Ballenger's visit with Chavez

ryanteaguebeckwith — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:44:59 -0400

President Obama's handshake with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez during a summit of Western Hemisphere leaders left many Republicans steaming.

Republican Sen. John Ensign of Nevada called it "irresponsible for the President to be seen kind of laughing and joking with Hugo Chávez," Jim Morrill reports.

But eight years ago this week, it was a Republican laughing and joking with Chávez — in of all places, Hickory.

It was the only U.S. stop Chavez made on his way back from a Summit of the Americas in Quebec. He spent two days with then-GOP Rep. Cass Ballenger, who hosted a barbecue dinner for the leftist leader at his home.

The two also toured several businesses, including Ballanger's, and visited a day care center.

Ballenger, chairman of the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee of International Relations, had met Chávez on a trip to Venezuela and said the two "hit it off."

Chávez took home a pair of baseball socks made for him at Catawba County Community College and a favorable impression of at least one corner of America.

"We've seen Cass' business, we spoke with his workers," Chávez said at the time. "This should be the idea of capitalism."

Sinsheimer's award

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 09:59:17 -0400

The N.C. Press Association honored Joe Sinsheimer.

The Democratic political operative was recognized Friday for creating jimblackmustgo.com, a Web site dedicated to bringing to light information about former House Speaker Jim Black, who is set to report to federal prison officials today.

Sinsheimer received the William C. Lassiter First Amendment Award, which is given annually to a non-journalist who has worked for open government and free speech.

The award is named for William Carroll Lassiter, longtime general counsel for the press association and former Raleigh city attorney. He died in 1998.

The award, inaugurated in 1988, often goes to politicians. Previous recipients include former U.S. Rep. Cass Ballenger, state Rep. Jennifer Weiss and a Haywood County commissioner who opened public meetings.