Elaine Marshall’s campaign has shown a striking level of confidence about today’s runoff. She said the only way she could lose would be to walk down the street naked. Yep, that would do it. And her campaign apparently sent out a communication that sounded like an early declaration of victory. They…
Read MoreThe first ‘reality moment’ in a political campaign last week belonged to Bob Etheridge; the second belonged to Bill Randall. Randall, who is locked in a tight runoff with Bernie Reeves, called his first press conference Tuesday and announced – as the cameras rolled – he thought the government and BP had conspired to…
Read MoreLast week was a heckuva week. On Monday, Al Lytton – Renee Ellmers’ campaign manager – and I sat down, racking our brains to figure out how Renee could raise money over the Internet (to match the million odd dollars Bob Etheridge has sitting in his bank account from special interests), then out of…
Read MoreCampaign-finance reformers take heed: the Democratic U.S. Senate primary is what politics would look like without money. Unexciting, uninspiring and virtually invisible. Plus, virtually no voters. A campaign without TV ads is essentially a campaign that doesn’t exist. Yes, I know the importance of online communications. But TV is still the most powerful…
Read MoreEditorial writers are sometimes accused of occupying an ivory tower. This one from the Greensboro News & Record must live in a soundproof padded cell. Here’s what he or she wrote yesterday about Bob Etheridge’s video: “For now, his relatively unknown opponent, Renee Ellmers of Dunn, says she’s not going to take advantage…
Read MoreRepublicans are determined to save Democrats from electoral disaster this year. With any luck, the GOP will nominate Tea Partier Bill Randall to run against Brad Miller. Randall distinguished himself this week by speculating that the Gulf Oil spill is a conspiracy between Washington and BP. Did anybody ask him if 9/11 was…
Read MorePresident Obama rolled out his biggest weapon yet in his battle to get on top of his spreading oil-slick political crisis: his own oratorical power – and the Oval Office. He’s making progress, but he’s still in catch-up mode. Things might have been different if Obama had been a governor instead of a…
Read MoreWhile President Obama struggles with a gush of oil, Bob Etheridge struggles with a gush of videos. It’s the worst close-up since Helen Thomas. Team Etheridge has to push back. And the best defense is a good offense. No, there’s no excuse for Etheridge touching – let alone grabbing – the obnoxious,…
Read MoreThe worst wounds in politics are self-inflicted. And Bob Etheridge has delivered himself a doozie of a boo-boo. Getting caught on tape looking like a bully is not helpful in an election year that already looks toxic for incumbents. But Etheridge can survive this. He made a good start by apologizing on…
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