Archive for November 2011
A Strategy for Perdue
The Wake school board election blazes Governor Perdue’s best – and maybe only – path to reelection: Save our schools from the Tea Party. John Tedesco & Co. charge that Democrats somehow played dirty by airing Heather Losurdo’s stunning lack of credentials. They’re going for the cape and missing the bullfighter. Tedesco &…
Read MoreSchool Board Lessons
At breakfast this morning I asked my politically astute friend what the Wake school board outcome means. His response: “Democrats aren’t dead.” He added, “North Carolina isn’t a red state. And it’s not a blue state. It’s a 52-48 state” – exactly the margin of Kevin Hill’s victory. And, remember, in a district gerrymandered…
Read Moremajority-Minority Districts
Well, in a minor miracle, the Obama Justice Department said yes and put its seal of approval on the North Carolina Republicans’ new House and Senate Districts, then, before the ink was dry on the page, the North Carolina Democrats filed a lawsuit to stop the plan Obama had just approved. It’s an odd…
Read MoreRules of Engagement
A TAPster offers advice for people in politics – or any calling – who want to avoid being the next Herman Cain, or the next victim: “Sexual harassment is wrong. Period. When a man, woman or child says no, it must stop immediately. “Having said that, there are lessons for us all in…
Read MoreCain’s Scrutiny
Twenty years ago, another presidential candidate who had been rising in the polls ran into a sex scandal. Bill Clinton survived. And went on to be President for eight years – Jennifer Flowers, Paula Jones and Monica Lewinsky notwithstanding. So maybe Democrats shouldn’t get too high and mighty about the allegations against Herman…
Read MoreOne Sin
Over in Orange County the Democratic Commissioners would like to raise sales taxes, so there’s a referendum on the ballot on Election Day, which, normally, would lead to a fight between Democrats and Republicans – but that’s not how it works in Chapel Hill. Instead, the tax raisers have spared themselves a lot of strain…
Read MoreVoter ID Deal?
A lobbyist friend suspects that the legislature will try to override the Governor’s veto of the voter ID bill this week. Then we may learn whether some Democrats agreed to vote for the override in exchange for the gay-marriage amendment being on the ballot in May, instead of November. Stay tuned.
Read MorePut Jim Hunt in Office
No, he’s not running again. (It’s amazing how the rumor keeps coming up.) We’re talking about his personal office in the new James B. Hunt, Jr. Library on Centennial Campus at N.C. State University. The Jim Hunt Alumni Association is raising $100,000 for naming rights to the office. Who are Jim Hunt…
Read MoreSixteen Again
It’s said that your favorite music will always be what you listened to when you were first steaming up car windows. The Kinks loom large in my soundtrack. Last night I was transported back in time – in Charlotte, of all places – at a Ray Davies concert. Nearly 50 years after “All…
Read MoreA Lobbyist’s Rant
I received the angry missive below from a lobbyist – who wishes to remain nameless, for obvious reasons – in response to reports that Republican State Rep. Justin Burr used campaign funds to buy suits and jackets from Brooks Brothers in Raleigh. “Lobbyists are a timid bunch. “They never squawk when they’re treated…
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