North Carolina – Republicans
Carter Wrenn’s Political Trail
My blogging partner Carter Wrenn has written a revealing and engaging memoir of his years in politics – and the rise of the conservative movement in North Carolina in the 1970s and 1980s. His book – The Trail of the Serpent: Stories from the Smoke-Filled Rooms of Politics – takes you inside the conventions, caucuses…
Read MoreThe Old Rebel
Jefferson Griffin is certainly consistent in his beliefs. In college, he celebrated the “Lost Cause” myth of the Confederacy. Now he champions the myth of his Lost Election. Griffin lost his race for Supreme Court, just as the South lost the Civil War. But he won’t accept his defeat, just as his Kappa Alpha fraternity…
Read MoreWake Up, America
A dyed-in-the-wool Democrat, locked down during COVID, he called, surprised me asking: ‘Ford beat Reagan in the first 5 primaries in ‘76 – how on earth did Reagan beat Ford in North Carolina?’ The day we lost the Vietnam War mothers and fathers who’d lived through World War II, watching Russian tanks roll into Saigon,…
Read MoreEducation Governor
With a better General Assembly, Josh Stein could join Jim Hunt and Terry Sanford on North Carolina’s Mount Rushmore of Education Governors. While the Governor set a bipartisan tone in his State of the State speech last night, he set out a clear challenge on education to Republicans who control the legislature. He challenged them…
Read MoreThe Best Way to Steal an Election
We’ve heard a lot about stolen votes – but here’s the best way to steal an election: Redraw a congressional district, take out the voters you don’t like, put in more voters do you like. If you stuff the district with Republicans, the Republican wins. If you stuff it with Democrats, the Democrat wins. The…
Read MoreTillis’ Choice
Senator Thom Tillis is a good politician. He may be good enough to preserve his image as a Serious Senator who works across the aisle AND avoid being primaried next year by Trump. He may avoid losing to Roy Cooper next November. But what a miserable, degrading path he must tread every day. He knows…
Read MoreGoing Too Far
Cheeks round, pudgy fingers fumbling, Ellmer took a newspaper article out of his briefcase, pushed it across the table toward me: ‘I’ll bet you disagwee with Trump on this?’ Sputtering, unable to pronounce r’s, he turned them into w’s. Sitting beside him Wiley’s lips curled in a crooked grin – at the end of the…
Read MoreStein’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…
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