The N&O pointed out that The New York Times may be a tad premature in touting Bev Perdue’s national prospects. But if Hillary Clinton does not become the first woman President – now or in four years or in eight years – there is a good chance a North Carolina woman will be. Here’s why:…
Read MoreNow that the Democratic presidential race is all but over, everybody’s attention turns to running mates. Will Obama pick Clinton? Or Edwards? Or Rendell, to carry Pennsylvania? Or Richardson, to appeal to Hispanics? Or does it matter? Myth has it that running mates deliver states – or constituent groups. But John Edwards didn’t make North…
Read MoreJerry Allegood’s retirement after 35 years at The News & Observer is bad news. Bad news for Eastern North Carolina, which used to be the N&O’s focus. Now the paper is all about Wake County. Bad news because Allegood is a pro and a great guy. And bad news for people like me who can…
Read MoreJohn Edwards’ political timing throughout his career has been both astute and atrocious. Running in 1998 was brilliant. It was an off-year. Lauch Faircloth was a vulnerable incumbent and the perfect foil for a young, fresh opponent. The Clinton-impeachment mess in Washington was the perfect environment for a political outsider. After that, his timing was…
Read MoreFerrel Guillory, the director of the Program on Public Life at UNC, made a penetrating observation the other day. We were talking about Hillary Clinton’s focus on white working class voters – and the resultant media obsession on the same. Clinton argues, essentially, that Obama can’t win in November because he can’t get working-class whites.…
Read MoreWell, this is a tub-thumping political shocker. I’ve been saying it would take a minor miracle for Kay Hagen to beat Elizabeth Dole and, low and behold, one may have happened – though I’m not believing it. Yet. A new poll shows Hagen leading Dole 48% to 47%. Normally, I’d just ignore that as another…
Read MoreIt’s hard to tell if John McCain’s running against Barack Obama or George Bush. First, McCain went down to New Orleans and blasted Bush for his fumbling after Hurricane Katrina; now McCain’s let Bush have it for disagreeing with Al Gore about global warming. It’s beginning to seem like every time Obama says electing McCain…
Read MoreThe folks who troop to the polls to vote in Democratic primaries, like the folks who vote in Republican primaries, are not ticket-splitters. They’re not independents. They know where they stand and – barring some unnatural act – when they return to the polls in November they will vote (as they have done for as…
Read MoreThe media’s all but written Hillary’s obituary (for the third time) but this time it looks like they’ll make it stick. But before Hillary rides off over the horizon and disappears under a cloud of super-delegates she’s given Obama one more royal thumping in West Virginia by 67% to 26%. Now this seems like good…
Read More
