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Mama's watching
Submitted by James on Mon, 09/24/2007 - 10:07am
Richard Moore, state treasurer and Democratic candidate for governor, said his campaign goal is “to be as gentlemanly as my mother expects me to be” and to talk about substantive issues. Given last week’s exchange with Moore’s likely Democratic opponent — Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue — one wonders what his mother thinks.
The two got into a spat and then turned to a Republican, state Auditor Les Merritt, to sort things out. Perdue wants Merritt to investigate her allegation that Moore’s campaign workers used state computers to investigate her. Moore wants Merritt to look into Perdue’s fundraising “in a house the people are paying for” — a reference that Perdue is still, officially, the lieutenant governor and not a candidate. She is expected to make her bid formal Oct. 1.
“I feel compelled to point out the hypocrisy,” Moore said during a stop in Fayetteville. He acknowledged, “I had someone in my staff make a mistake.” He said the infraction would be appropriately dealt with, and it was “time to move on.”
It looks like this campaign will not only tell us a lot about the two candidates, but also about Mr. Moore's mama. That said, Mr. Moore is certainly right about one thing: it's definitely time to move on.
Oh, James. You left part of the article out!
C'mon now. Are we already getting into games here? I know you support Perdue - though I still haven't heard you say why. Just below the paragraph you quoted is a big explanation of why I'm inclined to support Moore. I haven't made up my mind yet, because good ole Bev hasn't really said anything yet, has she?
As for Mr. Moore's mother - maybe she did raise him the right way- he's doing some advocacy there for lower middle income families who really need the help. He's showing he's aware of what's going on in the state. It's a little more important that cute little book titles, don't you think?
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
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My darling girl, when will you understand that 'normal' is not necessarily a virtue. It rather denotes a lack of courage. Alice Hoffman
Sorry
I don't play games - not on purpose anyway. The rest of the article is linked for anyone to read. The fact is, there is nothing noteworthy or remarkable about Moore's proposal, as Robert has so clearly pointed out. I'm glad Moore is talking about the issue, that's a plus. But what he's saying doesn't even come close to making the difference that's necessary.
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I've resisted the temptation to get involved in making a case for Perdue. I expect her to make it herself. And I reserve the right to be a total pain in the ass to her campaign. I don't work for Perdue, and I don't want to. I want to influence both candidate's positions and campaign tactics. Right now Richard is the one who's stirring up most of the dust. I expect that to change dramatically next week.
That said, and since you asked, I'm supporting Perdue (at this time) for a handful of reasons.
The top of my list is abortion rights. She's been a long-standing supporter and has put her name on the line again and again on this issue. And it really pissed me off when Moore questioned the depth of her commitment.
Next is what some call the new "environmental economy." Perdue gets it. She understands that North Carolina is missing a strategy for building its economic future. Moore has done some good stuff around pushing for disclosures of global-warming risks to investors, but I don't see anything substantive about policies that will spawn a breakthrough in environmental entrepreneurship in our state. I don't know details about Perdue's plans in this area, but one of my friends has been advising her on the issue and he is optimistic.
Third is my sense of how things get done in North Carolina. I wish it were otherwise, but the fact is, the whole state runs on personal relationships. She has them and knows how to use them. It ain't always pretty, but if she's working on the right side of important issues, I'll take it.
And finally, I support her because my wife does. Jane often tells the story of when she went to the legislature with two male professors to talk about UNC's needs. She was chair of the faculty at the time, and was mistaken by Marc Basnight for a secretary. Perdue walked into the room, interrupting Basnight, and said, "Thank god they brought a woman."
Is Perdue perfect? Hell no. I'm still mad about her vote on the lottery. And I see too much in the way of political calculation to suit my tastes. (That's not uniquely her problem.) I don't like all the pandering to the military, either. But when I add up all the plusses and minuses, I think she'll be a good governor who will get a few important things done that need doing. And the truth is, a few important things is all any governor will ever do. And some don't even do that.
I can see why you are supporting her
Personal experience is a fine reason to support a politician, and having a spouse support one is a good reason, too.
I just haven't heard enough personally from Perdue. There are a lot of people that I respect supporting her - online and offline. But when I ask why - the answer is "because". You're the first person to put some actual meat to it. Thanks.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
__________________
My darling girl, when will you understand that 'normal' is not necessarily a virtue. It rather denotes a lack of courage. Alice Hoffman
Moore on Mama
Apparently, Richard Moore's mama would approve of the General Assembly giving millions of taxpayer dollars to big corporations. Perdue, on the other hand, says we need to step back from the ledge and rethink the whole mess.
Saying Easley's compromise was better than the original bill is like saying jumping off a 20-story building is better than jumping off a 30-story building. They're both incredibly stupid.
The only thing good about the "compromise" bill is that it has a much bigger chance of being successfully challenged in court by Bob Orr.
I think they're both bad bills too.
But don't impugn the man's mother. She is probably nice, and probably doesn't even wear army boots. Lay off his momma.
The second bill does guarantee health insurance and higher wages. It was a compromise, and I'm not sure that it should have been made. There are too many small businesses who will never been in the position to benefit from the bill. As the director of a business with 14 employees, I'd love to be able to be subsidized to pay my employees 40% higher than the average wage in my area. That would fan-damn-tastic. Perhaps we could create some sort of Sandhills Small Business Consortium and apply. What do you think, SPLib? Could we find enough small businesses in the Sandhills to meet the huge number of employee requirements?
I'm with you on that one, James.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
__________________
My darling girl, when will you understand that 'normal' is not necessarily a virtue. It rather denotes a lack of courage. Alice Hoffman
He keeps this up
I start singing coal miner's daughter. :)
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
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Currently lacking a witty signature.
Lo'retta sends along the lyrics, just in case
Well, I was born a coal miner's daughter
In a cabin on a hill in Butcher Holler
We were poor but we had love
That's the one thing my Daddy made sure of
He shoveled coal to make a poor man's dollar
My daddy worked all night in the Van Lear coal mine
All day long in the field hoeing corn
Mama rocked the baby at night
Read the Bible by a coal oil light
And everything would start all over come break of morn
Daddy loved and raised eight kids on a coal miner's pay
Mama scrubbed our clothes on a washboard every day
I've seen her fingers bleed
To complain there was no need
She'd smile in Mama's understanding way
In the summertime we didn't have shoes to wear
But in the wintertime we'd all get a brand new pair
From a mail-order catalogue, money made by selling a hog
Daddy always seemed to get the money somewhere
I'm proud to be a coal miner's daughter
I remember well, the well where I drew water
The work we done was hard
At night we'd sleep, cause we were tired
I never thought I'd ever leave Butcher Holler
Well a lot of things have changed, since way back when
And it's so good to be back home again
Not much left but the floor
Nothing lives here anymore
Just a memory of a coal miner's daughter
I can't understand why he brought her up in the first place
Now bringing up his daddy, well that's a good move no matter what. I do it all the time. Like when I say my daddy told me that if a bullfrog had wings he wouldn't bump his ass every time he hopped. I never quite got that one.
Both my mama and daddy are long gone . . . heart attack for her, heart-break for him.
I miss them a lot, even though they were hard core Republicans who would not approve of my liberal leanings.
There's more to Mom and Dad than politics.
And there's more to politics than what your Mom and Dad taught you.
I miss my Dad, too. I am grateful that I'm almost 48 years old and still have my Mom with me.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
__________________
My darling girl, when will you understand that 'normal' is not necessarily a virtue. It rather denotes a lack of courage. Alice Hoffman