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The U.S. Senate race got a little rough last week, with Republican incumbent Sen. Elizabeth Dole implying that Democratic state Sen. Kay Hagan might sympathize with the agenda of Godless Americans and Hagan responding that Dole should be ashamed of demeaning someone's faith.

So we at Scoop decided to take our mom's advice: If you can't say something nice, don't say anything. We asked the two candidates what they liked about one another.

"It is very clear that Kay is a loving mother and has a wonderful family. They have brought a lot of support and energy to her campaign and that has been neat to see," Dole said through a spokesman.

From Kay Hagan's spokeswoman: "Kay admires the fact that Sen. Dole went to law school when it wasn't common for women to attend."

See, was that so horrible? Now, let's all join hands and sing Kumbaya ... or not.

Mayor called out for call

Just as City Council members and county commissioners were wrapping up their lunch session Tuesday afternoon, Commissioner Billy Yow took that opportunity to point out some displeasure about Mayor Yvonne Johnson's promotion of Sen. Barack Obama.

Johnson recorded a robocall for the Democratic presidential candidate from Illinois, in which she identified herself as the mayor of Greensboro.

Yow, and apparently some constituents, were dismayed that the nonpartisan mayor would support a partisan candidate - using her title no less.

"Some folks have really taken offense to this," said Yow, a Republican.

Johnson, a Democrat, said she checked with the city legal department before becoming a spokeswoman for Obama. So long as she didn't use any city resources to campaign, she's in the clear.

"It's legal to do so," she told Yow.

Walking the line

Scoop spotted three bond promotion signs Thursday, dotting the grass in front of the Greensboro Coliseum.

The colorful pinwheel signs ask voters to approve the $50 million War Memorial Auditorium project, one of four bond projects on the ballot. Seeing as the signs were on city property, it seemed to be a violation of the rules that prevent city employees from promoting bond issues or political candidates.

City attorney Terry Wood asked coliseum staff to take the signs down, although he said he didn't know who put them up.

Most city employees walk a careful line when it comes to political issues. It's laid out in the state law:

No employee while on duty or in the workplace may: (1) Use his or her official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election or nomination for political office; (2) Coerce, solicit, or compel contributions for political or partisan purposes by another employee.

To clear up some questions asked by readers, the law does not apply to City Council members. As long as they do not use any city resources - phones, computers, staff - they can stump for whomever or whatever they want.

Compiled by staff writers Mark Binker and Amanda Lehmert.