The VIPs in the crowd in Greensboro were more local.

At a rally for Barack Obama today, the highest-ranking candidate for state office was Agriculture Commissioner candidate Ronnie Ansley.

Obama gave him a shout-out and recognized Congressional candidates Roy Carter and Teresa Sue Bratton, Greensboro Mayor Yevonne Johnson and state Rep. Pricey Harrison.

Also at the event: State Rep. Alma Adams and state Cultural Resources secretary Libba Evans.

Not present: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue or Senate candidate Kay Hagan, who is from Greensboro.

Update: The inestimable Mark Binker of the News & Record says he spotted Rep. Earl Jones as well.

Second Update: A spokeswoman for Hagan said she had a previously scheduled event. 

Is there a BlueNC primary?

The progressive group blog has become a major stopping point for Democratic candidates in North Carolina's primary this year.

So far, Senate candidate Jim Neal; lieutenant governor candidates Pat Smathers and Dan Besse; Congressional candidates Larry Kissell, Marshall Adame, Jay Ovittore, Roy Carter, John Autry; and state House candidate Ed Ridpath, along with Elizabeth Edwards have live-blogged on the site.

State auditor candidate Beth Wood, labor commissioner Robin Anderson and Congressional candidate Ross Overby are also slated, while gubernatorial candidates Richard Moore and Beverly Perdue have scheduled an online debate on the site.

Even Senate candidate Kay Hagan, who has taken some abuse on the site, has said she will live-blog.

"I think it's absolutely as important to engage as many voters as you can," said Hagan spokeswoman Colleen Flanagan. "Certainly there's a lot of voters who read that blog."

The live-blogs are a new, and much looser format for candidates. Anonymous users can post questions, but the candidates are also free to ignore them. They can answer as much or as little as they want, ask staff or Google for help and link to outside sources.

Coach Carter is blowing the whistle.

Roy Carter, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the 5th Congressional District, is attacking U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx for defending Roger Clemens.

Carter, an agricultural sciences teacher and head football coach at North Wilkes High School, he said that the Banner Elk Republican was wrong to defend the professional baseball player in a Congressional hearing Wednesday.

"As an athlete and football coach, I have always believed that illegal drug use of any kind has absolutely no place in sports," he said in a statement. "As a coach, I believe we should set a positive example that will help our young people resist the pressures of drug use."

Clemens has been accused of using human growth hormone. 

* State Sen. Fred Smith says students seeking vocational education at state high schools shouldn't be made to feel like "second-class citizens." (NBSJ)

* High school coach Roy Carter kicks off campaign against U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx Saturday at Forsyth County Democratic headquarters. (Go Blue Ridge)

* James Kerr of N.C. Utilities Commission testifies in Washington, asking Congress to move ahead with plans to dispose nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain, Nev. (Char-O)

* State Sen. Kay Hagan, Chapel Hill investment banker Jim Neal face a 40-year curse against Democrats in U.S. Senate race. Sen. Sam Ervin won last. (W-SJ)

* High school students stump John Edwards on conflict diamonds, recycling nuclear waste and North American currency consolidation at N.H. event. (NYT)

* BlueNC founder James Protzman, a.k.a. Anglico, announces he's leaving the Democratic Party to become unaffiliated over state Sen. Kay Hagan's U.S. Senate run. (BlueNC)

* Hagan replacements mentioned: Reps. Maggie Jeffus and Pricey Harrison, education activist Margaret Arbuckle; Republicans Mark McDaniel and Rep. John Blust. (Capital Beat)

* U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx holds "virtual town hall," fielding mostly positive calls and questions about illegal immigration. Democratic opponent Roy Carter cries foul. (W-SJ)