newsobserver.com projects - eight ball - Comments

Re: Eight Ball: Cooper's decision

Gosh — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 20:24:56 -0400

I feel your pain domewatcher. I was among the first of my peers to prognosticate Bush in 2004 despite public polling.

If I may be so bold as to offer analysis of what happened, this is almost more Dole's fault than Burr's.

Every state has and needs a Star Senator and a Wonk Senator. The Star's job is to raise money, win, and protect the wonk that actually does stuff. Our Star Dole lost, and in the minority aftermath, Burr not only didn't shine as a star but said no a lot to wonk stuff that would make him more effective in order to fill Dole's void. Burr trying to be it all to everybody is equivalent to Burr doing nothing, or everything half-bottomed.

Burr was still learning to be a Junior Senator when his safety net Dole got tossed by 10 points.

Now he's less than nothing, and bad at even that as his first "public outing" to raise his profile this week proves. Burr's neither a star nor a wonk and solidly outclassed by even more Junior members now that he's in the minority.

All partisanship aside, Burr contributes nothing to North Carolina now, and it's not his fault entirely. He just can't. He's already lost. Blame Dole, McCain, Palin, whomever you like. The guy just has no independent presence to break free from the stigma of his own party's failures. Burr was recruited by Karl Rove for a reason, and that reason for existence is long gone.

Burr, on his own, simply can't please the wingnuts and mainstream constituents at the same time, and he's ham-handedly trying to do both without Bush and Rove to guide him anymore. You have to remember this empty suit was a proud 96 percenter voting for Bush's agenda, including the bank bailout, before the bottom of his ideology bailed out.

What the remaining DC Republicans need to determine is if Burr's worth spending $20, $30, $40 million or more to prop up and even make it a close race even though he's still a goner. For the history books, they passed on Hayes and were right.

Still, it's a hard decision to make since the GOP has scant places left to go or spend money. So I still predict NC to be the hottest, most expensive Senate race in America in 2010. But only because the GOP giving up and going home is no longer an option. Homeless parties have no place left to go.

As for all the Big Drug, Big Insurance, Big Oil and Big Globalist interests that normally fund campaigns against the grain of voters, they seriously need to start considering who's going to actually be writing legislation in the future, not just who they wish would.

Burr will never be more popular in NC than the percent of voters happy about CAFTA. End of story. See Elizabeth Dole and Robin Hayes for details.

Re: Eight Ball: Cooper's decision

domewatcher — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 11:03:35 -0400

Cassius:

"The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars,
But in ourselves, that we are underlings."

[Julius Caesar (I, ii, 140-141)]

These words uttered by Cassius Clay seem to describe Sen. Burr. I fear, for the first time, that I must agree with GOSH. It seems that the stars are aligned for Sen. Burr to lose his seat to either Roy Cooper or Alice Cooper or D.B. Cooper.

If I find myself continuing to agree with GOSH I will change sinus medication.

Re: Eight Ball: Cooper's decision

lpetrou — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 16:51:13 -0400

Instead of running for U.S. Senate, AG Cooper ought to be investigating corruption in NC. Why is it that only Feds investigate corruption here in the state; remember Jim Black? Are we not paying Cooper to do that? Now we hear about another Federal investigation of Easley and auto dealers. What's the story with that?

Re: Eight Ball: Cooper's decision

BitterEXdemocrat — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 07:45:43 -0400

the reasons Cooper may be polling well is because of the recent democrat
sweep, and rampant citizen IGNORANCE that is standard in NC.

Re: Eight Ball: Cooper's decision

Gosh — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 17:33:33 -0400

Burr already has an opponent.

It's Senator Richard Burr, and I for one love his work.

Re: Eight Ball on the top races

pickingperdue — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 16:25:00 -0500

Did you just say haha? Aren't you one of Pat's possee who just referred to me as a college freshman? Sorry to say this, but you sound more like a high school freshman here (a very,very young and immature one).
My Ouiji Board never lies, unlike your pal, Pat.

Re: Eight Ball on the top races

wolfpackalum — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:25:25 -0500

Haha, not even the odds of superstition favor your corrupt candidate.

Re: Eight Ball on the top races

pickingperdue — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 15:18:14 -0500

Please put your "magic 8 ball" up and get serious here. We need to consult
my Ouiji Board instead, and it says:
Obama: President
Perdue: Governor
Hagan: Senator

Re: Eight Ball on the top races

domewatcher — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:39:51 -0500

It is refreshing to see such honesty from the News & Observer. I had often wondered what your sources were.... other than Civitas. Does your magic eight ball also go by the name of "editorial board?"

Take good care of the eight ball because it sounds like it may be right on the money. Protect it from the big beard Palin supporter....just in case the prediction is wrong.

Re: Eight Ball on Tom Campbell's rap sheet

bellaparola — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 08:52:20 -0400

I was recently solicited for a Muscular Dystrophy Association (I think, can't swear it was them) lockup fundraiser, where someone is "arrested" and begs their friends and colleagues for "bail" funds. My money is on precisely that for Mr. Campbell. I appreciate the contributions of charities, but I absolutely never participate in these silly gimmicks and wish they would stop.

Ya think?

James_Protzman — Thu, 08 May 2008 18:40:19 -0400

Works for me, especially if he gets a new campaign manager.

Re: Eight Ball on Easley endorsement

MeckDeck — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:35:52 -0500

Is Easley that politically tonedeaf? Could be.

But it seems to me the fact that Hillary has nothing really to offer in return -- who finds Easley a credible federal candidate, besides paid staff? -- while Obama on the ballot in November could boost Demo turnout, to benefit of statewide candidates -- who would then, in theory, want to thank the guv for his help in making it all happen -- points away from HRC.

In sum, My sources say no, no Clinton for the guv.

JAT

Re: More speculation on McCrory

katysconservativecorner — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 01:24:17 -0500

Will he or won't he? Who really cares? We've got three candidates who have been working for over a year, and this guy just wants to jump in and run away with it? Who says he can? Is being from Charlotte too much of an anchor to drag? How will that play in the rest of the state? We shall see!

Good points on the timing of an announcement, RTB!

Read my take on Katy's Conservative Corner:

http://katysconservativecorner.typepad.com/katy/2008/01/will-mccroy-run.html

Thanks,

Katy

Re: Eight Ball on Richardson

liam — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 16:01:18 -0500

Richardson's campaign has flatly denied these rumors.

My gut is telling me that Obama isn't many people's second choice. Although I'm a terrible prognosticator.

Re: Eight Ball on Hagan for Senate

Prospero — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 14:29:08 -0400

Must have been an offer she couldn't refuse. She's almost always practical, with protecting her own self, and I think she'll regret it and knows she will.

So the wild promises from Chuckie must have been dear to her and credible, or plain threatening.