Etheridge and McIntyre, both superdelegates, announced late last week that they are now in the Obama camp.

"This has been an historic primary, and now that all of the voters have had their say, it is time for the party to come together and support our nominee, Barack Obama," Etheridge said in a statement.

Etheridge, of Lillington, is one of the state's moderate Democrats, representing the conservative 2nd District that curls east and south around the Triangle. He had been lobbied heavily by both leading candidates for their support and met in person with both Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton in recent weeks.

McIntyre also announced his support Friday.

Although Clinton carried McIntyre's southeastern North Carolina district in the May 6 primary, McIntyre had told both candidates he wanted to let the national primary process play out before making his choice.

"I will be supporting Senator Obama," McIntyre told Dome. "It has been a robust exchange of ideas, and it has been a healthy process."

Obama tried several times last weekend to reach the Democratic superdelegate for a last-minute endorsement, but the pair kept missing one another, in part because of a storm that knocked out power in McIntyre's Lumberton home.

McIntyre also spoke with Clinton at least twice in recent weeks.

He said he isn't worried about a split within the Democratic party.

"I was confident we'd have a nominee by mid-summer, and we have one in early summer," McIntyre said.

Shanahan on disabilities

President Bush plans to nominate a Raleigh woman to an advisory post.

The White House has announced that Bush will name Christina Alvarado Shanahan to the National Council on Disability.

If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, her three-year term will begin Sept. 18.

Shanahan is the wife of lawyer Kieran Shanahan, a former Raleigh City Council member who recently ran unsuccessfully for a post on the Republican National Committee.

Not No. 1 or No. 2

Jim Neal has changed his mind on the "dream ticket."

The former U.S. Senate candidate had lobbied on behalf of the Draft Obama Clinton group for Obama to select Clinton as his running mate.

But he wrote on his Daily Kos diary Friday that he changed his mind after hearing Clinton's (non)concession speech Tuesday and reading people's reactions to it the following morning. [Clinton did concede Saturday.]

"Maybe Obama and Clinton are the most formidable duo," he wrote. "There is an argument to be made, and I did so a few days ago. However, I've gotta say that I jumped the gun."

He said he has pulled his endorsement of the movement. "I'll eat crow on this one without hesitation," he wrote.

Hagan raising money

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Kay Hagan will have some high-profile visitors this week.

The Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate will meet with Sens. Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Jon Tester of Montana at a fundraiser this evening.

The event is being sponsored by former ambassador Jeanette Hyde in Raleigh. Former Gov. Jim Hunt also will be at the event.

OVERHEARD

'We are a purple state.'

- U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield, arguing that Obama will put North Carolina in play in November.

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