North Carolina – Republicans
Court Politics
Since 2010 Republicans have worked mightily to engineer a Republican Supreme Court in North Carolina. Now they’re shocked, shocked, that a Democratic governor appointed a Democratic Chief Justice. Elections have consequences, as they say. A longtime court-watcher (a Democrat) told me that while Paul Newby has been on the Supreme Court longer than Cheri Beasley,…
Read MorePlay to win, Tar Heels
I’m a Wolfpack fan, but I’m pulling for Carolina to win this game. I just hope the Heels know what game they’re in. It’s hardball politics. Since the 2010 election, my UNC friends have griped and grumbled about how the Republican legislature treats their beloved school. Now there’s a crisis. Boss Berger & Co. are…
Read MoreReporting from the basement
A long-time veteran of the Legislative Building (not with the media) sent these thoughts about reporters being banished to the basement: “The dawn of a new legislative session spawned a kerfuffle about relocating the office space of the legislative press corps to an undesirable hole in the ground. Everyone’s complaining about how mean the Republicans…
Read MoreBladen County
Mark Harris won one of those rare victories you hardly ever see in politics – he upset an incumbent Congressman in a primary. After that Harris went straight on to win the General Election by 905 votes but then ran head on into a buzzsaw: When the day came to declare him the new Congressman…
Read MoreCrime and Politics
My blogging partner Carter Wrenn hit the big time yesterday. He had the “Quote of the Day” in The New York Times: “I’m old fashioned, but anytime somebody may have broken the law, it’s appropriate for the state to look into it.” Carter was quoted (as “the dean of North Carolina’s Republican strategists”) in a…
Read More#NC09
The election-fraud story in the 9th Congressional District has a long way to go, but three things are clear. First, real news and real journalism are alive and well. I won’t single out any reporter or news outlet, because so many have performed so well. A salute to each and every one of you. A…
Read MoreWhat’s that smell?
As its decade of political dominance nears an end, the Republican Party reeks of the stench of corruption from top to bottom, from Washington to Wisconsin to Georgia to Raleigh and all the way to Bladen County. The Bladen scandal once again puts North Carolina at center stage – and Republicans in the spotlight. The…
Read MoreWho’s Not Gullible?
Last July a Super PAC ran an ad telling voters George Holding wanted to deny insurance coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. Three weeks later, when Holding’s campaign polled, only a few voters had believed the ad. It hadn’t worked. But Linda Coleman and Democratic Super PACs didn’t give up. They continued to hammer away…
Read MoreAn Unexpected Gift
We knew George Holding’s race for Congress would be close a year ago and, three months ago, George actually trailed in the polls by three points – then a month before the election the unexpected struck. When an election’s over it’s human nature for people to say, I did this, or, I did that –…
Read MoreThey’re cooperating!!
The Raleigh political world is abuzz and agog! The legislature and the Governor are cooperating! Democrats and Republicans are working together on hurricane relief!! Oh, happy day!!! Has a new age dawned? Have we entered an era of bipartisanship, brotherly love and dogs and cats living together? Not so fast, my friend. Pardon my cynicism,…
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