Posts by Gary Pearce
Pete for Veep
The safe, conventional-wisdom running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris is a middle-aged, middle-American Dad-type like Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania or Tim Walz of Minnesota or a military-astronaut guy like Mark Kelly of Arizona. The bold choice is Pete Buttigieg. No one can better build on the energy and enthusiasm Harris has generated. No one…
Read MoreBiles vs Trump
On one screen, Simone Biles and the women’s gymnastics team were smiling, winning gold and bringing pride to Americans. On another screen, Trump was scowling, insulting Black women and sowing hate among Americans. Let’s turn off the Trump channel.
Read MoreI Was Wrong
Being a stubborn old man myself, I didn’t want President Biden to quit. I was wrong. I feared the Democratic Party would descend into civil war. I was wrong. I feared Vice President Kamala Harris wouldn’t be a strong candidate. I was wrong. I’ve never been so glad to be so wrong. I’ve never seen…
Read MoreRoy Put NC First
Like President Biden, Governor Roy Cooper put party and duty ahead of personal political ambition. The President did it when he stepped aside for Vice President Kamala Harris. The Governor did it when he stepped away from VP consideration. This is key from his statement: “This just wasn’t the right time for North Carolina and…
Read MoreCoop for Veep
Home-state pride aside, there are four good reasons Vice President Kamala Harris should pick Governor Roy Cooper. First, together they can carry North Carolina, and Trump can’t win without North Carolina. In 2020, Trump beat Joe Biden by only 1.3% here, and Cooper won reelection by 4.5%. If Cooper – by far the most popular…
Read MoreEverything Has Changed
With one tweet last Sunday afternoon, President Biden transformed the 2024 race – from a same-old, same-old election to a stark choice between past and future, hate and hope, grievance and progress. Suddenly, only one party is trying to elect an 80-year-old President who mixes up names, mangles his thoughts and looks to be in…
Read MorePower Party
With President Biden’s age off the agenda, maybe now the media will focus on the Republican Party’s agenda for America. Ronald Reagan’s party of limited government, individual freedom, decentralized power and resistance to totalitarian rule in the world is dead, gone and – after last weeks’ Republican National Convention – buried. The new world order…
Read MoreNo Quit
Years of political battles taught me this: You ain’t beat ‘til you quit. There’s too much quit in the Democratic Party right now. Yes, President Biden’s poll numbers are perilous, and pressures on him to quit are enormous. Still, I’m not convinced that Vice President Kamala Harris would be a stronger candidate, even if she…
Read MoreAR-15s and Project 2025
For years, MAGA Republicans have fetishized AR-15s, the weapon Trump’s assailant used. They wear AR-15 lapel pins and pose brandishing the high-powered assault rifles. Now, in an Olympic-worthy feat of mental gymnastics, Trump’s acolytes claim that the AR-15 attack makes Trump and Project 2025 off-limits to campaign criticism. Get real. After Paul Pelosi was brutally…
Read MoreThe Thom Tillis Twist
Senator Thom Tillis twisted himself into contortions with this tweet last week: “Huge news for Wilmington, the Department of Transportation will be awarding $242 million to replace the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge! I was proud to advocate for the project to @SecretaryPete on behalf of North Carolina and co-author and help get the bipartisan infrastructure…
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