National Democrats
Jiggering the Districts
Laying in bed reading a short biography of Abraham Lincoln by James McPherson, one of those lost jewels of history popped up: McPherson wrote how before the 1858 election the Illinois politicians redrew state legislative districts to favor Democrats – which made a difference because back in those days United States Senators weren’t elected by…
Read MoreTrouble in the Suburbs
Here’s one reason it looks like Donald Trump may cause Republicans heartburn this fall: 30% of the voters in North Carolina almost always vote for the Republican candidate and 35% almost always vote Democratic. Conservative Rural Democrats are the first (and smallest) group of swing voters and they’re a blessing to Republicans. They’re only around…
Read MoreSome Folks Never Learn
Senator Richard Burr’s campaign has a rare decorum: There’s been no name calling, no finger pointing and no rants which has to appeal to voters who’re fed up with politics. But sometimes your friends, meaning to be helpful, can land you in a soup. One night last election (in 2014) as I was sitting in…
Read MoreStuck in the Mud?
I turned on Fox News and there was Donald Trump arms waving at a rally giving a vintage broadside. I thought, This is getting old. Two polls last week showed Trump trailing Hillary Clinton by 9 points and 12 points nationally. Another poll showed Trump’s Unfavorable rating rising to 70%: And here in North Carolina…
Read MoreLooking Back: A Myth is Born
Since the election reporters have been writing stories explaining why George Holding won and Renee Ellmers lost – one of the first to weigh in was the News and Observer saying Ellmers lost because powerful conservative groups decided to make an example of her. The Club for Growth alone, the N&O reported, “spent nearly $790,000…
Read MoreSo it begins
As Donald Trump doubled down on the race card, Hillary Clinton didn’t just play the woman card, she dealt the whole damn deck. The Clinton campaign waited until she could claim victory to proclaim a historic first for women. And it happened just as a Stanford swimmer, his father and a judge reminded us how…
Read MoreBernout?
Hillary Clinton’s campaign will spend today and tomorrow proclaiming that the race is over and prodding Bernie Sanders to give up. She hopes he’ll fold easier than she did eight years ago and than Ted Kennedy did in 1980 (which gave us 12 years of Republican Presidents). You can bet there’s a bitter battle going…
Read MoreThe Hillary and Donald Show
Fittingly, a polarized nation will have a polarized election between our two most polarizing politicians. It’s a real reality show, with voters telling one, “You’re fired,” and the other, “You’re President.” Trump can play his role in The Apprentice, and Hillary can reprise her bartender role from Saturday Night Live. As always, voters will judge…
Read MoreConfusion reigns supreme
Nobody who does politics knows what’s up with politics now. Republicans can’t explain why Trump is winning. Democrats can’t explain why Clinton isn’t winning. Ask candidates, consultants, commentators and the media crowd for explanations, and they all mumble, fumble and stumble. A month ago, everybody thought Republicans were headed for a deadlocked convention and Democrats…
Read MoreMore Clinton vs Trump
Here are two more simple arguments for Hillary Clinton. The first comes, as in yesterday’s blog, from former Senator Bob Kerrey: “The Clintons did a good job on the economy the last time they were in the White House. I have every reason to think they will again.” The second is from a big Republican…
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