Archive for 2010
Transition Trials
First Carter and Renee Ellmers go to war with Washington Republicans over funding her recount fight. Then Republicans begin jockeying for legislative leadership positions. It proves the truth of James Carville’s old age: “Transitions are when you stop fighting your enemies and start fighting your friends.” Except he used a more colorful…
Read MoreDid the Dam Break?
North Carolina Democrats have survived three near-death elections: 1972, 1984 and 1994. But will 2010 be the one when the dam finally breaks and we go the way of the rest of the South? Some smart Democrats here think so. They see a decade – or more – of Republican dominance ahead. They believe…
Read MoreReset
The great thing about political blogging is that the game never ends. For the next two months, we get to watch the positioning for the legislative session. Governor Perdue’s first statement got it right: We need to work together in a time of economic and fiscal crisis. But she’ll have conflicting advice. Move…
Read MoreAn Education in Washington Politics
Election night, after the ten counties in her district reported their votes, Renee Ellmers led incumbent Congressman Bob Etheridge by 2,100 votes. (That number is crucial because under North Carolina law Congressman Etheridge is not entitled to an ‘automatic recount’ if he trails by more than 1% – or 1,888 votes.) Then the afternoon…
Read MoreFetzer Out Front
Tom Fetzer stole the stage – literally – from Pat McCrory Tuesday night. McCrory had what seemed like a prime spot: introducing Senator Burr for his victory speech. But Fetzer was front and center in the photos and video of the bigger story: Republicans taking the legislature. Fetzer is in prime position…
Read MoreSalute, Carter
That old warhorse Carter pulled off another one. He’s had a history of guiding Republican Senate – and now congressional – candidates to unexpected victories: John East, Jesse Helms, Lauch Faircloth and, now, Renee Ellmers. He’ll be the first to tell you that it was, first and foremost, the national tide. But…
Read MoreAll Politics Is National
As Carter said on a radio interview we did a couple of weeks ago, Tip O’Neill’s axiom – “all politics is local” – is dead. Democrats vote Democratic – up and down the line. Republicans vote Republican. And Independents rarely split their tickets any more. The dramatic turnover in the North Carolina legislature…
Read MoreMemo to Democrats
Face it: We got whacked. The natural reactions are denial and rationalization: “We didn’t communicate well.” Or, “The voters just don’t get it.” Or, “Evil Big Money drowned us out.” Wrong, wrong and wrong. The American voters just didn’t like the dishes Democrats served up the last two years. The signal…
Read MoreElection Eve
Perhaps the essential truth about election days is their ambiguity. Today, of course, we Republicans are asking each other if the 2nd Coming, politically, is at hand. But even on Election Day the imponderables offer no answers. Realizing how we humans hate ambiguity the cable TV networks have fed us a steady diet of…
Read MorePoll Spin
Lo and behold, Art Pope’s Civitas Institute did a poll that found that North Carolina voters agree with – wait for it, yes, Art Pope! – on who is to blame for the recession: government, not business, by 64-22. But curb your enthusiasm. Look deeper. Last week, the New York Times did a…
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