CHRIS SEWARD - cseward@newsobserver.com
John Edwards leaves the federal court house after a Oct. 27, 2011, hearing in this staff file photo.
Former Sen. John Edwards' trial was delayed because he was suffering from "irregular heart rhythms," NBC's "Today Show" reported Monday, quoting an unnamed source.
Edwards had suffered three episodes since December, according to Judge Catherine Eagles, who agreed Friday to delay the trial at least until March 26 at the earliest. Edwards is expected to have a procedure in February.
The former Democratic presidential candidate is at risk of losing consciousness, NBC reported and The News & Observer confirmed. As a result, doctors have restricted his driving only to short trips around the Chapel Hill area, a source said.
Edwards has already had at least one incident in which he has lost consciousness, NBC reported.
Edwards was scheduled to go on trial later this month on charges that he violated campaign-finance laws. Edwards is accused of obtaining nearly $1 million from two wealthy donors to hide his mistress and her pregnancy from the public during the 2008 presidential race.
Kieran Shanahan, a Raleigh attorney and former federal prosecutor, was interviewed on the "Today Show."
Leaflets criticize Art Pope
Distributed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Triangle Breakfast Monday morning were fliers that criticize Art Pope and hint - but do not come right out and suggest - that people boycott stores operated by his company.
"Art Pope Uses Cash from His Stores to Make Life Worse for You!" said the headline in the flier that includes a caricature of Pope, the names of several chains owned by Pope, and how Pope and his foundations spent money to influence politics and public policy.
The flier was published by Democracy North Carolina, a Durham group that advocates for public financing and other causes.
A Democratic group has been leading a boycott effort against Pope stores since last year.
The flier was distributed at a breakfast at the Sheraton Imperial attended by 1,000 people, including Gov. Bev. Perdue, U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane, Durham Mayor Bill Bell and Wake Schools Superintendent Tony Tata.
Perdue told the crowd that King would not stand for cuts in education or a new bill requiring voters to show an ID to vote.
"He might remind us that America is strongest when we encourage everyone to vote on Election Day - not when we build barriers to disenfranchise," said Perdue, according to a report on NBC-17.
"And I believe if Dr. King were here today he would speak up boldly and loudly about education."
Voters share their biases
An overwhelming number of North Carolinians say they would be willing to vote for a black candidate, but support falls off when it comes to gay or Muslim candidates, according to a new poll.
Ninety-two percent of Tar Heels polled said they would be willing to vote for a black candidate, while only 4 percent said they would not consider it; 4 percent said they were not sure, according to a survey by Public Policy Polling, a Democratic-leaning firm based in Raleigh.
But only 54 percent said they would vote for a gay candidate, with 36 percent saying they would not, and 11 percent saying they were not sure.
As for Muslim candidates, only 40 percent said they would vote for one, with 45 percent saying they would not and 14 percent not sure.
The survey of 780 North Carolina voters was conducted Jan 5-8 and has a margin of sampling error of 3.5 percentage points.
