Mac is back

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.