When President Obama visits North Carolina in a planned stop in the Research Triangle on Wednesday, it won’t be the first time a trip to the state coincided with his State of the Union address. Last year, a visit to the Asheville area followed the event; Wednesday, the president is expected to preview economic policy at N.C. State University in Raleigh before his Jan. 28 speech. Are there politics involved? The answer, as always, would be yes.
Yes, Greensboro Four pioneer Franklin McCain, you did plenty
CHARLOTTE — Franklin McCain never thought he was doing enough.
An icon of the civil rights movement, McCain was one of the Greensboro Four, college students who changed the world by sitting down at a whites-only lunch counter at F.W. Woolworth. Their simple request for service denied inspired many others in Greensboro, N.C., and across the country, where the “sit-in” spread.
But when I interviewed him 50 years after that Feb. 1, 1960, event, and asked the man who continued his activism throughout his life to grade himself, McCain thought for a bit before he said, “C-plus.” He continued: “I look at the all the situations I’ve been in and all the efforts I’ve been a part of, and I ask the questions, ‘Could I have done more? Could I have done it in less time? Could I have impacted more people?’ Each time I ask those questions, the answer is ‘yes, yes, yes.’ ”
McCain also gave advice to those who felt a little self satisfied: “Look around you. Do you see things that are not just? Do something about it.”
Franklin McCain died Thursday in Greensboro, his family has announced. While the world lost a civil rights champion, I lost someone who inspired me – not from a history book – but close up.
Jan102014
Choosing Mel Watt’s successor — on North Carolina’s agenda
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Charlotte, N.C.- Former Congressman Mel Watt is now heading the Federal Housing Finance Agency, but his promotion leaves voters in the 12th Congressional District with no one to speak on their behalf. Mary Curtis joined Rising today to talk about the politics of choosing Watt’s successor.
Jan082014
Congressman Clay Aiken – what are the chances?
North Carolina is determined to make you look.
The state is not merely content to give observers whiplash by turning from a narrow vote for Barack Obama in 2008 to installing a Republican-controlled legislature in 2010 whose laws over the past year – on everything from voting restrictions to education cuts — have protesters marching.
Now a sprinkling of show business has added razzle-dazzle to the political mix.
Last week, the big news was a report that well-known 2003 “American Idol” runner-up and North Carolinian Clay Aiken, 35, is considering a run for Congress. Compared to that headline, the Indian Trail (N.C.) Town Council member who wrote portions of his resignation letter in “Klingon” was just a distraction.
Jan062014
Ringing in 2014 in Charlotte
Charlotte, N.C. – It’s a new year in the Queen City, but Charlotte residents face many of the same issues. From control over the airport, to the Voter I.D. Law, local lawmakers will have many tough decisions to make this year. Mary C. Curtis joined Rising to break down all the hot button topics.
Jan012014
Holder Determined to Challenge Voter-Suppression Laws
North Carolina went from being the model of a voter-friendly state to the poster child for voting restrictions, in one session of a Republican-dominated state legislature.
Now, the battle over sweeping new laws passed this year is in the courts, with challenges from the Justice Department and civil rights groups, with crucial midterm elections on the line and the country watching.
Dec222013
Tim Scott treads – carefully – through South Carolina and D.C. political thicket
Tim Scott, the junior senator from South Carolina, is a reliably conservative vote, most recently his “no” on Wednesday’s bipartisan budget agreement. But while the Republican’s record mirrors that of other tea party-backed members of Congress, his rhetoric is noticeably cooler.
That much was clear during his recent conversation with members of the Trotter Group, a national association of African-American columnists, who spent a few days in Washington meeting with policymakers from various parties and persuasions.
Dec192013
Big Changes in Mecklenburg Co. Politics
Charlotte, N.C.- A group of North Carolina activists are demanding Mecklenburg Senator Bob Rucho apologize for his controversial tweet. Also in Mecklenburg Co., a new county manager takes the reigns. Washington Post Columnist Mary C. Curtis joined Rising to discuss all these changes.
Dec182013
Why Sarah Palin is here to stay
CHARLOTTE – Merry Christmas spoken here.
That could have been the slogan at Sarah Palin’s book-signing on Friday at the Billy Graham Library. As she greeted admirers, surrounded by the lights, trees and decorations, her message came across loud and clear.
“She’s gorgeous,” someone said, after she appeared to loud applause from the crowd. And she was, dressed in black pants and a black patterned lace top – glasses on, hair up and pen ready.
Many of those waiting in line wore a pin that read “It’s OK to Wish Me a Merry Christmas,” carrying through the theme of Palin’s book “Good Tidings and Great Joy: Protecting the Heart of Christmas,” which sees the freedom to express the Christian values of the season under siege.
Dec092013
