Archive for September 2009
Picture This
Imagine that the shoe was on the other foot – or the shout came from the other side of the aisle. Imagine this: President Bush gives a speech about reforming Social Security. He says we should adopt a partial privatization plan. And he vows that no older American will lose any of their Social…
Read MoreThey’re Back
My son James has an intriguing theory about Barack Obama’s September Slumps. Candidate Obama had one last year. John McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin had shaken up the race, and she had not yet imploded. Nor had the economy. The polls were tied. Democrats were in a panic. This year, President Obama had…
Read MoreThe Internet Strikes Again
Hardly a Democrat has a doubt the Internet has become a force majeure in politics; and if any Republican had any doubts take a look at whatâs happened to Representative Joe Wilson Congressman Wilson was cruising to reelection in a Republican District when he called out, âYou lie!â on national TV â then overnight a…
Read MoreThe Best Ethics Insurance
Pass any ethics law you want. Set up any ethics board you want. The best ethics protection remains The News & Observer. Getting a copy of the Easleys’ settlement statement at Cannonsgate (can there really be a –gate in this story?) is an amazing coup. As shown by Wade Byrd’s threat to sue the…
Read MoreThe News
There’s plenty of hot news lately. Iran’s close to building a bomb. ACORN operatives got caught on film trying to figure out how to bring young girls from Honduras to Baltimore for what sounded a lot like a prostitution ring. And the Republican National Committees are going all out to elect a…
Read MoreMarshalling No Enthusiasm
Excuse the big yawn from many Democrats at the news Elaine Marshall apparently will run for Senate. I say apparently because, as the N&O noted, her consultant announced her candidacy. She was not available to speak for herself. Not a good sign. And not the sign of a committed candidate. Yes, she is…
Read MoreOne Up on P.T. Barnum
As if Governor Perdue’s not singlehandedly doing enough to sink the Democrats next election (with her 25% Favorable to 50% Unfavorable) former Governor Easley is lending a hand. Not even P.T. Barnum pulled off what Easley ahs done: Going to a real estate closing to buy a half-a-million dollar lot with borrowed money…
Read MorePersuader-in-Chief
Never underestimate a President who can talk eloquently about moral issues. It’s easy to forget that. We haven’t had a President who could do it for 20 years – since Ronald Reagan left the White House. The Bushes could hardly put together a coherent sentence. Yes, Bill Clinton could talk a blue streak.…
Read MoreNo Tears for Ted
One of the great falsehoods peddled by Jim Hunt-haters – and repeated in a recent comment on this site – is that he cried after Ted Kennedy’s speech to the 1980 convention. Sorry, haters. It didn’t happen. I was there. Standing beside Hunt on the floor of Madison Square Garden during Kennedy’s…
Read MoreObama Speaks
Watching President Obama give a speech is sort of like it used to be watching Reggie Jackson play baseball – I’m no Yankees fan but at times watching Reggie (like in the World Series game when he hit three homeruns) could be pretty amazing. Plus, President Obama has guts, which is about the rarest…
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