Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
Sharp-eyed readers no doubt note I goofed in “Foxx at the Wheel” (below): Mel Watt was named to head the Housing Finance Agency, which is not a Cabinet appointment. Blame Twitter. I had seen a tweet about “Watt to Housing.” I misunderstood. It’s like what The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart said recently when a…
Read MoreLiddy Dole rode DOT to a Senate seat from North Carolina and a presidential race. Where will it take Anthony Foxx? Such is the power of a President: Obama elevated Foxx to the head of the political line in North Carolina. He is now a clear contender for Governor or Senate. He is the…
Read MoreIs this what Governor McCrory means by government serving its customers? It’s certainly as blatant a statement of pay-to-play as has ever been made. Sweepstakes operator William George of Rock Hill, S.C., who gave $4,000 to McCrory’s campaign, told AP: “We didn’t give them money because we liked them. We just knew they were…
Read MoreRaleigh has never seen this kind of one-party control. Hold on, you say – especially my Republican friends: Democrats had one-party control for over 100 years. No, not like this. For most of those years, the Democratic Party was two parties. Think Terry Sanford and I. Beverly Lake. Or Jim Hunt and…
Read MoreUp in Washington, Senate Leader Harry Reid and House Leader John Boehner and a handful of politicians have been sequestered in secret meetings, trying to agree on a solution to one of Washington’s most burning problems: How to exempt Congressmen and their staffs from ObamaCare. Then, to their surprise, word of the meetings leaked…
Read MoreWithin just a few days last week, the Perdue campaign-fund serial wrapped up, Sweepstakesgate ramped up and Governor McCrory cleaned house at the Board of Elections. Grab a big bag of popcorn and settle in. This will take a while. Especially since a majority of the previous board called for an investigation. And especially…
Read MoreIf you need comfort or inspiration, take an hour to watch the moving memorial service for Jamie Kirk Hahn. If you’re pressed for time, watch Nation Hahn’s remarkable eulogy (at 34:00) and Anthony Quillar’s powerful rendition of the Lord’s Prayer (1:04). Looking at the oversized portrait in the sanctuary, you’re overwhelmed by the impact…
Read MoreA legislator looked at a bill, winched, looked at another legislator and said, ‘Well, if I don’t vote for it I guess I’ll land in a primary.’ ‘You think,’ the second legislator said, ‘that Republicans in your district are for people carrying guns in bars?’ The bill allowed people carry guns in bars, restaurants…
Read MoreAbsolute good met absolute evil in a quiet Raleigh home Monday evening. Early Wednesday morning, Jamie Hahn lost her fight to live. Her husband Nation and her family are devastated. But, as always happens at times like this, the best in people comes out. All day Tuesday, friends streamed into WakeMed to do what…
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