Archive for September 2011
Who Runs the GOP?
After the Tea Party debate this week, a Florida Tea Party leader put it bluntly: “The Republican Party isn’t going to pick the presidential nominee. We’re going to pick the presidential nominee.” The candidates then fell all over each other to show their fealty to the crowd. A crowd that, when a moderator asked…
Read MoreNY Wipeout
Given President Obama’s visit here today, this is a timely and well-put rant from a North Carolina Democrat: “The head of the DNC - Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz - attributed last night’s staggering loss in New Yorks’ 9th CD to ‘a large number of people who went to the polls tonight who didn’t support the President to…
Read MoreOutsmarting Themselves?
Democrats are high-fiving President Obama’s “American Jobs Act.” Progressive pundits and editorial/op-ed writers are applauding because he took their advice. He’s taking the fight to the Republicans, they all say: bearding the elephant in its own den. For months, the pundits have been preaching that Americans don’t care about arcane things like deficits and…
Read More9/11 Tragedy
At some point this weekend I reached 9/11 overload. It was wall-to-wall remembrances, reflections and recollections. No media outlet, no sporting event and no advertiser could miss the chance to milk as much heartfelt soulfulness as possible. The focus, of course, was on the heroes, the fallen and the families: “Never forgotten.” “Never forget.”…
Read MoreEchoes of the 80s
The Republican presidential candidates today remind me of Democrats in the 1980s: so in thrall to interest-groups within their own party they’re forced to undermine their chances to win a general election. In 1984 and 1988, Walter Mondale and Michael Dukakis were crippled by their kowtowing to labor, liberals and Jesse Jackson. By the…
Read MoreNot-So-Gay Politics
Gay-rights supporters are fighting hard to keep the gay-marriage amendment off the state ballot. That’s understandable. Who wants to have prejudice against themselves enshrined in the Constitution? But I hope the Republicans succeed in scheduling a statewide vote. Not just because Public Policy Polling predicts it will lose. But also because it will hurt…
Read MoreA Sign
This is the perfect opening for Michelle Bachmann. In tonight’s debate, she should say that the Texas wildfires are God’s judgment on Rick Perry for stealing her momentum. That way, she can put all her opponents – and potential opponents – on notice.
Read MoreThe Comeback Kid
I’ve been critical of President Obama lately. His poll numbers keep dropping, and he looks like a 97-pound weakling being pushed around by (of all people) John Boehner. I even called him “Jimmy Obama” in one blog, comparing him to a famous one-term Democratic President. So now it’s time to predict a comeback.…
Read MoreDOT Defends 511
Ted Vaden, Deputy Secretary, Internal and External Affairs N.C. Department of Transportation, responds to my criticism of DOT’s 511 line and website during Irene: “We’re big boys and girls at NCDOT, and we’ll take our hits when deserved. Certainly our 511 system can be better, but keep in mind that 511 updates were being…
Read MoreThe New Politics
Carter was mistaken when he wrote (“A Call From 60 Minutes,” below) that Bob Harris’ authorship of the “where do you stand, Jim” ads in 1984 “has been lost to history.” Actually, I wrote about that in my Hunt book, and Carter was my source. But that’s not the reason for this post. Nor…
Read More