President Bush and his coterie are notoriously dismissive of people who question them. So here is a news quiz taken from separate stories in Wednesday’s New York Times: (a) What political figure said that– contrary to the President’s claims – Bush’s Medicaid drug plan has experienced startup problems? (b) What political figure said that –…

The McClatchey chain, which bought The News & Observer from the Daniels family some years back, now has bought the entire Knight-Ridder chain. Knight-Ridder’s biggest paper in North Carolina is The Charlotte Observer. As they always do, the corporate execs promise that this will mean nothing less than a golden age for readers. Bull. The…

I served an eight-year tour of duty as Governor Jim Hunt’s press secretary (1977-1984), and it was the hardest job I ever had. So I’m reluctant to pass judgment on other press offices. But the North Carolina mainstream media is making much of this being “Sunshine Week.” And I thought the attached article deserved some…

Earlier this year, the State Republican Party voted to oppose Republican State Representative Richard Morgan in his primary – because of Morgan’s support of Democratic House Speaker Jim Black. Now, filings closed, Morgan has one opponent in the primary, and State GOP Director, Bill Peaslee, says, “From our perspective, there’s one Republican in that race…

State Treasurer Richard Moore led the pack of Democratic candidates running for Governor by raising an impressive $1.28 million for his campaign last year. But retired Deputy State Treasurer, Charles Heatherly, has raised some interesting questions about how Moore raised that $1.28 million. According to Mr. Heatherly, “Much of the money came from people who…

Here is the headline I did not want to see (from the March 3 News & Observer): “Isley wants to shift TTA funds –The Raleigh councilman says the money should go toward roads and schools.” Wake up, Raleigh Democrats. This should be OUR issue. The N&O reported: City Council member Philip Isley wants to cut…

I’ve always liked James Carville. I got to know him when he did some early consulting on Jim Hunt’s 1984 Senate campaign. He’s not always popular with the D.C. Democrats. Which is one reason I like him. Today a friend sent me the Duke Chronicle’s account of his speech there Saturday. (Great scheduling move, James:…

The directors of the State Lottery are not only going to get salaries higher than most others in State Government – they’re going to get more time off. At least the top nineteen employees will. Technically, lottery employees are state employees. But that hasn’t stopped the Lottery Commission from giving them higher salaries and more…