't be enforced by the state. Sanford says he will consider vetoing the bill if changes aren't made. Senators passed a bill Wednesday that allows for fines as high as $10,000 when an employer knowingly hires an illegal immigrant. Sanford says federal law won't allow the state to impose fines that range that...

Bringing juice to both Carolinas, but at what cost? The plan to build a duke nuclear power plant in Cherokee County is gaining steam. And questions over the plan and its impact are heating up Many turned out in Gaffney thursday night to say what they think of the plan, as did officials close to the project. Mike Cherin, a local resident concerned about the impact said, " We need to organize the community a lot more now..to make sure they are aware..the costs of this plant..what damage its going to do to our water sources..specifically the broad river."...

Data released by the U.S. Census Bureau today revealed that South Carolina’s Hispanic population showed the biggest percentage increase in the nation. Hispanics now account for 15 percent of the total United States population and remain the largest minority group. The Census showed that as of July 1, 2007, there were an estimated 45.5 million Hispanics in America — an increase of 1.4 million people since July 2006. The U.S. population totaled 301.6 million. Numbers for South Carolina showed a population increase of about 77,600 people for a total of 4,407,709. The state’s Hispanic population increased by 8.37 percent in...

The South Carolina Senate is discussing a compromise on illegal immigration. The Senate is now talking about attaching the compromise to a second House bill. That would bypass procedural hurdles and could put the measure before the House for a simple majority vote later this week. Seven illegal immigrants were busted in July of 2007 at the BMW plant in Greer. Immigration investigators raided the plant, and says the illegals used stolen identities to get their jobs. One was even using the identity of a nine-year-old boy. They were not BMW employees, they worked for a contractor for BMW....

Like it did in Texas and Ohio, the Clinton campaign for president has drawn a line in the sand, down the middle of the Tar Heel state. Bill Clinton said Friday in Charlotte that his wife's presidential bid hinges in many ways on whether the New York senator wins North Carolina's Democratic primary. Speaking to about 4,000 at a rally at UNC Charlotte, the former president said Hillary Clinton would likely have to win the state's May 6 primary to have any chance at winning the overall popular vote and ultimately overtaking Sen. Barack Obama as the party's nominee.

OpChaos North Carolina BulletinMarch 28, 2008 BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Hickory, North Carolina, Todd, you're next on the Rush Limbaugh program. Hello. CALLER: Mega dittos, Rush, from the Tar Heel State. RUSH: Thank you, sir. CALLER: I just want to give an Operation Chaos bulletin. If anyone in the great state of North Carolina is wanting to participate, they need to change their voter registration by April the 11th. If it's after that, you're going to be too late. RUSH: Got a lot of time then, you got a little over two weeks to make up your mind as to whether...

CHAPEL HILL - Chapel Hill High School officials busted a cheating ring this month in which students used a master key to enter teachers' offices at night and, in at least one case, used a camera phone to copy exam answers. Officials learned of the stolen key Feb. 15 while investigating students for having the answers to a mid-term, Principal Jackie Ellis said in an e-mail message Monday. The key opened most of the school's doors, she said. The cheating apparently went on for several years, with the key being passed from one year's graduates to the next and with...

Exchanges in Latest Debate Highlight a New Dynamic in the Republican Field ...But it was Mr. Thompson’s performance, in which he shook off the laid-back style that has defined his candidacy, that provided some of the liveliest moments of the debate in Myrtle Beach, S.C..“This is a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party and its future,” said Mr. Thompson, who has staked his run on a strong showing in South Carolina. The primary there is Jan. 19.“On the one hand,” he said, “you have the Reagan revolution, you have the Reagan coalition of limited government and...

http://fredfile.fred08.com/blog/2008/video-post-debate-reaction/

Behind the Scenes in Myrtle Beach (Pre-Debate) http://blip.tv/file/591283

On the Road in Myrtle Beach, SC http://blip.tv/file/590446

Associated Press - January 9, 2008 3:43 PM ET SPARTANBURG, S.C. (AP) - Republican Mike Huckabee is hoping to build on his lead in the polls in South Carolina. With a win in Iowa and a third-place finish in New Hampshire, the presidential hopeful is trying to reach out to South Carolina's religious conservatives. He boasted of beating rivals Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson in New Hampshire, saying the two should have had a better showing in the Granite State. The former Arkansas governor is discounting rival John McCain's foreign policy credentials. He says experience didn't help Democratic Senate veterans...

Lopez: If Thompson’s apparent third-place showing sticks, does that give him new life in South Carolina? Dawson: Each candidate has something to be encouraged about after tonight including Fred Thompson. Iowa doesn’t have the make-or-break history that our State’s primary enjoys, and I believe Thompson is one of a number of Republican presidential hopefuls who can move forward tonight with confidence.

The rumor that Fred Thompson will quit the Republican presidential race if he finishes poorly in Iowa is not only false: it rises to the level of a political dirty trick aimed at reducing Thompson-backers’ turnout in tonight’s Iowa caucuses. The story, which began as a rumor and caught fire as a result of a piece in today’s Politico, said that Thompson was likely to quit after Iowa if he did poorly there, and might endorse Sen. John McCain before next week’s New Hampshire primary. The article painted a glum, almost resigned mood among Thompson’s inner circle. Thompson and his...

Giuliani and Romney weakest The best way to ensure Hillary Clinton wins the White House is if the Republican Party nominates either of the two northeastern "Yankee" candidates with liberal records of supporting abortion on demand and homosexual activists' political agenda (Rudy or Romney). Either would put even some Southern states at risk to the Democrats in the November 2008 general election. Rasmussen today confirms that scenario in the Southern state of North Carolina, where fellow Southerner Gov. Mike Huckabee holds the largest lead over likely Democratic nominee Sen. Hillary Clinton in a general election matchup, while Giuliani and Romney...

My Fellow Freepers, I request your prayers on a life-changing decision. Within the next couple of weeks, my wife and I will be moving from Chicago, Illinois to Greenville, South Carolina. We have both worked for more than a decade at our current jobs, she as a techer and I as a Laboratory Technician. It is difficult for us, but we feel that God is pushing us to do this. Among other reasons, we have family in South Carolina - nearly all of the family. My mother-in-law has had one knee replacement, and it is only a matter of time...

John J. Cina, a Summerville businessman, has never sought public office before but is starting his political career by setting his sights high. He said Friday he will oppose U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham in next year's Republican primary. "I'm not a politician. I'm an every- day citizen, an hourly wage earner," Cina said. "We need to consider what's best for the American people, what's best for the South Carolina people. We've sent people up to Washington, D.C., for a purpose, and they don't do anything we want them to." A self-described "grass-roots right-wing conservative with unwavering principles," Cina most recently...

ORANGEBURG, S.C. — Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton said Monday that South Carolina should remove the Confederate flag from its Statehouse grounds, in part because the nation should unite under one banner while at war.

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WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2006 -- Columbia, S.C., will remember the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States and honor servicemembers past and present with a Freedom Walk Sept. 11, according to a news release from the city. The walk will begin at the State Capitol at 11:30 a.m. and conclude at City Memorial Park with a wreath-laying ceremony. Participants will include members of the general public, public service representatives, state and local government officials and representatives of all military services, the release said. Jenny Sanford, wife of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, is scheduled to...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 2006 – Waxhaw, N.C., will be awash in red, white and blue Sept. 9, as the town holds a Freedom Walk and “Waving Patriotism” event to commemorate the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and honor servicemembers, past and present. Hosted by Flags Across the Nation, a nonprofit group that promotes patriotism, the events and walk will begin with a welcome ceremony at 11 a.m. near the town’s Memorial Wall and fire station and conclude at 5 p.m. Those attending are encouraged to write letters and create patriotic art for the troops. They can also brush up on flag...

Cocaine seized, 4 arrested in bustBy Sonja Elmquist Staff Writer Sheriff Sam Page (left) displays weapons and cocaine that were seized. WENTWORTH -- Four illegal immigrants were arrested Tuesday in western Rockingham County and charged with trafficking nearly 18 pounds of powder cocaine valued at $800,000. Deputies seized the drugs, automatic weapons and two vehicles. Sheriff Sam Page said Thursday that he didn't know if the drugs were destined for Rockingham County or if the alleged traffickers were just passing through. Either way, Page said, it was a danger. "When you have 171/2 or 18 pounds of cocaine going through...

Wow, what a game! Carolina came out skating fast - and hitting hard. I'm glad to see Carolina win the Stanley Cup. I watched the 2002 Stanley Cup and was disappointed when they lost to the Red Wings. Edmonton played well and was a much stronger opponent than I thought! Comments or opinions (on the series or the game) - anyone?

CANES WIN CUP

I'm thinking of the Carolina mountains as my next place to live. Would you consider Asheville, with its art deco feel as the place to live or would you go for Greenville with its more settled ambience? I've lived in California on the coast all my life and I'd like to try something different. Low cost of living, affordable housing, a safe place to live and having that view outside the window without the price tag. I know Colorado is expensive because every one goes there but no one seems to know the Blue Ridge Mountains are just as stunning....

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- The Edmonton Oilers beat three higher-seeded teams to reach the Stanley Cup finals. They weren't going out that easy. Fernando Pisani stunned Carolina with a shorthanded goal in overtime, giving the Oilers a 4-3 victory in Game 5 on Wednesday night and sending the series back to Alberta. The Hurricanes lead 3-2, but the Oilers have life. Game 6 is Saturday night in Edmonton. Carolina had the upper hand when Steve Staios dragged down Mark Recchi breaking toward the Edmonton goal three minutes into the extra period. But Cory Stillman, a star of the playoffs, made...

The Carolina Hurricanes are postured to win game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals tonight in Edmonton, Canada. The game is supposed to be carried on NBC. In Charlotte, NC the game is not on DirectTV channels. Charlotte is the wealthiest county in North Carolina. Charlotte is the home of the Panthers, the Bobcats, outrageous taxes, euroweenie wanna be government types that are trying to jam light rail down our throats, and my family. The Internet radio signal works, so I can listen to the game. It reminds me of my Dad listening to ball games on the radio when...

RALEIGH, N.C. -- After this most bizarro of playoff wins, one might have expected the Carolina Hurricanes' dressing room would have been electric with euphoria, or at the very least, giddy with relief. Instead, there was quiet introspection. "What do you see in this dressing room?" defenseman Aaron Ward asked, gesturing to the oddly silent dressing room. "It's the knowledge that we absolutely escaped with a game, 100 percent by the skin of our teeth." Bruce Bennett/Getty Images Rod Brind'Amour's winning goal in the waning seconds was his second of the game on Monday night. A few moments earlier, Rod...

State tries to help vets at risk of identity theftFriday, May 26, 2006 By Richard M. Barron STAFF WRITER North Carolina's attorney general wants to make it easier for veterans to protect themselves against potential identity theft. Roy Cooper has asked the legislature to change state law to make it free for veterans to place a security freeze on their credit reports, days after the Department of Veterans Affairs said millions of its records were stolen. It now costs $10 per credit agency to put a freeze on reports, which essentially places a padlock on an account. It costs another...

Yes, there is this apparent misperception about writers and writing. Outsiders see it as a life of ease, glamour, money, beautiful women, cafés on the Rue de Seine, schmoozing with celebs, lots of adventure. You know, the whole Hemingway experience and anyone- can-do-it kind of thing. Then you combine that with the fact that most people believe they have what it takes to be a writer without any training, because at a very rudimentary level everybody is a writer.

Greensboro Leaders To Take Polygraph ExamLeaked Report Is Subject Of Investigation UPDATED: 5:15 pm EDT May 2, 2006 GREENSBORO, N.C. -- City leaders are looking for the truth through the use of a polygraph exam. Some members of the City Council are taking the exam to prove they didn't release to the media a confidential report about the police department. Council members voted 8-1 to submit to the exam. Dianne Bellamy Small gave the dissenting vote and has said in the past that she's not responsible for the leak. Another member of the council, Yvonne Johnson, said she didn't like...

Archaeologists find 10,000 years of history at Lowcountry site 12:51 PM EDT on Thursday, April 13, 2006 HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. -- Archaeologists reviewing a site for a highway bridge over the Combahee River have found nearly 10,000 years of history art the location. The archaeologists are reviewing the site before work begins to build a wider bridge to take U.S. 17 across the river, which marks the boundary between Beaufort and Colleton counties. The new bridge will be named for Harriet Tubman, who in 1863 led black Union soldiers on a raid that freed 700 slaves from plantations in...

Brouhaha ContextBy John Hammer Despite what Americans have been led to believe by the mainstream media, the protests about the Danish cartoons are about as spontaneous as the canned laughter on an old network sitcom. Imagine for a moment that you are so outraged by the riots in Pakistan that you and 10,000 of your closest friends and family decide to protest. So you go to your flag locker and pull out your Pakistani flag to burn. What? You don’t have a flag locker with flags of every nation in the world? Wow, if one is to believe the tripe...

Protests are planned for Monday in the same area of campus at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where, authorities said, a former student plowed a sport utility vehicle into nine people Friday afternoon. The College Republicans, Americans for an Informed Democracy and the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies are sponsoring the event, scheduled for 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Monday in "The Pit," a central area of the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. The event is open to the public and free of charge. Police said Mohammad Taheri-azar, a 2005 UNC-Chapel Hill graduate, admits he acted to "avenge...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The FBI has joined the investigation of a recent college graduate who faces attempted murder charges for allegedly injuring bystanders after driving a sport utility vehicle through a popular campus gathering spot. No one was seriously hurt in the incident at the University of North Carolina on Friday. The FBI joined the case because 22-year-old Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, a native of Iran, "allegedly made statements that he acted to avenge the American treatment of Muslims," said agent Richard Kolko, an FBI spokesman in Washington. "The ongoing investigation will work to confirm this." Taheri-azar, who graduated in...

Religious Terrorism Strikes Chapel Hill by Jillian BandesPosted Mar 04, 2006 CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- With backpacks as physical shields, University of North Carolina students are now called to defend themselves against religious terrorism while they walk the halls of their school. Earlier today, just before high noon, Mohammed Reza Taheriazar, 22, bulldozed the center of UNC's main campus with a silver Jeep Grand Cherokee -- the biggest SUV he could find -- in order to retaliate against treatment of Muslims around the world, he said.   Taheriazar, a recent graduate, sent six to the hospital with injuries and hit three...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — A recent University of North Carolina graduate was charged with nine counts of attempted murder Saturday, a day after authorities say he drove through a popular campus gathering spot in an attempt to avenge Muslim deaths. Derek Poarch, chief of the university police department, confirmed Saturday that Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, a 22-year-old Iran native, told investigators he wanted to "avenge the deaths or murders of Muslims around the world." Poarch would not provide any other details on the motive. Taheri-azar also is charged with nine counts of assault. No one was seriously hurt in the incident...

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - A recent University of North Carolina graduate faces attempted murder charges after he allegedly drove a sport utility vehicle through a popular campus gathering spot Friday, clipping and scattering startled bystanders. No one was seriously hurt. Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, 22, who graduated in December after studying psychology and philosophy, was in the custody of campus police. They intended to charge him with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, said police Capt. George Hare. Taheri-azar called police to surrender and then awaited officers on a street two miles from the campus,...

But Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar appears to have acted alone, campus police say A UNC-Chapel Hill graduate told investigators he intentionally drove into a crowd of students on campus Friday to "avenge the deaths of Muslims around the world," UNC Police Chief Derek Poarch said Saturday. Mohammed Reza Taheri-azar, 22, told detectives to go to the Carrboro apartment he shared with two other men, saying authorities would find evidence there that would explain his decision to hurt students. Poarch declined to say what, if anything, was found, but emphasized that Taheri-azar appears to have acted alone. It does not appear that...