Archive for August 2007
Karl Rove and the Wizards of Oz
There is one thing on which all political consultants of all political stripes agree: the importance of perpetuating the myth of political consultants. And there is one thing on which all political candidates agree: the importance of minimizing the myth of political consultants. As a recovering political consultant, I consider myself an expert on both…
Read MoreDemocrats 33, Republicans 1
For thirty years, Republicans have been steadily gaining on Democrats in party registration. But the numbers about who’s raised what in the governor’s race tell a completely different story (News & Observer). The two Democratic candidates have raised $8.4 million. The three Republicans have raised $500,000. Advantage to Democrats by 17 to 1. The contrast…
Read MoreRove’s Legacy
Back in the days when Ronald Reagan was first running for president, trying to dethrone the Republican Establishment in the primaries in 1976 and 1980, Karl Rove – along with Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld – was working the other side of the street. Of course Reagan won and the Establishment, ever practical, promptly changed…
Read MoreNew York, New York
It’s been 60 years since both parties nominated New Yorkers for President (FDR vs. Dewey). But today, New Yorkers lead the race for both parties (Clinton vs. Giuliani). I already hear the quibbling that Hillary’s no New Yorker. My position is, if they elected her to the Senate twice, she’s a New Yorker. In fact,…
Read MoreHe Should Know
Here’s a winner in the Lack of Self-Awareness Contest: Disgraced DA Mike Nifong, forced to give up his law license, complained about the unfairness of the legal system. Click Here to discuss and comment on this and other articles
Read MoreOut of Iraq? Not so much.
Wait ‘til the blogroots get this. The New York Times says: “Even as they call for an end to the war and pledge to bring the troops home, the Democratic presidential candidates are setting out positions that could leave the United States engaged in Iraq for years.” The Times said all three top candidates –…
Read More“I Can Win.” A Winning Strategy?
John Edwards might well be the Democratic Party’s strongest candidate against any Republican in 2008. But he can’t make that argument. Some Republican strategists say Edwards is their perfect nightmare: a smart, articulate Southerner who taps into voters’ anger against Bush, overzealous right-wingers and overreaching corporations. But this Edwards strategy dares not speak its name.…
Read MoreWiretaps
There’s been a big flap in Washington about wiretaps. The Bush Administration wants to listen in on ‘foreign communications’ it suspects may be tied to terrorism without court orders (The New York Times, 8-4-07). That sounded reasonable even to a fair amount of Democrats (who voted for it). But a lot didn’t and the usual…
Read MoreThe Next Political Tidal Wave?
The Democrats in Washington are thinking long term and they may have found an issue they can ride to victory after they’ve finished milking the war in Iraq. They’re moving to pass retaliatory trade legislation against China. For years, free trade has been a sacred cow for both Democrats and Republicans. No one seemed to…
Read MoreUnions and Realtors
To get the debate on the so-called ‘Transfer Tax’ out of the backrooms of the legislature and into public domain – so voters would know about the new tax on homes – the Realtors Association ran TV ads. They got Governor Easley so stirred up he let fly and told legislators they had to decide…
Read More