North Carolina – Democrats
What Would John A. Do?
A reader writes: “Were you as astonished as me at the reaction to Bev’s consolidation plan?” State Controller David McCoy told WRAL he is opposed to Governor Perdue’s Cabinet-consolidation plan. Linda Hayes, Perdue’s Secretary of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, dragged her feet about how difficult it would be. The reader notes: “If John…
Read MoreThree Politicians
Over the last month I’ve watched stories converge for three politicians I’ve known: Jim Hunt, Mike Easley and John Edwards. First I published my biography of Hunt, and we made a 10-stop book tour. Then Mike Easley was convicted of a felony. Then John Edwards reemerged after Elizabeth’s death. Toward the end of…
Read MorePerdue Shuffles the Deck
Governor Perdue’s Cabinet reorganization demonstrates the advantage a governor always has over a legislature. While Republican legislators organize themselves and talk about what they plan to do, she can act. In the context of a near-$4 billion hole, her plan may not look huge. But her changes look good; even Republicans praised them.…
Read MoreSign of the Times?
A wise Raleigh hand told me about a capital-city event this week that was unique in all his years: a show of real bipartisanship. Two veteran House members – Republican Danny McComas and Democrat Pryor Gibson – cohosted a reception in the Capitol for new legislators. Most people came, of course, to see…
Read MorePublic Life, Private Tragedy
A friend wondered why Elizabeth Edwards’ life and death transfixed so many people. Maybe it’s the American fascination with the lives of the rich and famous – especially when they are marked by so many triumphs and tragedies. For her they were, in order: the death of a child, her husband’s meteoric rise in…
Read MoreObama Investigates Perdue
Twenty-seven year old Jeremiah Love – who’s schizophrenic – was murdered in a Rest Home by another schizophrenic who attacked him swinging a metal cane at his head like a baseball bat. In another Rest Home across the state a forty-three year old schizophrenic beat a sixty-seven year old patient to death in an argument…
Read MoreBuried Secrets
By not indicting Governor Easley, Joe Cheshire says, District Attorney William Kenerly proved Easley’s innocent and not just innocent but a victim too. The Governor, Cheshire says, has been ‘trashed’ by the villains in the press. And he has a case: The newspapers report the Governor’s done everything from swapping developers permits in exchange…
Read MorePerdue’s Budget Choice
In the next few weeks, Governor Perdue will make a decision that could determine whether she is reelected in two years. She can go either of two ways in handling the budget and the new Republican legislature. She could work with the Republicans to cut nearly $4 billion. The political goal there would…
Read MoreBev’s Second Message
The other day Governor Perdue climbed on a jet airliner and flew to New York and drove straight to billionaire Ron Perelman’s Manhattan office and held a campaign fundraiser. Now why is a Wall Street tycoon raising money in Manhattan for the Governor? Well, the News and Observer points out Mr. Perelman sits on…
Read MoreThe Media and the Governor
Governor Hunt and I were in Wilmington last night for a book signing, which one TV station used to pursue a feud they apparently have with Governor Perdue over her accessibility to the media, or lack thereof. The same day, I got a call from a veteran Raleigh reporter complaining about the Governor: “I…
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