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In the Wednesday morning quarterbacking after Hillary Clinton’s unexpected loss to Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential race, one criticism was that she had not employed that consummate politician former President Bill Clinton enough in her campaign, to speak to “the people” he could connect with and she could not.
But for all the mistakes the Clinton 2016 campaign operation and the candidate herself made — and there were plenty — sidelining Bill was not one of them.
In overworked America, with national holidays too few and far between, citizens look forward to each one. Memorial Day, especially, is a time of unity — a day to honor those who have served and sacrificed, without regard to political party or philosophy.
This year, though, that always delicate truce seemed particularly fraught.
Memorial Day 2018 resembled a Monday like too many others — the beginning of a week of sniping and fighting and irreconcilable views of what it means to be a patriot in these anything but United States. It also was a reminder that my commentary on the intersection of politics, culture and race is so spot-on, it’s depressing, and that those common experiences that Americans imagined we all shared were a mirage — if they were ever real.
Who would have imagined that the term “breeding” to refer to human beings would be making a comeback? Seen through a cynical lens, it is a useful word when, step by insidious step, one wants to deem some people as inherently less — and thus deserving of less — than other Americans.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Investigators working on the Russia probe have floated the idea of issuing a subpoena to President Trump.
Political Contributor Mary C. Curtis talks about the potential for a subpoena, and what it could mean for the investigation.
CHARLOTTE, NC –The following weeks will be the test, as President Trumpwraps up his time with France’s president Emmanuel Macron in an official state visit. Then, he hosts German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House on Friday. This is leading up to a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
Will he be able to operate as a leader on the world stage while keeping his promise to keep America out of overseas conflicts?
It is months away from November 2018, but that doesn’t stop predictions not only for the midterms but also for President Donald Trump’s re-election chances in 2020. But while the world of politics is preoccupied with whether a blue wave is inevitable or a figment of hopeful Democrats’ imagination, events outside the bubble might shift the electorate in unpredictable ways.
CHARLOTTE, NC– Early voting for the 2018 primaries starts tomorrow. A Washington Post article claims that Democrats advantage in the midterms may be slipping. In North Carolina, there will not be a presidential, Senate or gubernatorial race at the top of the ballot. But with seats in the U.S. House and state legislature, and balance of power at stake, polls and predictions have started.
Will there be a blue wave? Is it too early for predictions?
Belief in the separation of church and state has turned out to be situational, depending on what issue you want the government to highlight or ignore — abortion rights or aid to the poor, criminal justice reform or same-sex marriage — and which faith you favor.
This is a time of year that challenges that not-so-bright line, no matter what side you fall on, when the occasional (or non) worshipper nevertheless is drawn by devotion, guilt or nostalgia to traditions that otherwise are pushed aside.
And the lessons of the season for those of any or no faith can be worthwhile.
Russian president Vladimir Putin easily cruised to a fourth term this past weekend, surprising absolutely no one. The only nail-biters were how many people would head to the polls — always unpredictable when the victor is certain — and how completely Putin would trounce the token opposition. Now, presumably, the newly re-elected leader can turn his attention to meddling in elections in other countries.
Speaking of the United States, while both Democrats and Republicans would prefer a little more predictability in the November midterms, if not Russian-style oversight, it is members of the GOP who seem most nervous about the eventual outcomes, especially in close House races. And while the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity was officially disbanded in January, its spirit lingers on in hints from officials that certain votes should count more than others.
