The Uber-Villain

No one’s explained why a Malaysian airliner was flying over a war zone but when it was shot down Senator John McCain had no doubt who to blame: Obama. It was, McCain adamantly told Fox News, Obama’s fault because he hadn’t given the Ukrainians more guns.   I reckon McCain figures if the Ukrainians had…

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More Coffee

At breakfast, two of the guys were bemoaning the challenges of life.   Tom, a generous contributor to political candidates, sighed, “Having a politician for a friend is worse than having a child in college.”   A while later, Phil looked up from his paper. “You need new glasses when you’re drawn to a headline…

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64 and 48

They’re not highway numbers, or ages. They are the two big numbers driving North Carolina’s education debate this year.   When you take an eight-miles-high view of the legislature, setting aside the partisan debates and vitriol, the most striking thing is that Republicans are arguing this year over whether to raise teacher pay 5-6 per…

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We Report, You Decide

New Yorker magazine, as I recall, once had a department called: “Which newspaper do you read?” It juxtaposed totally opposite headlines about the same story. To wit this week:   “Clay Aiken outpaces GOP candidate in 2nd quarter fundraising” (Sandhills Tribune).               “Rep. Ellmers ahead of Aiken in fundraising in 2nd Congressional District” (Fayetteville Observer).…

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Pat Versus Phil – and Dan?

A discerning reader adds a twist to my theory (see “Pat Versus Phil” blog below) that Senator Berger might back a primary opponent against Governor McCrory: It could be Lt. Governor Dan Forest: “Can’t help but notice Senate budget included Forest’s pet project for more education revenue but they didn’t include any of Gov’s pet…

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Phil Cantor Jr.?

Republican primaries are the best entertainment you can find this summer.   First Eric Cantor loses in a monumental upset. Then black Democrats save Thad Cochrane’s hide. Then two former Democrats running for Wake County DA fight over who’s the best Republican. And now Phil Berger Jr. loses big despite outspending his opponent big, plus…

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LibertyValance

The Old Bull Mooses walked into a meeting with the House to wrangle over the state budget but before they could fire a shot the House’s lead wrangler, Nelson Dollar, threw them a curve ball: He announced he was calling half a dozen school superintendents to testify at the hearing.   The Bull Mooses had…

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Pat Versus Phil

This increasingly looks like a political death match – with one survivor in the end. I’m betting on Phil Berger.   Yesterday Governor McCrory compared Senator Berger & Co. to Marc Basnight, Tony Rand and – yes – Harry Reid.   Ouch. Them’s fighting words. Imagine Jim Hunt comparing a Democratic House Speaker in the…

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It’s All in the Game

What is it about our sports teams that possesses us so?   Brazil’s soccer team loses in the World Cup, and a nation plunges into despair, mourning and an angry orgy of recrimination. A national tragedy, it seems.   LeBron James takes his talents home, and a city erupts in joy and thanks. The Second…

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Border Children

What on earth do you do when a eight-year-old lands on your doorstep?   I heard two spokesmen on the radio today with answers – the first told a story of a lone girl, one of the border children, who after being repeatedly raped by gangs in Honduras, trudged or rode on the tops of…

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