Carter Wrenn
Gary Pearce
In November of 2004, after People Magazine named John Edwards ‘the sexiest politician alive’ and John Kerry lost, I thought Edwards’ fifteen minutes of political fame were over. Instead, he leads Hillary Clinton in two polls in the crucial Iowa Caucus and may be elected President. John Edwards’ campaign is a study of style over…
I was dead wrong about the Iraq Study Group. I said the fix was in because Jim Baker was leading the study. I thought the President would wrap his arms around Baker’s proposal and use it for a fig-leaf to get us out of Iraq in short order. Instead the President looked Baker (and company)…
Gerald Ford proved that a leader’s character can be more important than brains. Right after Richard Nixon proved that brains without character can be dangerous. The TV coverage I’ve seen rightly emphasized Ford’s role as a healer after Watergate. Lord knows, the nation needed it. But a fuller picture needs to be drawn: Even I…
Four Democratic candidates for Speaker of the State House – Jim Crawford, Bill Faison, Hugh Holliman and Drew Saunders – have pledged to limit the new Speaker to two terms. The other three candidates are dodging the issue – but they’re being plenty careful about it. Representative Dan Blue says, “A limitation on terms is…
It came as a surprise when Representative George Holmes landed in the News and Observer with his photograph beneath a headline, Representative Holmes Beat Deadline on Checks. After all, George Holmes has served in the State House thirty years without a hint of scandal. But, now, it seems George has succumbed to temptation. He transferred…
At Christmas, I want to reflect on the Christian example being set by Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas. He’s a Republican who wants to be the Christian Right candidate for President. Brownback had held up the confirmation of a federal judge because the nominee – horror of horrors! – had attended a same-sex commitment ceremony.…
News reports suggest that President Bush may overrule military commanders and order more American troops into Baghdad. Which makes sense. After all, he and Rumsfeld overruled military commanders and sent fewer troops when the war started. So at least he’s consistent in ignoring military advice. If Bill Clinton had done this, Republicans would have started…
It comes as a shock: After the Mayor has spent $215 million on the Convention Center he says that’s only enough to build a “grade-B facility.” (News and Observer 12-15-06). Mayor Meeker wants – and he’s gotten –$6.4 million more. For what? He got a cool million for stone floors. Two million for kitchen equipment.…
Democrats nationally and in North Carolina are zeroing in on Senator Dole in 2008. She is vulnerable â to the right opponent. Beating an incumbent Senator is tough. I learned that working for Jim Hunt against Jesse Helms in 1984 and for John Edwards against Lauch Faircloth in 1998. Democrats need a tough, well-funded opponent…
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…
Gwyn and I just returned from a 12-day journey through 1,000 years of history in Germany…