The old Jim Hunt crowd gathered in Raleigh on Friday for the groundbreaking of the library that will bear the former governor's name and for lunch at the Park Alumni Center at N.C. State University, Rob Christensen reports.

The crowd included a who's who from Hunt's 16 years as governor, including Jim Phillips, former chairman of the UNC Board of Governors; former state Supreme Court Chief Justice Burley Mitchell; Norris Tolson, a transportation secretary under Hunt; former Ambassador Jeanette Hyde; Hunt's former spokeman and strategist Gary Pearce; former Human Resources secretary Lucy Bode; former Cultural Resources secretary Betty McCain; former aide Ed Turlington, and former state Democratic chairwoman Barbara Allen.

Just to name a few. 

And what would a gathering of politicians be without a little fund raising? 

At the lunch, Hunt announced a $20 million fund raising campaign to help cover some of the costs of the library that will also serve as headquarters for the Institute for Emerging Issues, the think tank Hunt created.

"This is a marvelous opportunity," Hunt said. "It really is."

The first boos of the night came for Mike Easley.

As Hillary Clinton was going through her list of thank-yous at the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, she mentioned former party chairwoman Barbara Allen, party chairman Jerry Meek and the state's Congressional and legislative Democrats.

But when she named Easley — and specifically his endorsement of her — some in the crowd began to boo.

It was not clear exactly why they were booing, but based on calls to the governor's office, some were upset that he took a stand in the contentious race.

Clinton then praised Easley's wife, Mary, and former governors Terry Sanford and Jim Hunt.

By then, the crowd settled down.

Later, she praised John Edwards and his focus on ending poverty, promising to appoint a Cabinet-level officer to work on the issue.

Edwards has not endorsed in the presidential race, but his wife, Elizabeth, has praised Clinton's health care proposal.

She also name-checked former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Hugh Shelton, a native North Carolinian who has endorsed her. 

Hillary Clinton's campaign released the names of its North Carolina steering committee, ranging from poet Maya Angelou to Hugh Shelton, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The list was announced at a teleconference held by Tom Hendrickson, a former state Democratic chariman; former Ambassador Jeanette Hyde, and the Rev. Brenda Stevenson of Charlotte.

"I know Hillary has the diplomatic skills," said Hyde, who was appointed ambassador to Barbados by President Clinton. "She has the knowledge. She has traveled around the world. I beleive she can help mend some of the problems we have in the world."

The endorsements include many people long associated with the moderate, pro-business wing of the state Democratic Party and with Govs. Jim Hunt and Terry Sanford.

Clarification: Hunt is not on the steering committee, but some of his associates are.

More names after the jump.

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Former President Bill Clinton will meet with key supporters later today at a reception at the Raleigh home of former Ambassador Jeannette Hyde.

“It’s actually for people willing to endorse Hillary Clinton or be on the statewide steering committee,” Hyde told Rob Christensen. “It’s kind of a briefing on the campaign and a thank you.”

Clinton will attend the private event after first appearing at public events in Charlotte and Cary.

Helping put the event together is former state Democratic chairman Tom Hendrickson, a Raleigh businessman. Among those expected to attend are former state Democratic chairwoman Barbara Allen, and Jane Patterson, a former secretary of administration.

Among the North Carolinians expected to endorse Clinton — although not attending tonight’s event — are retired Charlotte bank executive Hugh McColl; Hugh Shelton, the former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff; and poet Maya Angelou, according to Hyde.

State Sen. Walter Dalton raised more than $100,000 in Raleigh Wednesday night in his race for lieutenant governor.

The event, held at the home of Wallace and Jeanette Hyde, a former U.S. ambassador, showed Dalton's support among the Democratic establishment, Rob Christensen reports.

The event included glowing comment from Senate boss Marc Basnight, who called Dalton "a forward thinking leader."

Among the sponsors were Sen. Vernon Malone, Progress Energy CEO Bill Johnson, Red Hat CEO Matthew Szulik, BlueCross/BlueShield CEO Bob Greczyn, former Lt. Gov. Bob Jordan, UNC benefactor Walter Davis, former N&O publisher Frank Daniels Jr., former Glaxo CEOs Bob Ingram and Charlie Sanders, and former state Democratic chairs Tom Hendrickson and Betty McCain and Barbara Allen.

The other Democrats running for lieutenant governor are Durham lawyer Hampton Dellinger, Winston-Salem Councilman Dan Besse, and Canton Mayor Pat Smathers.