Barack Obama won the nomination thanks to Southern cities.

An analysis of voting patterns by the Center for Rural Strategies shows that the Democratic presidential nominee won cities in the South handily, helping deliver the region to him despite his losses in rural counties.

Sen. Obama won the Southern cities by about the same margin that Clinton won Appalachia — and urban areas in the South delivered more than twice the number of votes as were cast in all of Appalachia.

They note that Hillary Clinton winning Appalachia by 750,000 votes and Obama winning Southern cities by double that number.

In North Carolina at least, Obama clearly ran an urban-centered campaign, focusing on the Interstate 85 corridor from Charlotte to Raleigh, with side trips to Fayetteville.

And with stops like Research Triangle Park, he was clearly aiming for the New South — a strategy that failed in the past for candidates like Harvey Gantt.

As noted: previously, Democratic consultant Brad Crone says that things have changed.

Hat Tip: Chris Kromm

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama speaks at a Cree manufacturing plant in Research Triangle Park today.

DURHAM — No big rallies this time.

The setting for what is expected to be Barack Obama's final campaign appearance was in the sedate setting of CREE, a company in the Research Triangle Park that is producing LED lights, Rob Christensen reports.

Reporters nearly outnumbered CREE employees in a manufacturing room where Obama was scheduled to speak within the hour. Obama was expected to talk about both the economy and the environment.

The location was set up by Michael Cucchiara, a Chapel Hill businessman, who had been a major financial backer of former Sen. John Edwards. Cucchiara switched to Obama shortly after Edwards withdrew from the race in January.

Richard Moore ate breakfast with supporters at the State Farmer's Market in Raleigh.

Kicking off the last 48 hours of the campaign, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate sat down for a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit with a dozen backers at the Farmer's Market Restaurant this morning.

Business was otherwise slow, with just a handful of other Moore supporters at other tables nearly matched by reporters and camera crews.

Mike Rogers, 51, a vice president at Cree, came to the restaurant at the invitation of Moore staffer Stephanie Dorko. A Republican who switched to unaffiliated to vote for Moore in the primary, Rogers said he's liked Moore since the two were on a business flight together to Boston several years ago.

"I really think he connects well with all people," he said.

At another table, Dorothea Dix park advocate Greg Poole was looking over aquarium plans with two park planners, while Moore spoke with Liggett Vector chief financial officer Bill Marks, among others.

Rogers and Poole have given $4,000 to Moore; Marks, $500.