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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — On a recent afternoon, Rose Hamid sat at a table at one of the busiest business intersections in the city’s center, sharing information about her faith and handing out copies of the Koran in English and Spanish.
Hamid, president of Muslim Women of the Carolinas, finds peace living in the so-called Bible belt. “Charlotte is a city where people are strong in their faith,” she said. “That’s something that’s comforting for me.”
CHARLOTTE, NC — The recent executive order given by Governor Pat McCrory has raised new questions, and leaves many still wondering how it all plays out in the Governor’s race and South Carolina. WCCB Political Contributor Mary C. Curtis weighs in on how the different story lines could play out as the battle over LGBT rights continues.
When President Bill Clinton was winning two elections and presiding over economic boom times, his “Slick Willie” nickname highlighted a penchant for wanting to play all sides to stay on top. He was praised for feeling the pain of Americans and rode into a post presidency on a wave of high approval ratings, but the flaws are evident in his latest forays into his wife’s unexpectedly tough presidential primary campaign.
Though Bill Clinton’s telling off protesters in Philadelphia holding signs and interrupting his speech to remind him of the consequences of his 1994 crime bill may actually help his wife win some voters who believe the demonstrators deserve what he dished out, the image of the red-faced former president wagging a finger and dressing down young activists is not a good look. And his “I almost want to apologize” backtracking was condescending and too cute by half.
CHARLOTTE, NC — Ted Cruz and Bernie Sanders both pulled off big wins in Tuesday’s Wisconsin primaries upsetting each party’s front runner Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The victories narrow the delegates gap between the party nominee hopefuls. WCCB Political Contributor Mary C. Curtis talks with us about the wins and what’s next in the race for the White House.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – It doesn’t take much to re-brand a state. Ask North Carolina.
Here’s the formula: Have the general assembly call a special session to pass a law that revokes an LGBT-anti-discrimination ordinance approved by the state’s largest city — plus throw a few other restrictive goodies into the package. Then wait for the headlines that compare you unfavorably to Georgia, whose governor just vetoed a related “religious freedom” bill. You then become the headquarters for boycotts and petitions on one side and thankful prayers on the other. And, just like that, watch a once touted label as a progressive outpost in the South disappear.
– See more at: http://www.rollcall.com/news/opinion/north-carolina-lgbt-bill-political-personal#sthash.zKuDL6WC.dpuf
CHARLOTTE, NC — House Bill 2 continues to divide North Carolina and is drawing a lot of criticism from around the country. WCCB Political Contributor Mary C. Curtis breaks down the economic and political implications that House Bill 2 could have on the state and right here in Charlotte.
Sometimes, even when I suspect that he knows it will hurt him, President Barack Obama does not follow the script. The evening of the day when terrorists struck in Belgium, the president and his family attended a Major League Baseball exhibition game in Cuba. Why didn’t he rush back to Washington, D.C., or to Belgium to show solidarity with our European allies? “The whole premise of terrorism is to try to disrupt people’s ordinary lives,” he told ESPN during the game.
Agree or disagree with the choice—and Republican critics didn’t hesitate to strongly disapprove—Obama showed the calm that has characterized his presidency but that may be out of step with Americans’ fear of terrorism reaching our shores again. (At least, that what’s GOP presidential candidates and their supporters are hoping.)
When Obama was running for president in 2008, however, calm was one of the few emotions allowed in his public persona. If he had introduced himself in red-faced, hair-on-fire mode (think the current Republican front-runner), his campaign would have ended before it began.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A raid in Brussels now connects the deadly Belgium attacks to the November terror attacks on Paris. All presidential contenders are now calling for action in the wake of those attacks. Democrats Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton want to beef up the fight against ISIS.
Republican rivals Ted Cruz and Donald Trump say law enforcement should step up policing of Muslim neighborhoods.
Our political contributor Mary C. Curtis weighs in on the next step for Campaign 2016.
After decisive primary, it’s still a battleground, and the state likes it that way.
