Perdue uncertain whether she'll speak at North Carolina convention

Gov. Bev Perdue said Tuesday that she isn’t sure whether she’ll be speaking at the Democratic National Convention. Convention organizers begun unveiling their list of speakers for the Charlotte convention this week. They include First Lady Michelle Obama, former President Bill Clinton and Julian Castro, the major of San Antonio, Texas.

Perdue, speaking in Washington, D.C., said she had not seen the list of time slots, but that she expected to review it shortly. She said she’ll be actively involved in the Labor Day festival, CarolinaFest, on Monday in Uptown Charlotte the day before the convention kicks off.

Perdue joined a list of governors and former governors discussing infrastructure challenges facing state leaders during tough economic times. The event was organized by the Governors Institute, which provides technical guidance to governors on, among others, housing, transportation, and environmental needs.

Perdue, who is not running for reelection, said one of the biggest infrastructure challenges the next governor will face is managing ongoing population growth. Residents want new and improved roads, bridges and airports. And state leaders need to figure out a way to pay for them. 

"That is where the metal meets the road," she said. "All the great things one says during a campaign and all the promises and the no new tax pledges that people make. And all the 'I can fix it with a magic wand’ just does not really happen when you’re the governor. If you’re going to get things done and focus on the future and continue to invest in the future, you have to make tough decisions and you can’t stick your finger in the wind and decide which way the public is going."