The CBS Evening News focused on the Senate race Friday.

In interviews with Katie Couric, Democratic candidate Kay Hagan argues that U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole has been ineffective, while Dole says she's helped promote jobs.

Couric also asks Dole why President Bush has not campaign for her, according to a transcript:

COURIC: But Dole's biggest negative may be the R next to her name, which in this traditionally Republican state has almost become a scarlet letter.

President Bush campaigned for you tirelessly in 2002 when you first ran, but he hasn't really shown up in North Carolina this go-'round. Why is that?

Sen. DOLE: Well, his father has been here, and Laura Bush has been in the state a couple of times.

Dole also says she thought the "rocking chair" ad was designed to be a snarky attack on her age.

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated the day it aired. 

First Lady Laura Bush is in Raleigh for a fund raiser this afternoon for Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole.

The tea will be held at the Inside-the-Beltline home of North Hills developer John Kane, who in June hosted a fund raiser featuring President Bush to benefit GOP gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory, Rob Christensen reports. 

The private event is being held beneath the radar. There was no announcement from the Dole campaign that the fund raiser was being held.

Earlier this year, the First Lady also attended a fund raiser for Dole in Asheville.

President Bush may not be campaigning for Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole, but members of his family are.

On Saturday night, former President George H.W. Bush attended a fundraiser for Dole at the home of Keith and Lydia Vaughan of Winston-Salem, reports Rob Christensen.

This summer, First Lady Laura Bush attended a fundraiser in the Asheville area for Dole.

The current President Bush campaigned numerous times for Dole when she won in 2002, but since then his polling numbers have gone in the tank.

It’s Holiday Decor day at the White House, in which First Lady Laura Bush leads a tour for the media.

The theme focuses on the national parks, and there’s a bit of North Carolina in there, including a giant Hatteras Lighthouse in the East Wing, Barb Barrett reports.

There's also a nice spread in the State Room—no word on how much of that food is Carolina-grown, but the White House will go through 700 pounds of crab and 1,000 pounds of shrimp this season.

(Photo by Chuck Kennedy of McClatchy Newspapers)

A Fraser fir from Ashe County was received this morning by Laura Bush as the official White House Christmas tree.

The 20-foot tree, from Mistletoe Meadows Christmas Tree Farm, rolled up the White House’s north driveway bundled and lying on its side atop a horse-drawn cart in a media event that lasted some three minutes, Barb Barrett reports.

Bush walked out to welcome the tree, shaking the hand of tree farm owner Joe Freeman and his wife, Linda Jones, as three dozen journalists snapped photos.

"We’re all thrilled that it’s going to be here in the Blue Room," Bush told the press.

The tree was chosen by Freeman after winning a contest by the National Christmas Tree Association to go into the White House. It was cut Friday.