A legend in politics, with a sneaky streak but a kind heart, Paddy sat down in my office – clear-eyed, practical, thinning black hair, he sees Trump’s flaws but the moment he hears Trump’s voice a kind of supernatural power grips his heart and values he’s cherished for years fly out the window. Poking him,…
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Trump growled Zelensky started the Ukraine war. John Bolton said Trump was wrong. Angry, my friend Ken told me, ‘Ukraine doesn’t matter to us.’ Ken knew Zelensky hadn’t started the war. But Trump spinning a tale didn’t matter to him. After the Soviet Union collapsed, for 30 years America was the world’s dominant power. No…
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Ronald Reagan stood at the Berlin Wall and stood up to what he called the “Evil Empire.” Trump and Vance sat in the Oval Office, set up Ukraine’s President Zelensky and sucked up to Evil Emperor Putin. Reagan demanded, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” Trump and Vance complained that Zelensky was “disrespectful” and didn’t…
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Back when Rod Blagojevich ran for governor of Illinois, Obama endorsed him and Trump gave his campaign money. After Obama got elected president, Governor Blagojevich got caught on tape trying to sell Obama’s Senate seat to the highest bidder. He got impeached, booted out of office. Then got indicted. Before his trial he starred on…
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Does a message about “workers,” “working families” and “working-class voters” really work for Democrats? Or does it heighten the perception that we see Americans as identity groups, instead of individuals? Ken Martin (photo), the new national Democratic Party chairman, obviously thinks “working class” works. This week, he sent a 2,000-plus-word memo that used some form…
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I’ve resisted the temptation to rail every day about Trump’s cruelty, corruption and incompetence – and the cowardice of Republicans who know it’s wrong, but go along. Instead, I’ve tried to understand how Democrats could be so bad that voters elected Trump again. I’ve searched for lessons to learn. I’ve waded through a flood of…
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Jeanette Hyde went from Miss Yadkin County to Madam Ambassador. Hyde, who died Monday at age 86, was described in her family’s obituary as “a trailblazing diplomat, political activist, businesswoman, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist.” She was a devoted Democrat, a fierce advocate for women in politics and a tireless fundraiser – for Bill and Hillary…
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We’ve heard a lot about stolen votes – but here’s the best way to steal an election: Redraw a congressional district, take out the voters you don’t like, put in more voters do you like. If you stuff the district with Republicans, the Republican wins. If you stuff it with Democrats, the Democrat wins. The…
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Senator Thom Tillis is a good politician. He may be good enough to preserve his image as a Serious Senator who works across the aisle AND avoid being primaried next year by Trump. He may avoid losing to Roy Cooper next November. But what a miserable, degrading path he must tread every day. He knows…
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My lawyer and judge friends may rule me out of order, but I believe Democratic candidates…
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The instantly iconic front page of The Daily Tar Heel tells you three things about their…
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I certainly don’t begrudge the Raleigh consultants who took PPP relief during the pandemic. If they’d…
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