Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
When temptation raises its head politicians, like most folks, topple off their pedestals. Back when the Democrats ruled the roost in Raleigh the Republicans reviled them for their wicked ways like pork barrel spending and wasteful earmarks. Now the Republicans rule the roost and, according to the newspapers, temptation’s struck again, tying them in a…
Read MoreIt was a lopsided fight from the start: An international conglomerate marched a battalion of blue-chip lobbyists and high-priced lawyers into the arena and took aim at a gaggle of bureaucrats who didn’t want to fight and who, at best, stumbled and fumbled when they had to. What Alcoa had its sights set on was…
Read MorePoor Jeb looked like an aging big-leaguer striking out on three straight pitches from a Little Leaguer with a wicked fastball. Now Marco gets his moment on the mound. So four questions from last night’s Republican playoff game: When will the rats desert the SS Bush? You almost feel sorry for the Establishment Republicans, including…
Read MoreA TAPster beat me to the punch in dismissing Rep. Gary Pendleton’s headline-grabbing but misguided idea of limiting the length of legislative sessions: Rep. Pendleton bravely talks about how other, larger states get their work done in 60 or 90 days and North Carolina’s General Assembly languishes for eight or nine months, sometimes longer. He’s…
Read MoreSometimes politicians just have to rise above principle. Like Republican legislative leaders who have come to love spending taxpayers’ money – for goodies that help them politically. The Republican civic religion is that government is the problem and no problem can be solved by throwing tax dollars at it. Unless it’s a baseball stadium or…
Read MoreAfter suffering one of the worst summers in the history of presidential races, Hillary Clinton just wrapped up one of the best weeks in the history of presidential races. Thanks to the House Benghazi Committee. Last week she won the Democratic debate. Then Joe Biden decided he couldn’t beat her. Then she did something John…
Read MoreLong ago the bib-overall wearing editor of a small weekly newspaper in Raleigh published a story claiming Jim Hunt was gay. There wasn’t a word of truth in it. He’d made it up and splashed it across the front page, hoping to elect Jesse Helms. For one stunned moment, there was a collective gasp. Then…
Read MorePaul Ryan and Joe Biden are playing high-stakes poker. Who will hold and who will fold? Biden still isn’t decidin’ whether to run for President. But he’s taking shots at Hillary Clinton just as she’s getting a poll bump from her debate performance. And Biden seems to be rewriting history on what he told President…
Read MoreThis will be The Greatest Show on Earth. Or maybe a sign of the End Times. It will pit the yin and yang of American politics, the alpha and omega, Wonder Woman versus Captain America, Good versus Evil (whichever side you’re on). The only thing they have in common is our obsession with their hairstyles.…
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