newsobserver.com projects - Lending a hand to Uncle Pat - Comments

Re: Lending a hand to Uncle Pat

FFC1304 — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:24:37 -0500

So glad we have a GOP candidate this strong for CHANGE in NC!!!

Unless Barbara Howe runs again, McCrory is the guy to LEAD NC out of the oppressive abyss caused by 4 decades of democrackkk oppression, manipulation and CORRUPTION!!!

Re: Lending a hand to Uncle Pat

ncpoli — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 01:23:28 -0500

I'm not sure how they define "working for", Ryan, but he was sitting about 3 rows behind you at the WRAL debate with the other McCrory staffers.

Oh for crying out loud

Isaac136 — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 21:46:39 -0500

Oh sure, it's kind of sweet that widdle nephew wants to stick up for his unkie-unk. But as one who grew up in a political household, and as one who was, at a young age, (and still is at a considerably older age) passionate about politics, I had then and have held to this day a belief that advocacy and ethics are not incompatible.

I, too, thought (and to this day think) highly of my own relative-who-was-in-and-running-for-office, but I didn't lose sight of the example he set for honesty and integrity. He would have been ashamed of me had I NOT disclosed my identity when I wrote an opinion piece, so it wasn't something I could consider.

It's interesting how low standards have fallen these days.
I wasn't willing then -- so many, many years ago, and I'm not willing now to say that it doesn't matter that you model what you would expect your hero (whether cousin or sister or brother or uncle/aunt/mother/father) to exhibit were he/she given the privilege of serving the public interest.

No, I have no sympathy for the little jerk who didn't think disclosure was relevant. Hope his uncle didn't set the example of disregard for honesty that his family member has demonstrated.

Re: Lending a hand to Uncle Pat

deepthroat — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 17:49:06 -0500

He is still a very tactful and passionate kid, and you've gotta give him props for going out on a limb for his Uncle. I underestimated the Mayor, especially his sincerity and moderate positions he has taken over the years and presents for the future..he adds integrity and authenticity to the Republican race, which clearly is lacking in the erroneous, divisive, and unfounded Fred Smith campaign; and even more so in the inexperience, paradoxical, false front which the Graham camp is trying to create and make us believe -- I read somehwere today that he met with the Mullah's in Iran, and was able to persuade them to keep their price per barrell of oil at $90 for a year, without considering the mechanisms of the free market, while also securing the guarantee of spendthrift commodities brokers and speculators in America to not trade oil on the open markets -- all for just North Carolina -- but, he was unable to spend enough of his own money on commercials to persuade the North Carolina legislature from rolling back the gas tax 2 cents when it had already been capped..however, in his mind, that was victory!-??? Yet it could go on and on...lets just make sure to stop the hypocritical tyrant Bev Perdue and keep her out of power.

Re: Lending a hand to Uncle Pat

cal — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 16:54:55 -0500

I agree. It's not likely that he was actively trying to hide his identity (and maybe the assumption that he was is why he's getting so much attention). The simple fact is that he made an accusation this morning that was met with a firm and effective comeback. Tough luck, but not a big deal.

Besides, lets put it in context. It's not as if he's writing anonymous opinion columns in the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal. He was simply commenting on a blog. Not exactly a medium always held to the highest standards of political discourse.

Re: Lending a hand to Uncle Pat

MeckDeck — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 15:30:52 -0500

RTB -- Actually Packpat1 was active over at Meck Deck last fall as well, where it fairly quickly became obvious he was a relative, likely a niece/nephew/cousin.

This drew little interest then, but like I said, in a statewide race, the standards are a little different.

Let's not skewer the kid for being vocal, he was not and presume is not, on staff. If going overboard defending Uncle Pat is the most reckless thing he's ever done, he's got several notches of sane on me.

JAT

Re: Lending a hand to Uncle Pat

hayek66 — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:15:06 -0500

Did he find the dog?

Lending a hand to Uncle Pat

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:27:42 -0500

At his campaign kickoff, Pat McCrory called on his relatives for help.

"To the other members of my extended family, my brothers and sisters, and nieces and nephews, you'd better get ready to help Uncle Pat and Aunt Ann," he said.

As it turns out, one relative has been helping for a while.

McCrory's nephew, Patrick Sebastian, has posted a dozen comments on Under the Dome and The Charlotte Observer's Web site and even wrote a letter to the Greensboro News-Record on his uncle's behalf, as first noted by Tom Jensen on the Public Policy Polling blog.

The comments were made under the screen name packpat1, which is part of an e-mail address used by Sebastian and until recently was listed on his Facebook page.

Sebastian, a sophomore at East Carolina University, called for Republicans to recruit a candidate for governor with "good name ID," defended a poll by McCrory, called McCrory's mayoral rival Beverly Earle "corrupt" and another Republican gubernatorial candidate "a desperate man."

He also called Mike Easley a "do-nothing governor."

"Agree with that," said McCrory advisor Stan Campbell. He said that Sebastian doesn't start work until next week. He said any comments were not done officially for the McCrory campaign.

"He likes politics, and he's probably inclined to help his uncle," he said.

After the jump, Sebastian's comments on Dome.