From The Hotline Latest Edition for Tuesday, April 29,2008

NORTH CAROLINA (5/6 PRIMARY)

Bring Us Back Some Mickey Ears

Tue. Apr. 29, 2008


"What will the Edwardses do?" "Why so quiet in Chapel Hill?"

"Theories abound: They will endorse before the primary. Or after there is a nominee." Or John Edwards will endorse Barack Obama and Elizabeth Edwards will endorse Hillary Clinton. "Or none of the above." Univ. NC prof. Alina Szmant: "People talk about it all the time. The rumor on the street is that he is holding out for a V.P. position."

For the most part "the Edwardses have been staying out of the race. In fact, they planned to go to Walt Disney World this week, away from the campaign driving headlines here."Edwards has hinted to friends that he will not offer an endorsement before the NC and IN primaries. One former aide said Edwards was angling for a role in the Dem administration and was hesitant to commit to a candidate. Aide: "He doesn't want to pick a loser."

Friend/adviser John Moylan: "He thinks very highly of both senators Clinton and Obama and I do not think he is inclined to spend the next three months engaged in the small politics of who's the better bowler or beer drinker." "Many" of Edwards's supporters in NC "have been quietly pressing him to endorse" Obama "and a large group of them, led by" ex-camp chair Ed Turlington "came forward publicly last week to support" Obama (Bosman, New York Times, 4/29).

We're Wright

NC GOP chair Linda Daves writes in the Charlotte Observer, "I flatly reject the accusations of racism directed at our party by left-leaning editorial boards that have condemned our 'Extreme' ad in the last week."

"Not one of the left-leaning editorial boards or liberal media outlets who have accused our party of racism has given one shred of evidence for their claims." Our "'Extreme' ad presents a question about the judgment" of 2 Dem GOV candidates who have endorsed Obama" (4/29).