Archive for 2006

Here’s a point of view on the War in Iraq that is being, unfortunately, ignored. New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman, in a commentary in the News and Observer today (3-6-06), argues that our problems in Iraq are a result of “President Bush’s decision to approach the Iraq invasion with the Rumsfeld Doctrine, which calls…

Carter and I spoke to a class of aspiring political operatives this week. Just before we started, CNN broadcast the story about Bush’s approval rating dropping to 34 percent. Apparently, he is about where Nixon was when he resigned. But Democrats shouldn’t start celebrating. Bush’s 10-point drop came because his administration wants to let a…

For some time now, the political tide has been running against supporters of abortion rights. That’s because the opponents got smart. They started focusing the battle on issues like parental notification and late-term abortions. I’ve watched these polls for more than 20 years now. Americans are fundamentally split about abortion. They don’t like it, but…

The Democrats in Raleigh have been embroiled in a series of scandals over the last six months that the newspapers have dubbed ‘pay to play’ – and as a result we have a series of investigations underway by everybody from the U. S. Attorney to the State Board of Elections. House Speaker Jim Black has…

From the first taxpayers’ revolution in California in 1978, North Carolina has escaped a full-scale rebellion over local property taxes. I predict that is going to change soon. Specifically, this fall. And specifically right here in Wake County over the school bond issue. The issue is popping up all over the country again. South Carolina…

A painful lesson Carter taught me in the 1984 Hunt-Helms race was the power of using your opponents’ own words against him. I thought of that when – for the first time – I saw Bill Graham’s ad against the state gas tax increase. His last line – after saying the politicians want him to…