Sex and Race in North Carolina

Hillary Clinton was endorsed yesterday by the Democratic governor of North Carolina, Mike Easley. Here's the story from Fernando Suarez reporting for CBS:

RALEIGH, N.C. – “This lady right here makes Rocky Balboa look like a pansy,” said Governor Mike Easley, D-N.C., today, referring to Hillary Clinton. “There’s nothing I love more than a strong powerful woman.”

Clinton accepted a key endorsement from Easley today, as she struggles to stay alive in this nomination contest. She is down in the polls in both North Carolina and Indiana, so any political victory is a big one.

“I am thrilled to accept his endorsement,” she said. “Of course, it’s politically very meaningful but even more than that, it is great to have someone who really understands what we have to do to transform our country.”

Meanwhile, North Carolina Republicans were broadcasting a TV spot attacking two Democrats who had endorsed Barack Obama, arguing that Obama's former association with preacher Jeremiah Wright -- that drop of angry black man -- made the whole batch of them "too extreme for North Carolina."