The Dance of the Marriage Bigots - Now Starring Fred Smith

I read Laura Leslie's blog at WUNC-FM almost every day. She has a great way with words and may very well be the most insightful reporter in North Carolina covering state government. Today she offers a unique perspective on the pity party held in the name of god yesterday in Raleigh.

Why now?

National and state polling shows dwindling concern about protecting traditional marriage. There's no imminent election to mobilize voters for. There's no challenge in the courts to the state's existing "defense of marriage" law. And there's no indication that either House Speaker Joe Hackney or Senate Pro Tem Marc Basnight are rethinking their opposition to a constitutional amendment on it. So why bus in six thousand youth group members and evangelicals for no discernible cause and no plausible effect?

The most obvious answer is that Senator Fred Smith is running for governor, and this may well have been his unofficial campaign kickoff. He was in top form on the podium, where he took most of the credit for an amendment that Senator Jim Forrester's been running for years. From Smith's speech, you'd have thought it was his battle from the beginning - like this quote, where Smith compares his fight against gay marriage to abolitionist William Wilberforce's battle against slavery. It was one of those rhetorical moments that makes your head spin. But the audience loved it.

So there you have it. Fred Smith, the Asphalt King, will be running for governor with two agendas in mind: Baking discrimination into the North Carolina Constitution and building more roads to save the environment.

And make no mistake, Fred Smith will be the NC Party of Greed candidate for governor. Of this I am sure. He's polishing his extremist credentials and even SpongeBob Orr won't be able to run to his right, no matter how much money Puppetmaster Pope spends on electioneering for the sold-out judge. The fringiest of the fringe voters will drive the outcome of the primary, and Fredly will be their darling. What's more, the homebuilder lobby will back Smith to the hilt, along with paving contractors, billboard companies and agrichemical interests. They all see Smith through money-colored glasses, as well they should. Smith is a guy who makes his living wallowing at the public trough.

Note: Some people still talk about Bill Graham in the Republican race, but he's already DOA. All that money Graham flushed on his gas tax gimmicks last year just goes to show he has no idea what he's doing.

But when it comes to November, Fredly will get his butt-kicked by Beverly Perdue. Having painted himself into a reactionary corner, the most support he can hope for is the 20% of lunatics who still think George Bush is doing a great job.