newsobserver.com projects - Republican Mayors and Local Officials - Comments

Re: How big was GOP mayors group?

piperscot — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:12:07 -0400

RTB,

You really need to get a life. 'Splain to me what the heck the collection of voluntary dues in 2001, 2002 and 2005 has to do with Mayor McCrory's statement (you used the word "boasted", did Mayor McCrory tell you that he was boasting or did you just add that as a editorial comment, since I am assuming that you were not there in person when that statement was made). His statement must have occurred in 2000 when he was elected to the post and I guess that he should have broken down the 750 number into who has paid recently, who has ever paid and who has never paid. Can you get anymore into the tank for Beverly Perdue?

Re: Say what?

FFC1304 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:17:26 -0400

ROFL!

Hey RTB, maybe you could have a caricature done and posted here that would become your 'trademark' ... seriously. lolol>>>

McCrory on Bush: It's an honor for me

bnartist — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:17:17 -0400

McCrory on Bush coming to Raleigh to campaign for him:

"We ought to welcome him, and it's an honor for me. It's an honor for the state, and it's an honor for Raleigh," McCrory said.

"I'm not going to run away from anyone who wants to lend support to what I want to do for the future of North Carolina," McCrory said.*

WRAL text and video

By the way the "Picture with the President" cost was $10,000 per couple. How do you split that check when the contribution limit is $4,000 per person?

Re: Say what?

domewatcher — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 12:31:49 -0400

I enjoy reading the differing views presented on "Under the Dome" and think Ryan does an exceptional job. His reporting from the Obama event in Greensboro was interesting and timely. I read where McClatchy has an ethics policy. What does it say about employee photographs? I enjoy the Dome so much I wanted to get an autographed photo of Ryan for my office. Is that possible, and if so, what is the cost? I called the front desk this morning but the young lady who answered the phone was laughing so hard I could not understand her. I called back and made the request to another person but he cursed at me and then hung up.

I'm sure this is a frequent request but the front desk personnel must be new. Let me know.

Re: Say what?

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:37:12 -0400

Um, no. That's why it's called research. You go out and do some digging and ask some questions and then you see what you have.

The difference with the blog is that I share what I find as I'm finding it. I know that throws some of you off, since you seem to think that asking questions is biased, but it's what I do for a living.

Thanks for reading!

— RTB

Say what?

JimBlaine — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:31:18 -0400

Maybe there's something there, maybe there's not?

RTB, could you elaborate on what that something might be?

Re: Mayors group sought corporate sponsors

bgoldwater — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:19:46 -0400

RTB,

You must be doing something right...both sides seem to be mad! Why wouldn't we want to know what's going on?

Re: The tone of your pitch

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:40:01 -0400

Earlier this year, I did a series of posts on the N.C. Military Foundation, a nonprofit associated with Beverly Perdue.

I think if someone is running for governor, we ought to explore things they've done. Maybe there's something there, maybe not.

Hope that clears things up.

— RTB

The tone of your pitch

domewatcher — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 07:52:41 -0400

Is there a tone here?:

"the perdue campaign is feeding me this........"

Just asking

Re: Mayors group sought corporate sponsors

FFC1304 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 06:29:43 -0400

Its alot more appropriate to seek 'Corporate Sponsors' for an advocacy group than it is to expect and demand $$$ from the good ole boy democrackkks across the state who remain anonymous and feed the corruption under the table thereby forcing the highest taxes and most gluttonous spending in the Southeast! Its what 100+ years of democrat domination brings us. STRIVE to be SMARTER than a NC democrackkk!

Re: What is the point?

concerned53 — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:42:29 -0400

Amen, Jim Blaine. There appears to be no story here other than Ryan accepts, without questions, any thing from Perdue's campaign.

How about instead demanding that Beverly report what Sewell is responsible for in terms of contributions and then demand that they be returned. Just because the Ethics Commission , which is controlled by folks that contribute to Beverly's campaign, has dropped the investigation, the amount of contributions that he is responsible for should be the real story. Bottom line, you don't have to go very deep for Beverly's dirt. Just start reporting it...

Fess up Beverly! Why do quiet?

What is the point?

JimBlaine — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:13:02 -0400

RTB-

The tone of these posts seems to indicate McCrory has done something wrong or is involved in something devious or shady.

Instead of implying this, why don't you come out and say what the problem is or at least say, "the perdue campaign is feeding me this and they think there is a conflict of interest because xxx".

Conversely, is it possible that this group has been around for awhile and is a relatively tame organization that actually works to promote the interests of the Mayors?

Has Perdue been involved in any similar groups? Lt. Gov Association? Legislators' group? Base closure groups?

Or perhaps the Association of Scandal-ridden politicos or The Goverment Coverup Conference?

Just asking...

Re: RTB shows democratic bias!

concerned53 — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 16:07:07 -0400

Again what's the problem? He was leading a national organization to help gain some influence for Charlotte in DC. Way back in 2000!!!

Until you prove me otherwise, I still submit you are biased to the left as you print every bit of insignificant crap given to you by Beverly's campaign (including why did you have to promote the "bushes" that every reporter that Easley & Perdue have under their wings received - that's not news!), when you will not make your readers aware of news like the following: (particularly given the recent panic around the gas shortages, she is not showing the type of leadership that we need in Raleigh right now):

During an interview on WBT Radio in Charlotte the day that Ike hit, Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue advised motorists to get out and “get our gas tanks as full as they’ll let us do it during in the next 24 or 48 hours” due to Hurricane Ike. When questioned by host Al Gardner if this would create a panic, Perdue flip-flopped and said people should not overact and “there is no need for anybody to rush right out.”

Below is a partial transcript from Charlotte’s Morning News on WBT Radio, 8/12/08:

Beverly Perdue: “… this is a temporary price gouge, because that’s what it is, folks trying to get the most money they can get out of the limited capacity.”

Al Gardner: “You bet… just 30 seconds left. Who should do what about that?”

Beverly Perdue: “I think we all need to get out and get our, uh, get our gas tanks as full as they’ll let us do it during in the next 24 or 48 hours. And then we continue to watch what happens in the Gulf. Then, then the whole question becomes on Sunday to assess the damage. And from there we know what we have to do; I mean the country has this, we all know this, uh supply, this emergency supply that they can let go and this would be a time that the president and the Congress should have to authorize us using…”

Al Gardner: “But very quickly, Lt. Governor Perdue, if we’re urging everybody to go out and fill their tank right now in the next 24 hours wouldn’t that by definition create a panic?

Beverly Perdue: “Oh, oh I don’t mean that at all, and I didn’t mean to imply that. What I would do is to be very cautious about it not to overreact – if you need gas get some, but there is no need for anybody to rush right out because this is not going to be long term. Uh, the country has this supply that they’ve kept in waiting for this so I, uh, the truckers here, the folks who are on the road, find gas available, but what I was trying to say is don’t be concerned that you’re not going to be able to find it somewhere. It’s that there is still is a supply in this country; it’s not like last night while we were asleep somebody sucked all the oil out of the tanks all over the country. But it has been raised a buck and it’s really hard.”

Re: RTB shows democratic bias!

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:51:29 -0400

I am fact-checking Perdue's recent ad about McCrory's ties to Bush. The Republican Mayors and Local Officials group plays a role in that, so I am first writing about how McCrory came to be with that group.

The caricature was a mistake. I clicked the wrong box in the blogging software. It's been fixed. Thanks for pointing that out.

— RTB

RTB shows democratic bias!

concerned53 — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:38:17 -0400

Ryan, please help me understand the point of this article and to top it off, you show a picture of Beverly?! For whatever reason, did Beverly and her office send this to you to post, but why? If anything, McCrory demonstrates that he has developed some long term expertise regarding energy & the environment (versus Beverly just deciding that she has always been green and for energy). What terrible knowledge for a Governor to have, particularly these days!

Bravo to the Mayor for becoming President of the Republican Mayors in fricking 2000! I would hope that my local politicians would use leadership positions to lobby for their constituents. Instead, why don't you point out that either Obama has no respect for Beverly or she is doing nothing to build future political connections.

Incidentally, I had 4 long term democrats this weekend tell me that they were voting for Obama and McCrory. I can see why they would want to...If by chance Obama wins, at least McCrory will be working it in DC for North Carolina's citizens. The same can't be said for Perdue!