During the conventions the past two weeks, The Charlotte Observer published daily posts by Carter and me. We thank Taylor Batten and Peter St. Onge for the invitation and the guidance. We’ve been honored to do it, we’ve had great response and our blog got new readers. But we’re glad it’s over. Writing for a…
Read MoreWhat exactly did Donald Trump mean when he said Vladimir Putin is a “better leader” than President Obama and “is doing a better job”? Does he mean Russia is a better country? That it has a stronger economy? A fairer society? Better government? Or is more respected and admired around the world? Or does he…
Read MoreThe Democratic and Republican conventions offered two starkly different visions of America. Here’s how this old Democrat sees them. Hillary Clinton’s is bright and optimistic. Donald Trump’s is dark and pessimistic. Clinton says there’s hope. Trump says he’s the only hope. Clinton is about love and unity. Trump is about fear and loathing. Clinton says…
Read MorePolitical campaigns are odd creatures: There’re born, grow like crazy, live in chaos, then die on a set date. Back in the late 1970’s, Republicans leaped a generation ahead of Democrats in the arts (from fundraising to communicating with voters) of nourishing these strange creatures. But those days are gone. At their convention in…
Read MoreAs President Obama joked on Jimmy Fallon’s show not long ago, “How do you like me now?” Well, pretty good, the polls show. Especially as we ponder what comes next. As Michelle and Barack elegantly and eloquently exit the Democratic convention this week, let’s salute what they brought to the White House: eight years of…
Read MoreClicking back and forth between Fox News and CNN, watching the Democratic Convention, was like watching two different conventions. From two different worlds. Debbie Wasserman Schultz was roundly booed by Bernie Sanders’ supporters. But, then, Michelle Obama righted the Democrats’ ship with her speech Monday night – and proof of her effectiveness is the non-existent…
Read MoreThe bitterest fights are always inside the family. So it is with the Republican and Democratic conventions. Donald Trump has Ted Cruz (and John Kasich and Jeb Bush and…). Hillary Clinton has Bernie Sanders. At least Sanders endorsed Clinton. But not all his supporters buy it. There is a certain self-righteousness among some Sanders supporters…
Read MoreLast Friday, as the smoke cleared after the Republican Convention, with a Mongol Horde of Democratic Super PACs after his hide Donald Trump attacked Ted Cruz instead of Hillary. Next Wiki-leaks dumped nineteen thousand hacked Democrat Party emails onto the Internet and the Democrats’ dream of a happy convention went up in smoke. Sunday Debbie…
Read MoreHillary Clinton’s choice of Tim Kaine is about more than winning the battleground state (excuse me, Commonwealth) of Virginia. It’s about a seismic shift in the Presidential chessboard this year – and for years to come. The Clinton campaign calculates that she must win Virginia, North Carolina and Florida (57 total electoral votes) if Donald…
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