The proposed international port at Southport is headed for Davy Jones Locker. The money was cut from the budget, and Congressman Mike McIntyre came out in opposition. A wise reader – and veteran Raleigh hand – believes there a lesson here: how to royally screw up a public-policy initiative. His take: …
Read MorePresident Obama rolled out his best 2010 message yesterday at a town hall in Wisconsin. Click here to see one clip that captures it. The message is simple: The Republicans gave us a mess, and they refuse to help clean it up. Maybe Obama’s team has learned a lesson: They haven’t played the…
Read MoreBack in 2003 two enterprising ladies from the mountains (from the Hamlet of Sparta) went into the business of providing care to Medicaid patients. Seven years later a judge in the mountains put them out of business and sent them to jail for four years – because the two ladies had hoo-dooed Secretary Lanier Cansler’s…
Read MoreThese days we old-fashioned southerners in Raleigh are getting an education about Italians as the war between the Tedescos and Margiottas (who’ve taken over the School Board) and our local ‘Progressives’ (who’re livid at the Italians for ending busing) roars along. About the only person in town sounding reasonable these days is the News…
Read MoreElaine Marshall has to make a tough choice: raise money from Raleigh lobbyists or not. She already took flak for it in the primary. Her defense: It wasn’t much money, and the donors were old friends. Now that she’s won, it could be a lot more money. And a lot more flak. …
Read MoreRichard Burr better hope that debate performances have little impact on the November election – or get better fast. A lawyer friend (I’m not sure if she’s a Democrat or Republican) went to the Burr-Marshall debate last week at the N.C. Bar Association. Her take: Marshall was stronger than she expected – and…
Read MoreThe Department of Health and Human Services has to be my favorite part of state government – it’s the perfect blend of bungling, chicanery and politics all built on a foundation of good intentions. Over the past year Secretary Lanier Cansler – who’s sort of a combination of Fagan and Houdini – has been…
Read MoreBack in the old days in political campaigns there were usually three ‘voices’ talking to voters. Today there’re more voices than anyone can count. For instance, back in 1984 when Jesse Helms ran against Jim Hunt the three ‘Voices’ voters heard were Helms,’ Hunt’s, and the press. Twenty-six years later we’re in the middle…
Read MoreConventional wisdom is that runoffs are hurtful. Not always. Elaine Marshall’s runoff helped her. Helped her especially with her most important target right now: the national fundraising community. If Cunningham hadn’t called for a runoff, doubts would have lingered about Marshall’s electability. As in: “She couldn’t even get 40 percent against a…
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