Twitterman's Chaos Could Engulf North Carolina's Farmers

Fun fact: China -- at least prior to trade war threat and counter-threat -- bought a fifth of North Carolina's tobacco crop. More people smoke cigarettes in China than there are people in the United States.

Pork? North Carolina pork goes to China, too, along with all that nicotine. North Carolina farmers sold more than $250 million in those two commodities to China last year alone.

And what does Twitterman do but destabilize that income expectation for some 48,000 of the state's farmers. If there's one thing that farmers hate more than the weather, it's the expectation that expectations can't be counted on any more.

Former Congressman Bob Etheridge, who's become the point man on this issue for the NC Democratic Party, said, “Farmers today are scared to death. They’re frightened because they depend on predictability from their government. ... And what are we getting? This is what we’re getting from Washington today. Chaos. This administration continues to force chaos and confusion on people.”

Well, that's actually the least of what this administration is forcing.

Renee Ellmers: Tea Party Republicans Collectively Became "A Monster"

Renee Ellmers, who beat Bob Etheridge in the 2010 Tea Party uprising to represent the 2nd District of NC, apparently spills the beans about her fellow Tea Party freshmen in a new book, depicting the Republican Conference under Speaker John Boehner as something approaching the Freedonia of Duck Soup, or the student council of Beverly Hills High.

Someone Watched the Dems Debate!

The best political reporters in Raleigh, Laura Leslie and Mark Binker, analyze the performance of the three main candidates in the first debate leading up to the Democratic primary for governor.

Etheridge: Not Ready for Prime Time?

Newly declared Democratic candidate for governor Bob Etheridge was not prepared for two obvious questions at his first press conference last Friday: do you support Gov. Perdue's proposal to restore the 3/4ths of a penny increase in sales tax to fund education and do you support the NC proposed constitutional ban on gay marriage?

Etheridge ducked both questions, saying about the gay marriage amendment that it's up to the voters. Whoa.

After letting the dust swirl all weekend, Etheridge was on the phone today to the News & Observer to amend his previous duck-age: he's for Gov. Perdue's proposed sales tax increase and against the gay-marriage amendment.

But he may have only made matters worse by going out of his way to express his distaste for the underlying marriage equality issue: "We actually have a statute on the books that says a marriage is between a man and a woman, which I agree with that...."

The political straddle is as awkward as that syntax. Can we get us a candidate up in here who has come fully into the 21st Century?

GOP ... Prisoners of Queer Fear

The most recent poll we've seen shows that an overwhelming majority (78%) of Americans believe that gays and lesbians have as much right to volunteer to die in defense of their country as straight men and women do. Which is to say, an overwhelming majority of Americans believe it is time to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

But that 22% homophobic minority is the Republican base, so when the issue came up for a vote in the U.S. House Thursday night, most of the Republicans voted "no" (including Madam Virginia Foxx), and most of the Democrats voted "yes." Except, of course, for three predictable North Carolina Democratic blue dogs, U.S. Reps. Mike McIntyre of Lumberton, Bob Etheridge of Lillington and Heath Shuler of Waynesville. Nothing gay about them!

Just for the record, Bob Etheridge was the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee's first pick to run against Richard Burr this year. When Etheridge, bless his heart, backed off, the DSCC started blowing in Cal Cunningham's ear, and we're still dealing with that particular seduction.

Cunningham Won't Run

Cal Cunningham, prominently mentioned this year as another possible contender for the Democratic nomination to take on Dick Burr in the 2010 Senate race, posted on BlueNC late last night that he's decided it's not the right race nor the right time.

Leaving Elaine Marshall and Ken Lewis still definitely in.

And Bob Etheridge, congressman from the NC-2 who voted FOR the Stupak amendment on Saturday, is also still considering a run. We'd advise against it.

Cal Cunningham

There's chatter this a.m. over at BlueNC about Cal Cunningham, who's obviously itching to get into the Democratic senatorial primary for a chance to face "Bank Panic Dick" Burr, the Invisible Senator, next year. A whole host of possible candidates -- including Cunningham, Elaine Marshall, Dennis Wicker, and Bob Etheridge -- are waiting for Sen. Robert Menendez, head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, to tap the DSCC's pick, since a lot of money and tactical support would come with the tapping. Coronation by the DSCC would also winnow the field pretty quickly.

We've had a chance to meet and hear Mr. Cunningham speak a couple of times recently, and we're impressed that he would take the fight to Burr and is probably best equipped to generate enthusiasm among that newest Democratic demographic, the 18-30 age group. He's honing his attack on Burr and drawing the necessary distinctions.

Chuck Schumer, head of the DSCC two years ago, picked Kay Hagan to run against Liddy Dole. Robert Menendez will do the picking this year. It's not necessarily the way we'd like to see our senatorial candidates picked, but that's the way it is. Period.