National Republicans
Meeting Ronald Reagan
Back in 1975, I met Ronald Reagan at a dinner in Raleigh. That fall he ran for President – I ran his North Carolina primary, working with Jesse Helms (one of two U.S. Senators who endorsed Reagan) and Tom Ellis (Reagan’s North Carolina Chairman). Reagan lost the first five primaries to Gerald Ford – his…
Read MoreRecessional
The tumult and the shouting dies; The Captains and the Kings depart: Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, A humble and a contrite heart. Victoria ruled for 60 years, Great Britain was the most powerful nation on earth, but its strength was ebbing. Rudyard Kipling, in a short poem in 1897, wrote about battles the British…
Read MoreMistakes and Miss-Takes
Bert Bennett of Winston-Salem, the legendary political godfather to Terry Sanford and Jim Hunt, had a terse dismissal of election post-mortems: “When you win, everything you did was right. When you lose, everything you did was wrong.” Democrats can select from a lengthy list of excuses and explanations for Kamala Harris’ loss. Like, “It was…
Read MoreNo Healing?
Biden got out. Harris got in. Trump got shot. Insults flew. The election boiled down to seven states. It’s over tomorrow night – and Lord willing Wednesday the sun will rise on a peaceful day. And healing begins. But what if…as Trump watches votes roll in tomorrow night, leading Harris, he announces he won. But…
Read MoreA Tale of Two Rallies
The contrast couldn’t have been more stark. And it could easily swing a close election. Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden Sunday was hateful, divisive and mean-spirited. Kamala Harris’ rally in front of the White House Tuesday was hopeful, unifying and uplifting. She drew the contrast in her speech: “I pledge to you to…
Read MoreA Different Drummer
Russia’s targeting Hispanic voters in six swing states, spreading tales on the internet during our election. Iran’s targeting Arab Americans, Muslims, and Black voters in swing states. China’s spinning tales in Spanish on Facebook, YouTube and X, targeting Hispanic voters not just in the Presidential race but in House and Senate races. And it hacked…
Read MoreWild Times
This election keeps getting crazier and crazier – we’ve now got China hacking Trump’s cell phone. And Russia spinning tales on the internet to help Trump. A New York Times headline howled Harris dropped an F-bomb on Trump – calling him a fascist. Trump fired back – calling her a communist. Elon Musk’s holding a…
Read MoreCarville is Right: We Will Win
James Carville was the first and loudest Democrat to say President Biden should step aside. I disagreed, but Carville was right and I was wrong. Now he’s written an op-ed in The New York Times: “Three Reasons I’m Certain Kamala Harris Will Win.” This time, I agree. He’s right again. His three reasons: “Mr. Trump…
Read MoreFree Speech and Football
I went to Berkeley last weekend for football. I got an unexpected lesson in free speech – and a reminder that freedom is on the ballot this year. Because wannabe dictator Donald Trump would terminate the First Amendment in a minute. My son James and I were exploring the University of California’s beautiful, hilly campus…
Read MoreA Strange Time
Imagine walking down a road, getting blinded by a flash of light, falling down, hearing a voice say your name. That happened to Paul on the road to Damascus. What if today, after a flash of light, the voice of God said, Don’t lie. Would people listen? Would politicians? At lunch, stirring a bowl of…
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