Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand has no regrets.

The Fayetteville Democrat said he does not think it was a problem that the legislature didn't consider a number of Republican-sponsored measures, such as constitutional amendments on eminent domain and gay marriage, during the short session.

"The Republican Party has existed for 148 years," he said. "I suspect it can wait until January for anything we didn't do."

Abraham Lincoln was unavailable for comment. 

Bob Dole said the November elections at the state and federal level will be important.

Speaking at a Raleigh rally this evening, the former U.S. Senate majority leader said this fall's elections will be the most important in his lifetime — though he pointedly refused to "name names" on who voters should support.

"I'm not here to name anybody, criticize anybody," he said, though he noted that voters should consider that some of the candidates want "more taxes," "more regulation" and "more programs."

Dole, who won North Carolina in his 1996 bid, told jokes about Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill and Ronald Reagan, shared a few personal anecdotes and talked about his general political philosophy. In his most pointed remarks, he argued the Democratic majority in Congress had hurt the economy.

He mentioned the re-election campaign of his wife, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, twice. The first time came after reminiscing about his long career in the Senate.

"I've never been before the Ethics Committee and I can guarantee you Elizabeth's never been before the Ethics Committee," he said, to loud cheers.

As he ended his speech, he mentioned his wife again.

"I know this is a nonpartisan event, but I do hope you'll take a good look at Elizabeth," he said.

He was followed by a speaker who attacked the "cap and trade" bill on global warming, which Elizabeth Dole supported.

Dome has now heard the most esoteric argument yet against Hillary Clinton.

In a phone conversation with former U.S. Sen. Harris Wofford, a surrogate for Barack Obama, the topic of experience in the presidential race came up.

Wofford, an advisor to President Kennedy and Martin Luther King, is no stranger to political experience, but he said it's not everything, citing — wait for it — James Buchanan.

He noted that the Pennsylvanian served as secretary of state, ambassador to Russia and Britain, U.S. representative and U.S. senator before becoming president in 1857.

"All the historians used to say he was a terrible failure, but he was the most experienced president we had," Wofford said.

But, he argued, one of the best presidents was the relatively inexperienced Abraham Lincoln. Needless to say, he then compared Obama to Lincoln.

Bob Orr says he's not backing off on the state constitution.

In response to a Dome post earlier this morning about his propensity for citing the constitution on the campaign trail, Orr released a statement featuring a quote from Abraham Lincoln:

"Let the Constitution be taught in schools, in seminaries, and in colleges, let it be written in primers, in spelling books, and in almanacs, let it be preached from the pulpit, proclaimed in legislative halls, and enforced in courts of justice. And, in short, let it be the political religion of the nation."

Dome is pretty sure Lincoln was talking about the U.S. Constitution, but we'll grant him his point.