NC Gov Perdue picked by Obama for defense council

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue has been picked to sit on a council of the nation’s governors that will discuss National Guard and homeland defense issues with the U.S. military.

President Obama said late Thursday he planned to appoint Perdue and nine other governors to what he called the Council of Governors. The new council is designed to work closely with the defense and homeland security secretaries and other national security advisers to exchange views and advice. The president also wants it to help integrate better state and federal military activities.

Obama calls the council a bipartisan team that includes Democrats like Perdue and Christine Gregoire of Washington and Republican governors James Douglas of Vermont and Bob McDonnell of Virginia.

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