According to the next governor…
by Jock Lauterer
Director
Carolina Community Media Project
Here at the annual summer convention of the North Carolina Press Association in Asheville, the assembled members of the Fourth Estate are hearing this morning from gubernatorial candidates Pat McCrory and Bev Perdue.
As Tabor-Loris Tribune editor Deuce Niven said, “One of ‘em will be the next governor!”
Jock Lauterer photo
Charlotte Observer Editor Rick Thames introduced the seven-time Charlotte mayor by saying, “I should know better than most that there is a long list of things that Charlotteans don’t agree on. But it’s clear that they do agree on this: Pat McCrory is the right choice
for Charlotte.”
(Thames later stressed to me that this intro was in no way an endorsement by the Observer for McCrory.)
In his opening remarks, McCrory stressed open access to the public and press.”I believe this is an interview with the public,” he said. “People do prefer positive campaigns.”
“Here is what I’ve heard people saying: The current culture of state government is unacceptable.” He called the Easley administration, “inaccessible,” citing secret meetings and corruption and what he called “a culture of arrogance among the power elite…We need to change this culture.”
“There ought to be outrage among the leaders, because there is outrage among the people.”
He also expressed concern about the growth of gangs, saying, “The criminal justice system has been broken for a long time.”
Speaking of the economy, he said, “People are worried about their jobs and the economy. Gas prices are putting a strain on everybody…The family budget is busted because of $4 a gallon gas.”
“The state should take the lead on a comprehensive energy plan, and the governor should be at the head of that.”
He called his plan the McCrory Energy Initiative. He castigated both Democrats and Republicans for not taking action, and said it is time for the two parties to unite behind a common cause.
Conservation comes first, he said, followed by mass transit, including buses and light rail. He urged an expansion of rural bus service. He also called for the incorporation of a 50-year land-use policy— including mass transit corridors, HOV lanes, using “brown fields” as park-and-ride sites. And he said he plans to implement stay-at-home employment options for state workers. He also said he’d implement tax incentives for green practices and building.
The nation’s dependence on foreign oil must be broken, so he said he is a strong promoter of off-shore oil drilling.
“What are we waiting for?” Even if the build out takes 30 years, ” I wish we had started 30 years ago!”
He is also a supporter of coastal conservation, dredging, beach renourishment,
He also promoted nuclear power, more dependance on natural gas. wind power and clean coal technology. Citing the new Duke Power site at Cliffside, south of Forest City in Rutherford County, he said, “We need to support this effort.”
“If you aren’t interested in having the lights on, being able to drive home, let’s just sit here and do nothing.”
“This is a big difference between me and my opponent; I’m running for governor because I want to change the culture. Leadership’s major responsibility is to prepare this state for the next generation.”
Jock Lauterer photo
BEV PERDUE
Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue, the Democratic candidate, told the assembled journalists, “When I was young I wanted to be one of you guys and you gals,” but that a college professor encouraged her to seek other forms of employment, that perhaps writing wasn’t her forte.
She complimented the news industry for being so adaptable here lately, and encouraged the journalists to do what she does in tough campagn situation, to “smille and keep on truckin’.” She also said she loves newspapers:
“I’m one woman who wakes up with a cup of coffee and a newspaper in my hand.”
Perdue also vowed to have an transparent administration. “We’re going to be known as the state with the open, accessible governor…under a Perdue administration. “That’s my first marker.”
she also cited something she called “Google accountability” as a way of encouraging open government.
Also, she vowed she would change the way the General Assembly does business.
Her three main platform items are education, health care and economic development.
TEACHING:
The West Virginia coal miner’s daughter was told by her parents, “The only way out is education.” She said that great public school education is critical, starting with pre-school; pay teachers to the national competitive level, hold them accountable. There should also be a pathway to higher education and that finances should not be an issue. Technology also is beginning to play a big part, she said, allowing kids from Murphy to Manteo to take classes online.
ECONOMY:
The second leg of her “stool” is jobs. While she sees agriculture and textiles as being the bedrock of the old economy, her vision for North Carolina includes making the state the agribiotechnology center of the world. The aerospace and green business are other growth areas she touted.
HEALTH CARE:
She called for statewide health insurance for children. “As your next governor, I will fight hard for health insureance for every child in NC.”
She described herself as a fighter, someone who will stand up for the middle class. “I’ve spent my whole life fighting the status quo.”
Countering McCrory’s plan for off-shore oil drilling, Perdue said, “We’ll never solve the gas problem by drilling off the shores of NC. Come on, get real. There has to be solutions. That’s just politics.”
In response to one question from the floor regarding the recent e-mail scandal in the state’s mental health system, she called for a strong e-mail policy. “The government belongs to the people, and I’m a steward…” She advocated keeping strict records, yet conceded a workable e-mail policy is needed, adding, “You err on the side of transparency.”
On personnel records and public access to public records, relative to the Eve Carson murder case, Perdue she, “like many other moms…was deeply troubled that that the probation people didn’t know this guy was such a bad dude.”
Additionally, she said, “If a sexual predator moves into my neighborhood, I want to know. I’m really going to be vigilant about what we can do to stem crime without stepping on the constitution…” while also “supporting freedom of the press.”
Vowing to be a visible leader, Perdue said, “The people of NC want a governor who’s out there… not a cheerleader… you need to show up (all over the state) We’re all in this together. My bully pulpit is going to be strong.”
Unbelievable. The editor of the Charlotte Observer clearly has one mission in mind: make North Carolina a subsidiary of Charlotte, Inc.
Why no commentary about this bizarre pronouncement?
Rick Thames noted that Pat the Frat has been the right choice for years because the Mecklenburg Democratic party has not offered up candidates who posed any threat to him whatsoever. Poor Beverly Earle was dragged into the race but her heart was never really in it. But I’d like to note a few hilarious statements by Pat and would like to offer a little reality tested counterpoint. Bear in mind that most of what Pat states, he really means the opposite. What you see is NOT what you get with Pat:
1. He states that current state government is “inaccessible” and is a “culture of arrogance.” He is notorious in Charlotte gov for refusing to even meet with certain members of the City Council(read-women and/ or Democrats), in some cases he has refused to meet with certain members for years and years. The same with any collaboration with the County Commission. Arrogance is putting it mildly. Inaccessible -ditto.
2.“The criminal justice system has been broken for a long time.” And Pat’s response to it has been to hire a bunch of buses and take the Barnum and Bailey show on the road in a pure politics stunt that accomplished nothing. What did Pat REALLY do about crime in Charlotte? Zip a dee do dah. But I am in error–he voted AGAINST a budget that would have put more cops on the street because he thought that filling potholes was more pressing. He did not advocate for his Police Department. He did not advocate for his city with the state legislature or the GOP. Let me repeat: he voted against putting cops on the street.
3. He bemoans high gas prices. Pat went on the record many years ago vowing to investigate and, by golly, get to the bottom of why Charlotte had the highest gas prices in the state. And the result of his brilliant hard hitting investigation? Crickets.
4. The McCrory Energy Initiative is a misnomer for it is the Duke Energy initiative. Pat refused to endorse the Kyoto Protocols that the US Council of Mayors was pushing until it first, characterized nuclear energy as ALTERNATIVE, RENEWABLE energy and then second, insisted that any negative language aimed at the Bush administration’s opposition to Kyoto be removed. As the Young Republican cheerleader, he was charged with being Bush’s Water Boy and he did as he was told. Just ask Mayor Nickles about how much fun it was to deal with Pat on energy issues.
Pat says one thing and tries to appeal to independents and wavering Dems who might not know much about him, but then he does whatever he darn well pleases. He did promote the highly successfullight rail line and for that many Republican stalwarts will never forgive him. But his worst sin for Republicans in Charlotte was to defy the expressed will of the voters and put up that Arena because he was making nice with his wealthy sports pals. At the same time he was vetoing the living wage proposal for city workers because he thought it was “socialism” to pay them $9+ an hour. But somehow in Pat’s mind it was a groovy kind of thing to spend the taxpayers money for an arena that most folks can’t afford to walk into much less the $5 hotdog–and so don’t. And to sweeten the deal even more for the taxpayers who voted NO overwhelmingly–we got to pick up the tab for police security during all the events to the tune of a million plus each year.
What Pat says is not what Pat does.
Ah the danger of the partial quote.
Rick Thames did utter those words, but the ol perfesser here failed to put them in accurate context. He tells me that his intro was NOT meant to be an endorsement from the Charlotte Observer, as I made it sound. The full text of the quote follows along with my mea culpa.
“I should know better than most that there is a long list of things that Charlotteans don’t agree on.
“But it’s clear that they do agree on this: Pat McCrory is the right choice for Charlotte.
“Last November, voters awarded Pat McCrory an unprecedented seventh term as the city’s mayor. No Charlotte mayor before him had served more than four.”