A coalition of civil rights groups has launched a television ad in four states, including North Carolina, meant to drum up support for Democratic health care proposals.

The organizations — the NAACP National Voter Fund, the National Council of La Raza, the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the Campaign for Community Change, the United States Student Association and PowerPAC.org — are initially targeting states with large African American and Latino populations. The ad is also available in Spanish.

The ad is rich with Civil Rights imagery. The English version features an older African American man walking as people board a bus in the background. He begins by saying when he was born, health care reform failed. The description is clearly meant to evoke unfair and discriminatory busing practices of the Civil Rights era. Later in the ad, a Hispanic woman tries to board the bus, but the door closes on her.

The ad is also set to run in Florida, Louisiana and Arkansas.

LOW KEY BIRTHDAY: The Highway Patrol turns 80 this year and it may be a good year for a quiet celebration. Another misconduct allegation involving sex has been exposed and the patrol is not having a lot of success reversing a culture in which some troopers expected on-duty escapades as an unofficial fringe benefit. Patrol leaders asked employees to try to knock it off in honor of the patrol's anniversary.

CONS BEATING PROS: Republicans dug in on their opposition to Democratic health care reforms with U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick saying that a Democrat health care system might not have caught her breast cancer in time. Sen. Richard Burr said the plan would just shift the cost of the health care system to taxpayers. On the other side, Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan isn't ready to pick a reform plan, although she's sure one is needed.

WE'RE SAVED: A television advertisement funded by a conservative group catalogues corruption scandals involving Democrats. The group proclaims that it's here to rescue America from "radical socialism." A 30-second spot will probably just about do it.

IN OTHER NEWS: President Bill Clinton wasn't rattled by Sen. Jesse Helms inflammatory statements. Sen. Joe Lieberman is watering down an energy bill in an effort to get Republicans, including Burr, on board. State Rep. Ty Harrell has resigned his seat over questions about his campaign finance reports.

An ad airing on local television stations asks viewers to vote on whether state Democrats are the most corrupt.

The 30-second ad by the conservative Wake Up America, highlights notable Democrats who have gone to prison as well as Mary Easley's job at N.C. State University as well as a recent tax increase approved by Democrats in the House and Senate.

The ad encourages viewers to go to the organization's Web site to vote on whether our state is more corrupt than New Jersey, Illinois or New York. Wake Up America aims to be the conservative answer to MoveOn.org and proclaims that one if its missions is to rescue "America from radical socialism."

Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger said that Gov. Beverly Perdue has reversed course in illegal immigration.

Berger was criticizing the State Board of Community Colleges' recommendation that would reverse a ban on illegal immigrants entering colleges.

"We all remember how, in the midst of her campaign, Governor Perdue made a public display of her commitment to keeping illegal aliens out of our community colleges even going so far as to ungraciously refer to her opponent as the 'Mayor of Tijuana' in campaign advertisements," Berger said. "Now that the election is over, she has reversed course on this issue and many others."

Perdue remains opposed to allowing illegal immigrants into college classrooms.

"She's made it very clear to the members of the board that she disagrees with this decision and her position has not changed," said spokeswoman Chrissy Pearson.

The governor appoints 10 of the board's 21 members.

And in her radio ads near the end of the campaign, a character suggested that Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory thought he was running for "Governor of Tijuana."

Update: Post now includes comment from Perdue's office.

With the health care debate in Congress reaching a critical juncture, the pharmaceutical industry is spending large sums on TV advertising in North Carolina to help shape the discussion.

PhRMA, the pharmaceuticial industry group, won’t say how much it is spending in the state, Rob Christensen reports.

But public records show that the industry group has spent $75,377 on WRAL-TV alone.

The industry ad that has been running in recent days — and was airing Monday — praised Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan, a member of the Senate Health Committee. The ad is also sponsored by Families USA a nonpartisan advocacy group that pushes for affordable health care.

Hagan is one of the Southern moderates who had expressed reservations about the public health option part of President Barack Obama’s healh care plan.

"On the issues that matter to working families, Kay Hagan has been there — whether it's fighting to make healthcare more affordable or voting to expand healthcare coverage to 11 million kids without insurance," says the industry ad. "And now, Kay Hagan's leading the fight to ensure quality, affordable healthcare for every American, so you get to choose your doctor, and your doctor decides which treatments and medicines are best for you. Call Senator Hagan today. Tell her thanks for standing up for us."

The industry group, which includes local giant GlaxoSmithKline, began the advertising campaign July 2 and it is scheduled to continue at last until August 2nd, according records.

The ad campaign is part of a stepped up effort by both sides on the health care debate.

Moveon.Org., a liberal advocacy group, had threatened to run TV ads against Hagan, but so far has not done so. The Washington Post has reported that Obama has asked health advocacy groups to stop criticizing Democratic senators, including Hagan.

Update: Post now states that the ad has two sponsors. 

Lewis, a Dunn Republican has launched a petition drive and an ad raliing against what he calls the "billion dollar lie."

Democrats describe the budget deficit as $4 billion or more. Republicans say that figure is intentionally misleading.

Revenue next year is expected to be more than $4 billion behind what it would have taken to keep funding programs and services at recent levels. Even measuring against this year's spending, which has been cut from what was approved in this year's budget, revenues are nearly $3 billion behind. Those figures do not account for approximately $1.3 billion in federal stimulus money, as the state historically has not calculated federal money in totaling up the general fund budget.

More after the jump.

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Former Raleigh Mayor Tom Fetzer has produced a video ad criticizing Democratic Gov. Beverly Perdue as part of his campaign for state GOP chariman.

The ad, which is available on YouTube, is designed to show what Fetzer could do as party chairman. Fetzer is one of four candidates for the top Republican post which will be selected next weekend at the state GOP convention in Raleigh.

The ad criticizes Perdue for failing to take any action against a number of Democrats, including former Gov. Mike Easley, who are either at the center of controversy or who have gone to jail.