With North Carolina Poll Numbers Increasing, Confident Obama Rallies in Conservative Eastern Counties

With the latest Public Policy Polling in North Carolina showing a 54 to 44 percent lead by Sen. Barack Obama, the candidates' efforts and charges leveled by both campaigns have increased statewide.

Encouraged by improving poll numbers, Obama campaigned in the politically conservative eastern part of the state last week. With campaign stops in Dunn and a rally in Fayetteville, the senator ventured onto what many would consider McCain home turf.

Fayetteville is the home of huge Fort Bragg and is surrounded by suburbs filled with military families comprised of both active duty and retired army personnel, which are considered deeply supportive of McCain's campaign.

Before a crowd estimated at 10,000 at the Crown Auditorium, Obama encouraged those in attendance "not to be hoodwinked" by the false charges being leveled by the McCain campaign. Obama said that the McCain camp knows that if they will talk about the economy, they will lose and so they have chosen instead to launch personal attacks. The senator said, "I can take the personal attacks, but you can not take four more years of the failed economic policies."

During his comments, Obama spoke mostly about the economy. Using a line that has served many presidential campaigns well Obama asked the crowd, "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" He then added: "Are you better off than you were four weeks ago?" The crowd cheered in response.

Obama spent much time attempting to dispel the charge that he is a socialist, noting that he was proposing tax cuts for everyone making less than $250,000, and that he would roll back the Bush tax cuts for those making more than $250,000.

"Does that sound like a socialist?" Obama asked.

"John McCain believes that giving people a tax break is socialism," he added.

Perhaps Obama convinced most of those in attendance, but the Raleigh News Observer reported that later in the day, at a local restaurant, one patron yelled out to the senator: "Boo! Socialist! Socialist! Get out of here!"

There is growing evidence of the importance of North Carolina to both campaigns. In addition to Obama's appearance, McCain has been in the state twice in the past week and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, McCain's running mate, has been here once.

Obama chief strategist David Axelrod was quoted in the News and Observer as saying the fact both candidates are spending so much time in North Carolina (at the cost of not spending time in Ohio, Michigan and Florida) indicates how important the state is to the election.

Axelrod, borrowing a line from New York's popular song, emphasized the importance of the North Carolina vote saying, "if we can make it here, we can make it anywhere!'

In another equally significant development, the Democratic challenger Kay Hagan is widening her lead over incumbent Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole. The Public Policy Polling indicated that Hagan has overwhelming support in suburban area throughout the state, leading Dole 54 to 36 perecent among these voters. Overall, Hagan leads among all voters by 49 to 42 percent.

This race is significant, as a loss of senator Dole's seat will give Democrats the 60-vote margin necessary to overcome Republican filibusters in the senate, in effect, giving a Democratic senate a "blank check" on legislation.