Nearly half of North Carolinians oppose school vouchers, while a majority favor stem cell research.

According to an Elon University Poll conducted last week, 49.1 percent either disagree or strongly disagree with the use of state vouhers to pay for private or religious school education, while 41.5 percent agree or strongly agree.

When asked their overall opinion on medical research involving stem cells from human embryos, 53.4 percent either support or strongly support it, while 30.8 percent oppose or strongly oppose it.

Overall 51.1 percent said they support or strongly support public funding for stem cell research.

The live survey of 477 adults was conducted from Sept. 29 to Oct. 2. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.6 percentage points.

Unlike other polls, Elon surveys all North Carolina residents, not just voters or likely voters. (N&O) 

Pat McCrory will attend the Sarah Palin rally Tuesday.

The Republican gubernatorial candidate had previously talked with representatives of the Alaska governor for a visit to the state, but that was scrapped when she was named John McCain's running mate.

"The television advertisement you are planning to air degrades our civics and distracts us from the very real differences we have with the Democrats."

— Republican presidential candidate John McCain, in an April 23 e-mail to the head of the N.C. Republican Party, after it announced it would air an ad about Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

"To tell you the truth, Bill, I don't know why that association isn't discussed more, because those were appalling things that that pastor had said about our great country."

— Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, in an Oct. 6 column by conservative thinker William Kristol in The New York Times 

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean and Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr will appear at Davidson College on Thursday.

Dean will speak at 2 p.m. on behalf of Barack Obama, while Burr will speak 3:30 p.m. on behalf of John McCain. The events are open to the public.

Dean's talk is sponsored by the Young Democrats and Burr's speech is sponsored by the College Republicans. The two groups have launched a bipartisan drive to get all of Davidson's 1,700 students registered to vote.

Thursday's visit by Dean and Burr will occur one day before the Oct. 10 voter registration deadline. Students will be able to register at the event.

ASHEVILLE — Barack Obama sought to keep the focus on the economy today as he took a break from preparing for Tuesday's debate with Republican John McCain.

"Obviously we woke up this morning and saw the markets are still in turmoil," he told reporters outside the Grove Park Inn. "The contagion is spreading to all parts of the globe.

"It is a reminder that the rescue package that was passed last week is not the end of our efforts to deal with the economy, it is only the beginning."

Obama repeated his call for a new stimulus package and for the extension of unemployment benefits, reports Jim Morrill of The Charlotte Observer.

Obama did not take questions and strode to a waiting Chevy suburban as a reporter asked him why his campaign had brought up the "Keating 5" issue. A short time later, the Obama campaign launched a Web site called keatingeconomics.com. It's about McCain's role in the savings and loan scandal of nearly 20 years ago.

McCain had long ago apologized for his role.

More after the jump.

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Barack Obama's crowds in North Carolina have gotten bigger.

Below are crowd estimates from events held during the primary and general election by the Democratic presidential candidate.

In all, they total 128,050, although presumably some people attended more than one rally.

Before Election Season:

Durham, Nov. 1, 2007: 4,000

Before Primary:

Fayetteville, March 19: 150
Charlotte, March 19: 2,500
Greensboro, March 26: 2,400
Raleigh, April 17: 2,000
Greenville, April 17: 8,000
Chapel Hill, April 28: 18,000
Winston-Salem, April 29: 2,000
Hickory, April 29: 2,500
Raleigh, May 2: 5,000
Charlotte, May 2: 9,000

On Primary Day:

Raleigh, May 6: 2,000

After Primary:

Raleigh, June 9: 500
Raleigh, Aug. 19: 2,500
Charlotte, Sept. 21: 20,000
Greensboro, Sept. 27: 20,000
Asheville, Oct. 5: 28,000

The Cook Political Report ranks North Carolina a presidential "toss-up."

Noted Washington political analyst Charlie Cook has previously included the state's 15 Electoral College votes in the "Leans Republican" category.

He is the first of the big three analysts to say the state is in play. The Rothenberg Political Report still calls the state "Leans McCain," while CQ Politics says it "Leans Republican."

However, MSNBC's political editors, Republican consultant Karl Rove and the Atlantic Monthly have said it is a toss-up.

A robocall praises U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole on offshore drilling.

The Associated Builders and Contractors' Free Enterprise Alliance is making automated calls to Norh Carolina voters noting that the Salisbury Republican voted to allow offshore drilling.

"America needs energy independence," a woman says in the recorded call. "That's why Senator Dole cosponsored the Gas Price Reduction Act, opening more offshore areas to harvest domestic energy, lift the moratorium on oil shale exploration in the Western states, and reduces our dependency on foreign sources."

Both Dole and Democratic rival Kay Hagan backed a failed bipartisan compromise bill that would allow offshore drilling and promote alternative energy. The Gas Price Reduction Act was a Republican-backed alternative that would have gone further on oil exploration.

The Washington-based group has made two other calls targeting Hagan over earmarks and the state budget. A lobbyist for construction contractors, it is concerned about Hagan's support for a bill that would make it easier to unionize.

After the jump, the script.

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Here's a mostly complete list of Barack Obama's surrogates in North Carolina for the general election:

Vice presidential candidate Joe Biden and his wife Jill; Michelle Obama; Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius; former Gov. Jim Hunt; former Sen. Bill Bradley; former Sen. Jean Carnahan; U.S. Reps. Bob Etheridge, David Price, Brad Miller and G.K. Butterfield; Secretary of State Elaine Marshall; former Agriculture Commissioner Britt Cobb; state Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand; Maj. Gen. Geoffrey Lambert; Maj. Gen. Scott Gration; professor Sarah Sewall; veterans Paul Bucha, John McCary and Jon Kuniholm; actresses Alfre Woodard, Jurnee Smollett, Tatyana Ali, Ellen Pompeo and Danielle Panabaker; and actors Kal Penn and Harold Perrineau. The daughter of Jackie Robinson was scheduled to come but did not make it.

Previously: Obama's surrogates in the primary.

Eight Democratic pols are campaigning for Barack Obama today.

Former Gov. Jim Hunt; Secretary of State Elaine Marshall; U.S. Reps. Bob Etheridge, David Price, Brad Miller and G.K. Butterfield; Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand and former Agriculture Commissioner Britt Cobb will appear at an event at the Raleigh Farmer's Market at 9:30 a.m.

The event is focusing on the economy and regulation of Wall Street.

It was previously scheduled for late September, but the Obama campaign postponed due to the votes on the bailout bill.