Posts by Gary Pearce
Rules of the Road
Governor Perdue’s Highway Patrol news conference was better than it read. You can watch the whole thing here. But she better hope her tough talk solves the Patrol’s problems. Because it obviously didn’t solve her media – and political – problems. It’s never good when the Page 1 photos are of you, hands…
Read MoreWhen Reporters Are the News
It’s Reporter Versus Reporter. UNC-TV versus UNC Radio. And the best drama of the legislative session. Senator Fletcher Hartsell’s inspired idea to subpoena UNC-TV’s unaired Alcoa story stirred up great mischief. It: Put Alcoa in an unwelcome spotlight Put UNC-TV in an unwelcome spotlight Put a UNC radio reporter at odds with a UNC-TV.…
Read MoreCalling UNC-TV to the Stand
I heard that Jim Goodmon of WRAL was so incensed by the legislative subpoena of WUNC-TV that he called Erskine Bowles – and urged him to fight it. Of course, given the just-completed state budget, UNC was in no position to defy the legislature. Both UNC-TV and the First Amendment probably will survive.…
Read MoreSinking the Megaport
The proposed international port at Southport is headed for Davy Jones Locker. The money was cut from the budget, and Congressman Mike McIntyre came out in opposition. A wise reader – and veteran Raleigh hand – believes there a lesson here: how to royally screw up a public-policy initiative. His take: …
Read MoreCleanup Crew
President Obama rolled out his best 2010 message yesterday at a town hall in Wisconsin. Click here to see one clip that captures it. The message is simple: The Republicans gave us a mess, and they refuse to help clean it up. Maybe Obama’s team has learned a lesson: They haven’t played the…
Read MoreMarshalling Money
Elaine Marshall has to make a tough choice: raise money from Raleigh lobbyists or not. She already took flak for it in the primary. Her defense: It wasn’t much money, and the donors were old friends. Now that she’s won, it could be a lot more money. And a lot more flak. …
Read MoreRichard W. Burr?
Richard Burr better hope that debate performances have little impact on the November election – or get better fast. A lawyer friend (I’m not sure if she’s a Democrat or Republican) went to the Burr-Marshall debate last week at the N.C. Bar Association. Her take: Marshall was stronger than she expected – and…
Read MoreRunoff Upside
Conventional wisdom is that runoffs are hurtful. Not always. Elaine Marshall’s runoff helped her. Helped her especially with her most important target right now: the national fundraising community. If Cunningham hadn’t called for a runoff, doubts would have lingered about Marshall’s electability. As in: “She couldn’t even get 40 percent against a…
Read MoreRenaming Enloe
The Powers That Be on the WakeCounty school board are once again demonstrating their fatal flaw: They pick needless fights. What is the sense of this fight over changing the name of EnloeHigh School? Clearly, it’s payback – and spite. If Margiotta and Tedesco were bigger men – and real leaders –…
Read MoreMcChrystal’s Balls
General Stanley McChrystal and his hard-driving team probably didn’t say anything about their civilian bosses that military leaders haven’t always said about their civilian bosses. McChrystal & Co. just said it in front of a reporter. From Rolling Stone, no less. No wonder these guys can’t catch Osama. McChrystal never quite hit…
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