U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick said she was encouraged by the tea parties.

The Charlotte Republican spoke to an anti-tax protest sponsored by Freedomworks on April 4 and a second event run by a grassroots group in Monroe yesterday.

She was also invited to a tea party in Columbia, S.C., last night, but could not attend.

At both events, Myrick spoke for about 10 minutes about her concerns about the rising deficit and increased federal spending. She said she stressed that there was "blame to go around" for both Democrats and Republicans on the problem.

"When Republicans were in charge, they spent too much money, too," she said.

She said the events were a "real cross section" of Americans who are not normally involved in government.

"It was citizens who are very concerned," she said. "That's what was encouraging to me because it was grassroots America of all ages." 

Retired Gen. Wesley Clark is in North Carolina for Barack Obama.

The one-time Democratic presidential candidate appeared at a National Guard Armory in Monroe today and will speak at a Java Express in Sanford and a library in Rocky Mount Wednesday.

Bill Clinton will come to North Carolina Friday.

According to a newly released schedule, the former president will hold events at UNC-Pembroke at 8:30 a.m., in Laurinburg at 10:15 a.m., at the Union County Agricultural Center in Monroe at 1 p.m. and in Charlotte at 3 p.m.