Moses Wasn't the Only One to Spend Forty Years in the Desert: The Historic Passion of Today's Voters

As happens occasionally with me, I will take off my hat as candidate and speak as an observer of the political process.

Though what I am about to say applies to the 8th Congressional District, it applies just as equally across North Carolina.

Here goes:

This election cycle has the most fervent, most passionate political activists in 40 years.

Perhaps it is mere coincidence that 40 years matches the time period oft-relied upon in the Bible to signify “a long time,” but I respectfully contend that America – including North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District – has returned from a 40-year hiatus in the political desert.

And this political passion is not all among Democrats.

Yes, the vast majority of the fervor has been due to the historic candidacies of Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Yes, that energy is also due in great part to the almost universal animus toward the presidency of George W. Bush and his failed policies from stem to stern.

But the group of politically passionate persons also includes a personally surprising legion of folks committed to the campaign of Republican Ron Paul for President.

On that latter point: Even though there is a greater chance of Donald Trump getting a crew cut than Ron Paul being elected President, I witnessed a rather remarkable showing of support for the Republican Congressman and former Libertarian Party standard-bearer from the 1980s. Traveling the State I saw Ron Paul signs pop up like dandelions across the yards and highway medians of North Carolina. I personally witnessed previously-nonpolitical folks holding placards as persons visited their post offices and grocery stores. I saw Paul signs show up in the darndest places, almost as if campaign elves had dropped the signs and literature in the most obscure places. We all saw at one time or another the banners or graffiti which magically appeared on overpasses and bridges, extolling the Paul candidacy. And who could forget the creative use of the signs about a “Ron Paul Revolution” but which had the “evol” part appearing backwards so the operative word for passersby was “LOVE”?

Regardless, Ron Paul will not now nor will he ever be President of the United States.
Yet he somehow spawned a host of fans. And they were everywhere. (And apparently still are, by virtue of the renewed presence of his supporters’ work across North Carolina months after Paul had any statistical chance of winning even one GOP delegate in the State.)

Barack Obama, on the other hand, has regularly attracted amazing crowds of 25,000 to 70,000 people to campaign rallies and events. When one realizes that he magnetically attracts more people at one place than many major league baseball parks have in any given ballgame, it goes to show that there is something special going on.
When one also analyzes the numbers objectively – the massive increase in voter registration and voter turnout, especially among Democrats and Unaffiiateds who support the Democratic Party’s focus on “change” – it is clear that something special is going on.

With 1968 as a backdrop, it is truly exciting to be part of this historic moment – to be part of that “something special” that is going on.

Perhaps we Americans can now look forward to reaching the political Promised Land of our forefathers, one where a vibrant body politick exercises by word, deed, and ballot what “The People” want and need in our government … choosing the “better angels of our nature” to guide us, and not prejudices and nearsightedness.

Let’s hope that voters make the right choices in November so we won’t find ourselves in the political desert again in my lifetime. Forty years is a long time between political movements.

Eighth District Convention Rocks, Rolls Onward to Fall Victory

Eighth District Democrats parachuted (an apropos verb for the district that’s home to Fort Bragg) into Cabarrus County for the district’s annual convention this past weekend.

What heralded this convention – which historically is exciting and well-attended anyway – was the extra-palpable infusion of energy and zest: Delegates from ten counties applauded every word emanating from local and statewide candidates, underscoring their enthusiasm for what should be – by every measure – a victorious year for Democrats.

To get things started, District First Vice Chair June Mabry welcomed everyone. We also received words of encouragement from the Mayor of Concord, Scott Padgett.

I extend my particular appreciation to June Mabry heading into this convention because she helped lead the executive committee in my absence. As folks may recall, at the time I was thrust into the race for NC Insurance Commissioner on February 29th I was serving as Chairman of the 8th District. In keeping with the Plan of Organization, I temporarily stepped aside from the chairmanship during the pendency of the primary challenge I had. By action of the convention on May 17, the district voted to allow my resumption of and completion of my term as chairman.

Meanwhile, most certainly due a tremendous round of applause are the district hosts: the Cabarrus County Democratic Party. County chair Wendy Wood, Dr. Grace Liem, and their many colleagues helped turn Troutman’s BBQ Restaurant into a terrific convention hall. (The convention continues my theory that any successful political event in North Carolina merely needs a tincture of BBQ, chicken, hushpuppies, banana pudding and sweet tea to be successful.)

We also received inspiring words from a number of candidates. Among them were: State Sen. Kay Hagan, Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate against Liddy Dole; Agriculture Commissioner candidate Ronnie Ansley; Senate Majority Leader Tony Rand; District Court Judge Kristin Ruth and Utilities Commissioner Jimmy Ervin, candidates for NC Court of Appeals; and the Eighth District’s next U.S. Congressman, Larry Kissell.


As the Democratic Party’s nominee for NC Insurance Commissioner I also offered some insights. Everyone agreed that North Carolinians cannot afford a Republican Insurance Commissioner, particularly when that Republican candidate is someone who has pledged to change Jim Long’s Department of Insurance and its focus on consumer protection. Receiving the most applause from my remarks was acknowledgement of my wife, State Representative Melanie Wade Goodwin, and our newborn son, Jackson.

State Representatives Doug Yongue, Pryor Gibson, and Rick Glazier joined Sen. William Purcell in attendance as well.

I also commend the dedication, sincerity, enthusiasm, and politeness of all the folks seeking to become delegates for both the Obama and Clinton camps. In all my years as a Democratic activist never have I seen such explosion of interest for a presidential race. This all bodes very well for us in November, not to mention the tidal wave of newly-registered voters in all categories, most particularly in the under-30 age bracket. (Also of note: When asked to self-identify at the district convention, approximately 5-10% of those district delegates in attendance were completely NEW to the political process!)

After concluding the other business of the district, Democrats spent the next two hours winnowing the large array of national convention delegate candidates down to our selections. Kudos to Rand, Rep. Rick Glazier, Wendy Wood, and June Mabry for helping the crowd of 300 folks navigate through the maze of delegate selection rules.

With the plan of re-uniting for the State Convention on June 21 in New Bern and with the intent of rotating around the district in the years to come, the assembled Democrats wisely decided to hold its 2009 district gathering in Cumberland County.

All in all, the Eighth Congressional District Convention held steadfast to its theme for 2008: Teamwork to Make the Dream Work.

Wayne's World Returns!

Yes, Wayne's World has been on a short hiatus as the rigors of campaigning across the State have taken their toll on all available time. (By the way, did you know that there is a small stretch of North Carolina actually west of Murphy, North Carolina? Yes, it's true. And I've campaigned there, right up and on the NC-TN line. Stay tuned for a later blog post with feature photo of me pointing to a sign that reads "Manteo: 563 miles".)

Over the last several weeks, in and around the 8th Congressional District there have been visits by former President Bill Clinton (at least 3 times by my count) and Sen. Barack Obama.

We've also seen a deluge of visits by more and more of the statewide campaigns, doing their best to grasp for the remaining air not sucked out by the presidential candidates.

Meanwhile, today I received an updated spreadsheet detailing the new voter registrations all across North Carolina. The 8th District is looking really good, in my opinion (though I wish Union County's Rs were not as prevalent).

And, coming up just 2 weeks from today are the Democratic county conventions in all 100 Tar Heel counties.

With early voting slated to commence April 17, I believe it's more than fair to say the downpour of candidates from federal to local offices in the 8th Congressional District this month will bring to a quick halt what had been a drought - at least of the political variety!