Posts by Gary Pearce
BANGO!
President Biden’s feisty, fiery, funny State of the Union sent me back to one of the best political books ever: What It Takes by Richard Ben Cramer, about the 1988 presidential candidates, including Biden. Cramer wrote this about “Joey” Biden growing up in Scranton, PA: “You didn’t want to fight him. Most guys who got…
Read MorePoll Watch
High Point University hit a low point in polling. Last Friday, four days before Tuesday’s primary, the HPU poll reported this in the Democratic race for N.C. Attorney General: Satana Deberry 31% Tim Dunn 33% Jeff Jackson 36% The poll was right on the money. About Deberry. She got 33% of the vote.…
Read MoreTime to Choose
After Tuesday’s primaries, the choice is clear for North Carolina and the nation. It’s Democratic reason versus Republican rage. It’s real action on real problems versus revenge and retribution. It’s the difference between President Biden and Donald Trump – and between Josh Stein and Mark Robinson. Democrats want government to attack economic insecurity, ignorance, hunger,…
Read MoreYoung Dems on Fire
It took a London newspaper to report this political story: “In a hotel ballroom situated between Raleigh and Durham in North Carolina, a sea of buzzing young liberals excitedly took selfies and exchanged Instagram handles. Wrists decorated with Taylor Swift bracelets hit against one another as baby-faced teens and twentysomethings dressed in business casual applauded…
Read MoreLosing It
Trump may have the Republican nomination locked up, but he’s losing a lot of Republicans. He lost 32% of the Republican vote in Michigan, 40% in South Carolina and over 45% in New Hampshire. In South Carolina, he lost Independents to Nikki Haley by 60-40. That’s how you lose in November. He’s also losing his…
Read MoreJim Hunt, Democrats and Race
When Jim Hunt was president of North Carolina Young Democrats in 1968, he said something at a YDC meeting that was deemed newsworthy – and wasn’t popular with all Democrats: “I’m getting tired of going to county, local and even State YDC meetings and looking out at the audience to see far too few black…
Read MoreNavalny the Politician
Alexei Navalny was a hero, an inspiring leader and a man of courage, compassion and character who stood up to men of cowardice, corruption and cruelty. He was also a politician, in the best and noblest sense of that much-maligned and despised word. He was a political threat. He would have beaten Putin in a…
Read MoreSwifties vs MAGA
The MAGA meltdown over Taylor Swift explains much about politics today – and for the last 70 years. It’s about old white men who are angry about being knocked off their perch by women, Blacks, Latinos, young people and LGBTQ people. It’s been going on since May 1954, when the U.S. Supreme Court declared school…
Read MoreThe Republican John Edwards
Bill Graham, a Republican candidate for governor, is trying to become the second trial lawyer to win high office in North Carolina. The first was John Edwards, a Democrat who was elected U.S. Senator in 1998. Like Edwards, Graham comes from humble roots and made millions of dollars as a plaintiffs’ lawyer representing little guys…
Read MoreMake Trump Lose Again
As always, Iowa and New Hampshire changed everything. President Biden is no longer running against a non-existent ideal. It’s him or Trump. America or MAGA. Democracy or dictatorship. Trump looks unbeatable in the Republican race. And unelectable in November. The New York Times, which for months harped on Biden’s liabilities, now notes: “Mr. Trump’s campaign…
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