I agree that Recall Nifong-Vote Cheek has a shot at victory. Results of the May 2 primary--
Mike Nifong- 11,168 45%
Freda Black- 10,269 42%
Keith Bishop-- 3,288 13%
http://abclocal.go.com/three/wtvd/election/race190.htm
According to the latest voter registration figures, Durham County has 27,070 registered Republicans, 24,566 of whom are white. The county has 86,621 registered Democrats, 46,586 of whom are black. So the demographic bloc supportive of Nifong's behavior formed a majority of the Democratic electorate, while those most likely to be alienated by his tactics couldn't vote in the primary. As the director of the Durham County Board of Elections noted the day after the primary, "We had a lot of irate, irate Republicans who couldn't vote for district attorney."
[From TalkLeft posted by sceptical]
Why Are We So Obsessed With This Case? A Literary Analysis
« on: October 19, 2006, 07:02:46 PM »
It is obvious from this Discussion Forum and others (FODU, CTV etc.), and from numerous bloggers (KC Johnson, liestoppers, John in Carolina, The Johnsville News, Crystal Mess etc.), that there are hundreds if not thousands of people obsessed with the Duke Lacrosse team incident of March 13-14.
What is it about this case that has attracted such intense interest (the "60 Minutes" show had the highest ratings since January)?
Here are a few thoughts:
When the allegations of rape were disclosed at the end of March, the plot line was that of a MYSTERY. Had a rape happened? What were the circumstances? What happened at the party? Who were the perpetrators? What was the record on campus of the lacrosse team? Who was the accuser? Information dribbled out, much of it at first damning to the players. This was the context of early comments by Nifong, Brodhead, newspaper writers like Ruth Sheehan. The pot-bangers were out in force.
As more evidence developed (lack of DNA, statements by the principals, medical results, backgound of the accuser), Nifong pressed on despite a questionable case, pandering to the black community. Life sometimes mirrors art, and the proceedings were a cross between "Bonfire of the Vanities" and "I Am Charlotte Simmons," NOVELS by Tom Wolfe, one of the most perceptive authors of modern American culture.
In recent months, the case has been like a SOAP OPERA with Cousin Jakki, ADA Couch, Sgt. Gottlieb, "Elmo," and an unbelieveable cast of characters. There have been surprises, plot twists, changes of heart and an outpouring of public interest fueled by brave bloggers.
But most of all, this incident is a TRAGEDY. No one will "win" this case, no matter what the final outcome. The indicted players and their families have had their reputations smeared and are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal bills, let alone the emotional roller-coaster they are going through. The accuser has been and will be dragged through the mud and she and her children face a bleak future. Mike Nifong has become a verb. To "Nifong" someone is to railroad a defendant for political gain.
He faces legal censure and big-time law suits for prosecutorial misconduct. Duke University, most of its faculty, and President Brodhead abandoned their students and have given a new face to expediency. Durham has been unfairly portrayed on a national scale, despite its many problems. And the North Carolina legal system has been held up to scrutiny for its glacier-like case management system and especially for allowing sexual assault cases to go forward with only the word of an accuser.
Mystery, soap opera, novel , tragedy-- with underlying themes of racism. class differences, and male-female relationships. What a mish-mash!
But, most of all a study of INJUSTICE. I believe many who follow the Duke case, while cynical, have an idealistic streak. Justice is one of the most basic American values. The facts of this case insult justice-- indicting before investigating, refusing to consider exculpatory evidence, improper line-ups, misleading and lying public statements by prosecutors, fictional police reports, attempted witness tampering, unwarranted delays in discovery and proceedings, the failure of a university and its faculty to support its students, and I could go on ad infinitum. Those of us who believe in justice have followed each turn of events with increasing dismay and anger. The plot continues to thicken and how it will end is still uncertain, but I know that this tragedy will be the subject of literature for decades to come.
What do you think?
« Last Edit: October 19, 2006, 07:40:54 PM by sceptical »
http://forums.talkleft.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=d04a79c12ca1f61b5238dbcc3f2c4ac6&topic=421.0
* Many of those in Durham still paying attention to this case now view it as a sad COMEDY, in order to
retain any sense of balance. A very long one for sure, and by all indications destined to play out until the
maximum pain is extracted by the increasing number of interests looking for their cut of Duke's riches.
We remind ourselves however that beneath the mountain of rhetoric and discovery, there remains to date
only one piece of hard evidence that any crimes were committed.
And it then becomes funny that the DPD has 'lost' the 911 and radio back-channel tapes, yet the most
important excerpts remain forever archived on the internet. Let us hope that Duke has taken better care
of its own pertinent records.
** Re: Trinity Park house sales: Landlord Solie tried to unload these properties for awhile (sell at the
market top as they say). Funny how this all came down ONE MONTH after the package deal was made.
*** Further comedic value- A Split Opposition Vote!
"I do think that there is a very good chance Nifong will lose the election"
But remember that Durham as straight-ticket voting (you can select a choice that means you vote for ALL the democrats or for ALL the republicans on the ballot).
Thanks for posting that! I thought I remembered that the margin was about 880 votes. It could definitely be different in Nov!