North Carolina – Democrats
Ducking a Political Fight?
Up in Washington, DC the Democrats on the City Council have put the Democrats in Congress on the hot seat by passing a law to make gay marriage legal in our nation’s Capital. Now how on earth does that affect, say, Congressman Bob Etheridge who’s running for reelection here in North Carolina? …
Read MoreLanier Stumbles Again
Over at DHHS High Lama and former lobbyist Lanier Cansler has promulgated a whole new set of rules governing folks who care for Medicaid patients. For instance before a doctor can provide care to a Medicaid patient Lanier is going to check out his character, conduct, competence, criminal history, mental and physical health…
Read MoreBasnight’s Pier
I figured ole’ Marc Basnight just loved fishing piers, so he passed a bill to build the grandest one you ever saw – with a ballroom and restaurant – in his district. But it looks like Senator Basnight had a more practical reason: Basnight Construction Company is building the $25 million pier. Next explaining…
Read MoreQuote of the Year, So Far
Governor Perdue this week at the ribbon-cutting for a “green” McDonald’s in Cary: “I love McDonald’s. I eat here all the time, as you can see from my butt.”
Read MoreA Defense of Janet Cowell
A reader says my blog about Governor Perdue and Treasurer Janet Cowell “is a misread.” Here is the reader’s take on Cowell – and her battle with Perdue and DOT over Charlotte loop funding: “She’s a straight shooter, Gary, as close to pure and simple as you’ll find at that level of political…
Read MoreCouncil of State Headaches
You’d think Governor Perdue had enough problems with Republicans. But two of the biggest obstacles in her first year have been Democrats – Council of State members. This is nothing new. All Governors get to where they want to call a constitutional convention to abolish the Council of State. The conflict is inherent…
Read More‘Saint Elizabeth’
As the N&O noted this morning, excerpts from the book Game Change have tarnished Elizabeth Edwards’ halo. People have been reluctant to criticize Elizabeth. She lost a son. She is battling cancer. And she suffered the public humiliation of her husband’s infidelity. But she long had a reputation for being startlingly harsh with people,…
Read MoreThe Edwards Syndrome
The new revelations about John Edwards’ 2008 campaign – from the book Game Change by John Heilemann & Mark Halperin – raise this question: Didn’t he learn anything in his Senate race? When Edwards ran in 1998 – and I was one of his strategists – we struggled with how to handle the firestorm…
Read MorePerdue, Newspaper Reporters, and Adultery
It’s hard to get your arms around but Bev Perdue has surpassed Hunt when it comes to taking stands on both sides of issues. Our Governor’s taken firm stands on both sides of spending cuts. Tax increases. Offshore drilling. Negative political ads. And now – oddly enough – adultery. It seems our State Highway…
Read MoreABC, DMV, SHP…
Is everybody in state government crooked? No, they’re not. But the average person might think so when – in one skinny issue of the paper – they see ABC boards investigated, the ex-DMV director accused of wiretapping and the State Highway Patrol questioned about missing records and sexual misconduct. Does this ever end?…
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