North Carolina’s protest movement has galvanized the state’s progressives, but couldn’t stop 2014’s Republican tide. Its leaders say they’re only just beginning. Originally published in The American Prospect. All photos © 2014 by Jenny Warburg. DERICK SMITH ARRIVED AT THE KICKOFF for North Carolina’s 2014 Moral March on a raw February morning. He zipped his […]
In the Durham Bubble, Progressives Caught Off-Guard
Tar Heel progressives may not have loved their senator, but they worked hard to re-elect her—and thought they would. Originally published in The American Prospect. JUST BEFORE 10 P.M. ON ELECTION NIGHT, Debby Dowlin climbed onto the long wooden table at 106 Main, a cocktail bar in Durham, North Carolina. An organizer with Credo SuperPAC—which ran […]
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 Indy Week. 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 […]
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 Indy Week. 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 […]
DNC Day 2: Streets of Gore
Anti-abortion activists confront feminists in Denver. Originally published in Indy Week. 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 […]
DNC Day 1: Come All Ye Faithful
The Democratic National Convention kicks off with some old-time religion. Originally published in Indy Week. 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 […]
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 […]
Airline Insecurity
Federal regulators have known for years that the nation’s system of airport security was “seriously flawed.” But the FAA repeatedly placed politics and profits above the public’s safety. Originally published in Mother Jones. THE BUZZER SOUNDED AT AN AWKWARD MOMENT for Rep. Don Young. The Alaska Republican was halfway through a press conference on October 17, explaining […]
