Sorry this may be a tad brief, but I've been busy all day. But I think it merits reading.
Today is the annual North Carolina Democratic Party's Vance-Aycock Dinner. It just so happens this year's dinner is at the lovely Grove Park Inn in Asheville, N.C.
So what's the Vance Aycock Dinner all about?
Over the past several years, the State Party has worked aggressively to strengthen our grassroots organization; sharpen our communications apparatus; and put technology to use in a way that is truly cutting edge.
Our hard work makes us poised to defeat Elizabeth Dole and pick up additional seats in Congress, while electing Democrats to our statewide constitutional offices and retaining our majority in the General Assembly.
And with polls consistently showing the presidential race in North Carolina as a statistical tie, North Carolina could be critical in putting the Obama-Biden ticket in the White House.
Now in its 48th year, the Vance-Aycock Dinner has been a Democratic tradition since 1961, when 1,000 guests gathered at the Grove Park Inn to hear Lawrence O’Brien, special assistant to President John F. Kennedy.
Based on the success of that evening, then State Democratic Party Chair Bert Bennett and Congressman Roy Taylor proclaimed the gathering should be an annual event.
Vice-Presidential Nominee Joe Biden has been a keynote speaker, as well as then Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton, James Carville, Senator Max Cleland, and Congressman Jim Clyburn.
Your attendance at this year’s Vance-Aycock Dinner is crucial to building a better State Democratic Party, restoring the American Dream, and taking back America.
Now, lets spice things up a bit!
It just so happens Barack Obama is doing his Presidential Debate #2 prep in Asheville, N.C. His third trip to North Carolina in the last 3 weeks. Naturally, an Obama rally has been scheduled - 2:00 PM tomorrow - at Asheville High School's beautiful Memorial Stadium. But.......I digress.
Guess who show's up at the Vance Aycock dinner a few hours ago? See the following (courtesy of the Asheville Citizen Times):
Making a surprise stop before settling into Asheville for debate rehearsal, Obama electrified the faithful gathered for the annual state Democratic dinner.
According to Citizen-Times staffers at the annual Democratic dinner, Obama made a standard stump speech – tailored for North Carolina – following an introduction by Gov. Mike Easely.
Obama was met enthusiastically by hundreds of cheering Democrats, including Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen.
"I hope you don't mind my crashing the party," the Illinois senator and first black presidential nominee told hundreds of Democrats at the Vance-Aycock dinner.
"People said, 'what's he doing spending so much time in North Carolina?'"
"Despite the pundits, despite the prognosticators, despite the cynicism, turns out, 30 days out, we are right in the hunt in North Carolina.
"We can win in the eastern part of the state, and in the western part of the state," he said in his brief speech, which ended just before 8 p.m.
Needless to say - Democrats in North Carolina are fired up. Kay Hagan (in attendance tonight) is surging in the Polls. Bev Perdue (also in attendance tonight) is running strongly in a tight Governors race. Many other notables are in town.
Tomorrow's Obama rally should be awesome. As noted, Mike Easley, Phil Bredesen, Kay Hagan, and Bev Perdue are all present. Could be some good warm-up speakers!