WRAL-TV

I don't expect much from news in TV land, and my expectations are always fulfilled. Like today when WRAL-TV in Raleigh finally got around to a story blogs and newspapers have been covering for months. It's about Beverly Perdue and Richard Moore going head to head for the chance to live in the North Carolina Governor's mansion.

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue hopes to crash the boys' club that has been the North Carolina Governor's Office in two years.

From Richard Caswell in 1776 to Gov. Mike Easley, all of the state's cheif [sic] executives have been men. But political observers say Perdue is well positioned to break that streak in 2008.

I won't comment on the merits of this case, but simply point out the obvious: this is what life looks like when you have a big fat target on your back like Jim Black does.

This story on WRAL-TV this morning, reports on alleged campaign finance irregularities by Rep. Thomas Wright (D) of New Hanover County. The whole thing seems stinky to me, but that's not the point. The point is that the story leads with Jim Black who is only tangentially (if at all) involved in the case.

A frequent critic of state House Speaker Jim Black accused one of Black's allies Tuesday of breaking elections law by delaying the disclosure of more than $41,000 in campaign donations. Joe Sinsheimer filed a complaint with the State Board of Elections asking officials to investigate campaign finance reports of Rep. Thomas Wright, D-New Hanover, for the first three quarters of this year.