Never the Same

An excellent New York Times article today analyzed how 2008 has changed politics forever. And nowhere more than North Carolina. Let us count the ways: BATTLEGROUND: First the primary. When Obama won North Carolina, the late Tim Russert declared that he had won the nomination. Now we’ve had the heady experience of being one of…

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Is It Over?

I’ve been skeptical about the vaunted Obama ground game. But now I believe it’s real. So real, this election may already be decided in North Carolina. Some 2.6 million people have already voted – 40 percent of the registered voters. Democrats outnumber Republicans 52-30. African-Americans are 27 percent of the total. Republicans have their famous…

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A Ripple or a Wave?

With all the howling going on and the attacks being hurled back and forth on TV between the various campaigns it must be pretty hard for the last handful of undecided voters to figure out what’s true – but Elizabeth Dole may have given them one thing they are going to agree is not true.…

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Thanks, John Kerry

John Kerry’s campaign to destroy the Democratic Party continues. It turns out Kerry was one of the organizers of the Kay Hagan fundraiser in Boston where the “Godless Americans” showed up. A tip of the hat to Democratic consultant Joe Sinsheimer for pointing out Senator Kerry’s continuing contributions to the party. And Joe was right…

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The Forgotten Ad

Way back in April, Bev Perdue looked voters straight in the face and said she’d had it with negative ads. She was done. Finished. She was taking hers off the air. Ending negative politics meant more to her than being governor. “Win or lose,” she said, “It’s the right decision for me and for North…

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Land of Confusion

A reader emailed this week: “These conflicting polls are making me psycho.” Take Thursday’s N&O. One poll had Obama up six nationally and another, up 16. (Hint: He won’t win by 16.) The North Carolina polls are especially confusing. But one way to look at them is through the lens of race. Take WRAL’s poll…

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Behind the Curtain: Conclusion

Being in a campaign is like peeling the skin off an onion: You just keep peeling away layers until, finally, you get to the core. It turns out in the three major races in North Carolina the core is the same: the fellow sitting at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. If you like George Bush you vote…

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Liddy’s Gambit

Does Kay Hagan believe in God? To put it bluntly, in her new ad Senator Dole answers that question – No. Dole’s case goes like this: Something in Boston called the Godless Americans PAC held a fundraiser for Hagan. They – very clearly and outspokenly – do not believe in God. And the first twenty-five…

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Behind the Curtain: The Senate Race

In the Senate race it’s deja vu all over again for the third time: The same scarlet thread running through the races for President and Governor runs right on through Elizabeth Dole’s race. If you like George Bush, you vote for Senator Dole. If you don’t, you vote for Kay Hagan – except for a…

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Denny Crane on Gun Control and The Fourth Witch

We’ve about reached the point in the campaign where humor is in short supply – so here’s a video of Boston Legal’s Denny Crane being mugged that floated in over the transom from out in cyberspace. Here’s a link. Email it to a friend. Former House Speaker Richard Morgan’s book, The Fourth Witch: A Memoir…

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