UNC - Heels for Neal

On Monday night, Jim visited UNC Chapel Hill to meet with the "Heels for Neal" organization - which is helping to organize volunteers in anticipation for the May 6th primary. Chase Carter (in the blue oxford) is heading up UNC's "Heels for Neal" and will be leading a canvassing event every Saturday until the primary. If you live in the Chapel Hill area and want to get involved in canvassing, e-mail him at zcarter@email.unc.edu.

If you don't live in Orange Country, you can sign up here, or e-mail Christian Schnieder to get involved!

Helios Cafe in Raleigh

Jim was in Raleigh at Helios Cafe Monday night - we had a great turnout and a great discussion, with a focus on education (seems we had alot of teachers in the room!). Jim has spoken out repeatedly about the importance of education, and in particular the ineffectiveness of "No Child Left Behind".

"NCLB simply don't work. It's flawed in concept, doesn't engender positive outcomes and is underfunded by about, say, $50 billion. Catch name with no substance or money to match the moniker." - Jim Neal (BlueNC)

"Jim Neal Stuns James Carville Into Silence"

Jim attended the N.C. Young Democrat's annual convention today, headlined by James Carville, John Edwards, Cory Booker and Chelsea Clinton.

One of the most poignant moments of the night occurred during a meet and greet with James Carville:

At one point, Carville said that North Carolina has a great Senate candidate in Kay Hagan, noting that he had just spoken with her daughter, Carrie.

Neal, who is running against Hagan for the Democratic nomination, spoke out from the back of the room.

"I said, 'We have primaries here in North Carolina. We don't have coronations,'" Neal said later.

He said Carville did not respond. "It was the first time I've ever seen him quiet," Neal said.

(From DailyKOS)

Volunteers at the Debate

We had CARLOADS of volunteers and supporters that traveled to New Bern for the first Senatorial Debate of the primary season. Everyone did a great job setting up yard signs, passing out materials and garnering support for OUR campaign.

Jim on Iraq

This primary is about differences, differences that the candidates have on important national policies and issues. One such issue is the War in Iraq.

State Sen. Kay Hagan said the war should not end immediately.

“I don’t think we can pull out just on Day 1,” the Greensboro Democrat said in the forum hosted by Public Radio East and the North Carolina League of Women Voters. “I think we need to have a diplomatic surge. This needs a political solution.”

Hagan’s chief rival, Chapel Hill corporate financial adviser Jim Neal, disagreed, saying saying he would even vote in Congress to withhold war funding in an effort to end the conflict.

“The time to talk about a diplomatic surge is way over,” Neal said. “It’s time to get out of Iraq.”

(From The Winston-Salem Journal)