Dear Friends,
A few moments ago, I held a press conference here in Raleigh, where I announced that I will run all positive ads for the final weeks of the primary.
It wasn’t an easy decision to make, and a lot of pundits will say that it’s a bad idea. But after a lot of thought and after hearing from so many people across the state, including many of you here at BlueNC, I believe that it’s the right decision for me and for North Carolina.
With the attacks between campaigns, the coverage of the attacks by the media and the talk of the negative campaigning among Democrats across the state, unfortunately, too many important issues haven’t gotten the attention they deserve.
I have pulled all my negative ads off the air and in their place is a new positive ad campaign that focuses on the important issues that matter most to families in North Carolina. Issues like expanding access to health care to all North Carolina kids and low-income families…my College Promise, an ironclad contract to students that lack of family income will not be a barrier to their earning a college degree…and creating a green economy with 21st century jobs.
I look forward to discussing these issues and more for the rest of the campaign.
Bev
Comments
Ha! Went in to promote this and saw it was already there
If the Moore campaign wants to go public and pledge to go positive, then we'll promote that story too.
Thanks, Bev.....cause you two were getting to be too much. You two have been in this game long enough to know that you can't reach voters who are tuning you out. We'll see who reaches more voters here in the end.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
Well, this is good news
I for one am happy to see this. In the virtual debate here at BlueNC and throughout the blogosphere, there have been many calls and requests for positive campaigns. It's very encouraging to see Lieutenant Governor Perdue listening and responding. Thanks to everyone responsible for this new direction - the campaign, the candidate and especially average citizens.
Welcome news.
Very welcome news. I believe this would be what we'd call "Leadership", and it's a quality I will be thrilled to vote for on May 6. Thank you, Lt. Gov. Perdue.
"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." - Harry Truman
"They took all the trees and put them in a tree museum Then they charged the people a dollar 'n a half just to see 'em. Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone? They paved paradise and put up a parking lot."
More from the Dome
Here.
Voters. That would be us.
That second sentence is hilarious
I truly believe that most voters are tuning out the negative at this point. I leave the room when a political ad comes on and I'm a political junkette. I think the press conference gives it more oomph. It shows she made a conscious decision and attributes it to feedback......from the little people. :)
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
Good news, indeed!
I too am glad to hear this. Thanks for stopping in to blog about this.
www.MoBetterChange.blogspot.com
One more reason to vote for this woman!
Thank you Ms. Perdue for listening and reacting to your constituents!
No matter that patriotism is too often the refuge of scoundrels. Dissent, rebellion, and all-around hell-raising remain the true duty of patriots.
Progressive Discussions
I'm glad to see this.
I hope Richard Moore makes the same decision.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Pointing at Naked Emperors
Moore's campaign responds
Actually, Jay Reiff responds. He seem to be realizing he got outflanked on this one, which of course means he goes negative, which is his default mode.
The fact is, Reiff decided early on that going negative was the only way to beat Perdue and there's little chance he'll change course now. He decided that the blogosphere in North Carolina is irrelevant as well. I appreciate Moore participating in the BlueNC discussion, but beyond the one hour he was here, I've seen neither hide nor hair from anyone related to their campaign in more than a year.
Who knows? Reiff may be right. Blowing off progressive bloggers might be a smart thing to do. Continuing to slime Perdue with criticism that have only a passing relationship to the truth, well, that might work too.
If Moore somehow manages to pull off a primary victory next month, I'll end up voting for him in the general. But I won't feel very good about it.
With supporters like you,
Perdue's campaign doesn't have to go negative. You can do all the heavy lifting for her.
Be the change you wish to see in the world. --Gandhi
Pointing at Naked Emperors
Heh.
Good point. I suppose I should jump on the "go positive" bandwagon, too. My bad.
You gotta admit, it's pretty funny.
This is a pretty negative response to her "I'm going positive release."
Politically, I don't know what else I would have done in that situation, but it is still pretty damn funny.
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
For not talking to anyone in
For not talking to anyone in the Moore campaign in "more than a year", you sure appear to have a great deal of 'insider knowledge' on how they are running, and plan to run their campaign. Your openly biased opinions of Jay's actions, show your true feelings about both campaigns. I feel that having a equal opportunity democratic blog site laced with your veiled support for Perdue is unfair to the readers. You try to maintain the illusion of being a non-partisan, non biased editor/blogger. Reading deeper into the comments you make, and the general stance you take on information posted to this website, it is very apparent who you support. No wonder you don't see hide or hair, they probably feel it would be falling on deaf ears anyway.
You want to talk about blowing off bloggers? How about blowing off the NC general population by Perdue not accepting another REAL debate.
Gray318
Thanks for asking your questions. They deserve a clear response:
First off, you could know everything I know about both campaigns if you bothered to read what's published everyday on newspaper blogs. I have no insider information and I have had zero contact with the Moore campaign other than trying to set up the debate here.
Second, though you seem to think you're solving some big mystery, my support for Perdue is not and has not been "veiled" in any way, shape or form. I've contributed to her campaign and shared my point of view countless times over the past year. Regular readers here know it, and many of them don't like it one bit. Our front-pager community is split down the middle on Moore and Perdue. As a registered user here for less than two weeks, you might want to do a little homework before you start throwing conspiracy theories around.
Richard Moore knows he's welcome here any time.
This is NOT a Democratic blog site, not by any stretch of the imagination. This is a website operated by a private company to promote progressive values and policies in North Carolina.
Final thought: If you want to support the Moore campaign here, have at it. I'd love to front-page a testimonial singing Richard's praises. The soapbox is yours.
Seriously. The soapbox is yours.
You probably think I'm being a smart ass, but I'm not. The soapbox really is yours. Let's have the conversation. Convince me.
I'm definitely not one to
I'm definitely not one to stand on a soap box. I graduated from NC state 2 years ago in a degree that couldn't be farther from politics (Electrical Engineering). I've drawn my opinions based on a few of the articles I've read on here, and the general 'feel' I get from the site. I really didn't know much about the website before the internet debate which I caught (and I have a few opinions on, most of which have probably already been voiced).
If everyone else on here knows that you are an open Purdue supporter, then I apologize, I might be the odd man out.
The qualm I have is that this website could confuse users, who might come here thinking it's an objective view of democracy in action in NC (ie having a internet debate between the two democratic candidates), while there are some comments, as well as other press, that are clearly weighted to one side.
I feel there is a conflict of interest (I guess just my interest :) hehe), between your posting, and reporting on issues relevant to the election, and your supporting of one opponent.
To say that this is not a democratic Blog site, is way beyond me..
Considering the "Recent Blog Posts" Heading to the right, as well as the about us page stating bluenc is a "community-driven website". As a Gen-Yer, who reads blogs all day, your trying to make a distinction between bluenc, and others like it, is very confusing..
I hear you
We're all figuring this out, I certainly am.
You point to a concern that lots of people share, including me. Where are the lines? Where should they be? I honestly don't know.
That's what we're all figuring out. And this conversation helps, which is the very cool thing about the blogosphere.
I try to be transparent (which is one reason I prefer blogging to phone conversations) and I think I do a decent job. Not a great job, though. Because if were doing a great job, you'd know the answers to your questions already and my support for certain candidates would be clear.
So thanks for jumping in. I see an opportunity to improve.
PS You're doing great on the soapbox. See how easy it is?
This is something I've been struggling with
for some time now, and I think I'm getting closer to a solution (for me). It probably won't impress (or please) some people, and I'm not making any value judgments about others' behavior, but:
I believe the blogosphere has a huge potential to change the way people think. The exchange of information and opinions helps provide a third dimension to events and issues that impact our lives. This depth of understanding is critical if we want to bring about progress, because it helps us to see through the facade that is often constructed by those who would pervert the process for their own gain.
I also believe that objectivity is a crucial element in this information exchange, and any efforts at subterfuge should be vehemently discouraged, because it taints the entire medium by association.
But this is an election season, right? When you feel strongly about certain issues, and you see a candidate who shares many of your values and ideas, it's only natural to want to assist them in their efforts. Yet maintaining objectivity while you also advocate for one side in a competition can be extremely difficult, and (for some of us) fraught with ethical challenges.
Jim Neal is one of those candidates that shares many of my opinions about where this country (and state) need to change so that our future (and that of our children) can be better than our present. I have decided to do a little bit more than watch from the sidelines to help his campaign, and that will probably be reflected in some of my comments/diaries here.
But that doesn't change my desire to pursue objectivity, it merely increases the likelihood that I will more frequently fail in that pursuit.
BlueNC doesn't have to be FAIR & BALANCED
The real democracy of this place is that we all have our opinons and we all have the ability to voice them as we see fit. James doesn't have to walk a line just because he is one of the stalwarts of the site.
Progressive Democrats of North Carolina
Two Points
First, I am happy to see Perdue make this step and hope Moore does the same.
Second, to gray318, I have been around here a while, and I can tell you that you are way off, imo.
Everyone here is free to chime in for whoever they support, and against who they do not. Whether a Moore supporter or a Perdue supporter, Hillary or Obama, etc, at the end of the day the goal is electing the best candidate to promote progressive values in NC and the country.
This is true even if it means railing against the Democratic party, on the local, state, and national level, should they stray from progressive issues.
Finally, I think this is truly one of the the most truly user-driven blogs out there. Your argument seems to be that this is not true because (gasp!) James, Betsy, et al actually have and share their opinions. Egad!
Anyway, I'll let ya'll have it at. Just wanted to throw in my two cents.
Shaking my head in disgust
I, too, am happy to see Perdue take this step, and I hope Richard Moore does not follow suit.
I hope he blasts her out of the water with ads (be they ever so negative) from now until the primary. But I dunno. I don't watch a lot of tv, so may be missing out on a lot of excitement, but it just doesn't seem to me that he's playing his cards all that well. "Bubbles" is smiling all bright eyed and blue-eyed in blue sweaters and blue suits, and gosh golly, she's just pouring honey all over the place.
I don't know why I let myself give a rat's ass about this race. If we want more of the same ole same ole, that's what Bev's got to offer. Same fat cats that have been running the state from the senate will be doing it there again, but with the additional power of the governor's office. That's not a good thing, believe it or not.
If we want the GOP to get a shot at it, McCrory seems well poised to shake things up, but since I am still a Democrat, I hate to bend that far backward -- and thus see the only compromise as Richard Moore. And I'm not all that thrilled about the potential there, either.
I'm Curious
but why do you and so many other write "Hillary" and then "Obama?"
fhblack
Great question
n/t
Because
it's easier. It's inconsistent, but it doesn't reflect a negative attitude one way or the other. It's simply easier, because while both names, "Barak Obama" sound foreign, we're much more used to the sound "Obama." We've heard it more often.
Also, we use "Hillary" for her instead of "Clinton" because it's easier to distinguish which Clinton we're talking about (Bill hasn't faded from the scene so far that we can always assume which Clinton we mean when we use that name.)
It's just easier.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing
-Edmund Burke
Look at their yard signs and
Look at their yard signs and bumper stickers. Hillary's say "Hillary" and Obama's say "Obama." I think that's how the candidates want to be described.
Thanks for the multiple answers!
n/t
fhblack
Ditto
to what others have said. There is no disrespect intended to either candidate, it just seems to be the way many people, and the campaigns, phrase it.
If there is anything to it at all, I think that for a long time the name Clinton meant Bill (in political circles), and this is just a way of distinguishing the two.
someone beat me to it
"Hampton Dellinger would make a great Lieutenant Governor." - Al Gore.
"Man is free at the moment he wishes to be." -Voltaire
Too late, Bev
Your negative ads already convinced me to vote for Richard Moore. If you were really sincere about running a positive campaign, why wait until 3 weeks before the primary?
This would seem to be a double standard.
Why are Moore's negative ads ok while Perdue's aren't? And if Moore continues negative, why shouldn't that reflect badly on him?
At least she is trying to elevate the discourse.
Person County Democrats
I actively oppose gerrymandering. Do you?
The difference
is that some of Perdue's negative ads were also untrue and had to be pulled. Going positive after that just comes across as a charade, especially with just 3 weeks to go in the campaign.
The negative ads from both campaigns were untrue
and it has been an embarrassment to watch this sad state of affairs. At least Perdue has had the decency to call a halt to the madness.
Spared
I've been spared this terrible embarassment because my tv viewing is so limited, and, I suppose, because it takes more to embarrass me than the fact that candidates in my state are engaged in mud-slinging.
I guess I'm just a hard, coarse gal. Takes a lot to turn me off.
Vernon Robinson is the only candidate I can think of whose negativity actually hurt him. But his ads weren't simply negative; they were atrocious. Creepy, even. I suppose if Beverly Perdue and Richard Moore were to circulate ads challenging each other's sexuality, I'd be offended.
Maybe I've been watching state government too long. I've heard nastier exchanges on the House floor than what the ad clips (Dome, youtube) are showing of Moore and Perdue.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing
-Edmund Burke
Anyone else wonder...
... whether this isn't a bit like taking the lead out of your gloves in the fifteenth round and claiming to be the fairer fighter?
I mean, she's been throwing haymakers with leadlined gloves for months. So has he. So Lt. Gov. Perdue decides at an opportune time to reacquaint herself with the life's work of the Marquis of Queensberry. Isn't anyone going to point out her use of a metal chair in round 4?
"Hampton Dellinger would make a great Lieutenant Governor." - Al Gore.
"Man is free at the moment he wishes to be." -Voltaire
The 4th round is soooooo five mintues ago.
I am in complete agreement with you.
Jesus Swept ticked me off. Too short. I loved the characters and then POOF it was over.
-me
Bev Perdue negative ad ran last night/yesterday in Greensboro
While I'm sure that wasn't intentional - the television stations have to pull the ads - it's still a big Oooops.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
Greensboro ad
Betsy,
As soon as the negative ads in Greensboro came to our attention this morning we called the station. The station confirmed it was their mistake that the old negative ad was running.
There should be no negative ads coming from the Perdue Campaign.
Justin
Bev Perdue Campaign
Justin....I figured that
That's actually what I was trying to say, but obviously didn't. The television stations are responsible for pulling/replacing the ads. The Ooops was on the part of the teevee people...not the Perdue people. :D
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
no problem
I just want to make sure nobody thinks we are being anything less than absolutely serious about the positive campaign.
I am so happy that Perdue
I am so happy that Perdue has decided to go positive. North Carolina deserves better. I had planned to vote for her but I feel much better doing so now. The pundits say that this is political suicide but I believe that American and NC needs a change. I disagree with their assessment of what everyday North Carolinians will say. If Mr. Moore continues to run negative adds, I would set the record straight but I would not spend the money of my supporters on adding to his negative ways.
That bad, mean old Mr. Moore!
Moore's negative ads? He's running for governor. It's a tight race. He has issues, is using 'em and ought to.
As Dr.Frank said, it's awfully sweet that Bev removes the lead from her gloves now, but if you think for one moment that this change represents a sudden fresh philosophical outlook you're NUTS.
Beverly Perdue is not someone who just woke up one morning, saw the sunlight, heard the birdies singing and said, "Oh gosh, I feel so awful about saying negative things about my primary opponent!"
She's got a steep climb to take a high road now, given the road she's been on.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing
-Edmund Burke
Brunette, don't hate me.....
:D
I was a fiercely anti-Perdue / pro-Moore as the next person early on, but lately I have been impressed enough with Bev Perdue and unimpressed enough with Richard Moore to take a second look.
Robin Hayes lied. Nobody died, but thousands of folks lost their jobs.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
Worry not
I figure most people on BlueNC are Perdue supporters, but 's'ok. It is what it is, and I think her campaign has done a good job. I don't *like* that they've done a good job, but I'm not exactly shocked.
Anyway, while I know you are joking in your use of the word, I don't use the term "hate" much, and find I'm better off when I don't invest in any emotion approaching that level of hostility. I have varying degrees of success with this practice, but feel I've done pretty well not "hating" political figures.
Now that I think about it, I can't say that I even feel hostility toward Perdue personally, though I imagine that comes as somewhat of a surprise -- given the way I've expressed myself here. What I dislike (strongly!) is her game. I've been watching a long, long time, and I know where she's coming from.
But see, I don't even "hate" Jesse Helms, and he's *really* asked for it!
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing
-Edmund Burke
perdue
Brunnette, I respect your opinion but I believe that bev perdue is the best candidate this go round. She has served NC well over the years. I believe she wants a better NC and this stance is the place to start. I for one am tired of the ads. Obviously the other side feels that they can only win by slinging piles of dirt. TSK TSK. Let's hear the real issues and you will see that she is for education, healthcare, jobs for NC. The lady has worked hard for NC.
That's sweet.
Maybe so, Sam. You think Richard Moore doesn't want "a better NC?" Really? Piles of dirt? What if he is right? What if the "piles of dirt" are issues you ought to examine?
This "lady" has worked hard for NC? Actually, I don't think she's had to work all that hard. All she's had to do is rely on the inside status and support she has from the establishment cabal of Basnight/Hoyle/Rand.
I cannot say that you're wrong in believing what you believe. But I do know that she's played the game completely with inside approval, and has never, never, ventured outside it. She's never taken a tough stance, never bucked the good ole boys, and can be expected to continue serving their interests in the office they've groomed her for.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing
-Edmund Burke
Radio Girl weighs in
with her usual grace.
You're right, James
Radio Girl is spot on....and....
It just might work this year. It has made a big impact on my one lonely little vote. I am so almost there......I'm teetering on the fence. Going to take a bit of time this weekend to do me a little Bev / Richard chart and see where it takes me.
I absolutely NEVER thought this would happen. If there was one race that was decided for me it was this one.
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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.
Who Know What He Wants?
Brunette
I have no idea what Richard Moore wants for North Carolina because the ads have been so negative, It's been hard to focus. We already know that everyone's closet isn't clean -including his. I just believe that this is a great time to get beyond all of that and start to talk about what really is important. Most of us know that the ads on tv are shreds of truth (if even that). So why spend time and money talking about the junk. He wants to debate so that he can get his message out - right? Well then get your message out with the 97000 dollars spent each month but do it in a way that is not so negative. Tell me what you will do for me not what your opponent did 20 years ago. Drudging up votes from years ago and stating that this is how a person feels now is silly. What happened years ago dictated votes years ago. What happens now dictates votes now. I am sure you would change a few things from years ago. Votes are dictated by what is happening at the time and I am sure that both candidates made the best decisions they could at the time. they made decisions based on the intel they had. Hmmm, is that why we are in a war in Iraq. Decision based on the intel at that time.
Kinda ironic
A gentleman I spoke with yesterday complained that he didn't trust Richard Moore because he made too many campaign promises -- said he was going to do this and that and this and that and so on and so forth - which, the gentleman said, was too much. "No one can get that much done" he said. So I guess Moore is running more than one kind of ad. I wouldn't know. I only watch the comedy channel.
Anyway, Sam, I understand the objection people have to negative ads, and I'm not interested in convincing anyone that he/she should change her mind about them. That is, I might be more interested if I were your campaign manager and you were running for office, but since that's not the case, the question is kind of academic.
However, as I'm sure you know, and as many old timers have conceded, negative ads do work, and are probably the reason polls show Moore and Perdue to be so close.
My own gut feeling is that Perdue is farther ahead than the polls indicate, but my record at predicting race results sucks.
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing
-Edmund Burke
Brunnette, Thanks for the
Brunnette,
Thanks for the dialogue. Happy Blogging.
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