Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
Flaky to Boot
There are times you just have to look at some of todayâs politicians and shake your head and wonder, What on earth was that fool thinking? Two short breaths ago, Beverly Perdue told WRAL-TV (6-18-08) she was adamantly “100% opposed” to offshore drilling. Then, taking another breath, she bluntly told the Charlotte Observer (7-19-08), âOn…
The Verdict Is In
John Drescher’s letter to readers in today’s N&O makes it clear that John Edwards’ “confession” was a spectacular failure. Drescher, the executive editor, wrote to defend his paper’s coverage. But he concluded with this ominous note for Edwards: “Questions remain about who is the father of Hunter’s baby and whether Edwards knew about payments to…
A Catch-22 for Obama
There are two race cards. One is a no-holds-barred, two-fisted, blunt-edged appeal to race that’s hardly ever seen anymore. These days only a desperate politician, or one bent on suicide, plays that race card. The other race card is more subtle. It can be as simple as a candidate having a campaign slogan like, “He’s…
Upside-Down Election
The first campaign I worked in was Jim Hunt’s first race for Governor in 1976. Jimmy Carter was the Democratic candidate for President. He carried North Carolina, and we had the national political wind at our backs. That was the last time. Every presidential year since then, I have watched – and tried to help…
John Edwards
John Edwards has told ABC News he had an affair with Rielle Hunter. It will be on Nightline tonight. Now, as I’m sure you have, I’ve seen folks get knocked down flat on their backs and get kicked while they’re still lying there. It’s just plain mean. Also, after all this hit the airwaves I…
The Crown Prince of Charlatans
One moment Barack Obama sounds like a wild-eyed liberal who’s out to “save the planet” from the icecaps melting – the next he’s turning around and coming out for offshore drilling. One moment John McCain sounds like a two-fisted independent and maverick – but at the same time down in the bowels of McCain Central…
Aggressive Democrats
It does my heart good to see Republicans fuming because North Carolina Democrats are playing hardball. First there was the ad raising questions about Pat McCrory – before McCrory could introduce himself to voters across the state. Now there is a new ad from the DSCC with this tagline about Elizabeth Dole: “Not as effective…
McCain’s Only Hope
The low road is the only road to the White House for John McCain. So he’s riding it hard. Mr. Straight-Talk-Let’s-Clean-Up-Politics has shed the last shred of his old skin. He’s turned his campaign over to the Karl Rove snakes who slimed George W. Bush’s old enemies – John Kerry and, oh yes, John McCain…
…And How to Beat It
The low-road strategy beat Michael Dukakis, Al Gore and John Kerry. But not Ronald Reagan or Bill Clinton. And maybe not Barack Obama. Here’s why. Dukakis, Gore and Kerry reinforced – with their own performances – the portrait that Republican slime-masters drew of them. Lee Atwater painted Dukakis as a wuss. And Dukakis wussed out…