North Carolina – Republicans
Stein’s Party Lines
Governor Josh Stein wisely ignored my semi-serious suggestion that he devote his inaugural speech to denouncing power-obsessed Republican bosses in the General Assembly. But he made the point. He said, “We have real problems to solve. And we do not have time to settle petty political scores or fight divisive culture wars.” The Governor noted…
Read MoreDisaster Duty
Climate change has changed governors’ jobs. They now must be masters of disasters: floods, fires, hurricanes and winter storms. As soon as he was sworn in, Governor Josh Stein signed executive orders for Hurricane Helene relief. He went to hard-hit communities to see the situation and talk to victims. Just like with Roy Cooper eight…
Read MoreInaugural Punch
Governor Josh Stein likely will seek common ground with Republicans in his inaugural speech Saturday. Instead, I wish he’d punch them in the nose from the get-go and pummel them across the stage until he sits down. I wish he’d say, “The greatest threat to North Carolina’s strength, growth and progress in the coming four…
Read MoreAnother Story from Politics
Watergate sunk Nixon. Jimmy Carter was elected. Two years later Jesse Helms ran for reelection. In 1972, he’d been the only Republican to win a Senate election in North Carolina in the 20th century. After sweeping statewide elections in 1974 and 1976 Democrats were on a roll. Here’s a story about Jesse’s 1978 campaign from…
Read MoreGrinch Griffin
The Grinch tried to steal Christmas. Jefferson Griffin is trying to steal an election at Christmas. Call him Grinch Griffin. Griffin lost the Supreme Court race to Justice Allison Riggs. Repeated recounts and audits confirmed the result. But he wants Republicans on the Supreme Court to overrule the voters’ decision, throw out 60,000 votes on…
Read MoreMissing the Mark
This story from Axios Charlotte was either a cheap bid for clicks or revealed a basic ignorance of how state government works. The headline: “Cooper, Robinson have no record of speaking in days before, after or during Helene.” It began like “Breaking News” on CNN: “North Carolina’s governor and his next-in-command seemingly had zero communication…
Read MoreFight for Justice
We may be tired and tapped out after a long campaign, or drained and dreading the looming Trump disaster. But a critically important election remains unresolved in North Carolina, and Republicans are trying to steal it. The outcome of Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs’ reelection fight could decide the course of North Carolina politics through…
Read MoreIt’s Easy to Point the Finger…
Turning on the TV, watching the first debate in the 2016 Iowa primary, I stared at a row of candidates standing on stage – they all talked, sounded like smooth-tongued Washington politicians – except one: Donald Trump. Trump beat Hillary. Covid struck. Biden beat Trump. Trump ran again. Biden got out. Trump called Kamala Harris…
Read MorePublished stories from my memoir in The Assembly
John Bolton: “Reagan lost the first five primaries to Gerald Ford in 1976 – then upset Ford in North Carolina. Carter Wrenn ran Reagan’s North Carolina campaign. He tells a compelling story about American politics, from Reagan to Trump.” Stephen Mansfield, New York Times bestselling author: “Our generation is awash in a sea of thin…
Read MoreMy Memoir
John Bolton: “Reagan lost the first five primaries to Gerald Ford in 1976 – then upset Ford in North Carolina. Carter Wrenn ran Reagan’s North Carolina campaign. He tells a compelling story about American politics, from Reagan to Trump.” Stephen Mansfield, New York Times bestselling author: “Our generation is awash in a sea of thin…
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