Posts by Gary Pearce
The New News Cycle
Another sign of the Net times: A long-time Raleigh lobbyist told me how much the brave new world of blogs has changed his world. “I used to be afraid to look at Under the Dome every morning,” he said. “Now I have to look at it every 15 minutes. It’s done nothing but raise my…
Read MoreMoore’s Health Care Offensive
One of our loyal blogger/readers passed along a link to Richard Moore’s website about George Bush denying health care to kids. He also noted that Moore ran a banner ad on the N&O’s webpage drawing visitors to the site. And he observes: “This is a hard-hitting site about denying healthcare to kids. Looks like Moore…
Read MoreUp Or Out in Iraq
Just like the military surge in Iraq, the Democrats’ political surge against the war is falling short. This week, Democrats in Congress found that it’s hard to argue with a man as obviously brave, patriotic and dedicated as General Petraeus. It’s a lot easier to argue with the cowardly bumbler who sent Petraeus to Iraq…
Read MoreRuss at Risk
The most vulnerable member of the Raleigh City Council this year may be Russ Stephenson. He’s facing a tough challenge in the at-large race. A lot of his old supporters are disaffected. And he carries a whiff of the elitism that is the Council’s biggest Achilles heel. Exhibit A: The debate in the Council last…
Read MoreForward, March on the City Council
One of the odder commentaries I’ve seen on the Raleigh City Council race came recently in the Independent Weekly. That’s not normally a pro-military rag, but the article seemed mighty impressed with the military records of the two candidates, one a Republican, running against Jessie Taliaferro. I suspect the attraction wasn’t the uniforms. In fact,…
Read MoreChange This Channel
The images are depressingly familiar, six years after 9/11: Replays of the terrorist attacks on America Osama bin Laden, now mysteriously dark-bearded, on our TV screens again, threatening and taunting us still An impressively bemedaled and beribboned general warning Congress against a quick withdrawal from Iraq. Once again, we’re reminded of George Bush’s folly and…
Read MoreBeverly Lake’s Revenge
What is it about Wake Forest and the public schools? Fifty years ago, the town north of Raleigh (then home of Wake Forest College) gave rise to Dr. I. Beverly Lake, the segregationist who ran against Terry Sanford for Governor in 1960. (When Lake was introduced at rallies, the speaker would say: “I don’t know…
Read MoreThompson Dramatized GOP Weakness
Fred Thompson is a big, imposing guy with a big, authoritative voice. Too bad he doesn’t have anything to say. All his voice is booming so far is empty platitudes. If he’s the Republicans’ next Ronald Reagan, they are in more trouble than I thought. Reagan had a message: Strengthen America. Tear down this wall.…
Read MoreIn Defense of Incentives
All the candidates for Governor – Democrats and Republicans – now say they support Governor Easley’s veto of the Goodyear incentives bill. Are incentives that politically radioactive? I’m not sure they are. But the supporters of incentives are doing a damn poor job of making the case. The way to win the argument is to…
Read MoreDole-drums
A well-placed North Carolina Republican has been telling friends lately that he doesn’t think Senator Elizabeth Dole will run for reelection if she draws a tough opponent. As Richard Nixon said to Dwight Eisenhower in 1952, there comes a time to get off the pot. The Democratic candidate who comes out strong first may find…
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