Biden has become a leading figure in helping House Democrats prepare for next year's elections. Kissell, a Biscoe Democrat, narrowly won his seat 2008. The GOP has targeted the seat in next year's mid-term elections. Fayetteville businessman Lou Huddleston, a Republican, is running for the seat.

Dome's Barb Barrett filed a report about the event, which was held at the Cleveland Park home of William and Susie Taylor. Among those in the audience was U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, a Charlotte Democrat.

Kissell introduced Biden.

"There’s something magical about someone from a textiles background, and who was teaching high school civics a year ago, to be standing up here with the vice president. That’s a miracle. That’s what makes this country great," Kissell said.

Correction: A previous version of this post misstated Kissell's election results. Dome regrets the errors.

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BY THE POUND: The State Health Plan sent information to its 660,000-plus members giving details on its plans to hike rates for smokers and obese people. The mailing probably prompted a series of early New Year's resolutions.

BAD WATER=GOOD POLITICS: U.S. Sens. Kay Hagan, a Democrat, and Richard Burr, a Republican, have been pushing for benefits for Marines and their families who were exposed to toxic tap water at Camp Lejeune in the 1980s. Before long U.S. Rep. Brad Miller, a Democrat, was ready to introduce a House version of the bill.

NOT NOW: Gov. Beverly Perdue was one of six Democratic governors who did not sign a letter urging health care reform. Turns out there wasn't an ideological reason. Perdue was too busy on a business recruiting trip to give the letter a read.

IN OTHER NEWS: A conservative advocacy group is copying the Amway business model. U.S. Rep. Larry Kissell gets a fundraising boost from Vice President Joe Biden. John Edwards' name causes an awkward moment at the U2 concert in Raleigh.

Politico reports that Biden has become a key fundraising presence in House campaigns.

Two weeks ago, the vice president traveled across the Potomac to keynote a three-way fundraiser to boost Virginia Democratic freshmen Reps. Gerry Connolly, Glenn Nye and Thomas Perriello. First-term Rep. Larry Kissell (D-N.C.), a weak fundraiser, just got the Biden treatment, and the vice president is scheduled to appear at a $1,000-per-person luncheon for freshman Rep. Jim Hines (D-Conn.) in New York City on Monday.

Republicans see Kissell, a Biscoe Democrat as vulnerable next year, possibly in part because news reporters are on safe ground describing the Congressman as a "weak fundraiser." Just today, Republicans launched an attack on Kissell over comments he made about the war in Afghanistan.

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Vice President Joe Biden wants the advice of Jody Baumgartner, an East Carolina University political science professor.

Baumgartner is one of six experts on the vice presidency who have been invited to have dinner with Biden next Tuesday at the vice president's house, Rob Christensen reports.

Baumgartner and the other professors are expected to discuss how past vice presidents have used the post.

He is the author of numerous articles and a book on the vice presidency including "The American Vice Presidency Reconsidered" and "Scoundrel or Uber Lieutenant? The Vice Presidency of Dick Cheney."

WINSTON-SALEM — Vice President Joe Biden today told Wake Forest graduates that history is theirs to change.

"As corny as it sounds, this really is your moment," he said. "History is yours to bend."

Biden spoke on a brisk, sunny morning to 1,500 graduates and a crowd estimated at more than 10,000. He received an honorary doctor of laws degree, Jim Morrill reports.

Unlike President Obama's commencement address at Notre Dame Sunday, Biden attracted no protesters. In his 30-minute speech, he urged the graduates to help bring fundamental changes in the world.

"You graduates give hope that we will not only survive today but thrive tomorrow," said Biden, wearing a black robe. "We're either going to fundamentally revive our economy or we’re going to fall behind."

It was Biden's third visit to North Carolina in recent weeks, a fact not lost on Republicans.

More after the jump.

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The Democrats for decades have had their annual Jefferson-Jackson fund raising dinner in Raleigh.

But on Saturday, some 400 to 500 Democrats are expected to gather at the Durham Marriott Convention Center, Rob Christensen reports.

David Young, the state Democratic chairman, said he wanted to see the Jefferson-Jackson Dinner moved around periodically and he said Durham was a good place to start because of its strong Democratic showing in last year’s election.

The featured speaker at the $100-per plate dinner is national Democratic chairman Tim Kaine, the governor of Virginia. North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue invited Kaine, and she will be on hand to play host.

The appearance by Kaine is another indication that the Obama administration is paying a lot of attention to North Carolina. Both President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have visited the state.

More after the jump.

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Vice President Joe Biden will return to North Carolina next month to deliver the commencement address at Wake Forest University.

His office announced he will speak on Monday, May 18, at the private school in Winston-Salem, as well as give commencement addresses at the Air Force Academy and at Syracuse University, where he attended law school, Rob Christensen reports.

This will be Biden's third appearance in North Carolina in recent weeks. He also met with troops at Fort Bragg last week and was in Eastern North Carolina the week before unveiling new rural programs.

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have also visited the state.

The Obama administration is paying a lot of attention to North Carolina, which he carried by a small margin in November.

Correction: An earlier version of this post had an incorrect date.

GLADLY PAY TUESDAY? Call it the J. Wellington Wimpy budget. The N.C. Senate passed a $20 billion budget this week that doesn't say where $500 million in revenue would come from. Senate leaders said they'll work out the tax part later, much as the Popeye character promised to "gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."

DUCKWORTH'S BACK ON: U.S. Sen. Richard Burr drew national attention for holding up the nomination of injured Iraq veteran Tammy Duckworth as Veterans Affairs secretary. He said he had questions about her financial disclosure forms, but declined to give details. By mid-week, he said he would allow the nomination to go forward.

EARMARK TRANSPARENCY: In the bad old days, members of Congress secretly inserted earmarks in the budget. Now, they post the requests on their Web sites. If you can find them. And they don't all call them earmarks. And their methods of tallying up the requests differ so much it's difficult to compare to them, apples to apples. But it's a start.

IN OTHER NEWS: A fix to the State Health Plan narrowly passed the state Senate. ... Former Board of Transportation member Louis Sewell got an invite to the Executive Mansion from Gov. Beverly Perdue. ... Vice President Joe Biden dropped by Fort Bragg to welcome home troops. North Carolina's been pretty popular for executive branch visits since the state went for President Obama in November. ... The Senate budget would take oversight of state testing away from schools Superintendent June Atkinson, the latest in a tug-of-war between her and Gov. Perdue over education.

Vice President Joe Biden told members of the Army's 18th Airborne Corps this morning that their work in Iraq has helped give the government there a "fighting chance" to survive.

Biden helped welcome several hundred members of the unit home from Iraq in a ceremony on the 82nd Airborne Division's main parade field at Fort Bragg. The ceremony, more elaborate than most for returning troops, was attended by about 1,700 people.

"Because of all the work you've done, I am absolutely confident that the Iraqis are in a much better position to take responsibility for their own security," Biden told the soldiers. "You did more than I suspect you even know."

Biden, accompanied by his wife, Jill Biden, is making his second visit to North Carolina this month.

Last week, he accompanied U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to Faison and Pikeville in Eastern North Carolina to discuss how the stimulus package would help rural America.

Joe Biden gave some shoutouts to local officials today.

Speaking at a welcome-home ceremony at Fort Bragg, the vice president noted the presence of three Democratic members of Congress: 

And I want to thank the members of the Congress again, Senator Kay Hagan, and -- who is a welcome addition and a good buddy of mine. And I hope you're enjoying the Senate as much as I did when I was there, Kay; and Bob Etheridge, who you all know well, and Mike McIntyre -- two stalwart members of the United States Congress...

He also gave a shoutout to Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne and Spring Lake Mayor Ethel Clark, who were also in the audience.