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wRandom Pundit |
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Observations on the current state of things.
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wTuesday, May 04, 2004 |
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Yesterday's Under the Dome somehow has a little snippet of information that I missed (Last item, all the way at the buttom).
Britt Cobb had a healthy fundraiser last week, bringing in more than $10,000. I'm glad to see it.
Cobb stepped in to the position as Agriculture Commissioner when Meg Scott Phipps resigned. Since then, he has by all accounts done a stellar job. He immediately reworked the State Fair's contract for the midway, and his efforts secured stellar profits for the Fair. A thirty year veteran of the Department of Agriculture, Cobb has continued working to open international markets to North Carolina goods. He has made a special effort to pursue food safety and produce inspections.
While my endorsement counts for very little, Britt Cobb is my choice for Ag Commissioner.
posted by
Matt at 2:55 PM
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wMonday, May 03, 2004 |
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The News and Observer titled this article "Burr carries Bush torch" but that is just a terrible name for it.
Yes, Richard Burr is running with the blessing of the White House. And sure, as a member of the House, Richard Burr has a voting record that is pretty damn conservative. But that's politics.
You can't be a Republican in the House and not get called upon to toe the party line from time to time. You do that on the small votes, and you vote your conscience when it counts. That's why Burr will vote for the Flag-Burning Amendment but vote against the President's plan for prescription drug coverage.
In this day and age, you can't be a Republican who hopes to be elected to national office without working to have the support of the Bush White House. You need the President's help when it comes to fundraising, when it comes to stumping. So sure, when Bush offered his support, I'm sure Richard Burr lept at it.
But the point of this article is that Richard Burr is different from a whole lot of Republicans. I can't picture George Bush wearing a Rock the Vote T-Shirt anywhere. I can't see Senator Dole scooping ice cream at Ben and Jerry's. When they both came to Carolina, Bill Cobey kept closley to his supporters, while Richard Burr slipped over to a group of students rallying for Erskine Bowles and shook hands with each of them.
And it's not just his mannerisms on the campaign trail that make him an appealing candidate. He's the type of person who exudes charisma. He's going to be a tough candidate for Erskine Bowles, especially considering the type of money he has to throw around. I keep hearing Democrats underestimate him, but that is a mistake.
The point of this article is that he's personable---not a pawn of President Bush.
posted by
Matt at 3:59 PM
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So I will admit, this might seem like old news, since it went out over the AP on Friday, but I would be remiss if I didn't say something about it.
Ballantine's campaign has been doing its best not to look like a sinking ship, but where it appears Cobey's campaign is making up ground against Mr. Vinroot, I've yet to see one independent polling figure that makes it look as if Patrick Ballantine is doing the same.
No matter how you spin it, the resignation of your campaign manager is bad news.
posted by
Matt at 2:36 PM
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wSunday, May 02, 2004 |
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On the last day of classes, Elyse Ashburn, outgoing Editor of the Daily Tar Heel, and Nathan Denny, outgoing editor of the Editorial Page, wrote a pair of tremendous columns Tar Heel born, bred and dead and University must stay on course respectively.
Each does a tremendous job, in his or her own way, of defining what they’ve learned about Carolina in the four years they’ve been at this place. I feel like we are going to be reading these columns for a while.
posted by
Matt at 7:51 PM
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I've got my first guest post over at Orange Politics . I've been contributing to this site for months, but this is the first time I've asked Ruby to post a new thread. Go check it out. Town-Gown relations are one of the most interesting stories in Chapel Hill and this latest iteration no less so.
posted by
Matt at 7:05 PM
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Getting started again...
posted by
Matt at 6:19 PM
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wSaturday, March 13, 2004 |
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Check out this must read article from Business Week. It discusses the political committees set up to recieve the soft money contributions banned from the candidates and the parties under McCain-Feingold.
posted by
Matt at 11:39 PM
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wMonday, March 08, 2004 |
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I just don't understand movements like this. I am a person of faith, and as such, I don't believe that the beliefs of others are a threat to where I stand with God. Schools struggle to teach kids how to read. How the hell are they going to indoctrinate children with atheism and liberal beliefs? Alas, that's a rant for a different post.
What is interesting to me is the level of sophistication in the conservative grassroots movement. I don't doubt liberals could bring it upon themselves to organize this way, but they don't see an external threat from society the way these people do. And to be honest, I'm not sure I'd want them to. I'm not a big fan of extermists of any ilk. (Yes, I think sending your children to a college created just for home-schooled kids is extreme. But then again, I think that taking a school system to court to remove the phrase "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance is also extreme).
The thought that a school exists to train the next generation of conservative leaders makes me particularly satisified with my own choice for University. For the past hundred years, UNC has fulfilled a very public mission, training leaders from both parties and all movements in this state.
Yeah, this post meanders a whole lot without actually arriving anywhere. I realize that---but think about this as my attempt to make this site more personal and exciting ;)
posted by
Matt at 12:51 AM
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wTuesday, March 02, 2004 |
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I'm going to start trying something new and making this more of a real blog, as opposed to a place where I just post commentary. In other words, this is going to just be another procrastination tool.
I wrote a letter endorsing Lily today. Got Tripp Costas to sign it with me. Look for it in tomorrow's DTH.
posted by
Matt at 12:27 AM
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