Posts by Gary Pearce
GOP Shows Its True Colors
That didn’t take long. The party of Lincoln jumped right into Jesse Helms-era race-baiting this week. And we found out just what a tough, strong, effective leader John McCain is. He can’t even get a state Republican Party to take down an ad. Or maybe his demand that the ad be pulled came with a…
Read MoreBev Survives
While the political world focused on Pennsylvania Tuesday, Bev Perdue’s supporters gave a sigh of relief. She survived the live TV debate with Richard Moore. Her campaign has gone to great lengths to minimize her unscripted appearances – in debates and with the media. Her handlers’ lack of confidence is palpable. Moore was surprisingly mild…
Read MoreBut We’re Ready For Our Close-up
Pennsylvania is over – finally. I’m sick and tired of Chris Matthews telling me how smart “Eddie Rendell” is. So now North Carolina is the biggest state left. Bill Clinton is back today. Hillary and Barack are coming. The New York Times, the networks, the bigfeet and the bloggers are scoping us out for colorful…
Read MoreDelete This Fight
When he gets back from Italy, Governor Easley needs to end this no-win email war with the media. The fight has poisoned his relationships with the media, especially The News & Observer. It led to a lawsuit. And he’s been put on the defensive. The longer this goes on, the more distractions he will face,…
Read MoreIn Defense of Negative Ads
Let’s suppose you agree with Bev Perdue’s sudden conversion to campaign ads that are all positive, all the time. You believe candidates’ ads should be about themselves and never, never, ever even so much as mention their opponents. Now let’s suppose you are an adviser to Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama for the fall campaign…
Read MoreBert Coffer
Dr. Bert Coffer of Raleigh, who died last week, was one of the finest people I ever met in politics. I feel that way even though Bert was one of Jesse Helms’ best friends and strongest supporters. I got to know Bert working on a health-care issue several years ago. He was a friendly, unassuming…
Read MoreI Told You So
You could see this train wreck coming. Less than a week after Bev Perdue promised a positive campaign, the N&O headline says: “Mailer contradicts Perdue’s message.” It turns out the National Education Association “had already sent 10,000 glossy attacks on Moore to retired educators in North Carolina.” So Moore is holding a news conference this…
Read MoreThe Bubba Boost
My friend Bruce Thompson – a Raleigh lawyer and leading Clinton adviser here – thinks I’m reading the primary all wrong. (I predicted an Obama blowout.) Bruce believes Hillary Clinton will win here. He points to the crowds that came to Bill Clinton’s trip Down East last weekend – Bubba’s BBQ Tour. He told me:…
Read MoreGovernor Easy
The News & Observer wrote last weekend what Raleigh insiders have been saying for the last eight years: Mike Easley is – as Senator Tony Rand said – “weird.” Actually, Rand didn’t say Easley is weird. He said his working style is weird. But a Governor is his working style. The Governor says measure me…
Read MoreBev’s Blunder
Bev Perdue’s positive-ad ploy is a blunder that could cost her the nomination. It sounds good today. But she will regret it. Especially if she ends up giving a concession speech the night of May 6. A candidate who unilaterally disarms usually loses. Moore will keep pummeling her with the ads that closed the gap.…
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