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 194,050, although presumably some people attended more than one rally.

Before Election Season:

Durham, Nov. 1, 2007: 4,000

Before Primary (57,550):

Fayetteville, March 19: 150
Charlotte, March 19: 2,500
Greensboro, March 26: 2,400
Raleigh, April 17: 2,000
Greenville, April 17: 8,000
Wilmington, April 28: 6,000
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 (133,000):

Raleigh, June 9: 500
Raleigh, Aug. 19: 2,500
Charlotte, Sept. 21: 20,000
Greensboro, Sept. 27: 20,000
Asheville, Oct. 5: 28,000
Fayetteville, Oct. 19: 10,000
Raleigh, Oct. 29: 25,000
Charlotte, Nov. 3: 25,000

Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory had a late night Monday, and it wasn't because of a campaign event.

McCrory took time from his gubernatorial campaign to co-host a late-night edition of Fox Charlotte's "Fox News Edge" with regular host Brotha' Fred, Rogelio Aranda reports.

Looking relaxed without a tie, McCrory discussed the dangers of "electionitis," the fatigue felt by candidates (and voters) this late in the campaign.

"They don't even know what towns they're in right now. ... There's probably going to be more mess-ups."

McCrory recalled a recent campaign appearance in Hickory, where he said he told a crowd "It's great to be in the living room of Caldwell County."

Hickory is in Catawba County.

Later, McCrory joked that Libertarian gubernatorial candidate Mike Munger was harder to debate than Democrat Beverly Perdue.

"He was a bright guy," he said.

With Democrat Barack Obama continuing to run strong in North Carolina, the campaign of Republican John McCain is ramping up its efforts here.

Next week both McCain and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin are expected to campaign here, Rob Christensen reports.

Although nothing has been announced, McCain is likely to make his first general election appearance in the state on Saturday, Oct. 18th. The most likely location is Hickory — although Charlotte and Wilmington had also been discussed.

The event would be designed to rally the state GOP's western base.

Palin will attend a fund raiser next Thursday at the Greensboro home of the McCain-Palin finance chairman, businessman Louis DeJoy. She is also likely to have a public rally. The McCain-Palin campaign is looking strongly at Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh.

North Carolina has been a traditionally Republican leaning state in presidential politics, but the Obama campaign has made it into a battleground. The McCain campaign is picking up the pace in recent days in effort to keep the state red.

In recent days, Warren Tompkins, a respected Republican operative in South Carolina and a protege of the late Lee Atwater, has been surveying North Carolina for the McCain campaign to determine what can be done to shore up the state.

U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry may sue a challenger over a TV ad.

The Cherryville Republican has threatened legal action against primary opponent Lance Sigmon over a 30-second ad that accuses him of "revealing troop positions" in Baghdad.

The ad says two Americans died after McHenry posted a video on his Congressional Web site about an attack on the Green Zone. It claims McHenry could face 10 years in prison because of an espionage act that prohibits aiding the enemy.

A letter from McHenry's attorney, Kelsey Williams of Hickory, tells Sigmon to "cease and desist" airing the ad, titled "Two Bit."

"Representative McHenry has never alluded to nor mentioned any positions of troops," said the letter, made public Monday. "Also, said ad asserts that the aforementioned video caused the death of two Americans. This statement is on its face false."

Williams also said the suggestion that McHenry violated espionage laws is also false. (Char-O)

Bill Clinton will have a whirlwind tour on Friday.

The former president will campaign on behalf of his wife in Greensboro, High Point, Salisbury, Kannapolis, Gastonia, Hickory and Asheville.

The day begins with a stop at the Bryan Family YMCA in Greensboro.

He'll also stop at a student center at High Point University, the historic Salisbury train station, A.L. Brown High School in Kannapolis, the Highland School of Technology, St. Stephens High School and Asheville High School.

His campaigning will last from 7:45 a.m. to 8:15 p.m., although given the number of stops it's not likely he'll remain on schedule for most of the stops.

An assistant D.A. may run against U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry.

Daniel Johnson, 31, currently lives and works in Raleigh, but he told the Hickory Daily Record that he may move back to his hometown to launch a campaign.

"We’re trying to see if it's the right thing for me and my wife right now," he told the paper. "It is something that I'm considering and looking into."

Johnson received the Navy Marine Corps Medal for saving a crewmate during a 1999 accident on the U.S.S. Blue Ridge that severed both of his legs below the knees.

A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, he has worked for Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby's office for three years.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released a statement praising Johnson Wednesday.

Don Beason charged Catawba County nearly $6,000 a month.

According to a December 2006 contract obtained by Dome, the lobbyist earned a monthly salary of $5,250 plus $500 per month in expenses.

A spokesman for the county said that it had paid a total of $38,521 to Beason's company, The Capital Group, under the agreement. The city of Hickory will reimburse the county for half that amount.

In the contract, Beason noted that it was discounted from a $7,000 monthly fee.

Beason's contract was suspended when the session ended, pending a year-end review by the Catawba County board of commissioners.

He had lobbied in part on the county's fight with Concord and Kannapolis over water use. A House bill passed this session addressed the issue, directing the Environmental Review Commission to study transfers from one water basin to another.

Don Beason's contract with the city of Hickory has ended.

City Manager Mick Berry writes Dome that the contract ended once the session was over. He said that Beason was one of several lobbyists working for the city.

The others were Frank Folger, Wendy Kelly and former Lt. Gov. Dennis Wicker, who worked for Hickory as a member of the Protect the Catawba River Coalition, which is fighting Concord and Kannapolis over water use from the Catawba and Yadkin rivers.

Berry said the city will be developing its legislative agenda for the next session over the coming months and determine "how best to get it accomplished."

"Mr. Beason is not currently under contract to represent the City of Hickory as a lobbyist and we will be evaluating who (if anyone) would best represent our interest in the short session next year," he wrote.

Don Beason no longer works for Carolina Ballet.

The lobbyist had represented the nonprofit ballet company based in Raleigh. But Executive Director Lisa Jones e-mailed Dome to say that the "relationship expired" on June 30.

"Mr. Beason donated his services," she wrote.

Carolina Ballet is still listed as an active account on the Secretary of State's list of Beason clients. He resigned his contract with Cingular Wireless (now AT&T Mobility) on June 13 and with Progress Energy on Aug. 3. His contract with BB&T was terminated on Aug. 10.

The once-top lobbyist has been under an ethics cloud since disgraced former House Speaker Jim Black said in July that Beason loaned him $500,000 in 2000.

He is still registered as a lobbyist for the N.C. Railroad Company, Dale Earnhardt Inc., the city of Hickory and Colonial Life & Accident Insurance Co.