? Beverly Perdue and Pat McCrory outline their ideas for reforming North Carolina’s transportation programs, including the state board of transportation. JLF adjunct analyst Dave Hartgen and Blue Cross’s Brad Wilson say neither plan gets at the “fundamentals” of the issue, the broken financing system. McCrory’s campaign vehicle is in a fender-bender in Salisbury. He defends his handling of Charlotte gas shortages, promises to fight hard for votes in Eastern NC, and responds to questions about fundraising assistance from Tommy Pollard, a former BOT member who faced allegations in the past. McCrory and Perdue agree that the next governor is likely to inherit a huge state budget deficit next year.
? Perdue and Kay Hagan will attend the Democrats’ Vance-Aycock dinner this weekend in Asheville. Barack Obama is also expected to be in the area, though few details are forthcoming.
? Elizabeth Dole votes against the Senate’s version of a banking rescue package. After initial hesitancy, Hagan says she would have opposed the bill, too. She also hits Dole on Social Security.
