Posts by Carter Wrenn
Hot Dog Machines in the Hallways
About a week ago the News and Observer asked City Councilwoman Jessie Taliaferro what she thought of developer John Kane’s proposal the City Council to give him a $75 million tax-subsidy for North Hills Mall – Mrs. Taliaferro said she hadn’t supported it, didn’t support it and had voted against a similar subsidy of a…
Read MoreWhere’s the Beef
State Treasurer and candidate for Governor Richard Moore wants to dump Governor Charles Aycock’s name from the Democrats Annual Vance-Aycock Dinner. Governor Aycock (1900-04) is decidedly politically incorrect. He was a leader of the ‘red-shirt’ campaigns that disenfranchised black voters. But he was also the first in a long line of North Carolina’s education governors…
Read MoreMayor Meeker Gives a Lecture
With no opponent to keep him busy this election Mayor Meeker is feeling his oats. Monday night he trooped over to the County Commissioners to give them a lecture. About spending. The Mayor’s philosophy on spending tax money is simple: Spend it. Spent it all. Spend it as quickly as possible. It, apparently, didn’t bother…
Read MoreJohn Edwards Finds a Principle
John Edwards said last February he would not take public financing for his campaign. Now, lagging Obama and Hillary in fundraising (he’s raised $23 million to their $50 plus million each) he’s reversed himself. He needs the money. So he’s taking it. Nothing really wrong with that except how Edwards gilded the lily, bragging on…
Read MoreEdwards Scores?
Two strange things happened during the Democratic debate at Dartmouth College the other night. First, everyone of the major Democratic candidates (who have been harking about getting out of Iraq) said they couldnât guarantee theyâd bring the troops home by 2013 â at the end of their first term. So, the Democrats may leave troops…
Read MoreUpside Down
As the British army surrendered at Yorktown its band played a little ditty called “The World Turned Upside Down.” I felt a little like that when I read the News and Observer interview with the City Council candidates in District A. There are two candidates. Incumbent Tommy Craven – a conservative Republican. And Nancy McFarlane…
Read MorePretty Downtown versus Capital Boulevard
Figure this: On any given day you can run into traffic snarls on Glenwood Avenue, Capital Boulevard or Wade Avenue. Real snarls. Real traffic problems. But, instead of solving those real traffic problems Meeker, Stephenson, Crowder and Company – the three Amigos on the City Council – are getting ready to spend $6 million on…
Read MoreDevelopers, Ballfields, and City Politics
Democrats have become so dominant in Raleigh elections City Council races have turned into a series of inner-party squabbles. Take the at-large race. Incumbent Russell Stephenson and Mary Ann Baldwin are slugging it out to prove which of the two Democrats is really anti-developer. The definition of developer in the District B race has taken…
Read MoreRomney Moving Up on Giuliani
Rudy Giuliani’s been leading his Republican opponents in national polls all year. But, now, there’s a wind change in the making. Mitt Romney – after contributing generously to his own campaign – is running TV and radio ads in New Hampshire and Iowa. And his message is resonating. He now leads Giuliani in both states.…
Read MoreOwned by Developers?
There’s a little flap going on in Raleigh’s city elections about who’s coziest with developers. It started when someone, apparently tied to a blog supporting Councilman Russell Stephenson, put up a phony website attacking challenger Mary Ann Baldwin. But, in fact, Meeker, Stephenson, Crowder and Company – the three amigos on the City Council –are…
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