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…

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Tweets 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…

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A 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…

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Twitter 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…

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The 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…

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Bob 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…

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Unfit 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.  …

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Warp 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…

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Bob 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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