• 20/20 Hindsight Guides a Vision for Tomorrow

    Barack Obama gets what George H. W. Bush called “the vision thing.” In his speech to Congress, Obama laid out a bold blueprint for an America that tackles the big problems, calls for shared sacrifice and offers big rewards. It was almost shocking to hear after 30 years of supply-side economics that redefined the American Dream as merely the pursuit of profit.

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  • For unions, a softer NC - Inroads at an opportune time

    In North Carolina the political winds are shifting. For the first time in over 30 years the state voted for a Democrat for president. Kay Hagan, another Democrat, unseated Republican U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole who, a year earlier, was widely considered unbeatable. Democrats also gained a congressional seat, giving them an 8-5 advantage in the Tar Heel delegation. Several social issues that once sparked a visceral reaction from many voters no longer have the same punch. And North Carolina, the least unionized state in the nation, is mellowing toward organized labor.

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  • Running Yesterday's Campaign

    The McCain campaign is imploding. This week, they may well have squandered whatever chance they had of changing the dynamic in the race. Instead of focusing on serious issues facing the country, they chose to overreach with accusations that are more reminiscent of 1958 or ’68 than 2008.

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  • A State of Opportunity for Obama

    As the presidential campaign enters the final weeks, North Carolina is still a battleground. While the state has been reliably Republican for over 30 years, polls show that the race between Obama and McCain is in a dead heat and possibly leaning toward the Democrat.

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  • Lock and Load

    John McCain has had a disastrous two weeks. He looked erratic and unpresidential. His debate performance showed him to be angry and mean. In addition, his vice-presidential pick went from savior to liability. As result, his poll numbers plummeted and Obama opened up a clear lead both nationally and in key battleground states.

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  • A Cynical Ploy

    John McCain's call to suspend the campaign is a cynical attempt to reset the political clock. Since the crash of the financial markets, McCain's numbers have been in a freefall. Americans blame Republicans for the debacle by a 2-1 margin and recent polls have shown Obama pulling ahead by numbers outside of the margin of error.

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  • Fear Factor

    In 2004, Karl Rove and his cronies perfected the use of fear to move voters. They successfully shifted the campaign debate from the failures of the Bush Administration and the Iraq War to fear of another terror attack. What Republicans understood-and understand-is that emotions motivate people more than ideas. This year, Democrats have the opportunity to capitalize on fear--not fear of a terrorist attack, but fear of financial ruin.

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  • It's About McCain

    As news about Alaskan Governor and Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin creeps out, there’s a real temptation to focus on all of the fun and gory details. However, Democrats need to remember, this is not about Sarah Palin; it’s about John McCain. It’s about his judgment, how he makes decisions and the people he wants in his administration.

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  • Obama Avoids the Palin Tar Baby

    John McCain’s pick of Sarah Palin for his VP running mate sure threw everyone a curveball. The choice left the media, Republicans and Democrats scratching their heads. Most pundits seemed, at least initially, to find Palin a risky, if not poor, choice. Democrats like James Carville and Paul Begala jumped on Palin’s lack of experience. However...

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  • Will the Right show up?

    Throughout the primary season, Barack Obama’s campaign argued that his nomination would expand the electoral playing field. In particular, they pointed to southern states including North Carolina, Virginia and Georgia. Even in states like South Carolina and Mississippi, local political observers have made the case that high African-American turnout could turn their states blue.

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  • North Carolina and the 50-State Strategy

    The year 2008 is proving to be a defining one for North Carolina politics. For the first time in 20 years, North Carolina Democrats got to vote in an undecided presidential primary and, as the post-mortems note, helped determine the winner. Barack Obama's victory here exceeded predictions and, combined with Hillary Clinton's narrow win in Indiana the same night, made his nomination inevitable.

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