As Carter notes in his blog below, the boom in outside political groups is eclipsing the traditional parties. You can see three recent examples in Raleigh. The big event Inaugural weekend wasn’t the traditional Junior League Ball or a Republican Party event. It was the Foundation for North Carolina (“F”-NC) fundraiser. Last week,…
Read MoreThe Democrats in Raleigh are grumpy because Speaker Thom Tillis has set up a new nonprofit to be the ‘Voice of House Republicans.’ Now, like ‘em or not, Super PACs, IE’s, and 527’s are the new political reality – Obama had ‘em, Romney had ‘em, and now Speaker Tillis has one. The more curious…
Read MoreRaleigh was electric Saturday. The crowd was huge and enthusiastic. The stars outdid all their fans’ hopes. Not the inaugural. The State-Duke game. (Go Pack!) Governor McCrory’s early-season performance is like a basketball team that makes a brilliant play on one end, then commits a bonehead turnover. His speech and its “Main Street”…
Read MoreBaseball statistician Nate Silver suddenly became famous by writing articles for the New York Times – putting statistical models (like the models he used in baseball) to work predicting who’d win the Presidential Election. Then, the other day in an interview, Mr. Silver was asked which he found most frustrating – analyzing sports or politics?…
Read MoreWhen I read that Richard Ben Cramer died this week, I pulled down my dog-eared copy of “What It Takes” and started to read it. Again. If you’ve never heard of Cramer or his book, get it. Read it. You’ll thank me. It’s about the 1988 presidential campaign, but it’s timeless. Through 1,000-plus…
Read MoreA TAPster inside state government sends an intriguing follow-up to my blog about Governor McCrory calling Art Pope “deputy” budget director. That struck me as a bit defensive. (See “McCrory’s Picks.”) The TAPster saw a January 7 memo to all department heads and chief fiscal officers in state government. It was from “Art Pope,…
Read MoreRepublicans here are like kids at Christmas: giddy, gaga and eyes all aglow as they rip open their new presents. A Republican Governor! A week-long victory lap! Two inaugural ceremonies! The big bash at Carolina Country Club Saturday! (No, not the inaugural ball. The political fundraiser.) Then there’s the new legislature and all…
Read MoreThe late Insurance Commissioner was a populist, an eccentric, a scourge of insurance companies and – regrettably – a big reason Jesse Helms was U.S. Senator for so long. Elected commissioner in 1972, Ingram waged a 12-year crusade against auto insurance companies, claiming they gouged customers. “Fighting for You” was his mantra. But his…
Read MoreA TAPster reports that he “burst out laughing when new Lt. Governor Dan Forest quietly announced his staff over the weekend.” The TAPster goes on to ask: “Why does he need a chief of staff? And why on earth does he need a ‘director of operations’? To operate what? The copier? The office…
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