newsobserver.com projects - Lee Greenwood - Comments

Re: Five reasons McCrory beat Smith

citizenry — Sat, 10 May 2008 10:53:22 -0400

McCrory is by far the strongest GOP candidate for governor since Governor Jim Martin ran back in the 80s. Jack Hawke ran the 84 race and I will give him credit for being better than most NC GOP consultants during his prime.

I am a Richard Moore voter who will proudly be voting for McCrory in November!

Re: In Defense of Barbecue

Proctor — Sat, 10 May 2008 07:38:10 -0400

It is to be hoped that Dome will reconsider its position on political barbecues. Those events are great ways for rank-and-file voters to go out and meet the candidates in cheerful, casual circumstances. If word were to get out that N&O political reporters have lost their appetite for N.C. barbecue, why this could hurt circulation and advertising!

Newspapers once urged voters to look past the expensive television commercials and big consulting budgets to political personal outreach and one-on-one personal contact between candidates and citizens. Now it is as if the press wants political campaigns to be like professional sports events as they dwell on payrolls, media promotions and the like.

If newspapers aren't for honest and personal discussions between candidates and the voters, then who will be? And frankly, the state's major newspapers didn't give Johnston County state Sen. Fred Smith the time of day in his campaign, let alone a decent spot on their political news pages.

Voters in Eastern and Western North Carolina, where Smith swept an impressive total of two-thirds of the state's 100 counties, must not have minded the barbecues. Meanwhile, Pat McCrory, who ran such an effective and successful campaign in the Piedmont as did fellow Charlottean Richard Vinroot in previous Republican gubernatorial primaries, might do well to bring out some hush puppies, Brunswick stew, cole slaw and barbecue to some of his campaign events between now and November.

If the Republicans were to eschew barbecue, then the lines at Beverly Perdue's Democratic rallies will probably get even longer.

As a former candidate myself in bygone political campaigns, the main reason I gave consideration to making another race a few years back was not to go out and wrangle with rambunctious reporters or to arm-wrestle with other candidates but rather to go around to all the local political events and fill up on that good ol' North Carolina barbecue, no matter if it's prepared in Lexington in the Piedmont or Down East in Smithfield.

In fact, a would-be candidate could probably make it halfway through a campaign without the press picking up on the fact that he or she was "in it for the 'cue.'"

Oh, and don't forget the sweet tea with plenty of ice on those balmy summer evenings.

David McKnight

Re: Five reasons McCrory beat Smith

razor0397 — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:40:17 -0400

The Rotterman's are self serving. They are only interested in who they can milk. They don't like Walter. He is their meal ticket. You are absolutely right about the GOP future. We keep dragging out old candidates that think they can win by calling the opposition tax and spend liberal. The message is broken.

Re: Five reasons McCrory beat Smith

tarheelpride — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:21:04 -0400

You should have put the last reason first and you could have skipped the rest. Graham and Orr never had a chance but Smith has been campaigning for 3 years and did nothing to pick up votes. Mark and Karen Rotterman ought to be thrown out of the GOP for the way they handle candidates. This was Smith's nomination to lose and they sure did it for him. They also ran a horrible campaign for Walter Jones. The money Jones had to spend to beat a nobody county commissioner is a joke.

McCrory won't beat Perdue however because Jack Hawke isn't much better. The state Republican Party needs some help from the GOP in Washington, as our local leaders are old and tired. 8 years of Bev Perdue. God help us all.

Re: Smith paid $100,000 for campaign song

cal — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:55:47 -0500

I might actually consider enjoying the song if the thing didn't play EVERY time you opened his website. It could easily be the most irritating thing about his campaign...

Fred's voice would be a close second.

Re: Smith paid $100,000 for campaign song

natdug — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:55:41 -0500

The real question is if part of that 100k went to Jim Collins for ripping off the name of his book.

Re: Smith paid $100,000 for campaign song

RobSchofield — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 09:38:51 -0500

As we noted on the Progressive Pulse yesterday, in his introduction of the song, Greenwood appears to imply that the song was his idea and that he wanted to write it because of his commitment to the Smith cause.

Whoever came up with the idea, though, the fee Smith paid to Greenwood appears to work out to about $505 per word for the 198 word, three and a half minute song. You can read all the stirring lyrics here.

Re: Fred Smith: Proud American

greenlamp — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 01:54:56 -0400

kimkim=bill graham hack

Re: B-b-but

bnartist — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 21:17:34 -0400

Running? More like paving the way.

$45,823,641.36 and counting.

Re: Fred Smith: Proud American

Proctor — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:54:29 -0400

Democrats, take note: Lee Greenwood is coming in to sing some country songs for one of the Republican candidates for governor. So, the Raleigh press corps should launch an inquiry to see which Democratic gubernatorial hopeful will be the first to feature Raleigh's own Rufus Edmisten for some country, bluegrass and gospel vocal favorites?

At least these musical and legal luminaries will not have to endure the treatment accorded to the classical music enthusiast who went to his favorite opera company to express an interest in singing an aria or two of Puccini or Mozart.

"What part do you wish to sing" the opera manager asked.

"Why, I reckon I'd like to sing tenor," he replied.

To which the opera manager responded: "Why don't you try singing ten or fifteen miles from here?"

B-b-but

Anglico — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 16:48:30 -0400

He said that none of his votes would have made any difference anyway. Which raises the bigger question: what the heck is he doing in the Senate in the first place?

Of course the answer is simple: running for Governor.

Re: Fred Smith: Proud American

kimkim — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 15:37:58 -0400

Maybe Fred could prove that he is a proud American by not missing Senate votes.

This guy is shameless...