Monday, June 09, 2008

Who Attended Obama’s Speech

RALEIGH — The invitation-only crowd at Barack Obama’s speech today seemed like a who’s who of North Carolina Democrats.

Most notably, Gov. Mike Easley not only attended the event but was one of the people who introduced Obama. Easley had previously endorsed Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primary.

“I know I’m late, but I am on the train,” Easley said. “I’d rather be a bum on the boxcar of the Obama train than at the front of the bus with John McCain.”

He went on to lavish praise for Obama’s economic plan.

Also in attendance at the speech were John and Elizabeth Edwards, who received thunderous applause from the crowd.  Alongside the Edwardses were three Democratic governors from other states: Gov. Brian Schweitzer of Montana, Gov. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and former Gov. Roy Romer of Colorado. They were in North Carolina today for a leadership training conference at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Obama also gave shout-outs to two North Carolina congressmen: G.K. Butterfield and Bob Etheridge. And the crowd of about 600 was peppered with Democratic state legislators, including state Senate majority leader Tony Rand of Fayetteville and state Sen. Linda Garrou of Winston-Salem.

The most notable Democrat who was not in the crowd was Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, the Democratic nominee for governor. Perdue has endorsed Obama.