Governor Easley doesn’t need – and can’t win – this fight with The News & Observer over whether PIOs were told to delete emails.

The paper all but called the Governor’s lawyer a liar – on the front page and in a news story, not an editorial.

The PIOs’ notes seem clear:

• “Public records request — increasing — careful of email — delete emails to/from gov. office everyday.”

• “emails — more & more public records requests (blogs?) be careful w/emails; delete emails to & from gov office every day.”

But the Governor and his lawyers insist on endlessly parsing what the notes mean.

Pat Stith’s story had this stark sentence: “(Andy) Vanore said, however, that the notes don’t mean what they say.”

The lawyerly approach is creating political problems for the Governor.

Easley does not need this fight his last year in office.

It makes it hard for him to endorse Hillary Clinton for President now. Nor does he want his legacy – which all Governors think about their last year in office – tarnished.

The Governor should adopt the time-honored Spouse Apology Strategy: You’re right, dear. I was wrong. I’ll make it up to you.

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