Raleigh
From Scoop to Flack
A veteran PR pro here says that when she used to get a call from a reporter, she wondered what story they were working on. Now, she wonders who’s looking for a job. Mark Johnson of The Charlotte Observer/News & Observer is the latest to leave. I haven’t talked to Mark about his decision,…
Read MoreThe ‘Helms Station’
It’s no surprise Jesse Helms cozied up to the FBI. He and J. Edgar Hoover were the leading enemies of Martin Luther King and the civil rights movement. But the revelations spotlight part of WRAL’s history that people at the station today might rather forget. In the 1960s, WRAL was known as the…
Read MoreState of the Arts
When it comes to art and music, I’m as uncultured as you can get. But even I can appreciate the new North Carolina Art Museum. It’s a stunning achievement for a state. And it’s mostly due to the persistence and political savvy of Larry Wheeler. I suppose the Tea Party types would say…
Read MoreThe Eye of the Beholder
Yesterday I wrote about how one of my Republican friend’s is convinced to pay for Obamacare the Democrats are going to slash Medicare $500 billion – by kicking old people off their respirators; then, the next morning, I opened the newspaper and right there on page one was a Democrat who had a pretty odd…
Read MoreSanctimony or Self-Interest?
Having just admitted (below) one mistake I will risk committing another – except this time I am going to say the following is 100% conjecture. It’s all theory. No facts. The other day I was having lunch with a group of friends and the flap on the Wake County School Board came up and…
Read MoreMuzzling Margiotta
It is becoming clear how to fight back against Ron (Archie Bunker) Margiotta over the future of WakeCounty schools. Let him talk. Fresh after calling people at a public hearing “animals,” Ron/Archie opined recently – at a Republican Party meeting, no less – than the Wake schools should be split into smaller districts.…
Read MoreElections Matter
A supporter of the new Wake school board held up a sign at this week’s hearing: “Elections matter.” At the health-care summit President Obama told John McCain: “The election is over.” They’re right. And Obama should ram through health-care reform just like the new school board majority is ramming through its new policies.…
Read MorePayback Time
WakeCounty is North Carolina’s most Democratic county. President Obama carried the state in 2008 because he racked up a 60,000-vote margin in this county alone. But two big and bitter battles yesterday showed what a split county this is – and that there are no final victories in politics. The votes – the…
Read MoreThe New WRAL
Jesse Helms is probably rolling over in his recording studio. WRAL, the station that used to run Helms’ editorials opposing desegregation, is now running editorial messages opposing resegregation. That’s how much Jim Goodmon has changed the station. (Does anybody remember when WRAL used to sign off at night by playing “Dixie” instead…
Read MoreThe Golden Rule
Last fall’s Wake County school board elections followed The Golden Rule of Politics: Them that has the gold rules. Bob Luddy and Art Pope – two of the biggest opponents of public schools – were the biggest contributors to school board candidates. Their side, according to The News & Observer, outspent the other…
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