Archive for 2008
Harems, Mothers-in-Law and Wife Swap
A group of my friends have been having a more or less ongoing debate between ‘Decliners’ and ‘Optimists.” The ‘Decliners’ take one look at, for instance, the governor of Illinois and say, You see, look, one more proof virtue is kaput. The country’s headed downhill and there’s no turning back – the American Republic has…
Read MoreSweet Caroline
I take a back seat to no one when it comes to being a John F. Kennedy hero-worshipper. I shook hands with him in 1960. I was 11 years old. He was campaigning with Terry Sanford, and they stopped at Glenwood Village to change cars. JFK was to me what Obama is to my kids.…
Read MoreBurr: Run Scared
A year ago Democrats couldn’t dredge up a candidate against Liddy Dole – now they’ve got ‘em coming out of the woodwork to take on Richard Burr. Burr has a litany of problems. For instance, he’s not nearly as strong a candidate as Mrs. Dole and he needs to get that fact clearly in focus…
Read MoreBev’s All Ears
Governor-elect Bev Perdue has done a lot of listening lately. Maybe too much. The highly publicized public forums that her transition team held – and the 14 reports that were generated – may not help her a bit when it comes time to stop listening and start governing. They may make her job harder. The…
Read MoreRepublican Death Wish
Republicans today remind me of Democrats after Reagan won in 1980: Determined to become a permanent minority party. If I could be a mole and dupe the GOP into a sure-fire strategy for self-immolation, I would keep them doing what some Republicans seem determined to do anyway: Drive GM and Chrysler into bankruptcy. Ignore the…
Read MoreSenate 2010
After the election, people would ask me: “Aren’t you glad the campaign is over?” Hell, no. I miss it. I miss the wall-to-wall attack ads. I miss the overheated blogs. I miss the sound and fury. Now all we have to talk about is policy and personnel. Yawn. So let’s get on with the 2010…
Read MoreBasnight to the Rescue
Well, the parole system is broken and according to the News and Observer all kinds of parolees have been running around unsupervised and literally killing people – so which political party is howling bloody murder and up in arms to solve the problem? The Democrats. Senate Leader Marc Basnight, it turns out, is about the…
Read MoreCoequal Branches of Government?
Andy Jackson would roll over in his grave. I just read Jon Meacham’s new biography, American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House. Meacham shows how Jackson saw himself not just as the executive head of government, but as the true voice of the people. He, not Congress, would chart the nation’s course. What would…
Read MoreOffshore Oil Wells and Tourism
After I read Gary’s blog yesterday I called and asked for a copy of the article where Rep. House Republican Leader Paul Stam declared offshore oil derricks would be tourist attractions; it turns out Gary gave a speech to a Chamber of Commerce group Stam also spoke to – so Gary heard it with his…
Read MoreLove and Politics
Obama’s now sailed into the seas called the Terrors of Victory;—after a fellow wins something as grand as a presidential election he’s just naturally tuckered out and feels he’s earned a few days rest. That’s when the trouble starts. While he’s resting, since he can’t personally appoint all the under-secretaries and deputy secretaries and assistant…
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