Clinton North Carolina

Democrats doubt Barack Obama's reelection chances

Mr Reid added that the president remained a formidable campaigner and fund-raiser and should not be ruled out of the fight in 2012. But he said some Democrats were feeling "buyer's remorse" for selecting the president in his epic battle with Mrs Clinton for the 2008 Democratic nomination.

"The notion everyone is talking about is 'is he Jimmy Carter or will he be a one-term president'," he said.

Gary Pearce, a Democratic strategist in North Carolina, a swing state Mr Obama is likely to struggle to retain in 2012, said: "Democrats are worried. He looks weak, he doesn't say anything that grabs you, and people are looking for some kind of magic."

He said some activists were asking "do we need someone tougher to fight the tea party?" "You see a yearning for a Bill Clinton-type approach and Hillary would reflect that. Obama is just a different political animal, he is a low-key guy," he added.

Mr Obama's approval rating has fallen dramatically since the killing of Osama bin Laden in early May, and he has failed to outline a vision for how he will improve chronic unemployment and a housing market in which one if five mortgage holders are in negative equity.

A 2012 primary challenge by Mrs Clinton is currently regarded as unlikely, but growing number of party activists and old hands are hoping that she changes her mind.

On his nightly television show, liberal host Bill Maher dismissed Mr Obama as a Republican, and asked his panel if Mrs Clinton would have made a better president.

"Yes," replied astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, an African American astrophysicist and broadcaster, adding that the Secretary of State would have been "a more effective negotiator in the halls of Congress".

An article in the New York Times by Drew Westen, a professor of psychology at Emory University and a specialist in political messaging, summarised the dismay at Mr Obama's performance and was rapidly circulated online by liberals.

"Those of us who were bewitched by his eloquence on the campaign trail chose to ignore some disquieting aspects of his biography: that he had accomplished very little before he ran for president," he wrote.

Mail carrier killed in wreck - The Sampson Independent

A man suspected of driving while intoxicated was killed Saturday afternoon when he lost control of the pickup truck he was driving and ran into a rear building at Elizabeth Baptist Church.

William Curtis Cain, 54, of 1132 The Avenue, Clinton, died as a result of the injuries sustained in the accident that took place Saturday around 12:40 p.m. He is the ninth driver killed on Sampson County roadways this year.

According to reports from the North Carolina Highway Patrol, Cain, a contract mail carrier, was delivering mail when he lost control of his 1988 Chevrolet pickup truck, ran off the road and ran head-on into a building that sits directly behind the church, located at 1481 Fleet Cooper Road in The Sampson Independent welcomes and accepts online comments on the basis of relevance to stories. However, profanity and unsubstantiated statements serve no purpose in a discussion of issues of concern in the community and are not accepted, will not be posted and are deleted. When addressing issues of public concern, authors are advised to use statements of fact and focus on topics in an intelligent and clear manner. Comments are recommended to be less than 400 words. The Sampson Independent reserves the right to correct or edit comments for clarity as appropriate and now has an approval process in place that requires each comment to be approved before being posted on the website. Comments made after 11 p.m will be posted the following day. Thank you, The Sampson Independent.

Clinton, North Carolina, a general plan [based upon estimated needs for Clinton in 1980; report

Clinton, North Carolina

Clinton, North Carolina

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