Because this is journalism today. And The News & Observer’s owners are desperately searching for a way to survive. So the rumor is that a lot of big names are leaving the N&O. And a lot of big changes are coming. The biggest change: Reporters will be evaluated by their clicks. By how many online…
Read MoreOnly a rare politician can resist it and no politician can cure it;—I first laid eyes on it twenty-six years ago when Jack Hawke asked me to drive over to Republican Headquarters for a meeting with a dozen legislators; an hour later standing around a conference room table covered with maps a legislator – enthusiastically…
Read MoreI take a summer blogging break, and what happened? Everything. And nothing. Our reality-TV President got in a TV/Twitter fight. He insulted Mika’s looks. He called Morning Joe “psycho.” And he fantasy-slammed CNN. Then he went to Europe, dropped out of the Paris climate agreement and lost us more friends around the world. Except Putin.…
Read MoreThey’re mad. They’re livid. They’re out for blood. One angry Republican said, “We got them the House, we got them the Senate and even the White House and they still can’t get it done. If we leave Ryan and McConnell in charge, nothing’s going to change.” That was the gist of the newspaper story but…
Read MoreI haven’t seen this much howling and gnashing of teeth since I can’t remember when: Mention the word Russia and The New York Times and the Washington Post start hopping up and down and Anderson Coopers turns steely-eyed while, over on the other side of the aisle, Tucker Carlson turns downright snarky. The liberals are…
Read MoreMost times the roots of blindness – whether it’s blindness due to pride or meanness or fear – run down into the clay-footed soil of human nature but the other day Peggy Noonan spotted an odd phenomenon. Noonan wrote: “News bias now is in part a financial decision.” Back in the old days the New…
Read MoreLike a lightning bolt a ‘moment of clarity’ struck: On Meet the Press Chuck Todd was interviewing two Democrats about Nancy Pelosi’s future. Congressman Tim Ryan doffed his hat to Pelosi then said her time was past. It was time for Pelosi to go. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell didn’t like that one bit. She lavished…
Read MoreSometimes when you expect it least your worst enemy hands you a gift. That just happened to Donald Trump. Trump’s adroit. In the blink of an eye his days of tweeting ‘no meddling’ and ‘no collusion’ vanished. Suddenly, Trump was singing a new song on Twitter: Obama knew about the Russian meddling – but did…
Read MoreFor years Johnston County’s school superintendent accepted fringe benefits as a compliment to his salary then, just before he retired, he turned $94,000 in ‘fringe benefits’ into salary to increase his pension to $143,000. The State Treasurer then told Johnston County, We’re not going to pay that. That’s pension spiking. Johnston County didn’t say, Whoops.…
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