newsobserver.com projects - Patrick Ballantine - Comments

Perdue & Illegal Campaign flights

concerned53 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:33:35 -0400

If the democratic party is going to pay for an investigator to dig up flights for republican candidates, let's not forget that Beverly admitted to questionable flights during her campaign only AFTER she was elected governor. How convenient for her and it now seems that she is getting off with not even a hand slap! In fact, the board thanks her for telling them 9 months after the fact. Where there is smoke, there is often fire!

Re: P.I. says GOP took unbilled flights

GrayJ — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 23:30:39 -0400

I am fairly sure that Fred Smith and Bill Graham own planes. This is pointless.

Re: P.I. says GOP took unbilled flights

mrclean — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:14:06 -0400

What relevance has that to do with Easley?If they have violated campaign laws and handed out favors and appointments charge them.

Re: P.I. says GOP took unbilled flights

mrclean — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 19:12:30 -0400

I don't recall any of the republicans as governor of NC and handing out favors,permits and commission apointments.

Re: P.I. says GOP took unbilled flights

BitterEXdemocrat — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:13:47 -0400

lol...grasping at delicate straws if you're trying to find much republicannot corruption in NC...doesnt happen like with the 'crackkks.

Re: P.I. says GOP took unbilled flights

ncpoli — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:46:46 -0400

Hey Ben, why not mention (as Wallace did) that the Republicans owned the planes? That's kind-of important.

Re: P.I. says GOP took unbilled flights

classifi — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:13:35 -0400

You would think the N&O would have done this research when they were doing their Easley series. But their goal wasn't "clean government", it was bringing Easley down. Either all who did it are guilty or "questionable" as the N&O likes to say, or none are.

NCGOP Race

PoliticalJunkie — Wed, 13 May 2009 11:06:52 -0400

It will be interesting to see if this thread spawns the same sort of thoughtful discourse regarding the future of the NCGOP that similar threads on Gary Pearce and Carter Wrenn's blog have generated.

It is really good to see that most Republican's are examining in such a thoughtful, careful and reasoned manner how best to make the party competitive in North Carolina.

If you've missed it you can catch up on the discussion here and here.

Re: White will run for GOP chair

Prospero — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:56:36 -0500

Before the (E-oMOBa v2.0) eMob starts its bombing run, scrambling up this comments section with their usual noise, I'd like to point out that Woody White makes this an excellent spread of potential chair-people for the NCGOP, after June, and the winner will be the one who builds the best grassroots connections, looks into the most number of justifiably cynical Conservative eyeballs and shakes the most hands.

Woody should do well, if he leaves the people who recommended he go nuclear on Julia Boseman in 2004, which continues to rebound and rebound and rebound. Keep those guys in Wilmington, Senator. If you take them with you on the road, you are toast.

As Bill Shatner used to say, when he first made the transition to advertising personality, "promise."

Re: Perdue opens Charlotte office

nc4me — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:25:29 -0400

I think this is a bad move for Perdue. Good news for McCrory!

Re: McCrory touts fundraising figures

ethan05 — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 10:44:24 -0400

Perdue may have ties to the old Jim Black era, and Democrats did a poor job of providing a candidate for Gov. But, if Purdue will help bring about collective-bargaining rights for state, and particularly local government employees, she'll win.

McCrory is a typical Republican, and we don't need Duke Energy in the Governor's office. Besides, Charlotte isn't the only city in NC, and it has become a cancer spreading. Crime, the school system and a bloated banking system are issues the Charlotte leaders can't handle. More taxpayer money from all regions of NC isn't the answer.

Ballantine - not a good comparison

Cdickson — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:16:17 -0400

I would hope he raised more than Ballantine. After all he was the nominee for the whole 2nd quarter. Ballantine was in a primary with Bill Cobey, Richard Vinroot and other sundry Republican nuts that didn't end until July 20.

McCrory is going to have to significantly pick up the pace or Bev will just overwhelm him with money to win the race.

Having never run a competitive race and lacking any State Government experience he appears unable or unwilling to come to grips with the awesome power of the Democratic Machine that is about to be deployed against him.

A two to one spending margin (see cash on hand numbers) is not a recipe for victory.

Re: McCrory touts fundraising figures

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 08:39:13 -0400

For those interested in the Fundraisers Dilemma, the campaign press release came out at 12:41 a.m.

— RTB

Re: Will SEANC endorse in gov. primary?

TiredOfTheBS — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 14:06:38 -0500

At least the SEANC Officers and staff haven't insulted everyone's intelligence and tried to deny it on this blog. Of course if it gets a little heated they are gone in a heartbeat. Remember last year when the heat got to them because members were posting on the SEANC blog about how corrupt and immoral some of them were and the blog got taken down??? Now they are all in the SEIU (union) pocket and doing everything to push us that way. Change Board of Governors meeting so we can endorse in the primary, check. File lawsuit against Perdue's opponent, check. Spend $30,000 to run full page ads against Perdue's opponent, check. (After we've been told we need to continually raise dues because of money shortage). EMPAC endorse Perdue for Governor, March 1st. BOG affirms Perdue endorsement, March 8th. Next up, have the BOG call a special one day convention so SEANC can go ahead and affiliate with SEIU. Then before you know it, charge 1.5% of your state salary to be a member of SEANC/SEIU. Of course NC is a right to work state so they can't force you to join a union, but they won't be stressing that too much I bet.

Barach O'Bamagh

bnartist — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:15:02 -0500

The Gaelic spelling of his name is Barach O'Bamagh
:)