An Obstacle Standing in the Way

Saturday morning the New York Times ran a front page article about the attack in California and, right next to it, for the first time in 90 years, it ran a front page editorial – calling for more gun control. Think about that: In California terrorists killed Americans and, in New York, the Times wants…

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Sillier and Sillier

Sunday, after the attack in California, President Obama spoke to the nation and laid out his best ideas to stop terrorism: War is still out. There is no way we’re going to use overwhelming force. It’s not in his make-up. And using the words Muslim Terrorist is still off the table. What’s in? Gun Control.…

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No holiday for campaigns

A year from now, either Roy Cooper’s team or Pat McCrory’s team will be sifting through resumes for the next administration. The losers will be polishing their own resumes. Right now, both teams are deep in the same two struggles: raising millions of dollars and wrestling for control of the debate. Soon, we’ll know whether…

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Signs

Their facts are the same. But they’re telling two different stories. The Governor’s folks explain how Graeme Keith got his $3 million state contract this way: The Governor met with Keith and Secretary Frank Perry and Keith made his case – that it would be cheaper for his company to provide maintenance for the state…

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Civilization With Its Pants Down

It was like a curtain parting and catching a glimpse of a backroom filled with politicians – there, sitting in the middle of the hearing, were two of the Governor’s aides testifying and doing their best to wriggle out of the pickle they’d landed in. A businessman – who’d given $12,000 to the Governor’s campaign…

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We’ll Find a Way…to Blow It

When I opened the newspaper and read the Governor explaining he was having a side conversation and didn’t hear Graeme Keith say he wanted a state contract in return for his contributions, I thought, That sounds thin. When Phil Berger called a hearing about Graeme Keith’s state contract, I thought, This could get out of…

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Cooper’s critics get it wrong

Roy Cooper caught flak from the left when he said Washington should pause before admitting 10,000 Syrian refugees and make sure we balance humanitarianism with security. He’s right, and his critics are wrong. And it’s not a case of “he had to do it politically.” It’s the right thing to do. Period. It’s wrong for…

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Turning Up the Heat

He flattened the Governor to get a $3 million state contract then like a one-man wrecking ball crashed into Senator Phil Berger to keep his contract and after the press chewed on the Governor the reporters made a beeline straight for Berger – who didn’t mince words. Yes, he said, Graeme Keith called him about…

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A moment for Hillary

The Paris attacks and the Syrian refugee crisis quickly brought out the worst in Republicans. Will it now bring out the best in Democrats, especially Hillary Clinton? Of course Republican politicians are doing what they do best: stoking Americans’ worst fears, deepest suspicions and darkest prejudices. No surprise. The politicians saw what bashing Mexicans did…

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Feeling the heat

Governor McCrory is in hot water, and his spokesman sounds like a teapot on a hot stove. Democratic Rep. Larry Hall said of Prison-Gate, “It’s obvious they went to great lengths to ensure this contractor had special access and opportunity. There’s a pay-to-play, quid pro quo way of doing business that’s happening right now.” Josh…

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