Novartis sponsored one of the swankiest events this week for the North Carolina delegation at the Republican National Convention. Delegates rode buses to Lake Minnetonka outside Minneapolis to dine at a country club overlooking the blue waters. Some signed up for boat tours.

They were greeted with mimosas, bloody marys, wine and a buffet brunch that included eggs Benedict, waffles, pastries and fruit. A groaning dessert table included sweets emblazoned with cartoon elephants.

Although parties have been somewhat subdued this week because of Hurricane Gustav and new ethics rules governing elected officials, the parties still go on. They range from the delegation breakfasts and luncheons to elaborate, invitation-only affairs featuring the likes of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee playing late into the night with his band.

Novartis officials talked up the company's new $600 million vaccine plant being built in Holly Springs. It is scheduled to start production in 2010.

"We thank you for hosting this lunch," said Sen. Richard Burr. "But more importantly, we thank you for investing in North Carolina's future in bricks and mortar and jobs created."

An appearance by Palin

So Burr's sitting at the bar Wednesday night. He's in the Hilton hotel, toniest address in town, hanging with his boys Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Saxby Chambliss and Iowa Rep. Tom Latham, kickin' it after the vice presidential nominee's speech.

All the bigwigs are staying at the Hilton, from Burr to Sen. John McCain himself. Who knows who could walk into the bar?

"...When Sarah Palin came down!" Burr told the North Carolina delegation Thursday morning. "It turned into quite an event."

Overture to blacks

Just 36 African-American delegates are at the convention. Four are from North Carolina.

So it was no surprise that the delegation tackled race at Thursday morning's breakfast, especially in a year with an African-American on the presidential ballot -- albeit for the other side.

State GOP Chairwoman Linda Daves told delegates the party should do more to reach out to African-Americans, but she praised the black attendees in the delegation. Among them are Tim Johnson, chairman of the Buncombe County GOP, and Ada Fisher, who has just been elected to the Republican National Committee for the state.

Former Sen. Bob Dole also was at the breakfast and reminded reporters that he was the Senate majority leader when the Martin Luther King bill passed declaring a national holiday.

Norris studying at NCCU

Meredith Norris is pursuing a law degree.

The former lobbyist and aide to then-House Speaker Jim Black is a law student at N.C. Central University. The university registrar's office confirmed this week that she is a student.

Norris was sentenced to 75 hours of community service in 2006 after pleading guilty to violating state lobbying laws, a misdemeanor. Since then, she has worked as a real estate agent.

Norris did not respond to an e-mail message from Dome.

Dole ad puzzles Hagan

Democratic state Sen. Kay Hagan saw the new ad by Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole's campaign on the Internet, but she said Thursday she isn't sure what the ad is talking about.

"I've never had anybody call me a liar before," Hagan said. "Also, I cannot figure out specifically what it is she says that we're fibbing about."

Dole's new TV ad portrays her Democratic rival at length as a small, excitable dog jumping at the fence over and over, even hitting its own head against the wall at one point.

At one point, a narrator says, "They call her 'Fibber Kay Hagan.'"

The dog commercial is the first negative ad from either campaign, though the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee hit Dole with an ad that alluded to Dole's age.

"This is indicative of how [Dole] has been down in three polls," Hagan said. "She's scared, she's panicking, and she's putting out this kind of ad."

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