Easley may attend Obama summit

Gov. Mike Easley will try to attend an economic discussion with Barack Obama and other Democratic governors in Chicago Friday, Easley's office said Wednesday.

"The governor is planning to go, but with everything going on with the (state) budget, it's kind of up in the air," said Easley spokeswoman Sherri Johnson.

The governor and state legislators are hoping to finish negotiations on the budget before the new fiscal year begins July 1, David Ingram reports.

Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, is hosting the event to discuss the health of state budgets and to "develop innovative solutions to the economic challenges the American people are facing every day," his campaign said.