If you've ever wondered how politics in North Carolina got to be such a stinky business, you need look no farther than the powerbrokers and pundits who profit from running campaigns. One such creature is Mr. Carter Wrenn, who occasionally has something interesting to say about his friends on the conservative fringe. But interesting or not, his blog posts at Talking About Politics are always revealing because they show how the mind of a wacko works. Today's commentary involves the ongoing feud between Art Pope and Jim Black, a sorry pot and a crooked kettle if ever there were.

Black says Pope “eliminated a great statesman” when he defeated Representative Richard Morgan . If Morgan has any plans of running for office again as a Republican that endorsement was the last thing he needed. Black also “painted Pope’s activities as wealth trumping bipartisanship.” He said: “You’re not going to see any more of that from the Republican side because Uncle Art is going to get you.”

Pope sent his own not too subtle message back. He said “there are no plans to fund an independent campaign focused on Black . . . but no final decision has been made.”

The fight in the Republican primaries this year wasn’t about bipartisanship. It was about who was going to lead Republicans in the House. In the end, by defeating Morgan, Republican voters in his district expressed their disapproval of his continuing alliance with Black.

What Black doesn’t seem to understand is that by attacking Pope he isn’t helping Morgan. He’s helping Pope. But, then, what Black may really have in mind is passing legislation to stop Pope from launching a new campaign – to talk about Democrat legislators’ stands on issues this fall.

What Carter Wrenn doesn't seem to understand is that this isn't some chickenshit penny-ante playground game. By splitting hairs about which of these two assholes will get a sliver of advantage, he conveniently glosses over his own complicity in the whole sad business that North Carolina politics has become. And by condoning the influence of Art Pope's corporate money in North Carolina elections, he does nothing but build on that sorry tradition.

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PS This in no way is intended to give the disgusting Jim Black a pass. As far as I'm concerned, he has no business being in the Legislature, let alone serving as Speaker. And shame on Democrats who have stood silent in the face of Black's transgressions.