Posts by Carter Wrenn
Twisted Legacy
Narrow face, scar running down his nose, ending in a huge bulbous bump, living on Park Avenue Roy Cohn dodged the draft at the end of World War II; political gamesman, finagling, after he got a law degree he cut a deal, got a patronage job as Assistant US Attorney, landed in ‘The Trial of…
Read MoreHistory Repeating Itself
Throwing his hat in the ring Josh Stein’s off and running for Governor; I got a surprise that day I met him years ago: Sitting on opposite sides of a table disagreeing, we argued – the surprise I got was his old-fashioned, soft-spoken, courtesy. I met Stein’s Republican opponent a decade later – Mark Robinson…
Read MoreBig Lawsuit
A year ago the Republicans in the state legislature drew all the Republican Congressional districts they could. Democrats sued. And the State Supreme Court – controlled by Democrats – threw out Republican districts, drew districts that elected more Democrats. Unhappy Republican legislators sued, asked the U.S. Supreme Court to rule only state legislators can draw…
Read MoreA Little Screwy
Over the years American courts have ruled no to school prayer, no to saluting the flag, no to saying the Pledge of Allegiance – all to ‘protect people’s constitutional rights.’ Now a Colorado businesswoman’s landed in a lawsuit in the Supreme Court because she won’t build gay marriage websites and, oddly, the same people who…
Read MoreThe Coming Fight
For years, when Republicans fought in a primary, conservative candidates had an edge: Most primary voters were conservative. And, since Independent voters often agreed with conservatives on issues, conservative Republicans were able to go on and win General Elections. That’s changed. Today, for many Republican primary voters Trump’s a totem. Conservative, an idea, matters less.…
Read MorePutin’s Happy
Biden cut a deal with Putin, got Brittney Griner home. Trump blasted Biden, called his deal ‘stupid,’ said Griner ‘openly hates our country.’ The Internet erupted, war broke out with one side gushing over Biden, the other side jeering him – and Putin must have been happier than he dreamed: He got his arms dealer…
Read MoreRare Courage
Every election for years I heard Tom Ellis tell politicians, Put principle above politics – to do what’s right, don’t worry about getting elected. Those days are past. After reading an Elon Musk tweet Trump, on a tear, said election fraud justified ‘termination of the Constitution.’ He lost under the constitution – so throw out…
Read MoreGridlock
Gridlock’s back. And it’s not as awful as it sounds on CNN or Fox. Joe Biden can’t whip Republicans and Republicans can’t whip Biden – so steps in the right direction are going to die in their tracks but steps down the wrong road will too and when the threat you face is Washington politicians…
Read MoreA Lethal Tool that Backfired
Years ago when Jim Hunt was thrashing Jesse Helms in his Senate race, Arthur Finkelstein dropped a poll on the table, lifted both hands in the air in front of him, palms open. “There’re two kinds of elections.” He waved one palm: “There’re issue elections.” He waved the other open palm: “And character elections. This…
Read MoreAxis Sally
Axis Sally a Broadway showgirl with a sultry voice starred on Nazi radio during World War II, purring to lonely GI’s (who hadn’t seen their wives in years): ‘Remember the guy with the flashy convertible who had eyes for your wife…last week he moved in with her.’ That was propaganda back in the 1940’s –…
Read More