Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue said Thursday she agreed with U.S. Sen. Richard Burr on one thing about the U.S. Navy's proposed jet training field in eastern North Carolina — that community support is essential in any decision.

But she strongly disagreed with Burr's statement Wednesday during a visit to the TCOM facility in Weeksville, in which he said the responsibility for responding to the Navy's study of sites in Camden and Gates counties for the outlying landing field rests with North Carolina's governor.

Justin Falls/Daily Advance (ENLARGE)

Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue speaks to The Daily Advance Thursday. Perdue was in Elizabeth City as part of her regional seven-stop campaign tour.

"I think it's critically important our office expresses opposition and the congressional delegation has a strong voice," she said. "It's all of us, not just one of us."

Perdue, a Democrat who hopes to be the state's next governor, met with editors at the offices of The Daily Advance Thursday afternoon as part of a seven-stop campaign swing through eastern North Carolina. The visit also included a fundraiser in Elizabeth City and a greet-and-meet event with voters in Williamston, according to her campaign spokesman, David Kochman.

Perdue is hoping to succeed outgoing Democratic Gov. Mike Easley, who is barred by state law from seeking re-election.

During the interview, Perdue talked on issues ranging from education, health care, transportation, ethics reform and the economy to her support of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama for president.

"I think he's an incredibly talented leader," she said of her endorsement of the Illinois senator, who is locked in a tight presidential primary contest with New York Sen. Hillary Clinton.

"Whoever wins will be historic for North Carolina," she said, noting that Obama would be the first black and Clinton the first woman elected president.

Likewise, if Perdue wins, she'll become North Carolina's first woman governor.

Twenty years ago, it might not have been possible for her to be her party's nominee for governor, she said. Attitudes have changed, she said, and today she believes her experience as a teacher, a state lawmaker, director of geriatric services at a community hospital and her leadership roles as lieutenant governor make her the most qualified candidate.

"I'm running because I actually believe I have the unique capacity to lead North Carolina in the 21st century," she said.

On some of the other issues, she said she supports:

Expanded health care to make sure every child in the state is covered and that health insurance is more affordable and accessible to North Carolina's families and small businesses. She said expanded health care can be "a good economic development tool to help hard-working, low-wage earners to cover the children." She chaired the Health and Wellness Trust Fund Commission, which created Senior Care, the state's drug benefit initiative to help low-income seniors afford costly prescriptions.

Renewing the push for a trust fund plan called "Endowment for Positive Gubernatorial Campaigns" that would help "take the money out of politics," she said. Responding to last week's removal of state Rep. Thomas Wright of Wilmington from office for failing to disclose his financial contributions, Perdue said "you can never do enough" to reform ethics rules for public officials.

Health and Human Service Secretary Demspey Benton's efforts to fix the state's mental health system, including the 14 public mental health facilities. She said she was disturbed to read reports of Medicaid abuse involving community service providers who earned more than $60 an hour to take patients to movies. "That's just stupid," she said. Perdue said the state must resume a larger role in overseeing the mental health system.

Creating a BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure Commission) budget reform system to find $250 million a year in efficiencies to curb government spending. "The BRAC system is the most apolitical system I've seen in my life," said Perdue, who led the state's efforts to protect the state's military presence during the Defense Department's Base BRAC process. She said recommendations of the BRAC Budget Reform Board she's proposing would be voted on as a whole, rather than individually.

"With this kind of reform, it will happen," she said, referring to government savings for efforts like stopping the transfer of $170 million annually from the state Highway Trust Fund.

(Contact Bob Montgomery at

bmontgomery@coxnc.com)