Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
CACs and Campaign Volunteers
There was a short story in The News and Observer last week about the CACs (Raleigh ‘neighborhood groups’) asking the City Council for $25,000 to recruit new members. As a practical matter these semi-official groups have long since turned into adjuncts of Mayor Meeker’s political apparatus. The Council giving them $25,000 to recruit members is…
The Bush Who Cried Wolf
President Bush now claims that intelligence shows we’re fighting Osama’s Al-Qaeda in Iraq. It’s his latest justification for the war: We either fight them in Iraq or in Illinois. But who believes him? Bush and his cronies cooked the intelligence to get us into Iraq in the first place. Does he think we’ll believe him…
A Job with a Great Future?
The News & Observer says: “Perhaps the most competitive contest in North Carolina next year will be the one for state treasurer.” I’ve counted six Democrats and three Republicans being mentioned for the race. It’s no mystery why. Richard Moore has shown that the Treasurer’s Office has the keys to a treasure chest full of…
The Great Democratic Debate
Last night on CNN and the Democratic Candidates ‘You-Tubed’ their way through the latest debate. Afterwards the pundits said Obama won. Then they said Hillary won. Then they said Edwards and Biden won. So much for pundits. Here’s my two cents worth. I hate to say it but I thought John Edwards won. Hands down.…
Edwards and Poverty
Leaving aside all the falderal about John Edwards’ $400 and $1250 haircuts, beneath Edwards’ posturing about poverty there may be a subtle – and powerful – political point. While Edwards pirouettes through Mississippi, New Orleans and Appalachia with reporters in tow, his stance on poverty is providing a positive window-dressing that allows him to talk…
The YouTube Debate
I was skeptical about the CNN-YouTube Democratic presidential debate. The buildup struck me as too cute, too self-promotional, too self-congratulatory. In short, too Anderson Cooper. But I liked the debate. For one simple reason: The questions were great. And the credit goes to YouTube. Most debates that feature “real people asking real questions” flop. Real…
What Democrats Are Really Saying: Stay in Iraq
Democratic leaders in Congress say they want to get us out of Iraq. Now. Asap. But look at the fine print in the bill they passed in Congress on July 12th. That’s not what it says at all. First, they don’t say pull out now. They say start to pull out. And they don’t say…
The World Turned Upside Down
I’m out of the country two weeks and the political world turns upside down. I had long assumed that my Democratic Party had the market cornered on sex scandals. From Wilbur Mills to Gary Hart to Bill Clinton. And that Republicans had the monopoly on money scandals. Warren Harding, Richard Nixon and Jack Abramoff. I…
Lucifer
Because of two stories about crimes I’m wondering what people think about ole’ Lucifer? Does he really exist? Both stories – about particularly brutal crimes – were reported in The News and Observer. The first was the Wake County District Attorney’s summation in the trial of Byron Waring, asking the jury to give Waring –…