NCGOP E-Letter - August 27, 2008

DOLE TALKS TO LOCAL LEADERS

By Ted Strong
Washington Daily News
August 23, 2008
Washington, NC

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.) was in Washington to meet with local leaders Friday.

Dole didn’t make any speeches or campaign locally, but instead limited herself to the closed-door meeting with the likes of Beaufort County Schools Superintendent Jeff Moss and National Spinning’s Jim Chesnutt.

“I thought it was a positive meeting,” Washington Mayor Judy Jennette said. “I think we were able to put some local concerns on the table, and some national concerns as well.”

The closed meeting allowed for an open, honest discussion, said Catherine Glover, the chamber’s executive director.

The more than hour-long meeting covered a number of local issues, including the U.S. Highway 17 corridor, Dole said after it ended.

She said she helped secure hundreds of thousands of dollars of funding for the project, which aims to streamline transit in the eastern part of the state from the Virginia border to South Carolina.

She said the state had once been renowned for its quality roads and bridges.

“Now we’re in a state of general disrepair,” she said….

Dole also reminded civic leaders that she pushed for a moratorium on Medicaid cuts supported by the Bush administration. She said that move saved Beaufort County Hospital $1.6 million each year.

Gas prices were another issue of interest, Dole said, and one that impacts local economies.

Dole proposes that any and all options for getting oil prices down be explored, she said.

“The big thing is getting off this dependence on foreign oil from people who hate us,” she said, rattling off the names of Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran and Vladimir Putin of Russia.

Dole also pushed her roll in the tobacco-quota buyout.

“It allows farmers to retire with dignity or switch to another crop with help, or they can compete on the world market if they want to keep growing leaf,” she said….

Click here for the full article…

ANAYLSIS: BIDEN PICK SHOWS LACK OF CONFIDENCE

By Ron Fouriner
Associated Press
August 23, 2008

DENVER - The candidate of change went with the status quo.

In picking Sen. Joe Biden to be his running mate, Barack Obama sought to shore up his weakness — inexperience in office and on foreign policy — rather than underscore his strength as a new-generation candidate defying political conventions.

He picked a 35-year veteran of the Senate — the ultimate insider — rather than a candidate from outside Washington, such as Govs. Tim Kaine of Virginia or Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas; or from outside his party, such as Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska; or from outside the mostly white male club of vice presidential candidates. Hillary Rodham Clinton didn't even make his short list.

The picks say something profound about Obama: For all his self-confidence, the 47-year-old Illinois senator worried that he couldn't beat Republican John McCain without help from a seasoned politician willing to attack. The Biden pick is the next logistical step in an Obama campaign that has become more negative — a strategic decision that may be necessary but threatens to run counter to his image….

A senior Obama adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity, said his boss has expressed impatience with what he calls a "reverence" inside his campaign for his message of change and new politics. In other words, Obama is willing — even eager — to risk what got him this far if it gets him to the White House…

So the question is whether Biden's depth counters Obama's inexperience — or highlights it?

After all, Biden is anything but a change agent, having been in office longer than half of all Americans have been alive. Longer than McCain.

And he talks too much.

On the same day he announced his second bid for the presidency, Biden found himself explaining why he had described Obama as "clean."

And there's the 2007 ABC interview in which Biden said he would stand by an earlier statement that Obama was not ready to serve as president.

It seems Obama is worried that some voters are starting to agree.

Click here for the full article…

FROM THE NCGOP PRESSROOM: BIDEN POINTS OUT OBAMA’S WEAKNESSES

August 23, 2008

RALEIGH—North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Linda Daves released a statement in response to Barack Obama selecting Joe Biden as his running mate.

Joe Biden Said Obama Is Not Ready To Serve As President. ABC's George Stephanopoulos: "You were asked is he ready. You said 'I think he can be ready, but right now I don't believe he is. The presidency is not something that lends itself to on-the-job training.'" Sen. Biden: "I think that I stand by the statement." (ABC's, "This Week," 8/19/07)

Joe Biden Said He'd Be Honored To Run With McCain. Comedy Central's Jon Stewart: "You may end up going against a Senate colleague, perhaps McCain, perhaps Frist?" Sen. Biden: "John McCain is a personal friend, a great friend, and I would be honored to run with or against John McCain, because I think the country would be better off -- be well off no matter who..." Stewart: "Did I hear, Did I hear with?" Sen. Biden: "You know, John McCain and I think" Stewart: "Don't become cottage cheese my friend. Say it." Sen. Biden: "The answer is yes." (Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" 8/2/05)

Chairman Linda Daves made the following statement:

"Barack Obama pledged to choose a running mate who was 'ready to be President.' But is Obama ready? In the past, Senator Biden has said no. No choice of Vice President can make Barack Obama more experienced. By choosing a man who has been one of his harshest critics on the issue, Obama merely further exposes his own flaws. On one of the central questions facing voters in this election - is Barack Obama ready to be Commander-in-Chief? - even his own running mate says he fails the test. Joe Biden is right about one thing. The country will be better off with John McCain as President."

GOVERNOR’S CANDIDATE McCRORY IN TOWN

By Brian Haney
Dunn Daily Record
August 27, 2008

Charlotte Mayor and Republican gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory stopped in Dunn yesterday to attend a campaign fundraiser in his honor at the Western Sizzlin' restaurant.

The event, hosted by N.C. Rep. David Lewis, drew a crowd of nearly 30 supporters, including Erwin Mayor Patsy Carson, and Republican contender for U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge's 2nd District seat, Dan Mansell….

"Pat McCrory has a vision that the state can be better than it is," said Rep. Lewis, "and this is a unique and special opportunity to hear remarks by a truly great man."

Addressing Issues

Mayor McCrory addressed what he thinks are some of the state's most pressing issues.

"I am not coming to try to appease you in Dunn," he said. "The next governor is going to have to make some very hard ... decisions and I'm willing to make those tough decisions."

The mayor spoke of a disconnect between employers who, in the current economy, cannot find qualified employees and a 30 percent dropout rate among the state's high school students. Mayor McCrory explained how he wanted to bring together this disconnect by putting an emphasis on vocational programs in high schools and allowing students to learn a trade instead of encouraging them to attend a four-year college.

"Not every student who graduates from high school needs a four-year degree," he said. "We need to quit directing students where they don't want to go and direct them where they can acquire a marketable skill. We need to connect our state's labor needs with our educational strategy."

He also addressed what he called "paralyzing" energy prices that aren't going to end and said North Carolina has to play a role in finding a solution to the problem.

"I'm a conservative," he said. "Conservation is important and as Republicans, we need to understand that."

Mayor McCrory's plan to help alleviate the energy crisis: Do it all. He added that he isn't sure we can continue using ethanol, as its production is crippling food prices.

"North Carolina must have off-shore drilling for oil and natural gas," he said….

He ended his speech by challenging those in attendance to not simply to talk amongst themselves, but go out and get Republicans to go to the polls, then convince Independent voters and North Carolina Democrats, who he said he believed have conservative values, to vote for him as their choice for governor.

"If not now," he asked, "when?"…

Before continuing on to his next campaign stop, Mayor McCrory said one of the things that surprises him most about his campaign travels is how mayors all across the state are dealing with the same issues he's been facing for 13 years as mayor of Charlotte: "Gangs, career criminals, drugs and the 30 percent dropout rate."

Click here for the full article…

FROM THE NCGOP BLOG: PERDUE’S RIDICULOUS CLAIMS ON DRILLING

By Linda Daves
Chairman, North Carolina Republican Party

Much has already been made of Bev Perdue's complete about face on offshore drilling. When once she stood "100 percent" opposed to it and said it would never happen on her watch, she now says she has always supported it. For those experiencing massive cognitive dissonance standing right now at the intersection of those two counterfactual statements, I will attempt to wade through her argument. Apparently, Bev Perdue is for offshore drilling… in Texas. Unfortunately, her staff forgot to remind her that she is actually running for Governor of North Carolina. Your position on offshore drilling in Texas is somewhat inconsequential in the race for that office. However, wanting to have it both ways and be able to say that she stands with the 70 percent of voters in North Carolina who want to open our shores to safe, responsible deep sea exploration, she is deliberately trying to mislead North Carolinians. This is truly the most cynical type of politics: betting that you can say one thing, mean another, and hope the voters are too uninformed to notice.

When a politician shifts positions to suit the political winds of the day, it causes one to wonder about their leadership when we are considering elevating them to an office and stature that will cause them to have immense pressure from all sides each day. We want to know that the person will stand for us and not for those who would whisper in their ears with plans not in the best interests of North Carolina. When a politician does not actually change her mind, but merely manipulates the facts to make a claim to deliberately mislead voters, we can know with certainty that person will do anything to get elected. A person who will do anything to get elected will do anything when elected and you cannot count on that person to look out for you. Can voters trust Bev Perdue? Not as long as she continues to deliberately mislead them and hope they don't figure her out before Election Day.

John McCain: "Tiny"

Perdue's Ridiculous Claim on Drilling

By Linda Daves
Chairman, North Carolina Republican Party

Much has already been made of Bev Perdue's complete about face on offshore drilling. When once she stood "100 percent" opposed to it and said it would never happen on her watch, she now says she has always supported it. For those experiencing massive cognitive dissonance standing right now at the intersection of those two counterfactual statements, I will attempt to wade through her argument. Apparently, Bev Perdue is for offshore drilling… in Texas. Unfortunately, her staff forgot to remind her that she is actually running for Governor of North Carolina. Your position on offshore drilling in Texas is somewhat inconsequential in the race for that office. However, wanting to have it both ways and be able to say that she stands with the 70 percent of voters in North Carolina who want to open our shores to safe, responsible deep sea exploration, she is deliberately trying to mislead North Carolinians. This is truly the most cynical type of politics: betting that you can say one thing, mean another, and hope the voters are too uninformed to notice.

When a politician shifts positions to suit the political winds of the day, it causes one to wonder about their leadership when we are considering elevating them to an office and stature that will cause them to have immense pressure from all sides each day. We want to know that the person will stand for us and not for those who would whisper in their ears with plans not in the best interests of North Carolina. When a politician does not actually change her mind, but merely manipulates the facts to make a claim to deliberately mislead voters, we can know with certainty that person will do anything to get elected. A person who will do anything to get elected will do anything when elected and you cannot count on that person to look out for you. Can voters trust Bev Perdue? Not as long as she continues to deliberately mislead them and hope they don't figure her out before Election Day.

They Said It!

Gary Pearce: "But liberals (or progressives or whatever you prefer) have to understand that your candidates don’t have the luxury of the right-wingers: They can’t always say exactly what they believe – and still get elected." ("Be Like Terry?," Talking About Politics, August 21, 2008)

In Case You Missed It: Analysis: Biden pick shows lack of confidence

By Ron Fournier
Associated Press
August 23, 2008

The candidate of change went with the status quo.

In picking Sen. Joe Biden to be his running mate, Barack Obama sought to shore up his weakness — inexperience in office and on foreign policy — rather than underscore his strength as a new-generation candidate defying political conventions. …

The picks say something profound about Obama: For all his self-confidence, the 47-year-old Illinois senator worried that he couldn't beat Republican John McCain without help from a seasoned politician willing to attack. The Biden pick is the next logistical step in an Obama campaign that has become more negative — a strategic decision that may be necessary but threatens to run counter to his image.

Democratic strategists, fretting over polls that showed McCain erasing Obama's lead this summer, welcomed the move. They, too, worried that Obama needed a more conventional — read: tougher — approach to McCain. …

A senior Obama adviser, speaking on condition of anonymity, said his boss has expressed impatience with what he calls a "reverence" inside his campaign for his message of change and new politics. In other words, Obama is willing — even eager — to risk what got him this far if it gets him to the White House. …

So the question is whether Biden's depth counters Obama's inexperience — or highlights it?

After all, Biden is anything but a change agent, having been in office longer than half of all Americans have been alive. Longer than McCain.

And he talks too much.

On the same day he announced his second bid for the presidency, Biden found himself explaining why he had described Obama as "clean."

And there's the 2007 ABC interview in which Biden said he would stand by an earlier statement that Obama was not ready to serve as president.

It seems Obama is worried that some voters are starting to agree.

Click here for the full article...

Hold Your Applause

By Linda Daves
Chairman, North Carolina Republican Party

In yesterday's Carrboro Citizen, Chris Fitzsimon attempted to take me to task for my assertion that North Carolina pays higher taxes than any other state in the Southeast.

"State Republican Chair Linda Daves says often that 'Democrats have given us the highest taxes in the Southeast' and it is generally unchallenged. …" ("The shaky Tax Foundation," Carrboro Citizen, August 21, 2008)

Mr. Fitzsimon criticizes the use of one set of data to determine North Carolina's state and local tax burden. Apparently, he did not take all of the data into account. If Governor Easley and the Democrat General Assembly want to take credit for something, it seems to me that it ought to be the state tax burden which they have direct control over through the budgeting process. We know they haven't listened to a Republican suggestion on the matter in years.

So what is the state tax burden for North Carolina and how does it compare to our neighboring states?

The truth is North Carolinians are paying more in taxes than any of our neighboring states. That's right. In 2007, no state bordering North Carolina had a higher state tax burden. We actually have the 10th highest state tax burden in the country. (U.S. Census Bureau, "States Ranked by Total State Taxes: 2007") Sorry Gov. Easley and Democrats in Raleigh. Your curtain call will not be necessary. No victory laps or pats on the back will be needed or appropriate.

This is not to mention other facts about taxes in North Carolina.

"Compared to its neighbors in the Southeast, North Carolina currently has the highest corporate tax rate (6.9 percent), the highest marginal income tax rate (7.75 percent), the second-highest motor fuels tax (30.15 cents per gallon), and the second highest sales tax (6.75 percent)." ("2/3rds of NC Voters Say Taxes are Too High," Civitas Institute, April 15, 2008)

Mr. Fitzsimon also misses the point of this argument. The question is: Does North Carolina have a favorable climate for drawing new businesses, preserving current businesses, and creating new jobs? Under the state's Democrat leadership, unemployment is at its highest rate since 2003 in North Carolina and up in 97 of 100 counties across the state. ("Unemployment up across N.C.," WRAL.com, August 22, 2008) With a higher state tax burden than any of its neighbors, if you owned a new business looking to locate to the Southeast, would you come to North Carolina?

Clearly, we need a new strategy when it comes to job creation in North Carolina. Without lower taxes, we will always put ourselves at a disadvantage when it comes to competing with our neighbors for new business. We cannot allow the promise of North Carolina to go unfulfilled and waste the opportunity to make this state the best place to do business, to live, and to raise a family. However, without a change in leadership, we can expect only more of the same.

Less Information = More Justice?

By Chris McClure
Executive Director, North Carolina Republican Party

A new poll from Civitas confirms the arguments that Republicans have made all along against removing party identification in judicial races from the ballot. Depriving voters of important information like party affiliation serves no purpose other than to try to tip the scales in the favor of one party or the other. In this case, because Democrats know that Republicans enjoy an advantage with voters when it comes to crime and justice, the Democrat leadership in the state thought that if you can't win the way elections are currently done then just change the rules.

Democrats argued at the time that it was a way to remove the politics from judicial elections. That is nonsense. The only way to remove the politics from elections is to not have elections at all. Make no mistake. Democrats would have their leadership appoint all the judges in the state if they thought voters would accept such a change, but voters have a funny way of wanting to have as many choices as possible. They are unlikely to support removing races from the ballot.

Voters also never would have supported removing important information from the ballot when making their choice of who would sit on the state's highest courts. Instead of giving voters such a choice, the Democrat leadership in Raleigh made that choice for them.

When fewer than half of voters have the information necessary about a race to make an informed choice, there is a problem with the system. In all likelihood, hundreds of thousands of voters will refuse to cast a vote for these important judicial offices this year. With this politically rigged process for electing judges, we delegitimize their elections in North Carolina, we tamper with democracy in general, and we cast a shadow of doubt on the justice system as a whole.

We deserve better.

Please learn about our Republican judges by visiting our website here.


Voters discouraged from voting in judicial races

Civitas staff
August 21, 2008

Raleigh, N.C. – Judicial elections held this fall in North Carolina will be hampered by a lack of information on the candidates for judicial office. Information in the form of party affiliation is sometimes the only information available to voters in an election. North Carolina has removed that information by making judicial races “non-partisan.”

Recent polling and election analysis conducted by the Civitas Institute shows the impact party identification has on the likelihood of voters to cast a ballot in statewide judicial elections, and their ability to make an informed decision, in a given election.

Civitas polled the only 2008 race for the North Carolina Supreme Court in July and August. In July when assigning respective party identification to the two candidates, Republican Robert Edmunds and Democrat Suzanne Reynolds, 31% of respondents were not sure of their choice. When the same question was asked in August with no party identification, fully 74% of respondents said they were not sure. When deprived of party identification, three out of four voters were unable to make a selection.

Senate Bill 1054 passed in 2002, made appellate judicial elections non-partisan removing party affiliation from ballots. “This change is a significant reason that a large number of voters are no longer voting in these important judicial elections,” according to Francis De Luca, the Executive Director of the Civitas Institute.

“If the intention of judicial election and campaign finance reform was to reduce the number of people who are voting on judges in North Carolina, then it has worked,” said De Luca. …

NCGOP E-Letter - August 21, 2008

OBAMA TAX PLAN FOR NC

MCCRORY RECEIVES HIGH MARKS FOR DEBATE
Wrong Tools For The Job

By John Hood
Carolina Journal Online
August 20, 2008

RALEIGH – Bev Perdue needed a ladder. Instead, she brought a shovel.

Having dug herself deeply into a political hole over the past two weeks on the key issue of offshore drilling for oil and natural gas, Perdue came into Tuesday night’s live television debate with Pat McCrory needing to offer a more coherent position. She needed to explain how she could go from being “100 percent opposed” to drilling off the North Carolina coast just last week to being, well, for drilling this week if Congress and a governmental panel say it’s okay – maybe. And she needed to perform better than in her first TV debate with McCrory back in June.

During the hourlong forum on WTVD, the Triangle’s ABC affiliate, Perdue did herself few favors. Overly programmed with soundbites, she overused some and stuffed others into unrelated topics. After each exchange, her face broke out in her trademark smile. Grins and gentility are worth something in North Carolina politics, but they’re no substitute for a relevant message, expressed clearly and convincingly.

Both candidates had some important rhetorical goals going into the debate. McCrory needed to tie Perdue to an unpopular Democratic administration in Raleigh while keeping the discussion focused on issues where he believes he enjoys an advantage, such as energy and crime. Perdue needed to tie McCrory to an unpopular Republican administration in Washington while making him look risky, unproven, or indifferent to middle-class anxieties about college affordability and health care.

McCrory accomplished his appointed tasks smoothly. After Perdue proclaimed herself “the health care leader in North Carolina for the past eight years,” McCrory referred several times to the failures of “this administration in Raleigh” over those eight years, on health care and other matters. Basically, she set herself up. The mayor kept it light, choosing a few opportunities to be personal or passionate – when he discussed the recent death of a mental patient in a state hospital, for example, or his attendance at policemen’s funerals – but otherwise seeming relaxed and confident….

That’s not the strategy Perdue chose. She chose to preen and peddle meaningless soundbites. And it cost her.

Click here for the full article…

A GOOD DEBATE GOES TO MCCRORY

By Doug Clark
Greensboro News & Record
August 20, 2008

The Perdue-McCrory debate produced by WTVD last night was very good. Too bad no Triad stations picked up the broadcast. I had to watch on the Web.

I scored the debate in Pat McCrory's favor. Counting opening and closing statements and answers to a dozen questions, I thought he won 6 rounds, Beverly Perdue won 2 and 6 were even.

McCrory's opening statement set the tone. He started by noting a Democratic attack ad on TV that's labeling him as dangerous for North Carolina. He said he thought the real dangers to the state are posed by gangs and crime, poor roads, a failing mental-health system and corruption in state government. McCrory effectively pursued those themes for the next hour.

Perdue claims an advantage in health care -- in fact, she twice called herself "the health-care leader in North Carolina for the past eight years" -- but McCrory answered with a strong reference to the state's mental-health debacle, an example of mismanagement that's cost hundreds of millions of dollars and dozens of lives. As lieutenant governor, Perdue actually wasn't in charge of that, but if she's going to declare herself the state's health-care leader for the past eight years, she's inviting trouble….

McCrory probably was at his best on the issues of open government and crime. Perdue said all the right things in answering questions on those topics, but McCrory deftly pointed out quite correctly that Democratic Gov. Mike Easley and the Democratic legislature have not been champions of open government. Perdue didn't try to defend them. On crime, McCrory recounted the frustrations he and other mayors had for years trying to get the governor and legislators to pass tougher laws to deal with gangs. He also mentioned the Eve Carson murder case as evidence of the broken criminal-justice system….

Overall, however, McCrory handled himself very well and effectively took advantage of opportunities to rebut Perdue. She tried to hit him with haymakers about his support for school vouchers and opposition to the lottery but didn't connect for lack of time to elaborate. But both conducted themselves very civilly, giving viewers a better understanding of their views and personalities.

Click here for the full article…

Click below to view the entire debate…

Part 1 of the NC Gubernatorial Debate

Part 2 of the NC Gubernatorial Debate

MCCAIN TAKES LEAD OVER OBAMA: POLL

By John Whitesides
Washington Post
August 20, 2008

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a sharp turnaround, Republican John McCain has opened a 5-point lead on Democrat Barack Obama in the U.S. presidential race and is seen as a stronger manager of the economy, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

McCain leads Obama among likely U.S. voters by 46 percent to 41 percent, wiping out Obama's solid 7-point advantage in July and taking his first lead in the monthly Reuters/Zogby poll.

The reversal follows a month of attacks by McCain, who has questioned Obama's experience, criticized his opposition to most new offshore oil drilling and mocked his overseas trip.

The poll was taken Thursday through Saturday as Obama wrapped up a weeklong vacation in Hawaii that ceded the political spotlight to McCain, who seized on Russia's invasion of Georgia to emphasize his foreign policy views….

McCain now has a 9-point edge, 49 percent to 40 percent, over Obama on the critical question of who would be the best manager of the economy -- an issue nearly half of voters said was their top concern in the November 4 presidential election.

That margin reversed Obama's 4-point edge last month on the economy over McCain, an Arizona senator and former Vietnam prisoner of war who has admitted a lack of economic expertise and shows far greater interest in foreign and military policy.

McCain has been on the offensive against Obama during the last month over energy concerns, with polls showing strong majorities supporting his call for an expansion of offshore oil drilling as gasoline prices hover near $4 a gallon….

Click here for the full article…

DOLE VISITS CHERRY POINT

By Drew C. Wilson
Havelock News
August 15, 2008

Elizabeth Dole discussed military family issues during a speech at the Officers' Spouses Club of Cherry Point on Friday.

The U.S. senator, a member of the Armed Services Committee, spoke about the effort to help military families separated during deployments through the Red Cross' Armed Forces Emergency Services program, which helps families during times of crisis.

During an interview at the Havelock News prior to the base visit, she mentioned her close ties to the military while she was head of the Red Cross.

"I had actually several retired generals who had come out of the military who were heading up major departments," she said. "One headed up the blood services and another headed up disaster relief. We had lots of close connections to the military during those days."

Dole said a personal relationship with an Iraq veteran from New Bern and his family led to changes in the Family Medical Leave Act allowing for more time off work for family members of badly wounded troops.

Eric Edmundson suffered severe head injuries, and his father, Ed, quit his job to care for his son during the recovery process.

"There should be six-months leave given from the Family Medical Leave Act so that when you've got a person who is severely injured - a family member, a spouse or a child - a parent can leave their job for six months and not have to give it up and can be there by their bedside," she said. "That can make all the difference in the world when you think about this young Eric Edmundson in that hospital.

"We got that into law, and I'm proud of it. We worked across the aisle and we got it done."…

Dole, a Republican, is running against Democrat Kay Hagan to keep her seat in the U.S. Senate.

Dole reiterated her support for oil drilling off the North Carolina coast, saying fears about the effects on tourism have been countered with better technology that allows for safer drilling. She said the country's dependence on foreign oil necessitates an energy plan that allows for drilling in areas such as Alaska and the Rocky Mountains as well as alternative sources of fuel and conservation measures.

"We were at about a $1.40 per gallon for gasoline back in 2002," she said. "And today, of course, it's around $4."…

Dole said she would only support drilling that is at least 50 miles offshore. She said the state's share of profits from the drilling could go toward beach nourishment and inlet dredging, projects she said have been shortchanged over the years in the federal budget.

"It's the right thing for North Carolina," Dole said of offshore drilling.

Click here for the full article…

GOP OPENS OFFICES ACROSS STATE
REGIONAL GOP OFFICE OPENS IN ASHEVILLE

By James Shea
Hendersonville Times-News
August 21, 2008

Western North Carolina Republicans are gearing up for the fall election.

The North Carolina Republican Party opened its Victory 2008 regional office in Asheville on Tuesday, and John McCain’s campaign recently drafted former congressional candidate Spence Campbell of Hendersonville to help.

“The job is ultimately to get out the vote,” Campbell said. “They do that by working with volunteers.”

Stephen Duncan, a Republican activist in Western North Carolina, said Republican efforts start at the top and work down the ticket to state and national candidates.

“We are reaching right into the grassroots of Western North Carolina,” Duncan said.

Republicans are opening similar offices around the country with the help of the Republican National Committee. The offices will serve as a place to call potential Republican voters and encourage them to vote in November.

“It’s feeling out people, finding out their needs,” Duncan said.

Hendersonville Mayor Greg Newman traveled to Asheville on Wednesday for the opening of the Victory 2008 office. He said the office is an important part of the Republicans’ efforts in Western North Carolina.

“This is an old-fashioned get in touch with people,” Newman said….

The main thrust, for Campbell, is establishing coalitions. Examples of these are Veterans for McCain, Women for McCain and Sportsmen for McCain. Campbell wants to find leaders who can champion and organize each group.

“My job is to find people who can take the lead in these coalitions,” Campbell said.

Henderson County Republicans want to push the McCain candidacy, he said, which will then help all the other Republicans in the state.

“This all starts with McCain and filters down to the local offices,” Campbell said….

Click here for the full article…

NC REPUBLICANS OPEN WILMINGTON OFFICE

By Vicky Eckenrode
August 21, 2008

New Hanover County Republicans officially opened their campaign headquarters on Wednesday, urging supporters to ramp up their efforts in the run up to Nov. 4.

"We are asking you to work hard. I'm going to ask you to ask your neighbor to work hard," North Carolina GOP Chairwoman Linda Daves said to about 50 people gathered outside the office at Wrightsville and Orchard avenues.

The Wilmington post was one of three county campaign offices Daves opened Wednesday, with the others in Fayetteville and Greenville.

The state party has been crisscrossing the state in recent weeks to set up similar headquarters, which also serve as regional offices to organize support for Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee for president.

The headquarters will reach out to voters in an eight-county region to promote McCain.

After Wednesday's events, the state GOP had nine such offices across the state, said state party spokesman Brent Woodcox. He said state and local party leaders are coordinating for races all the way down the Republican ticket.

"It's a joint effort focused on getting out the vote," Woodcox said….

Click here for the full article…

DOLE PRAISES MCCAIN’S EXPERIENCE

By Brock Letchworth
August 20, 2008

Former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole says Americans need experience in the White House — and that is why he is supporting Sen. John McCain in the presidential race.

Dole visited Greenville on Wednesday while stumping for McCain and a handful of other Republican candidates, including his wife, U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C.

After spending the afternoon touring the East Carolina University campus, Dole served as the guest speaker at the grand opening of a local GOP “Victory Headquarters.”

Standing outside of the Commerce Street office, Dole announced his support for Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory's gubernatorial campaign, called his wife a brilliant woman who is currently being targeted by Democratic rival Kay Hagan and noted several other local and state GOP candidates he said deserve to be elected.

Dole said his nearly 30 years spent as a U.S. Senator taught him that no one is perfect, but also brought to light the importance of conservative values.

“There is a reason to have that philosophy,” Dole said. “When you're voting age, you want to make certain your children are not going to be saddled with a tax burden and more government and more programs that we're not going to be able to pay for.”

Dole praised McCain for his time in the military, but said it wasn't enough.

Instead, Dole said, it is the Arizona Senator's resume that voters should admire most.

“I've always felt that if I was going to have brain surgery, I would hope the doctor has done one or two more before I got there,” Dole said. “There is something about being first there that doesn't excite me. There is no question who has the experience. I'm not saying a bad thing about the other candidate, except the facts are he doesn't have the experience, and John McCain does.”…

The local GOP headquarters is one of nine the Republican party has opened statewide. It will feature one paid staff member and rely heavily on volunteers to register voters and promote early voting, said Brent Woodcox, party spokesman.

Woodcox said the office will serve more than 20 counties in eastern North Carolina.

Nearly 50 people attended Wednesday's event, including state GOP Chairman Linda Daves, state treasurer candidate Bill Daughtridge, District 5 Senate hopeful Louis Pate, N.C. House candidates Ginny Cooper and Dean Stephens, Pitt County Commissioner Jimmy Garris and Greenville City Councilman Max Joyner.

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Obama Tax Plan for NC

Obama Fact Check

Obama Claim: President Bush, John McCain, and Republicans are to blame for North Carolina's struggling economy.

"A souring economy in North Carolina received another piece of bad news yesterday, with the jobless rate hitting a nearly five-year high of 6.6 percent in July, the N.C. Employment Security Commission reported." (Craver, Richard, "N.C. Unemployment at 5-year high of 6.6%," Winston Salem-Journal, August 16, 2008)

• North Carolina's unemployment rate is at its highest peak since 2003.
• Barack Obama will try to blame George Bush, John McCain, and other Republicans for North Carolina's struggling economy but voters in North Carolina are smart enough to know the truth. With Democrat Mike Easley in the Governor's mansion and Democrats controlling both houses of the General Assembly, it is the Democrat leadership in North Carolina that is to blame for local troubles.
• With an education system that is failing to graduate 1 in 3 North Carolina high schoolers, a crumbling and neglected infrastructure, and the highest tax rate on business of any state in the Southeast, it is Democrat policies that have robbed the state of jobs in an already struggling economic environment.
• Republican Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina has been quoted as saying, "The best marketing tool that South Carolina has for recruiting new business ... is North Carolina tax rates."
• The last thing North Carolina needs is Barack Obama as president with a high tax agenda that will further harm businesses in North Carolina, particularly small businesses.
• Because many small businesses file their taxes as individual income earners, Obama's tax increases that are only supposed to impact the rich will hit North Carolina small businesses hard. Small businesses create more than 8 in 10 new jobs in NC and Obama's tax increases will cripple job creation here.
• Obama does not have the experience to understand North Carolina's economy and he lacks the judgment and the will to lead the state in a new direction.

NCGOP E-Letter - August 13, 2008

“HOW CAN WE KNOW”

GRAND PARTY

By Erik Spencer
Winston Salem-Journal
August 12, 2008

It was a grand opening fit for the Grand Old Party.

Republicans young and old, some donning "McCain" buttons and boaters, showed up for the grand opening of the 2008 McCain campaign office in the Forsyth County Republican headquarters on Cloverdale Avenue in Winston-Salem yesterday.

Linda Daves, the chairwoman of the N.C. Republican Party, said during the opening ceremony that the GOP is picking up momentum as the general election approaches.

"This is a big year; I think the Democrats should be worried," she said. "Anyone that thinks that this state won't vote McCain for president is out of touch with North Carolina."

Congresswoman Virginia Foxx attended and thanked everyone for supporting the Republican Party.

About 100 people attended the opening ceremony and U.S. Sen. Richard Burr delivered the keynote speech. He shook hands and posed for pictures with supporters and said he was pleased to see Republicans doing so well this year.

"Trust me when I tell you all that as we get closer to November 4th, it will be the leadership and principles that win us the election," he told the crowd. "I can't remember a time in history when so many Republicans had the chance to carry out the types of change we needed."

Bill Miller, the chairman of the Forsyth County Republican Party, said that the office will help the McCain campaign and Republicans. He said that in past elections around 500 Republican Party volunteers made phone calls and canvassed neighborhoods in hopes of getting people to register to vote Republican.

"We're going to make several thousand calls out of there for the campaign," he said. "From here on out until November we're going to be very, very busy."…

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GOP PREACHES TO THE CHOIR AT OFFICE OPENING
Along with McCain, Republican candidates get support

By Mark Binker

Greensboro News & Record
August 12, 2008

HIGH POINT - Former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole acknowledged he was playing to a friendly crowd Monday as he helped open the Triad's "Victory Office," a joint headquarters for the state Republican party and John McCain's presidential campaign.

"It's like speaking to the choir," Dole said. "It's not a bad idea from time to time. Sometimes you forget to speak to the choir and they don't work as hard as they did."

Republicans opened three such offices in the state Monday, including Winston-Salem and Raleigh. They're part of a network of nine offices the party is opening in the state. Sen. Barack Obama, McCain's Democratic rival, will open his 16th office in the state today in Cary.

The offices serve as a place to organize volunteers and coordinate door-knocking and other grass-roots efforts.

Dole, a former Kansas senator and Republican presidential candidate, is married to N.C. Sen. Elizabeth Dole. He said his wife gives him regular updates on doings in Washington, "whether I want them or not."

In addition to Dole, U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, U.S. Rep. Howard Coble, state GOP Chairman Linda Daves and county Chairman Bill Wright spoke to the crowd of about 80 people at the new Guilford County office. Other candidates and elected Republicans, including state Rep. Laura Wiley, were present….

"This is the first time that North Carolina Republicans have had as strong a ticket at the top as they do at the bottom, and I mean that from the Council of State seats all the way up to the presidency," Burr said.

For his part, Dole argued that John McCain's international experience will win over North Carolina voters. The security situation in Iraq will continue to improve and show McCain was right to support the troop surge, he said.

And new international problems, such as the conflict between Russia and the former Soviet republic of Georgia, will make North Carolinians look to McCain instead of Obama.

"This again emphasizes which one of these candidates has the experience," Dole said. "What would Obama do ... and what would McCain do? People will make a judgment."…

"Now, conversely, I feel better about McCrory," Coble said, referring to the Charlotte mayor running for governor. "With the passage of each recent day, I feel better about McCain; things may break for us yet. But as I go around my district ... I feel more and more McCrory could be elected governor."

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THE NCGOP CONGRATULATES KYLE HALL AND THE WEST STOKES TEENAGE REPUBLICANS FOR THEIR RECENT NATIONAL AWARDS

Both the West Stokes Teenage Republicans and its chairman, Kyle Hall, received awards during the National Teenage Republicans Leadership Conference held in Alexandria, Virginia last month. While the club from West Stokes High School in King, NC received the “Outstanding Teenage Republican Club in the Nation” award, Kyle Hall was awarded the “Outstanding Teenage Republican in the Nation award” by the National TARS organization.

To be considered for these awards, the club members and club leaders must work within their local Republican parties, be involved with serving their schools and devote time to community service projects.

Click here to visit their website…

FROM THE NCGOP PRESSROOM: BEV PERDUE TIED TO MORE CORRUPTION AND SHADY DEALING

NCGOP Press Release

August 8, 2008

RALEIGH—Just one day after being tied to a scandal involving the imprisonment of a former state environmental official, Bev Perdue was exposed for being involved in more corruption and secrecy. A story running in today's News & Observer documents preferential treatment being afforded to an aide to the Lieutenant Governor who was allowed to review Perdue's files at the State Ethics Commission, including her financial disclosures. When Amanda Thaxton, an office assistant at the State Ethics Commission, tried to document the special treatment and circumvention of policy, the record was changed by the commission's assistant director, Kathleen Edwards. Later, after a News & Observer reporter asked the commission's executive director, Perry Newson, about the public records log that had been changed, Newson responded by firing Thaxton.

"The Perdue aide, Will Polk, who is Perdue's general counsel . . . said he reviewed Perdue's statements because she had not reported her interest in a development company on her 2003 and 2004 statements. The next day, he filed supplemental reports showing her interest in BBA Development Corp." (Kane, Dan, "Auditor probes ethics agency," The News & Observer, August 8, 2008)

Chairman Linda Daves, North Carolina Republican Party, made the following statement:

"Secrecy, corruption, preferential treatment, and cover-ups. Haven't we seen enough of this type of behavior in state government over the last few years? A state employee stands up to tell the truth and she ends up losing her job. Sound familiar? The culture of dishonesty, intimidation, and conspiracy that has plagued Democrat public officials must end. Bev Perdue is an entrenched part of this system of corruption. Electing Perdue as Governor would only mean more of the same. It is time for a change in Raleigh. It is time to end the culture of corruption in state government and offer a new culture of transparency and accountability. Pat McCrory is the only candidate in the race for Governor with a credible claim to being able to end corruption in state government."

“FAMILY”

NCGOP E-Letter - August 7, 2008

WHERE’S POSITIVE BEV?

The North Carolina Republican Party released a new web video entitled, "Where's Positive Bev?" The ad questions what happened to Lt. Gov. Bev Perdue's promise to run a positive campaign and her criticism of third party ads being used in the race for Governor.

NATIONAL REPUBLICAN LEADER EXPECTS N.C. TO REMAIN GOP

The Associated Press
Winston-Salem Journal
August 7, 2008

Chairman Mike Duncan of the Republican National Committee said yesterday that he doesn't expect that North Carolina will break with its long tradition of voting for a Republican presidential candidate this year.

But Duncan acknowledged that Democrat Barack Obama does hold some advantages.

"We just can't take a state as important as North Carolina for granted, even though it's had a great history," Duncan said. "We understand that we have to have a competitive campaign here."

During a visit with other GOP leaders in Raleigh, Duncan touted the policies of Republican candidate John McCain, a senator from Arizona, and said that the party is united behind his campaign. Some had questioned if Republicans would solidly support McCain's candidacy….

McCain has distinguished himself with a more comprehensive energy policy that includes both short- and long-term solutions to increasing supply and demand, Duncan said.

"The Democratic values and certainly the values that Barack Obama has been putting forth in this campaign don't match up well here in North Carolina, whether it's on national security, whether it's on gun ownership, whether it's on energy," he said.

Duncan and other top Republicans suggested that voters seem to be cooling to Obama's candidacy now that he has all but sealed his party's nomination.

"I think you'll see more and more people saying, ‘Wait a minute. I'm going for the substance, rather than the rhetoric,'" said Linda Daves, the chairwoman of the N.C. Republican Party….

Duncan would not predict whether the GOP will make any inroads this year into the Democrats' majority in each chamber in Congress, acknowledging that the slumping economy and rising energy costs could deter some voters from voting for GOP candidates.

But in North Carolina, Duncan said that Republican Sen. Elizabeth Dole is "very well-positioned" to be re-elected, and Rep. Robin Hayes, who narrowly won his fifth term two years ago, also can win the 8th District.

The Republican National Committee also announced yesterday that N.C. Sen. Richard Burr will serve as a co-chairman of the party's platform committee, which outlines the principles and policies for the GOP every four years.

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MCCRORY SPEAKS AT REPUBLICAN HEADQUARTERS GRAND OPENING

By Morgan Wall
The Mt. Airy News
July 30, 2008

Surry County's Republican Headquarters held its grand opening Wednesday morning, featuring an appearance by gubernatorial candidate Pat McCrory.

McCrory, the mayor of Charlotte, cut the ribbon signaling the grand opening of the headquarters after making a brief speech to those in attendance. Several other candidates and elected officials, as well as members of the community, were at the event to hear what McCrory had to say.

After an introduction by Bennie Harris, county GOP chairman, and Paul Johnson, Surry County commissioner, McCrory spoke briefly on the major points of his campaign. He was even able to joke with attendees about Andy Giffith's endorsement of Democrat candidates.

While Griffith endorses Democrats, McCrory said, “I'm convinced Andy Taylor, the sheriff, would elect Pat McCrory. He would be afraid to put Otis in the jail cell because he would be in there with 20 or 30 other criminals. He would be disgusted with the gangs we have in North Carolina.”

He also spoke about economic development, education and the current energy crisis. McCrory believes that it is difficult to attract new industry to the state because North Carolina has one of the highest corporate tax rates in the country. When the state is able to attract new industry, he believes the drop out rate within the schools is leading to a lack of employees to the industry….

“We live in the greatest state and it's time we have a governor that quits dividing us. I'm giving the same message in the east, the piedmont and the west,” he said. “If we're going to win this election, we've got to get out of this building.”

The headquarters, which has been open since the end of February, is located next to Roses off Independence Boulevard.

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McCain urges Congress back to resolve energy problems
McCain visits Fermi 2

By Tina Lam
Detroit Free-Press
August 5, 2008

NEWPORT -- As supporters and opponents demonstrated outside the gates to the Fermi 2 nuclear plant, John McCain toured the plant for 45 minutes with politicians and plant workers.

After looking into the main turbine generators and control room, he said the country needs to get serious about energy independence. He noted that his first experience with nuclear power was in the Navy.

“I knew it was safe then,” he said. “I know it’s safe now.” He said Democratic leaders in Congress, which is now on a five-week recess, should call legislators back into session to deal with energy challenges the country faces.

McCain was accompanied by Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina, a strong backer of nuclear power….

"We've got to come up with some other energy answers," said Mike Bouchard, former Oakland County Sheriff, who met McCain on the tarmac after his plane arrived. "We've got to look at nuclear, wind, solar, natural gas, everything we can," he said. Bouchard said people are angry about rising gas prices and meanwhile, Congress has recessed for five weeks without providing any solutions….

Across the street, about a dozen pro-McCain women wearing pins, carrying blue McCain signs and holding an American flag, held up signs of their own. "McCain for clean energy, good jobs," said one green sign….

At the airport, Goldie Feinberg, 80, was one of the lucky few who got to greet McCain as he stopped off the plane. A former Democrat and ex-Hillary Clinton supporter, Feinberg has switched allegiances and now volunteers all day, four days a week for McCain. "He's been a stand-up guy all along," she said.

One of the things she likes about McCain is his ability to work across the aisle in Congress, she said. "If anyone can unify us, it's McCain," she said.

His character, integrity, honesty and service to his country all draw her to him, she said. "He's my man."…

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FAMILY

ILLEGAL ALIENS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES: LET THE VOTERS DECIDE

Dr. Jameson Taylor
Civitas Institute
August 6, 2008

Kudos to N.C. Community College System (NCCCS) President Scott Ralls. Faced with the prospect of yet again changing the community college system’s stance on enrolling illegal aliens, Ralls asked the State Board of Community Colleges to take up this controversy at its next meeting on August 15. Before making a decision, the board should consider that the NCCCS has changed its mind four times over the past seven years about whether to admit illegal aliens. The board should also consider that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has suggested North Carolina decide for itself whether to admit illegal aliens to its community colleges. By this, I don’t think DHS meant a largely anonymous state board, albeit one that includes a handful of elected officials, such as Lieutenant Governor Beverly Perdue and Treasurer Richard Moore. “Deciding for itself” means letting the voters – or their elected representatives – resolve this question, as they should have done during the 2008 session.

Of course, the problem is that the General Assembly doesn’t want to decide – or at least they didn’t in an election year. This explains why the House failed to consider a proposal by Representative George Cleveland (R-Onslow) that would have banned illegal aliens from all state colleges and universities. Likewise, legislators failed to take up a counter measure, sponsored by Pricey Harrison (D-Guilford), that would have prevented the community college system from inquiring about immigration status for admission purposes. In May, House Speaker Joe Hackney (D-Orange) confessed that the Democratic caucus hadn’t talked about it. This is primarily because one week before the session began the attorney general’s office made the problem go away. They did so by suggesting that the colleges reinstitute their previous policy (implemented in 2001) of not admitting illegal aliens while also petitioning the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for clarification. Oddly enough, the colleges took this advice, knowing DHS was likely to reply as it did, as foreshadowed by an unofficial letter to the News & Observer dated May 9, 2008. Even more curious is that DHS’s formal response was not released until one week after the 2008 session ended, thus permitting the General Assembly to go home without having to vote on this issue….

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Where's Positive Bev?

Coble Praised for GOP Milestone

The Republican 6th District Executive Committee organized a variety of local political leaders and guests who honored Representative Howard Coble with their personal reflections of not only a loyal and accomplished statesman but a respected and beloved member of the community. Last month, Congressman Coble became the longest serving Republican in the history of the North Carolina congressional delegation.

Valerie White, 6th District GOP Chairman, said, "When I first became 6th District Chairman, in my time traveling all of the counties within the District, all of the leaders expressed their respect and admiration for the Congressman and his distinguished service. It was truly an honor for those of us on the 6th District Executive Committee to be able to have this event to express our appreciation for Congressman Coble's distinguished service and our admiration of the man himself. Congressman Coble is not one to draw attention to himself but with his loyalty and service to the people of his district, he has set a standard for leadership that has inspired us all."

Coble Praised for GOP milestone
By Mary Anderson-- Staff Writer
Asheboro Courier-Tribune
August 2, 2008

ASHEBORO — Randolph County loves U.S. Rep. Howard Coble.

Coble, who became the longest serving Republican in the history of the N.C. congressional delegation on July 15, was affectionately roasted, teased and lauded at a reception at The Exchange in Asheboro on Saturday. The reception was hosted by the Republican 6th District Executive Committee.

“You sure do know how to make an old man feel good,” Coble, 77, said after all the accolades and humorous references to his reputation for being frugal, casual and for being a ladies’ man.

“We have had fun, but this evening was not for me. This has been a special time for all of us and I hope you enjoyed it,” he said.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole said it was “a joy to be able to relax, enjoy the music and honor this wonderful man. I love this man.”

Dole recounted Coble’s many accomplishments, but, she said, no one gets re-elected for 12 terms unless he provides good service to his constituents, and Coble was second to none at that.

“He respects everyone he works with from fellow legislators to the elevator operators in the capital building,” Dole said….“If our staffs perform well for the constituents, we look good,” he said.

On Asheboro’s recent referendum on alcohol, Coble said if he had been an eligible voter, he would have voted for it. Coble also recognized the country and gospel band, D.C. and The Chosen Few, from Rowan County, which played his favorite music.

The 6th District includes all of Randolph and Moore counties and parts of Guilford, Davidson, Alamance and Rowan counties. During Coble’s tenure, configurations of the 6th District have also included Alamance, Chatham and Davie counties.

Coble was sworn in on Jan. 3, 1985, and passed former U.S. Rep. James T. Broyhill in length of U.S. House service on July 15 to set the state record for the Republican Party. Coble was elected to his 12th term in 2006 and said he has no plans to retire.

Bob Hunter, a candidate for the N.C. Court of Appeals, said Coble couldn’t retire because he has refused the congressional pension and has to keep working.

Hunter was Coble’s first campaign manager in 1984 when they had a $25,000 budget and Coble refused to go into debt for the campaign. He won by 86 votes and entered the House at age 53.

The secret of Coble’s longevity, Hunter said, was “his personal warmth and the best set of political instincts of any man alive.”

Coble’s first chief of staff, Marshall Hurley, said Coble connects with people on a personal level and talks with everyone he meets the same way he talks to the four presidents he has served under.

“Howard has never cast a vote out of fear. His votes are true and faithful to the philosophy of his district. He votes his conscience because he is a believer in life after Congress,” Hurley said.

Alan Pugh, chairman of Randolph County Republicans, kidded that in these days of prepackaged campaigns, “Howard is not just another pretty face.”

Pugh said Coble wasn’t just popular and respected, he was loved because he takes a genuine interest in people.

Linda Daves, chairman of the N.C. Republican Party, said Coble has set an example for what it takes to be a leader.

Seagrove potter Phil Morgan said he had been asked to say a few words for the congressman, but spoke best through his work and presented Coble with an 18-inch crystalline vase in his new glaze — red, white and blue.

Coble said he was always amazed at what Morgan could do with a lump of clay and a bucket of water and insisted he would pay for the vase. Morgan said no and they agreed to continue the negotiations after the party….

His bills reformed, extended and modernized the nation’s copyright and patent laws, yet he described himself as “an AM guy in an FM world.”

He still refuses to work on a computer and insists on writing his speeches in longhand. His only concession to modern technology is a cell phone, but he draws the line at Blackberrys.

So it is ironic that Coble became chairman and is still the ranking Republican on the judiciary subcommittee on the Internet and intellectual property.

At Saturday’s reception, Sixth District Chairman Valerie White and Vice Chairman Bruce Wiley introduced the speakers and were reminded several times by Coble to introduce the candidates present.

The candidates included N.C. Sen. Jerry Tillman, N.C. Rep. Jerry Dockham, N.C. Rep. Harold Brubaker and N.C. Sen. Harris Blake. Other guests were Randolph County Sheriff Maynard Reid and Davidson County Sheriff David Grice….

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