As Halloween and early voting draw near, we political wizards examine entrails, cut up bats’ tails and consult the moon and stars to predict what will happen. (Translation: We trade rumors about polls, rumored polls and rumored rumors.) Sometimes, you seek signs in what candidates do. Take Thom Tillis. He increasingly looks like…
Read MoreThe after-debate on who won is more interesting than the debates themselves. You can rely on the partisans to declare victory. The media focuses on substance, issues and fact checks, none of which anybody is interested in. The stories are predictable: Candidates “clashed…traded jabs… repeated talking points…didn’t say anything new…etc.” This year the…
Read MoreHere’re the three tartest comments I heard about the Ellmers-Aiken debate. “He has the silliest pompadour since Jim Hunt.” “She was catty.” “The person on stage most qualified to serve in Congress was David Crabtree.”
Read MoreSome North Carolina politicians sound today just like their predecessors in the 1950s, railing against the Supreme Court and rallying behind “state’s rights.” Then it was racial discrimination. Today it’s same-sex marriage. Then – as today – the politicians were on the wrong side of history. They say the state’s ban on gay…
Read MoreWriting isn’t ditch-digging. But, take it from me, writing a book is hard work. So I admire people who do it. And I encourage you to check out…correct that: I strongly urge you to BUY and READ three new books by three great North Carolinians. The books are “Billy Bowater” by E.C. (Redge) Hanes,…
Read MoreThom Tillis is getting the worst of both worlds. The Tea Party doesn’t think he’s one of them, and voters think he’s too close to the Tea Party. The right-leaning Washington Times quoted one Wilkes County Tea Party leader, Joe Greene: “He’s an establishment Republican. That’s why I’m opposed to him. A lot of…
Read MoreWhen the media covers a scandal involving a politician, the coverage can be as big an issue as the politician. Take two stories this week – one national and one in-state. The state Senate race in Fayetteville between incumbent Wesley Meredith and challenger Billy Richardson blew up over allegations that Meredith and his ex-wife…
Read MoreHow toxic is the Republican brand in Wake County? Just listen to Republican politicians. Gary Pendleton (House 49) boasts of his “Democrat (sic) friends.” (Note: Democrats hate it when Republicans use “Democrat” as an adjective. It’s “Democratic.”) Tom Murry (House 41) says he’s “independent” and “stood up to his own party.” You…
Read MoreYes, there’s still five weeks to go. Yes, anything can happen. But the story of this race is likely to be that Thom Tillis lost it when he stayed Speaker in this year’s legislative session. Apparently Tillis stayed on so he could raise money. But he didn’t, and he’s at a big financial disadvantage…
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