National Republicans
Getting Out of the Ditch
This blog is also posted on The Charlotte Observer’s DNC blog site. It’s not about the conventions – it’s about the stories the conventions are telling. The Republicans’ story goes like this, Obama hasn’t done the job, let ‘em go. The Democrats’ story goes this way, We are more like you than Mitt…
Read MoreA Tale of Two Conventions
This blog is also posted on The Charlotte Observer’s DNC blog site. There may not be, as John Edwards famously said, “two Americas.” But there sure are two parties with diametrically different views of America. That’s the value of conventions. Cynics may dismiss them, and TV viewers may ignore them. But the conventions…
Read MoreThe Swing Voter
This blog is also posted on The Charlotte Observer’s DNC blog site. In case you missed it there’re two new polls this week but nothing’s changed. Republicans are still voting rocklike for Romney, Democrats are still rocklike for Obama, and if you want a portrait of a swing voter she’s a mother with young…
Read MorePicking – and Picking On – Charlotte
This blog is also posted on The Charlotte Observer’s DNC blog site. Over the past few weeks, a stream of state and national reporters asked essentially the same question: “Was it a mistake for Democrats to come to Charlotte?” Let’s set aside the existential question of whether it’s ever a mistake to come…
Read MoreAre You Better Off?
The Romney campaign won a 24-hour news cycle on the “Are you better off?” question, but they may lose the election over it. Team Obama and the Democrats should relish this fight. And not worry about having been caught off guard – although that was inexcusable. Who won or lost the news cycle matters…
Read MoreNo Empty Chairs Here
This blog is also posted on The Charlotte Observer’s DNC blog site. There’s one problem with the Clint Eastwood line that Carter likes: This week, the chair will talk back. Even better, President Bill Clinton probably will talk back. And say something like: “You’re right, Clint. When somebody doesn’t do the job,…
Read MoreWelcome to Charlotte
This blog also posted on The Charlotte Observer’s DNC blog site. One hundred and eighty years ago, back in 1832, the first Democratic Convention was an enclave of white men – today the Democratic Convention is an enlightened convocation with a Women’s Caucus, a Black Caucus, a Hispanic Caucus, an Ethnic Caucus, a Native…
Read MoreThe Fact Checkers
There’s not much doubt there’s a lot of half-truthin’ and even some outright lyin’ going on in the Presidential campaign but the ‘Fact-Checkers’ who’ve proclaimed themselves the ‘truth-tellers’ in this election are starting to look a little blowsy themselves. Last Wednesday night Paul Ryan said Obama “funneled $716 billion out of Medicare.” ‘Not…
Read MoreRyan Caught Again
I wonder if Paul Ryan claimed in Greenville today that he once ran a four-minute mile? It wouldn’t surprise me, given his tenuous grip on the truth. If political lying was an Olympic event, Ryan would get the gold. And that’s saying a lot this year. Fresh off his fact-challenged convention speech (see “GOP…
Read MoreGOP Convention Triage
Mitt was Mitt, Clint was crazy, and Paul Ryan did the most to damage himself of any speaker at the Republican convention. Let’s review the main players. Romney had a good line: “I want to help your family.” But he didn’t shed the label Obama’s ads have stuck on him: Rich, stiff and out…
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