Posts by Gary Pearce
Teens With a Cause
Forty years ago, I took part in an antiwar protest at the State Capitol after KentState. Yesterday, my 17-year-old daughter took part in the Wake schools protest at the Capitol. So I’ve been amused by Carter’s blogs about teenagers being “used” by adults angry at the new school board’s assignment policy. My experience…
Read MoreU-turn
Governor Perdue made the right move in removing Colonel Glover from the Patrol. By the way, don’t believe for a minute it was Glover’s idea – or that the Governor was “surprised.” These things don’t work that way. Unfortunately, she reversed direction a week later than she should have. This should have happened…
Read MoreRare Old Bird
Here’s a nice compliment – and a striking statistic – from a reader: “According to today’s (New York) Times only 7.1 percent of all bloggers are over the age of 51. You have always been ahead of the curve!” And I blew past 51 long ago.
Read MoreWho Can You Trust?
It’s a bad time for once-trusted institutions. Highway Patrol: Yes, the vast majority of the line troopers are courageous and honorable. That’s why they – and the public – and mad at the people at the top. UNC-TV: Pulled off a rare two-fer by looking both unprofessional AND spineless. It’s bad when your…
Read More911
One of the hardest things to do in politics – when a “crisis” comes at you every day, or every hour – is to recognize when you face a truly defining moment. Governor Perdue faces one now with the Highway Patrol. How she handles it could determine the course of her governorship – and…
Read MoreUh-oh
A veteran Democratic politico asked me this week: “Are you feeling as bad about this coming election as I am?” Yep. Especially after this report on the state parties’ fundraising byJim Morrill in the Charlotte Observer/N&O: “The Republican Party, meanwhile, has raised more than $1 million since January 2009 to Democrats’ $649,000, though…
Read MoreFinding Hope in Numbers
Ever since Governor Perdue’s brief honeymoon ended, public polls have brought her nothing but bad news. So her advisers not surprisingly found a silver lining in Public Policy Polling’s numbers on her and the Highway Patrol. But don’t get carried away. Last week’s poll found that 67 percent of North Carolinians have a…
Read MoreMissing Rand?
Democrats are worried about losing the State Senate this year – especially without Tony Rand to run their caucus campaigns. After Democrats came within one seat of losing the Senate in 1994, Rand and Marc Basnight build a high-performance operation. They hired good people, did good polling and spent money based on cold-eyed calculations…
Read MoreOily Burr
According to a recent N&O headline, “Burr says oil ads won’t ruffle feathers.” Senator Burr has to say that. I doubt he believes it. Two years ago, Elizabeth Dole’s campaign didn’t worry about independent ads attacking her. That’s why she’s former Senator Dole today. The latest ad attacking Burr – showing an…
Read MoreRepublican Hunt
John Davis, late of NCFREE has an interesting take (one I like, obviously) on Jim Hunt in his recent report. Davis says the Republican Party in North Carolina has failed to produce a political leader as skilled as Hunt. He identifies Hunt’s key strengths as pragmatism and persuasiveness. Davis recounts his meeting with…
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