Mac McCorkle

Campaign war

bniolet — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:56:45 -0400

Gov. Mike Easley liked to call on his trusted campaign advisor Mac McCorkle.

That didn't sit too well with Easley's former campaign manager, Jay Reiff, who was trying to get Treasurer Richard Moore elected governor.

See, McCorkle was a consultant for then-Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, who was in a heated rivalry with Moore for the Democratic nomination for governor.

McCorkle, who was called to testify before the State Board of Elections on Tuesday, said that at some point, Reiff called foul.

"I think they were strategically worried about my relationship to Gov. Easley and wanted to distance me from Gov. Easley," McCorkle testified. "That was in the midst of campaign war."

McCorkle was it a tough spot because Easley apparently had him on speed dial.

"I think he initiated more of of the calls than I did," McCorkle said.

Mac is back

markjohnson — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:24:44 -0400

Democratic consultant Mac McCorkle may be shifting away from campaign work, but he was back advising Gov. Beverly Perdue as soon as he got back into town a few weeks ago.

McCorkle recently returned from a semester at the Center of Theological Inquiry, an offshoot of Princeton Theological Seminary. He said he's transitioning away from campaign work after a string of electoral successes with Perdue and former Gov. Mike Easley, as well as a catalog of candidates across the country.

McCorkle, who does specific policy-based research and consulting as opposed to running campaigns, said he would still like to keep advising officials in office, such as Perdue, who is struggling with dismal poll numbers.

While at the theology center, McCorkle prepared a paper included in a forthcoming collection of essays on Reinhold Nebuhr, an influential 20th century theologian and philosopher who was cited as an influence by both presidential candidates last year. McCorkle's article reminds liberals evaluating Obama to remember Nebuhr's distinction between the "prophet outsider" candidate and what the "statesman insider" must do.

A shortened version of the article is scheduled to run on the History News Network web site.

McCorkle entering seminary?

markjohnson — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:17:41 -0500

Mac McCorkle, veteran Democratic campaign consultant, is heading to an offshoot of Princeton Theological Seminary for a semester.

He will be violating both tenets of the adage against discussing religion or politics.

And McCorkle, who was one of the conultants on Gov.-elect Beverly Perdue's successful campaign, is slowly extricating himself from politics.

McCorkle will serve as a development fellow starting in December at the Center of Theological Inquiry. He won't move to the New Jersey campus until March and will stay through June, which fits nicely with being able to see his son, Chip, graduate from Princeton University.

McCorkle, a Princeton and Duke law alum, said he'll be organizing programs that bring theologians together with policy makers and politicians to talk about weighty current issues. He'll be back at his Durham office in the summer and will continue to help Perdue, but he's trying to shift away from politics.

"I would like to do this kind of organizational, institutional consulting," McCorkle said, "and less campaign work."

Perdue endorses Obama

ryanteaguebeckwith — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:26:53 -0400

Beverly Perdue has endorsed Barack Obama.

The Democratic gubernatorial candidate and two-term lieutenant governor had previously remained neutral in the presidential primary between Obama and Hillary Clinton, Jim Morrill reports.

But campaign adviser Mac McCorkle said that she decided to endorse now that North Carolina has become a battleground state.

"She thinks both candidates are exceptionally well-qualified, but will be voting for Obama," he said.

Perdue is expected to do well with female voters casting their ballots for Hillary Clinton. But black voters, who have turned out overwhelmingly for Obama in other Southern states, are also expected to be a force in the primary.

Perdue's rival, Richard Moore, endorsed Obama last month.

Previously: Why Perdue might not endorse.

White House vs. Executive Mansion

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:49:52 -0500

Rob Christensen says a high-profile presidential primary would change the governor's race.

In his Sunday column, the N&O political reporter says that North Carolina could see the Barack Obama-Hillary Clinton "circus" come to town this year.

At first blush, he says it would help Beverly Perdue's campaign.

Perdue leads among black voters, 56 percent to 19 percent, and among female voters, 48 percent to 29 percent, according to a survey of likely Democratic voters released Friday by Public Policy Polling.
"A turnout increase among women and among African-Americans and progressive voters in general could be an advantage for Perdue," said Mac McCorkle, a Perdue strategist. "But we are not taking anything like that to the bank."

On the other hand, he argues it's also possible that a higher turnout of younger, unaffiliated voters could help Richard Moore.

Still, the increase in political ads and campaign coverage would drown out the other races, he says.

Previously: Gary Pearce says it's an "X factor."

Perdue spent $1.2 million in 2007

ryanteaguebeckwith — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 18:14:43 -0500

Beverly Perdue spent $1.2 million in 2007.

The Democratic gubernatorial candidate's biggest expenses last year were related to her campaign staff, including payroll taxes and services.

(Her overall expenses since her re-election in 2005 were $1.7 million.)

She paid $136,782 to fundraiser Marion Sullivan; $129,372 for policy research to a firm owned by Pope "Mac" McCorkle; $119,983 to a firm run by Mike Easley's media consultant, Saul Schorr; and $82,230 for polling to Peter D. Hart Research Associates.

Perdue also paid $42,060 to her finance consultant, Peter Reichard, and $31,442 to Rideout Research Group of Raleigh for research, according to campaign finance reports.

In addition, she reimbursed the State Highway Patrol $3,838 for providing a security detail at campaign events.

Spokesman David Kochman said that Perdue has the advantage of an existing network of supporters, allowing the campaign to spend its money putting together plans on health care and education.

"A lot of voters are just beginning to pay attention," he said. "But we've been working hard for some time to lay the foundation for a strong campaign."

Easley's new intern

bkrueger — Tue, 29 May 2007 15:44:32 -0400

The son of a top adviser to Gov. Mike Easley and Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue has secured an internship in Easley's office.

Easley's office announced the internship on Tuesday, along with 97 others in state government, for Pope McCorkle IV of Durham. McCorkle, an undeclared sophomore at Princeton University, will work in the governor's press office, Andy Curliss reports.

McCorkle's father — known as "Mac" — has been a key adviser to Easley since the 1990s and is working for Perdue as she weighs a run for governor. Neither could be immediately reached on Tuesday.

The interns are selected through a competitive process and none is taken if requirements aren't met, said Lisa Flint-Morris, coordinator of the internship program. She said she was aware of the younger McCorkle's ties to "the political arena," but that it didn't prohibit him from being hired. She said he did not get favorable treatment.

In all, 470 students applied for the internships. A total of 98 were given jobs in all areas of state government. The jobs pay $8.25 per hour.