Andy, Opie say Barack's a good guy

Does the road to the White House pass through Mayberry?

A Web video posted online Thursday features iconic North Carolina actor Andy Griffith praising Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Though Griffith has been a mainstay of Democratic campaigns in North Carolina, the video is his first endorsement in a national race and the only one he's done in character as Mayberry's Sheriff Taylor.

In the three-minute video, director and former child star Ron Howard transforms himself into Opie from "The Andy Griffith Show" and Richie Cunningham from "Happy Days." He talks about Obama, first with Griffith in a black-and-white fishing scene reminiscent of the old show and then with Henry Winkler as "The Fonz."

In the Mayberry segment, "Opie" asks "Sheriff Taylor" why more people aren't voting for change.

"Well, Ope, people are funny," Griffith responds. "Sometimes change scares them, and they'd rather keep doing the same ol' thing that's been messing them up than change to the thing that can help them."

Howard, er, Opie, then says he hopes to vote for somebody "as good as Mr. Obama" when he grows up.

Officials with the campaign of Republican presidential candidate John McCain did not respond to requests for a comment.

Griffith, a resident of Manteo, has made many ads for Democratic candidates in North Carolina, including one in the May primary that boosted gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue.

The new Web video was more of a high-powered Hollywood production. Howard came up with the idea. He pitched it to a producer, who put him in touch with Adam McKay, the writing partner of comedian Will Ferrell and co-founder of the Web site Funny or Die, where the video was posted.

In the meantime, Howard called up old friends from the TV shows

"I knew that Andy was a Democrat, but I wasn't even sure how he stood on the presidential race because we hadn't talked in months and months," Howard said in a telephone interview. "When I broached the subject, he was excited."

Griffith filmed his part in the woods near his home. Howard's part was taped on a back lot during downtime on his new movie, "Angels and Demons," and they were put in the same scene with special effects.

Wearing a hairpiece and a familiar striped T-shirt, Howard said he felt deja vu. "It definitely took me back," he said.