ON DEMOCRATIC UNITY: "If Senator Obama is the nominee, you better believe I will work my heart out for him. ... And if I'm the nominee, I know Senator Obama will do the very same for me."

ON NORTH CAROLINA VOTERS: "You've had the highest registration. You have brought more people into the party. ... You are ready to make some history and elect a Democratic president."

ON TRADE: "No more trade deals unless they protect our workers, protect our environment, protect our standard of living." She said it was time to "get tough on China. China should be our trade partner, not our trade master."

ON HIGH GAS PRICES: "Energy traders are manipulating the market, taking advantage of this opportunity to make money at our expense."

ON BARBECUE: "I've been all across this state -- listening, talking to you, and yes, eating a little barbecue from time to time. The only issue I won't take a position on in this race is whether I prefer east or west. Some issues are just too controversial."

ON EDUCATION: "I will end the unfunded mandate known as No Child Left Behind."

SHOUT-OUT TO JOHN EDWARDS: "Let me say what a great fighter North Carolina and working Americans everywhere have in John Edwards. John ran with compassion and conviction, and his courageous fight to end poverty is a fight I will see to the finish.

"I will appoint a Cabinet-level position that will be solely and fully devoted to ending poverty as we know it in America."

ON JOHN McCAIN: "I personally wish the Republicans would be so embarrassed by the last seven years that they would just hand over the keys to the White House, but they're not going to do that. They've chosen a nominee, and he's offering four more years of the same. I respect Senator McCain ... but he looks at the hole George Bush has dug us and says give me a bigger shovel."