Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
Brace Yourself
Would you trust a politician who told you he never makes mistakes? Would you stare back surprised? Roll your eyes? Shaking your head think, Pride’s one of the seven deadly sins. Brace yourself. Trump’s War Room recently tweeted: “Trump is always right!”
Run Everywhere?
A reader wrote about North Carolina Democrats’ 2024 strategy: “I question the wisdom of trying to recruit Democratic candidates in all 170 legislative districts. Precincts and counties that voted overwhelmingly for Trump seem like lost causes to me.” Indeed, some places are 70 percent Republican. Why run there? Here’s why. Josh Stein won the 2020…
You Pay a Price Either Way
One group cheers Trump. Another cheers Biden. And a lot of people dislike both. And that third group will decide who wins the election next fall. In 2016, they didn’t like Trump, disliked Hillary more, Trump won. In 2020 they didn’t like Biden, disliked Trump more, Biden won. This year, for the third straight presidential…
A Reckoning
On election night three years ago standing at a podium in the White House Trump said the election was stolen. He went on to claim voting machines switched Trump votes to Biden. And that boxes of illegal ballots were rolled into voting centers late at night. Neither turned out to be true. And he was…
The Mirror
In his ‘Farewell Address,’ leaving office, George Washington reminded Americans of a simple truth: “Honesty is the best policy.” And for years when a politician made the mistake of telling a lie he paid a price. During the Vietnam War Lyndon Johnson told people we were winning – the Tet Offensive proved he was spinning…
Fired Up!
Less than 24 hours after I blogged that Democrats in the legislature seemed “beat down,” I got corrected. One of the House Democratic leaders called Saturday morning to tell me that caucus members are fired up, energized and getting organized for 2024, 2026, 2028 – and for taking the majority by the end of the…
A Salesman’s Pitch
After being indicted, Trump flew to New Hampshire, told voters: “They want to take away my freedom because I will never let them take away your freedom.” Added: “They’re not after me, they’re after you and I’m just standing in their way. Right?” I’m a victim. I fight for you. It’s you they’re really after.…
Democrats’ Split Personality
There are two wildly divergent states of mind – and emotional states – among North Carolina Democrats today. I saw one at last Saturday night’s Unity Dinner in Raleigh. I see and hear the other among Democrats in politics and government in Raleigh. At the dinner, 400-plus eager, energized and enthusiastic Democrats jammed the reception,…
Testy
Oklahoma’s governor endorsed Ron DeSantis. Unhappy, Trump tweeted, ‘I won 77 of 77 counties’ – in Oklahoma – ‘something that never happened before.’ George Bush won 77 of 77 Oklahoma counties in 2004. Mitt Romney won 77 of 77 in 2012. But Trump got testy. And facts didn’t matter.