N.C. Republican Party chairman Tom Fetzer surprised some editors and reporters at The News & Observer recently when he said he had some positive feelings for the paper.
Executive Editor John Drescher noted on The Editors' Blog that Fetzer got his start in the Jesse Helms organization, which was hardly friendly to The N&O.
"I grew up in the Helms organization," Fetzer said. "We were sort of taught as yearlings that this was the evil empire. I've matured a lot since then."
"I'm very proud of this newspaper," he said. "I'm very proud of what the paper has done about the corruption in North Carolina these last few years. I know that's been a difficult task....Without the diligent work of Andrew Curliss...and others, a lot of this would never have come to the fore. I think the paper can be very proud of its role in this." He was speaking of The N&O's reporting about several Democratic politicians who have gone to prison, as well as our reporting about favors and gifts accepted by former Gov. Mike Easley when he was governor. Easley, a Democrat, is the subject of federal and state investigations.
He concluded: "I want you to know -- I used to consider the newspaper an enemy. I don't anymore."
Comments
Re: Fetzer makes peace with 'evil empire'
December 3, 2009 - 1:45pm — ConMaxHe concluded: "I want you to know -- I used to consider the newspaper an enemy. I don't anymore." * Tom with a new senior moment?
Wow! So old Tom is sucking up to the mainstream establishment media to prove he is in their corporate camp.........
Re: Fetzer makes peace with 'evil empire'
December 3, 2009 - 10:20am — Isaac136I'm proud of the paper, too, but I'm a Democrat who wants to see the party cleaned up. It's hard not to think that Fetzer's new found fondness for the N&O stems from the benefits the GOP anticipates reaping from the recent headlines about corruption among the Democrats. Rather a stark coincidence, I'd say. Of course this is the same guy who quite suddenly found the urge to get married in the immediate aftermath of those ole rumors about his sexuality rearing up. I'm sure he's a very smart guy, but yikes, no sense of the obvious when it comes to his image.