Posts by Gary Pearce
Okie for Hillary
Merle Haggard of “Okie From Muskogee” fame has broken with the Republican Party. His reason: “they’re all about fear.” Fear of terrorists. Fear of illegal immigrants. Stirring fear – not inspiring hope – is the Republicans’ only hope for 2008. But I watched Democrats try to sell fear throughout the 1980s when Ronald Reagan was…
Read MoreHillary’s “Electability”
Speaking of Hillary, her opponents and detractors are growing more frustrated every day. Obama is losing the fresh luster he once had. And Edwards is reduced to arguing electability: that he’s the only Democrat who can carry a red state. But I don’t think Democrats are looking for freshness or electability. They’re looking for a…
Read MoreRaising Cain
Raleigh’s developer community is already looking for a political savior. Looking overseas, in fact. They’re talking up Jim Cain, currently U.S. Ambassador to Denmark. Their scenario is that Cain returns from his pressing foreign-policy duties in Copenhagen, runs for mayor and restores what developers call “moderation” to City Hall. Not so fast. Cain would have…
Read MorePolitical Drought
Governor Easley emerges from the Mansion to tell municipal officials we’re facing a drought emergency, but he doesn’t declare a state of emergency. City officials say they’re already taking action. Raleigh’s City Council waits until after the elections to take up a ban on all outdoor watering. Meanwhile, the sprinklers and hoses keep running. And…
Read MoreAl Gore’s Revenge
Al Gore won’t run for President. He doesn’t need to step down from the heights. No one has ever won an Academy Award and a Nobel Peace Prize the same year. His net worth is estimated at more than $100 million. And he doesn’t have to put up with the indignity of politics. Most of…
Read MoreRecycling Raleigh Politics
Raleigh’s election this year recycles the results from 30 years ago. In 1977, a pro-neighborhood, anti-developer grassroots rebellion elected little-old-lady-in-tennis-shoes Isabella Cannon over the incumbent mayor, Jyles Coggins, a builder known as “bomber Jack.” Two years later, Smedes York rode to the rescue of the real estate industry. He ran against Cannon and won. Then,…
Read MoreDunkirk for Developers
The Wake County real estate industry got handed its head in Tuesdayâs elections. The executioners were Mayor Charles Meeker, his political strategist Perry Woods and their allies. The real estate folks may be brilliant business people. But theyâre dumb politicians. If they got organized â and used their money wisely â they would have had…
Read MoreThe Mark of Kane
An anti-developer fire was smoldering in the Wake County political underbrush this year. Then North Hills developer John Kane threw on gasoline and lit a match. The N&O’s analysis this morning is right: slow-growth candidates won or led in Raleigh and Cary. But the real flashpoint was Kane’s request for a $75 million subsidy for…
Read MoreBad Week for Obama
You can feel the Obama balloon losing air. This was a bad week for him. He got flattened by the Hillary Machine. The Obama campaign had built up a big Iraq speech on the fifth anniversary of his speaking out against the war. But the speech fizzled. Two reasons: Team Hillary stole Obama’s thunder just…
Read MoreJosh Stein’s Fast Start
Josh Stein has always moved fast. And worked hard. He was the first hire in John Edwards’ 1998 Senate campaign – a novice who had never worked in politics before. By the time the primary rolled around, he was the campaign manager. And a great one. I know, because I worked with him every day…
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