Archive for February 2012
Since 1953
Congresswoman Sue Myrick generated a bit of excitement Monday in Charlotte, saying she’s not running for reelection; — excitement for Democrats as this time it’s a Republican (instead of Governor Perdue or Speaker Hackney and two Democratic Congressmen) who’s not running. Excitement for Republicans because now there’s an open seat in a district that has…
Read MoreTweets We Want to See
On Twitter all politicians are relentlessly upbeat and never edgy. Like: “Great meeting with Meck Co Dems tonight!” “Looking forward to talking with kids at Morse Science High.” “We can fix this.” Here are tweets I want to see from candidates: “Up at 6 and not in until 1 am. #frazzled Am going…
Read MoreA Dickens Novel
Last Monday Mitt Romney was on top of the world. Everything was coming up roses – then on Tuesday night Rick Santorum swept Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota. This may be too simple an explanation of what happened but if you take Newt Gingrich’s votes in Minnesota and Colorado and give them to Santorum, Santorum…
Read MoreTwitter Patter
Just before the game last night, Bob Etheridge – or @Etheridge4Gov – tweeted: “Who are you all pulling for in the big game tonight? Both UNC and Duke are good teams, it will be a close one – that’s for sure.” Someone shot back: “bob, gonna need you to take a stand on this…
Read MoreThe Wright Brothers
Most mornings I plod up the sidewalk to the driveway, pick up the News and Observer, then plod back to the kitchen and read the paper. But Wednesday morning my routine got discombobulated so I ended up reading the paper at my office on-line – and promptly landed on this diverting headline: Romney favored as…
Read MoreSusan G. Komen and the Anatomy of a Social Media Wildfire, including a guest appearance by @rachelsklar
Few would dispute that Susan G. Komen Foundation has dramatically helped advance the fight for a cure for breast cancer. The organization has helped make pink the national color for October, elevating the search for a cure to the top of the national dialogue for an entire month. Its work has resulted in NFL players…
Read MoreBob Etheridge and Reason
Last week when former-Congressman and newly-announced-candidate-for-Governor Bob Etheridge was asked if he would support the Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage he said that decision was in the people’s hands and he was 100% for whatever the people decided because the people were always right. Yesterday, Etheridge lost his faith in the people. He announced…
Read MoreUnfit for Duty
A lot of facts and statistics were thrown around at the Emerging Issues Forum on Generation Z, but here’s one that stunned me – from Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus: Three out of four Americans between 18 and 24 are not qualified to join a branch of the military. That’s 75 percent. …
Read MoreWarp Speed
It’s always easy to forget how fast things can change in politics. Then they do. Two weeks ago, the governor’s race had settled into a predictable story line: “Governor Perdue in a tough race for reelection against the same opponent she beat four years ago.” Today that story has disappeared. All the buzz…
Read MoreBob Etheridge’s Vision
Bob Etheridge stepped to the podium, grasped the microphone and intoned solemnly, ‘This is a defining moment in history’ – then the next words out of his mouth were he’s running for Governor. Because, he added, as the son of a Harnett County tenant farmer he understands North Carolina’s ‘journey.’ Where on earth…
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