Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
1884
‘There is nothing new under the sun.’ Was Solomon right when he said that? Does history repeat itself? After ruling Washington for a generation, from the Civil War through the Gilded Age, in 1884 Republicans ran James Blaine – the epitome of a Washington insider – for President. Democrat Grover Cleveland grabbed an issue he…
Who Expected to See This?
It came as a surprise. Followed by another surprise. Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social the FBI had placed 274 agents in the crowd on January 6 who were ‘probably acting as agitators and insurrectionists’ – laying the blame for the riot on the FBI. What happened next was a bigger surprise: The same day,…
Ocracoke to Harvard
It’s not easy to get to Ocracoke from Raleigh. It’s even harder to get from Ocracoke to Harvard. But Katie Kinnion (photo) did it – thanks to North Carolina’s public schools. I read about her during our two-hour-plus ferry ride from Swan Quarter across Pamlico Sound to Ocracoke last week. You have to take a…
Revenge
A gunman wearing a ski mask, a pistol in his hand, kicked down the door, broke into his home. He was sixteen, home alone, with his younger brother. Pinning the brother to the floor, knee in the middle of his back, putting the gun to the brother’s ear, the gunman stared across the room at…
Sunday in America
The headlines were ugly Sunday. “Three killed and five injured in mass shooting in Southport.” “Four killed, eight injured in shooting and fire at Michigan church.” That came after Charlie Kirk’s murder and threats of violent retribution. Sunday night, there was a welcome voice of peace and sanity. On 60 Minutes, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox…
Two Presidents, Two Myths
Two myths told by two Presidents have defined American politics for 60 years. It’s time to retire both myths. Lyndon Johnson’s myth was that the federal government would give us the “Great Society” – banishing poverty, ensuring old-age security and giving every child a great education. Ronald Reagan’s myth was that “government isn’t the solution,…
A Touch of Politeness
After taking our order the waitress, a plain-faced country woman with a gimp knee, limped toward the kitchen. David, a retired lawyer, sitting beside his son-in-law Kevin, leaning back, staring across the table at me, half laughed. “I’m sad to say Kevin’s got his foot in politics.” Round face, jaw set, Kevin grinned. “Can you…
The Past Isn’t Dead
A court upended Trump’s tariffs – Trump said losing tariffs would land us in a great depression. Look back at history: In 1930 to stop ‘The Great Depression’ Republicans passed tariffs; the economy plummeted, unemployment rose to 25%. Next Trump said the War Department changed its name to the Defense Department to ‘go woke.’ The…
A Sign of Hope
Republican Congressmen were for releasing the Epstein files – until the White House told them, No. Don’t do that. The Republican men, seeing it as practical, quickly fell in line behind Trump. The women turned out to be a different story. Two congressmen introduced a discharge petition to release the files. Eight Epstein victims went…