The Party Mess

It’s said that “academic politics are so vicious precisely because the stakes are so small.” So it is with internal party politics.   David Parker has been inside the Democratic Party long enough to know what happens when you stumble: All the old feuds, jealousies and resentments – and the sharp knives – come out.…

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Sound Off

Most political people are word people. We pay enormous attention to the words we read and hear from politicians and the media, to facts, rhetoric and arguments.   But much of human communication is non-verbal. It’s visual and physical clues: Does this person look trustworthy or sneaky, hostile or well-intentioned, strong or weak?   So…

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Another View of the Scandal

A TAPster takes a calmer view of the scandal enveloping the state Democratic Party with these “thoughts on the Big Mess at North Carolina’s Democratic headquarters:”   “This isn’t really a “scandal,” for goodness sakes. It’s breath-taking management incompetence.  The clumsy Democratic leadership gave a clinic in how to turn a one-day personnel matter into a…

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Who Let the Dogs Out?

Watching the Democratic debate was like going to the dog park.   Bill Faison was a pit bull: feisty, but you’re not sure if he’s going to bite another dog, a dog owner or maybe you.   Walter Dalton was an over-eager terrier, jumping up and down and barking, too eager to bring you all…

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By the Neck, Bob

A Democratic TAPster has an intriguing idea for a Bob Etheridge ad:   “I know what to do about the schools.  I did it in the legislature and as State Superintendent. And I know how to handle the Republicans in the legislature.   “If they give me any trouble, I’ll grab them by the scruff…

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Stop the Cover-up

The Watergate break-in was almost 40 years ago. NC Democratic Party Chair David Parker is marking the occasion with his own cover-up.   Memo to Parker: You can’t cover up sexual harassment. Democrats deserve to know what the hell happened – and how much money it’s costing.   And don’t blame your political enemies. That’s…

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Wrong answer

Gary used to tell a story about Tony Rand, running for Lt. Governor, debating Jim Gardner back in 1988: Gardner let fly and ripped into Tony saying he was a backroom politician who along with eight other backroom politicians (who called themselves the ‘Gang of Eight’) had written the whole state budget in secret in…

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New Governor, New Legislature, New Reality

Here’s a question that should come up in the Democratic gubernatorial candidates – a question no Democratic candidate for governor has ever been asked: How will you deal with a legislature controlled by Republicans?   The closest we came was 1996, when Jim Hunt was running for reelection and Republicans controlled the House. But Hunt…

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Failing Grade for the Legislature

Democrats now have their bumper-sticker message for 2012 – thanks to 25 North Carolina school superintendents.   Republican legislators deny they cut any teachers. But the superintendents told a different story at a statewide hearing:   “Superintendents said they had laid off teachers, teacher assistants, assistant principals and central office staff members during several years…

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Reformed to Death?

Several Democratic readers responded to yesterday’s blog, “School Choice.” One wrote: “Our message should be, ‘Reform and Invest’.” Another said: “Schools need BOTH reform & investment. Any politician who preaches reform w/out resources is just using reform as a fig leaf.”   A third said Pat McCrory’s education plan “is things Perdue/Easley/Hunt already did or…

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