North Carolina – Democrats
Barking Yellow Dogs
When a Washington Post reporter asked me about Democratic congressmen from North Carolina voting against health-care reform, I told him: “You buy a dog, don’t be afraid when it barks.” When Nancy Pelosi, Rahm Emanuel and the DCCC recruited Health Shuler and Larry Kissell to run in 2008, they knew what they were getting.…
Read MoreA Case for Roy Cooper
A wise old legal eagle points out a recent article in the National Law Journal that shreds the 18 showboating state attorneys generals who want to challenge the health-care reform law. The article, written by a law professor at Washington & Lee, concludes: “This complaint not only represents shockingly shoddy lawyering but should…
Read MoreCal’s Air War
Cal Cunningham officially becomes the front-runner in the Democratic Senate primary by getting on TV first. But does a “war” message work in a Democratic primary? Opponents argue that his service record won’t impress anti-war Democrats – that it will make him look too conservative. I think it’s a strong ad. And…
Read MoreA Pretty Strange Chapter in Republican Politics …
The way Art Pope sees it his blasting Richard Morgan (because Richard blasted Governor Perdue) wasn’t defending Governor Perdue… … but how did Perdue see it? “Well, miracles do happen!” the Governor chortled, delighted to have Pope’s support. What’s ironic about all this is for years Art’s been hammering Richard, saying he’s too cozy…
Read MoreThe New Buzzword
What is it with “narrative”? We used to talk about “message” in campaigns. Now candidates have a “narrative.” Rob Christensen did a recent column about the different “narratives” of the Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate. “Message” implied issues. It implied addressing the concerns of voters. “Narrative” implies telling a compelling story…
Read MoreWhat’s Brad Reading?
The other night I landed on Congressman Brad Miller’s website and down the right side of the page saw a dozen blogs Brad recommends people read. I clicked on one and landed on a page with an ad of two women hugging – advertising vacations for gays in Key West. Another ad recommended an Internet…
Read MoreThe Fetzer Factor
North Carolina Republicans have an asset this year Democrats don’t have: Tom Fetzer. Fetzer is travelling around the state like a heat-seeking missile. His attacks on Governor Perdue make headlines week after week. Democratic Chair David Young is a stark contrast. He’s clearly not comfortable playing the role of political hit man. …
Read MoreThe Eye of the Beholder
Yesterday I wrote about how one of my Republican friend’s is convinced to pay for Obamacare the Democrats are going to slash Medicare $500 billion – by kicking old people off their respirators; then, the next morning, I opened the newspaper and right there on page one was a Democrat who had a pretty odd…
Read MoreBev and the Scandal Makers
Back on Election Night in the euphoria of just being elected North Carolina’s first woman Governor Beverly Perdue told reporters a new day was dawning in state government and the one thing she wasn’t going to tolerate was even a ‘whiff’ of corruption. Since then the Governor has had a tough year. She…
Read MoreWe Need TV!
The Democratic primary for U.S. Senate here demonstrates why TV ads are important and valuable in politics, despite all the criticism they get. Outside of the campaigns and the insiders, there is little energy and interest in the campaign. Polls show undecided – or clueless – leading everybody. The problem is money.…
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