Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
McCain and North Carolina
A veteran North Carolina Democrat points out the surest sign that the McCain campaign is worried about North Carolina: They are spending money on TV ads there. For months, Republicans have insisted they aren’t worried about North Carolina going for Obama. Steve Schmidt, McCain’s chief strategist, has said: “It’s just one more state where the…
Two Ads
I’m still stuck on John McCain saying Barack Obama supports ‘comprehensive sex education’ for kindergartners. If McCain is telling the truth he’s convinced me – 100% – Obama does not have the judgment to be president. But if, on the other hand, it’s not true, he’s landed me in a conundrum. Because that’s a pretty…
Democrats Feeling Better
Democrats have been more down than the Dow Jones Index since the Republican convention. But there is a definite uptick this week, with one exception. Here is my reading of the Democratic Election Mood Index (DEMI) as of today: The air is going out of the Palin bubble. Thanks, Tina Fey. Bad economic news is…
Easley’s Farewell Gift
Down to his last four months in the governor’s mansion and looking ahead at his future beyond politics, Mike Easley has given his wife a five-year contract to work at North Carolina State University for $170,000 a year. Democrats are giving Sarah Palin the devil for trying to fire one Alaska state trooper – but…
One Paper Indivisible?
Two stories in today’s N&O point to where things are headed. A front-page story by Mark Johnson. Previously, he and other Charlotte Observer staffers were identified as “Charlotte Observer.” Today, he was identified as “staff writer.” The Business section said the McClatchy chain, which owns the N&O and Observer, will begin layoffs Monday. Already, Johnson…
Anchors Weighed
Candidates aren’t the only ones whose debate and interview performances are being scrutinized. So are TV anchors, reporters and commentators. Was Charles Gibson condescending in his questioning of Sarah Palin? Does anybody know what he meant when he asked if Iran was an “existential” threat to Israel? What does Sartre have to do with the…
McCain-Bush?
With the polls heading the wrong way, the Obama campaign has to consider whether tying John McCain to George Bush is a winning strategy. Since Denver, the Democratic message has been that McCain means four more years of Bush. But McCain may have used his convention to slip out of that trap. Picking Sarah Palin…
I Believe! (Maybe)
Like the True Church, politics long ago split into two faiths: Organization and Media. I follow the Media faith. But the Obama campaign is trying to show that Organization leads to enlightenment. Or at least to victory. If organization works, this will be the year. It used to work. At late as 1976, organization played…
Campaign Life
Barlow Herget of State Government Radio asked me a question that reminded me of what I’m missing this time of year: “What’s happening inside a statewide campaign now?” Unfortunately, polisci students, campaigns right now are not just about strategy, media and organization. They’re also doing a lot of math: Fundraising: How much money is in…