DNC - G.K. Butterworth of North Carolina’s first congressional district in Denver

Special to the Herald by David Lewis

    DENVER—When Barack Obama makes history today by being the first African American Presidential nominee from a major party, congressman G.K. Butterworth of North Carolina’s first congressional district will be hoping the speech includes a focus on job creation.
    “We need jobs in eastern North Carolina,” Rep. Butterworth said Wednesday moments after the Democratic National Convention officially nominated the senator from Illinois as its candidate for the November general election. Obama will deliver his acceptance speech before 75,000 attendees, including delegate Butterworth, at Invesco at Mile High stadium and millions of others on worldwide television.
    “Families are hurting. Obama needs to send a signal to rural Americans that he understands and will commit federal resources in places like eastern North Carolina,” he said.
    “If we can improve our infrastructure, we can begin to attract jobs to our region. The $400 million a day the government is spending each day in Iraq could be invested in jobs.
    “The middle class and poor are hurting. Obama has a different vision for them and for American than John McCain (the likely Republican Presidential opponent). America is ready for a change and new direction where race is not a predominant factor any more in some elections.”
     Congressman Butterworth is the son of a dentist who was the first black elected official in Eastern North Carolina in the 20th century. A former jurist, inn April 2004, he retired from the bench and won a special election to fill a vacancy in the U.S. House of Representatives.
He replaced Frank Ballance who resigned for health reasons and later was indicted and convicted for misusing state funds. He won full two-year terms in the House from the 1st Congressional District in 2004 and 2006.
    “This is my sixth convention, and each is different,” he said. “Senator Hillary Clinton did the right thing to move for the nomination of Obama by acclimation. She is not only a good Democrat but a good American. I predict a photo finish election in November and we must be united to win.”