Posts by Gary Pearce
Super Bowl MVPs
My choice: the refs. Maybe Seattle didn’t get jobbed. And as an N.C. State grad, I’m glad to see Bill Cowher win. But I hate to see the Super Bowl decided by the zebras’ close calls.
Read MoreThe Race Card, 2006 Version
No matter what school bond issue faces Wake County voters this year, here is an issue I promise will come: illegal immigration. You can see the Republican pollsters salivating right now. Advance word is that one of the key issues President Bush will address in his State of the Union speech will be illegal immigration.,…
Read MoreDigging Deeper
The N&O reported today that the downtown Raleigh Convention Center keeps getting more expensive. And the city-subsidized hotel keeps getting uglier. The political hole is getting as deep as the construction hole.
Read MoreSSOTU
Big-time political bloggers refer to the State of the Union speech as SOTU. I call Tuesday night’s performance SSOTU: Sorry State of the Union. Not just President Bush, but also the Democrats in Washington. I’ve got three words for Bush’s performance: boring and small-bore. It’s striking to see how far the once-“bold” Bush has fallen…
Read MoreA Dangerous Chase for Ratings
When I heard about ABC anchorman Bob Woodruff being injured in Iraq, I thought first about his wife and four children. Then I thought about TV ratings. The unpleasant truth is that Woodruff was sitting in that vehicle because ABC is desperately chasing evening-news ratings. We all laugh when TV talking heads stand outside in…
Read MoreOprah Rules the Book World
Oprah Winfrey already had become the most powerful bookseller in the world. Her endorsement – and an appearance on her show – guaranteed an author fame and fortune. Now she’s become even more powerful – by eviscerating (one report said “emasculating”) lying author James Frey on national TV. She also scolded publishers for publishing memoirs…
Read MoreTime for Some Demo Judo?
Bush/Rove think they’ve turned some good political judo on the Democrats over the eavesdropping battle. (Political judo is when you turn your opponent’s strength into his weakness.) Washington Dems thought they had Bush on the run when the New York Times revealed the eavesdropping program. Now Bush/Rove have gladly taken up the fight. They’ve served…
Read MoreStill Lost in the Desert
Friday, January 20, was the 25th anniversary of a dramatic example of events in the Middle East driving American politics: 25 years ago, Ronald Reagan was sworn in as President and Iran released the hostages. Same day, 2006, our news is dominated by Osama bin Laden’s latest threat against the U.S. Last time we heard…
Read MoreI Hear the Train A-comin’
The News & Observer headline Thursday (January 19) said “Wake school officials fear sticker shock.” I believe Raleigh Democrats are in for voter shock if they don’t wise up. This month, Democrats on the City Council refused to even talk about using city revenues to meet school construction needs. Fortunately, two Council Democrats – Jessie…
Read MoreLet the Booze Flow
Chris Matthews seems to have uncovered a golden nugget about lobbying laws in Washington. He says current law restricts how much a lobbyist can spend on dinner with a member of Congress or a Senator. But there is no limit on how much the same lobbyist can spend buying the honorables liquor. Just another sign…
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