Easley Better Watch His Back

Tom Campbell, creator of NC Spin on North Carolina public TV, wrote this in his e-mail newsletter, Spin Cycle, following Richard Vinroot's surprise decision not to contest a run-off with Patrick Ballantine:

"Mike Easley now has a fight on his hands. The GOP thinks Mike Easley's support is soft and he is vulnerable. Patrick Ballantine ran a very effective TV campaign the closing two weeks of the campaign, ads that resonated with a lot of viewers. He is surging in strength even as Easley and Vinroot were tailing. Easley never hit the campaign trail in 2000, depending only on TV to deliver his message. Ballantine is a hard worker who will go most anywhere to talk to voters. The contrasts in style are very obvious. The race is on and the pros aren't ready to put big bets on either side quite yet. Yes, any incumbent Governor has distinct advantages. This one has fewer than most. Easley's chickens may come home to roost. He may be wishing he had done more attending party events, traveling the state, taking a more prominent lead on issues."

It would be nice if we had a Guv who could stand to go out and meet the people -- a campaigner.  The only time Easley has been to Watauga County is to pick up big checks from fat cats, never bothering to meet with ordinary voters, which suited both the Guv and the fat cats just fine.  That kind of stuff has an unpleasant reverb to it.  Rings a lot like arrogance.