North Carolina – Republicans
Who Is Fred Davis?
Davis is Pat McCrory’s ad man. He made headlines recently for advocating controversial ads attacking President Obama over Jeremiah Wright, as Carter noted in his blog below, “The Pirates and a Chicago Billionaire.” Democrats, predictably, are calling for McCrory to fire Davis. Hold the mayo. Maybe it would be better for Walter Dalton if…
Read MorePity the Jurors
A TAPster wrote to express his rage over news that John Edwards took in a ball game while the jury deliberated this week: “Law-abiding citizens are summoned away from their jobs and families to be sequestered for weeks on end to decide if John Edwards has committed campaign fraud, in addition to the other…
Read MoreThe Pirates and a Chicago Billionaire
These two political consultants from Hollywood go to Chicago and tell a billionaire they have a sure fire way to whip Obama by tying him to Reverend Jeremiah Wright and all they need is $10 million – then, next, before the billionaire writes a check, the consultant’s fifty-four page plan lands in the New York…
Read MoreWhy Obama Is Winning NC
Republican operatives and political reporters alike are busy arguing that President Obama will have a tough time winning North Carolina this year. They’re right, to a point. But they’re missing the point: As long as we’re debating Obama’s chances of winning North Carolina, Obama is winning the presidential race. Obama does not have…
Read MoreA Democrat Can Always Screw Up Worse
Two political consultants sat arguing at the next table. The Democrat said, It’s like the mystery of the dog that didn’t bark in the night, then the Republican said, The reason the dog didn’t bark is simple – because Thom Tillis didn’t do anything wrong, then the Democrat said, He fired two aides for unethical…
Read MoreThin Skin
Democrats think they’ve found a weakness in Pat McCrory – one that can be fatal in a politician: thin skin. Oddly, it’s the same sensitivity Mitt Romney showed when the Obama campaign raised questions about his business career. Romney took it as a personal attack. McCrory reacted the same way to the Tree.com ad.…
Read MoreRound 1: Dalton vs. McCrory
First the Republicans called Walter Dalton ‘Bev Perdue, Jr.’ Then the Democrats called Pat McCrory a skunk who as Mayor of Charlotte lobbied to get government money for a company that paid him $140,000. Then McCrory’s lawyers threatened to rain legal mayhem on the TV stations if they ran the Democrats’ slanderous ad, and…
Read MoreEnough?
One thing is clear from the John Edwards trial, a second thing is much less clear and a third will play out over time. What is clear, after days of mind-numbing retelling of the sordid tale, is that Edwards did terrible things. And so did several other characters. The prosecutors did a fine job…
Read MoreQuestion for Pat
The next time Pat McCrory answers reporters’ questions, he should be asked: “You say you want to get rid of the politics-as-usual system in Raleigh. Will you follow the example Speaker Tillis set with his staff?”
Read MoreTin-Ear Tillis
Thom Tillis once looked like a formidable statewide candidate. First he overcame the birthers, flat-earthers and Skip Stam to get elected Speaker. He ran the House with crisp – if sometimes heavy-handed – efficiency. He went on a statewide tour that gave him an aura of openness. He seemed to have something of a…
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