Ohio

N.C.'s official state rock song?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 16:53:34 -0400

North Carolina does not have a state rock song.

Sure, you're thinking, who does? As it turns out: Washington, Oklahoma and Ohio.

When Dome was a teen-ager, a local comedy sketch show staged a campaign to have the incomparable "Louie, Louie" declared the state song.

Legislators were loath to jettison the existing tune, so they named the Kingsmen's one-off hit the state rock song instead.

Recently, a group in Oklahoma held an online contest to determine that state's rock song.

The winning song — "Do You Realize??" — was referred to the legislature, though there were a few hiccups when a member of The Flaming Lips wore a T-shirt with a hammer and sickle.

Ohio also named "Hang on Sloopy" by the McCoys.

So, North Carolina, what would be your official state rock song?

Post your comments in the thread below or e-mail dome@newsobserver.com.

Dole's 2006 stops for NRSC

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:40:30 -0400

Sen. Elizabeth Dole visited a number of states in 2006.

As head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee that year, Dole campaigned for Republican Senate candidates in a number of states, according to news reports:

Minnesota: In March, Dole traveled in Minnesota on behalf of Senate candidate Mark Kennedy, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

Montana: In April and August, Dole toured Montana with Sen. Conrad Burns, according to the Associated Press.

Washington: On Aug. 25, Dole appeared at a $100-a-plate luncheon with Washington Senate candidate Mike McGavick, according to The Columbian.

Tennessee: On Aug. 28, Dole toured Eastern Tennessee with Senate candidate Bob Corker, according to the Knoxville News-Sentinel.

Michigan: On Aug. 29, Dole went on campaign stops with Senate candidate Mike Bouchard, according to the Muskegon Chronicle.

Pennsylvania: On Aug. 31, Dole spoke at a press conference at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Pittsburgh, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Arizona: On Sept. 22, Dole headlined an entourage of female senators at the Arizona Inn in Tuscon, according to the Arizona Daily Star.

New Jersey: On Oct. 11, Dole traveled in New Jersey, according to The Hotline.

Ohio: On Oct. 16, Dole traveled to Ohio, according to the N&O.

Missouri: On Oct. 18, Dole headlined a breakfast for Sen. Jim Talent, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Virginia: On Oct. 31, Dole appeared with Sen. George Allen at the Omni Charlottesville Hotel, according to the Richmond Times Dispatch.

In addition, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee says an official e-mail from Dole shows she traveled to Nebraska in August.

GOP: ACORN vote fraud 'rampant'

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:28:41 -0400

The Republican National Committee is arguing that voter registration fraud is "rampant" in North Carolina.

During a conference call with reporters this morning, RNC chief counsel Sean Cairncross and spokesman Danny Diaz argued that the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, or ACORN, is submitting fraudulent registration forms here.

The State Board of Elections has found 135 bogus forms out of the nearly 28,000 submitted by the group in North Carolina this year, or about half of one percent.

Overall, more than 467,000 new voters have registered in North Carolina since the beginning of the year.

Diaz argued that the fraudulent forms are a burden to elections directors and risks leading to the disenfranchisement of legitimate voter registrations. He also argued that a percentage of the false forms may end up leading to voter fraud.

"It's hard to catch, but we do know in point of fact that these names get on the rolls," he said.

He pointed to a recent New York Post story that an Ohio man registered to vote multiple times and cast a ballot with a fake address.