Raleigh's Mayor Meeker Endorses Obama

RALEIGH, N.C. — Although Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is a strong presidential candidate, the nation needs a transformational figure like Sen. Barack Obama, Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker said Friday.

"He's bringing a lot of new people in the process. He's got a great campaign. He really provides the kind of hope that our country needs," Meeker said. "We're actually in a fair amount of trouble. We need a leader now."

Meeker said he and other local mayors are planning to hold a rally in support of the Illinois senator after next Tuesday's Pennsylvania primary.

"The mayors of Chapel Hill, Durham and Raleigh sort of represent what people are thinking here," he said. "All of us, of course, are for Barack Obama. We're looking at having some kind of event just to let everyone know how we feel about him."