Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
Colin Powell – pausing in his devastating dismissal of John McCain – hailed Barack Obama as a “transformational figure.” Obama has damned sure transformed campaign fundraising. Take a moment to absorb what it means that his campaign raised $150 million in September: John McCain got only $84 million in public financing for the entire campaign.…
Read MoreWho knows how this election will turn out in the end? There are about 500 polls out there, but now I’ve just seen one that makes sense to me (Not one of these automated dialing wonders by a machine that can’t tell if it’s talking to a sixty-year old man or a six year old…
Read MoreI enjoy reading Public Policy Polling’s polls, and they were on the money in the primaries. But I question whether PPP is reading more movement in voter opinion than is really happening. This week, PPP’s Tom Jensen said the “Yankee trash” issue has moved Eastern North Carolina voters toward Perdue and given her a 48-44…
Read MoreItâs like déjà vu all over again. The same thread runs through the Governorâs race that runs through the Presidential race. If you like President Bush you vote for McCrory. If you dislike President Bush you vote for Perdue â except for the Republicans who are unfavorable to the President, but who come home and…
Read MoreJack Betts says Senator Elizabeth Dole “missed a golden opportunity” to strengthen her chances for reelection when she waffled on the Outlying Landing Field. But Dole is much bigger. It’s her numbers. Not her poll numbers, but the numbers the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee’s brilliant ads have hammered into voters’ minds: 40, as in “40…
Read MoreJohn McCain has come up with the one Hail Mary issue that can snatch victory: spread the wealth. And the one image: Joe the Plumber. Attacking on “spread the wealth” pulls together all the attacks McCain makes against Obama: he’ll raise taxes, he’s an elitist who doesn’t understand “real people” and – most of all…
Read MoreDemocrats are giddy about North Carolina. That’s understandable. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a year that looks this good. But this election is not over. My best read on the polls is that Obama, Perdue and Hagan all are close to – but not yet at – where they need to be…
Read MoreOne thing about campaigns: They do have a way of getting down to home truths – though most times they try pretty hard to hide it. One home truth is the candidate’s character. Or, occasionally, the character of whoever is behind the candidate pulling the strings. Another is the external forces beyond the candidate’s control…
Read MoreWell, last night I watched the Great Debate and a couple of things struck me. When the smoke cleared there were three different groups all pursuing different goals: The Obama supporters. The McCain supporters. And the press. The goals of the Obama and McCain supporters were simple: To pound their chests and holler they’d won.…
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Does a message about “workers,” “working families” and “working-class voters” really work for Democrats? Or does…
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I’ve resisted the temptation to rail every day about Trump’s cruelty, corruption and incompetence – and…
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Jeanette Hyde went from Miss Yadkin County to Madam Ambassador. Hyde, who died Monday at age…
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