“Idiot Bloggers”?

I’m sure Tom Fetzer wasn’t talking about Carter and me last weekend when he urged North Carolina Republicans to ignore “idiot bloggers.”   But I’m sure he was talking about the idiots who virtually hijacked our blog last year with attacks on Fetzer and other candidates for GOP party chair.   It got so bad…

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Carter’s Advice to Perdue

Now that the trial lawyers are listening to Carter, maybe Governor Perdue should too.   He posted a blog last week, “Perdue Upside Down,” about her political dilemma. He concluded:   “Perdue has a choice:  She can ignore her other problems and set to work convincing voters that, whatever her flaws, her Republican opposition is…

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Tuning In

Even if she doesn’t know what it means, Laura Leslie is pioneering the future of journalism in North Carolina.   The long-time Raleigh reporter for WUNC Radio is now the “multimedia statehouse reporter” for WRAL-TV.   Here’s how Laura defined her new job:   “I’ll be on TV a little, but most of my work…

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Tax Bites Media

How many times have you read stories in the media along these lines: “Tax reform is difficult because special-interest groups always complain when their tax loopholes are threatened”?   Then you’ll enjoy the following email from Randall Gregg of The Raleigh Telegram, president of the Triangle Press Club:   IMPORTANT NOTICE: NC Tax Being Proposed…

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Blood and Tears

President Obama soared. Sarah Palin bombed. And, of course, John Boehner almost broke down.   Let’s examine all three performances – and the implications.   When even Fox News and Glenn Beck praise him, you know Obama hit a home run. But the most remarkable thing about a remarkable speech was that he had to…

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Power Center

Forget the politicians in Raleigh. The most powerful person in North Carolina is Bill Johnson.   Under the Duke-Progress merger, Johnson will be CEO of the new company – one of the biggest utilities in the nation and a corporation on the scale of ExxonMobil.   He will be a powerful force not just in…

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Listening to NPR

The last two mornings listening to National Public Radio while driving to work has been like being assailed; folks are calling-in mad as hornets and every media pundit is thoroughly morally outraged and they’re all blasting away at the Tea Party, saying overheated political rhetoric caused the shootings in Arizona and Sarah Palin all but…

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A Voice of Sanity

Well, I predicted it Monday (“Commence Firing”).   And while overheated political rhetoric may not necessarily lead to violence, violence certainly leads to overheated political rhetoric.   Sarah Palin says it’s a “blood libel” to criticize her for placing Democrats — including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords — under crosshairs during the 2010 election and talking about…

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The Reckoning

Unlike some Democrats, I’m not in despair about the Republican Party’s new power.   It’s not just that I’m glad the GOP will share some – or bear all – of the blame for unpopular cuts.   Rather, it’s time we finally decide how much government we want – and how much we’re willing to…

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