General
Justin Guillory Responds
Following is Justin’s response to my blog (see below) about his N&O op-ed: “Thanks for taking an interest in my op-ed. Here is my take on your questions: “First, I disagree that progressive politics are not business friendly. The current Republican leadership has taken us so far to the right that we need…
Read MoreAnother Day, Another Scandal
It certainly didn’t take the Republicans long to pick up where Jim Black left off. Democrats can have a field day: “The Speaker’s chief of staff, roommate and best friend had a romantic relationship with a lobbyist who had legislation before the House.” They can ask: “What did the Speaker know and when…
Read MoreDemocrats: New Generation or New Direction?
Justin Guillory’s op-ed in the N&O – “Embrace the future, North Carolina Democrats” – struck a theme you hear a lot these days from young Democrats: “The major upheaval in the Democratic ranks provides a unique window of opportunity for the party to turn over a new page and choose its next generation of…
Read MoreA $3 Million Problem
Whoever wakes up May 9 as the Democratic nominee for governor will immediately face an insurmountable obstacle. Pat McCrory is sitting on $3.1 million, John Franks reports in Dome. That’s precisely $3.1 million more than the Democratic nominee will have that day. It will be impossible to make up the gap. Now, in politics…
Read MoreNeeded: A Manhattan Project
The all-but-certain presidential nominee emerges from his party’s primaries bruised and bloodied. He was mocked relentlessly as a flip-flopper and a panderer, a career politician with no inner core, a former governor with little to brag about. The brutal march to the nomination drove his favorability ratings into the ground. He faces an incumbent…
Read MoreUh-Oh
The last time I paid attention to internal Democratic Party politics was during Governor Hunt’s first two terms, when the party had chairs and executive directors like Betty McCain and David Price. Ah, the good old days. This week I asked a young friend who is involved in the party now: “Who are the…
Read MoreThe Golden Rule
Here’s the Golden Rule of Politics: “Them that has the gold (to buy TV time) rule.” So it is with the Democratic governor’s race. Bob Etheridge had a lead in initial polls. I thought he won the debates. But Walter Dalton is winning where it counts: on TV ads. Public Policy Polling reports…
Read MoreThe 3 Percent Mystery
A TAPster asks a pertinent question about the CBS/New York Times poll that found John Edwards’ favorable rating at 3 percent: “Who in the hell are the 3 percent?”
Read MoreDoing Business
Is Bill Faison the business community’s favorite in the Democratic race for Governor? One well-wired lobbyist thinks so. Why? Isn’t Faison a trial lawyer, a species viewed with fear and loathing by business people? Simple. If Faison wins the nomination, the business community “could put all their efforts into McCrory.” They owe…
Read MoreFlying High
A TAPster raises a question about Governor Perdue and the state plane: “Everyone was relieved to hear that catastrophe was averted last week when Governor Perdue’s state-owned aircraft had a mechanical problem and made an emergency landing at RDU. “But, here are some questions: “Why in the hell was she taking a…
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