North Carolina’s jarring GOP power grab feels familiar. Originally published in The Washington Post. ONE OF THE MOST SURREAL moments during last week’s fracas at the North Carolina legislature came during a news conference called by the state NAACP. The civil rights organization was blasting the Republican legislative majority for its brazen efforts to strip authority from […]
Democrats Make Gains in North Carolina Against Backdrop of Voter Suppression
Changing demographics, combined with the three-year effort by state Republicans to suppress minority and youth turnout, led to close races. Originally published in The American Prospect. BY 12:30 a.m. WEDNESDAY, THE RALEIGH where North Carolina Democrats had earlier been whooping in anticipation of a presidential victory had nearly emptied out. Stragglers were sitting on the […]
Equality Becomes a Talking Point in North Carolina Gubernatorial Race
With the state’s demographics and political makeup shifting, backlash against anti-LGBT law may help send Democrat Roy Cooper to the governor’s office. Originally published in The American Prospect. IAN PALMQUIST WAS RUNNING ERRANDS last Tuesday when the North Carolina gubernatorial debate came on the air. As the 39-year-old gay activist drove around Raleigh, listening to his […]
The End of Moderation?
To some Duke professors and alumni, the North Carolina legislature’s recent rightward is a dismantling of Terry Sanford’s legacy. Originally published in Duke Magazine. UNDER A MOONLESS SKY in the North Carolina mountains, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate named Terry Sanford stood on the steps of the Henderson County courthouse and made a proposal that seemed […]
Youth and Promise at the DNC
An N.C. delegate to the Democratic National Convention, Raleigh’s John Verdejo sees similarities between his personal history and Barack Obama’s. Originally published in Indy Week. UNTIL HIS PLANE TOUCHED DOWN in Denver for the Democratic National Convention, John Verdejo had never in his life reset his watch. The 29-year-old’s personal history was contained entirely within the Eastern time […]
DNC Day 4: Watching Obama and Gustav
In Denver, Democratic leaders aren’t shy about reminding the nation of Bush’s aloof treatment of New Orleans while its residents were literally drowning. Originally published in IndyWeek. TOMORROW MARKS THE THIRD ANNIVERSARY of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall. By chilling coincidence, Hurricane Gustav is now barreling toward the Gulf Coast, and New Orleans is preparing for another direct […]
DNC Day 3: They Called Him B-Biden
Joe Biden and I are both stutterers. Tonight, for all who stutter, it’s our moment on the national stage. Originally published in IndyWeek. I WAS WALKING TO THE PEPSI CENTER in Denver this week, talking with a former public official from Illinois. The conversation turned to Sen. Joe Biden. “I have a personal question,” she said […]
DNC Day 2: Streets of Gore
Anti-abortion activists confront feminists in Denver. Originally published in IndyWeek. DURING THIS WEEK OF THE DEMOCRATIC National Convention, it’s hard to walk more than a few blocks in downtown Denver without encountering clusters of abortion opponents carrying billboard-sized photos of fetal remains. They often make a lot of noise—but the demonstrators outside the University Club on Monday […]
DNC Day 1: Come All Ye Faithful
The Democratic National Convention kicks off with some old-time religion. Originally published in IndyWeek. THE FIRST WORDS I HEARD WHEN I heard when I walked into the theater at the Colorado Convention Center came from the University of Denver’s Spirituals Project Choir. Two thousand people had gathered for the first official event of the Democratic National Convention […]
What Makes Elizabeth Run
She doesn’t agree with her husband on every single issue. She doesn’t hesitate to say so publicly. And she doesn’t walk away from a fight. Elizabeth Edwards might just be the most refreshing political spouse since Eleanor Roosevelt. Originally published in O, The Oprah Magazine. IF ANYONE HAD QUESTIONED ELIZABETH EDWARDS’ credentials as America’s most outspoken […]
