Gov. Beverly Perdue's pro-choice promise will soon face its first test.

While speaking to a feminist group at a fundraiser breakfast in Raleigh this morning, Perdue pledged to be strongly pro-choice.

At the same time, she released a list of proposed cuts given to her by different agency officials that includes eliminating the state's fund to help poor women afford abortions.

The move would save about $50,000 a year.

The state abortion fund used to be much larger. But during the 1995 budget session, then state Sen. Perdue, one of the chief budget writers, helped slash it from $1.2 million to $50,000 — a 96 percent reduction.

During the Democratic gubernatorial primary, then-Treasurer Richard Moore criticized Perdue for the cut, even creating a YouTube clip of an uncomfortable interview on the subject, while Perdue defended her record on abortion.

Though NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina remained neutral in the primary, Perdue was endorsed by EMILY's List, which backs pro-choice Democratic women, and received the support of the Central North Carolina chapter of Planned Parenthood in the general election.

Update: Perdue was also endorsed by the N.C. Women's Political Caucus, the state chapter of a bipartisan group that endorses pro-choice women candidates.

Correction: An earlier version may have given the impression that Perdue had taken a stance on the specific cuts. She has not.

A Planned Parenthood chapter says a list of budget cuts is the wrong direction on abortion funding.

A list of proposed cuts from agency heads for the budget given to Gov. Beverly Perdue includes a $50,000 line item for the state abortion fund, which is designed to help poor women pay for abortions.

Paige Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Central North Carolina chapter of Planned Parenthood, said that as far as her organization knows, no woman has received help from the program since 1995.

That year, a budget partly written by then Sen. Perdue slashed the fund by 96 percent, while the fund was restricted to poor women who were not on Medicaid and needed an abortion because of rape, incest or life endangerment.

Still, Johnson said eliminating the program would be bad, saying her organization would prefer Perdue lift the restrictions to help women who are losing their health care in today's tough economy.

She added that it would not save the state much.

"We're talking $50,000," she said. "This is not going to make or break the state budget."

Gov. Beverly Perdue raised $17.8 million for her campaign.

According to the final campaign finance report filed with the State Board of Elections, Perdue raised $2.4 million from Oct. 19 to the end of the year. 

Her biggest donors that quarter included Pfizer Vice President Marcus Abrams, Brody's owner Hyman Brody, SAS Institute CEO Jim Goodnight, Fortress Investment Group managing director Michael Malone, SMI Motorsports vice president Marcus Smith.

She also received major donations from the Communications Workers of America, Planned Parenthood of Central N.C., the Conservation Council of N.C., the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and PACs for Pfizer, GE, chiropractors and certified public accountants.

Other donations from the campaigns of state Reps. Jim Harrell and Bruce Goforth and Congressman Heath Shuler, among others.

Perdue also spent $17.7 million on her campaign.

Planned Parenthood has announced its endorsements.

The Central North Carolina chapter of the reproductive health advocacy group has endorsed Barack Obama for president, Kay Hagan for U.S. Senate and Beverly Perdue for governor. All three are Democrats.

"It's simple. Barack Obama, Kay Hagan and Bev Perdue trust women to make personal reproductive health decisions without government intrusion," said Janet Colm, president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund of Central North Carolina. "Their opponents do not."

The organization noted their support for comprehensive sex education, affordable birth control and expanded health coverage.

DENVER - During the Democratic National Convention, Denver's Pepsi Center is abuzz with thousands of delegates, journalists, vendors, workers and others.

But outside the arena, beyond the big white media tents and TV satellite trucks, is a broad no-man's land protected by chain link, concrete barriers and police roadblocks, reports Jim Morrill.

The security perimeter extends for blocks around the arena itself. The closest light rail stop is closed for the week. A shuttle bus from downtown dropped its passengers off several blocks away, a long walk in the hot afternoon sun.

From the hotel where the North Carolina delegation is staying, in a far south suburb, it takes about 20 minutes to get downtown by light rail. To get a convention shuttle downtown, you pass by the convention center. Outside the center are vendors of almost every stripe. There are Obama buttons, T-shirts and necklaces. Animal rights activists passed out "Tax Meat" buttons.

And Planned Parenthood volunteers, dressed in pink T-shirts, handed out special mementoes: Pink containers of condoms.

"Protect yourself from John McCain," they said.

The political action committee of Planned Parenthood of Central North Carolina has made its endorsements.

In statewide races, the group has endorsed Janet Cowell for state treasurer, June Atkinson for superintendent of public instruction, both Democrats.

For state Senate races, the group endorsed Sens. Katie Dorsett of Guilford County and Ellie Kinnaird of Carrboro, both Democrats.

In state House races, it endorsed Reps. Angela Bryant of Rocky Mount and Tricia Cotham of Charlotte, both Democrats.

"The Action Fund proudly supports leaders who stand up for young people by supporting real sex education and who fight for greater access to reproductive health services for all," said president Janet Colm in a statement.

The Washington Times has named Roy Cooper a "noble of the year."

Each year, the conservative D.C. newspaper names "nobles" and "knaves" voted by readers from recent news. It had praise for North Carolina's attorney general:

Just barely sneaking into the No. 5 position is North Carolina State's Attorney Roy Cooper, who dismissed the ludicrous lawsuit against three Duke University lacrosse players. The story made national headlines for months and turned into a media circus, with (former) runaway prosecutor Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong at the helm. 

To give you a sense of how unusual it was for the paper to select a top state Democrat, the knaves this year included Ted Turner, a Connecticut mayor running a "sanctuary city" for illegal immigrants, Planned Parenthood of Los Angeles and Keith Olbermann. 

Dan Besse wants in on the spat in the lieutenant governor's race.

The Winston-Salem City councilman e-mailed his positions on abortion, affirmative action, capital punishment and the environment to reporters today.

He noted that two of his opponents—unnamed, but they are state Sen. Walter Dalton and Hampton Dellinger—have "engaged in a rhetorical battle over their positions." He says this makes it a good time to present his opinions.

"I emphasize experience not just because of how valuable it is to an elected official in translating stated positions into effective action," he writes. "I believe that candidates' records tell you what they genuinely believe in, far more than what they say during the heat of a campaign."

To summarize, Besse says he has worked as a consultant to Planned Parenthood, established minority business goals for city contractors, called for a moratorium on executions and served on the N.C. Environmental Management Commission.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole has called on Congress to stop funding for Planned Parenthood because the non-profit organization provides abortions.

Dole, a Salisbury Republican seeking re-election next year, joined 12 other Republicans in signing a letter to Sen. Tom Harkin, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations, and Rep. David Obey, chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, reports Barb Barrett.

The group of senators asks the appropriations committees to suspend all federal funding for “organizations that promote abortion.” The signers say Planned Parenthood Federation of America receives $300 million a year from the federal government.

The letter, spearheaded by Sens. Sam Brownback of Kansas and David Vitter of Louisiana, comes in the wake of charges against Planned Parenthood in Kansas by a local district attorney who opposes abortion rights.

There, the organization is accused of performing late-term abortions against state law and not maintaining proper medical records. The clinics have denied wrongdoing.

Read more after the jump.

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Beverly Perdue lent her voice to the pro-choice cause — literally.

Last year, the lieutenant governor recorded a brief telephone message encouraging pro-choice voters to turn out in five key legislative races.

The robocalls, for NARAL Pro-Choice North Carolina and Planned Parenthood's political action committees, were made on behalf of Rep. Rick Glazier, Sen. Julia Boseman and House Democratic candidates Ty Harrell, Greer Beaty and Ed Ridpath.

Melissa Reed, NARAL's executive director, said she was looking for close races in which the calls might make a difference as well as the highest-ranking female elected official she could find.

"Especially for our female members, hearing (a) woman's voice really resonates," she said.

After the jump, more details and the script.

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