Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
A Giuliani Sweep?
Rudy Giuliani continues his own version of a surge, widening his lead over John McCain again in the latest polls. A Republican frontrunner who supports tax-funded abortion and gay rights is unusual – it’s a little like waking up and finding the red states have taken on a bluish tinge – and a lot of…
Hollywood and the Second Coming
With great ballyhoo (and a keen eye for the fast buck) Hollywood has announced it has discovered Jesus’ tomb. It has also found Jesus’ wife and son – who didn’t exist until now except in fiction. But just as Hollywood was getting up a head of steam Good Morning America (3-6-07) did them one better.…
Passing the Test
The 2008 Presidential campaign has been described as a freak show, a demolition derby and a two-year exercise in the politics of personal destruction. The race is already being decried by the high-minded journalistic and academic elite for its length, cost and brutality. Baloney. What we actually have here is the perfect process for picking…
Meeker’s Double Standard
Here’s the latest example of Mayor Meeker’s double standard. Concord-Empire Davie Street, LLC wants to build a mixed-use development downtown and it wants the mayor to build a parking deck to help. John Kane also wants the city to build a deck to help his new project at North Hills. The Mayor gave Kane’s project…
Who’s Minding the Store?
Last year, when he was warming up for his run for Governor, State Treasurer Richard Moore blasted pay-day lenders by saying, “A civilized society does not allow these kinds of interest charges.” A year later, the News and Observer reported that when Moore said those words he had $11 million in state pension funds invested…
Brave New World
The 2004 Presidential campaign brought politics Internet fundraising, 529s and “swift-boating.” You ain’t seen nothing yet. For a taste of what’s to come this time, go to YouTube and see the “Hillary 1984” ad. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWvHbOoG3tI. It’s clever, creative and cutting. It goes right to the heart of Hillary’s weakness with younger, Blog Democrats. To them,…
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Politics Trumps Logic
It’s easy to understand President Bush’s stand on the war in Iraq. He says: Let’s fight it out until we win. It’s also easy to understand the anti-war Democrats’ stand. They say: The war is wrong. Let’s get out. Now. But Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s stand is puzzling. She says: The war is wrong. But let’s…
Over-Downtowned, Part 2
A blog I wrote about Mayor Meeker’s focus on downtown stirred up some heated comments. So I have another question. A reader regularly forwards me copies of an online publication from the city called the “Livable Streets Newsletter.” And it’s all about downtown. You would think the only livable streets in Raleigh are downtown. My…