04/15/2008

Associated Press

North Carolina's governor wrote a letter to Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Tuesday, encouraging him to debate Hillary Rodham Clinton later this month in North Carolina.

Gov. Mike Easley said in the letter dated Tuesday that Obama's participation in an April 27 debate will tell voters in North Carolina that their vote will count and their voice is being heard.

"Your commitment to participate in this event will give North Carolinians their best opportunity to hear you and Sen. Hillary Clinton discuss important issues, from education, our economy and our nation's role in the world, that face our nation today," Easley wrote.

Easley is a Democratic superdelegate who has not committed to either candidate.

Obama previously proposed to debate before the Pennsylvania primary April 11. But the North Carolina Democratic Party scheduled a 90-minute debate for April 27 in Raleigh, and Clinton has accepted that date. The debate would be the first moderated by CBS News anchor Katie Couric.

The contenders have debated 20 times during the presidential campaign.

Obama's campaign has said it hasn't decided whether the later date fits into the Illinois senator's schedule. The campaign did not immediately return a call seeking comment Tuesday.

"I am confident that this debate will even further energize and motivate North Carolina's voters to express themselves at the ballot box on May 6," Easley wrote.

North Carolina's primary will divide 115 delegates among the candidates.