Joe on the go

RALEIGH — With the presidential campaign nearing its close, hundreds of Democratic supporters sporting “I voted” stickers crowded into a Meredith College amphitheater Thursday night to hear the man they hope will become the next vice president.

Sen. Joe Biden continued advocating for early votes for running mate Sen. Barack Obama in Raleigh following campaign stops in Charlotte and Winston-Salem.

After praising North Carolinians for their high turnout for early voting, Biden narrowed in on the economy.

“The middle class is in real trouble,” he said, citing health insurance, retirement and student loan troubles and said the Democratic ticket would give the middle-class a break.

“There is not one fundamental economic issue on which John McCain has challenged George Bush,” he said.

Biden touched on most of the major campaign issues — everything from energy independence to a restoration abroad of respect for America — but focused on the economy for most of the speech.

“It’s all about jobs — that’s how you build up the economy,” he said, citing 27,000 jobs lost in the state.

Multiple polls have shown that the struggling economy has given Obama a huge advantage in the narrow presidential race.

Catering to students in the audience, Biden said the definition of national service, which traditionally comes with academic benefits, should be broadened to include those who work in hospitals, schools or senior centers.

“You serve America — we’ll get you to college,” he said.

And Biden repeatedly stressed the importance of early voting, especially among young voters. The state has already seen record early turnout.

Richard Rogers of Raleigh said he plans to vote Sunday and expects that early voting exit polls will show an Obama lead that will further excite voters.

“To me, Obama represents our best chance at turning our country around,” he said. “I’m expecting a landslide for Obama,” he added.

The last Democratic presidential candidate to win the popular vote in North Carolina was Jimmy Carter in 1976.

Laura Johnson, a student at Wake Technical Community College, voted Tuesday. She said the Democrats’ push for early voting has made more people aware of their voting options.

But Kelly Clark, an N.C. State senior, doesn’t plan on voting early.

“I’m kind of corny, I guess, but I want to be part of Election Day.”

Chandra Cox, head of N.C. State University’s department of art and design, voted Thursday before attending the rally.

She said early voting is convenient and that the recent voter fraud scandal involving a voter registration group with ties to Obama did not deter her from voting Democrat.

“At the end of a devastating eight years, he’s a ray of hope.”



Contact the State & National Editor at stntdesk@unc.edu.