Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
I was not going to blog any more about Jesse Helms. But my previous posts got so many people stirred up (see our Comments section) that I can’t help myself. My critics suggested I was being classless and disrespectful by attacking Helms so quickly after his death. Actually, I waited four days. He died Friday…
A lot of people of my political stripe believe the N&O went overboard in its coverage of Jesse Helms’ death. One called it “hypocritical.” Another said the N&O is “atoning” for its coverage of Helms – which is nothing to atone for. Another said the paper is taking the “easy” way out. Most agree the…
Jesse Helms was the last of the old-time racist Southern politicians. He built his reputation on race-baiting. He won his elections with race-baiting. And he used his Senate office as a platform for race-baiting. So you won’t find me falling all over myself to find some redeeming quality in the man. This may surprise some…
A friend told me that when Harvey Gantt was interviewed on TV about Jesse Helmsâ death the reporter â apparently looking to stir up a bit of controversy â asked Gantt something like, Well, what did you think about Jesseâs record on race? And Gantt said, Well, nowâs not the time to discuss that. My…
Picking up The News & Observer now is like running into an old friend who has been ravaged by cancer. It’s thin and sickly feeling. The editors promise us a lean and focused newspaper. I don’t want a lean newspaper; I want a fat one. And I don’t want focus; I want to stumble onto…
I’m not much of an international-news buff. But something about the hellish descent of Zimbabwe has captured my interest for months now. Partly it’s the sheer horror of that nation’s fall into the abyss. Partly it’s the riddle of national liberator Robert Mugabe turned murderous tyrant. But it’s also about elections and politics. We complain…
I take back what I said yesterday about Mike Easley. There is nothing loveable about the governor. He’s the slickest con man since Harold Hill descended on River City or Flem Snopes rode out of the backwoods. First, he spends $269,000 on three trips to Italy, France and Russia – including $77,000 to rent Mercedes…
It’s hard to find a problem in America Barack Obama can’t blame on a corporation. Public opinion has whip-lashed against big business so viciously it’s like some genie popped out of a bottle and turned back the hands of the clock to the Era of the Trustbusters. The corporations – the politicians say – are…
This year’s presidential race reminds me of John Edwards’ Senate race 10 years ago. You have a fresh – but inexperienced – face (Edwards, Obama) running against an old – but experienced – face (McCain, Lauch Faircloth). As we did in Edwards’ campaign, Obama sees his chance in the public’s disgust for Washington and desire…
A new nationwide poll shows that, if they could run against each other in 2028, Barack…
Senator Phil Berger was out of touch with voters in his district – and suffered the…
A reassuring lesson from our trip to Germany and Czechia is that dictators, despots and tyrants…