AP story: How Obama, Clinton view N.C.

We’ve been following North Carolina’s role in the Democratic presidential nomination, and according to an article published today by the Associated Press, both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are viewing North Carolina as a pretty important state … if not a must-win state.

Obama, Clinton plan visits this week to North Carolina

RALEIGH (AP) — Officials with Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign downplayed the importance of the North Carolina primary on Monday, as both she and Barack Obama announced plans to stump in the state later this week.
Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson said the campaign doesn’t consider North Carolina a must-win state. He answered a question about North Carolina with a focus on Pennsylvania, calling it an ethnically, racially and demographically diverse state that is vital to Democrats in the November election.
“I would ask why the Obama campaign is having such a hard time competing in one of the most important states in the nation,” Wolfson said during a conference call with reporters.
Former President Bill Clinton said last week during a campaign stop in suburban Raleigh that the nominating race may come down to North Carolina. Several campaign observers have said the state is a must-win for Clinton.
“It’s not good enough for her to have a win in Pennsylvania and then turn around and lose in North Carolina,” said veteran Democratic strategist Bill Carrick, who is not working with either candidate. “She needs to basically win everything that’s left on the calendar.”
Pennsylvania’s April 22 primary will allocate 158 delegates. North Carolina votes two weeks later, dividing up 115 delegates, the last triple-digit haul available to the candidates.
Obama leads Clinton by 121 delegates, although neither will be able to win the nomination without the help of Democratic superdelgates — the party leaders who can vote for whomever they choose.
Obama, who visited Fayetteville and Charlotte last Wednesday, will host a town hall meeting in Greensboro on Wednesday afternoon. Greensboro Mayor Yvonne Johnson endorsed Obama on Monday, saying he can bring people together to create change.
The Clinton campaign announced just minutes later that the New York senator would campaign in the state on Thursday. And the former president said he would return Friday to North Carolina. No details were released immediately on either appearance.
Campaign officials also said they have not yet agreed to a proposed debate on April 19 in North Carolina, but that they expect details of planned debates to come out soon.
Andy Taylor, a professor of political science at North Carolina State University, said Obama’s record among blacks and in southern states makes him the favorite in North Carolina. Because of that, Taylor said the Clinton campaign wants to establish a narrative focusing on their success in large battleground states, such as Ohio and Pennsylvania.
“They want to make sure that they depress expectations in North Carolina,” he said.