GOP chief wants McCrory foe out (NC RINO ALERT)

The Charlotte Observer ^ | 8/11/05 | GOP chief wants McCrory foe out

[Huber]

GOP chief wants McCrory foe out

Challenger known for sexually explicit readings at meetings

RICHARD RUBIN

Staff Writer

Hours after he filed to run for mayor last Friday, Republican Martin Davis got a call from county party chairman John Aneralla, who asked him to end his primary challenge to 10-year incumbent Pat McCrory.

During the conversation, Aneralla told Davis that someone could reimburse his $200 filing fee, both men said this week.

"I was very offended," said Davis, who doesn't plan to quit. "I wasn't even a politician one whole day before I got my first bribe."

Aneralla brushed off Davis' description of the offer as a bribe, adding that he was concerned about Davis' penchant for over-the-top public statements.

Several years ago, Davis began reading sexually explicit passages from library books at county commissioners' meetings. He now speaks regularly at City Council meetings. Last month, McCrory gave a group of Boy Scouts a chance to leave the room before Davis started a graphic description of his visit to a gay pride festival.

Aneralla says Davis' style isn't good for the party.

"I asked him to have a more effective rhetoric as opposed to an aggressive rhetoric," Aneralla said.

McCrory said he had not talked to Davis since that council meeting, but expressed similar worries.

"It's very difficult to run against an individual who uses profanity and other vulgar language, both on TV and in front of children," he said.

Republicans asked former county commissioner Ruth Samuelson to call Davis. Samuelson, who goes to church with Davis, supports McCrory and contributed $250 to the mayor's campaign.

Samuelson talked to Davis, but said she didn't think it was appropriate to ask him to drop out.

"He's got his own way about things," she said. "But you know, when he was able to answer the question of `Why are you running?' with an intelligent and non-personal answer, I felt like that's what you ask candidates to do."

[Huber]

The issue is that Davis is a conservative and simply wants debate around policy issues where the mayor and the local GOP are AWOL. Charlotte's Mayor McCrory has supported a number of programs that are controversial with Conservatives including Lite Rail, a Big Arena, and a sweetheart deal with the owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. Davis does not expect to topple the 5 term mayor but does expect the party not to suppress open policy debate through the primary process. Unfortunately the NC GOP machine is more oligarchy than conservative, and will only support Conservative principles when they do not conflict with the personal agendas of the elite crowd.

The "sexually explicit readings" quoted by the Observer are simply from books purchased with tax dollars by the Public Library of Charlotte/Mecklenburg that Davis believes may not be appropriate for library where they can be accessed by minor children. He is simply raising awareness of an uncomfortable issue. The same goes for the sexually explicit materials and behavior exhibited in local public parks during "Gay Pride" celebrations. It is interesting to note that while Mayor McCrory gave the Boy Scouts an opportunity to leave the room before Davis read materials from the public library at the city council meetings, he did not warn the boy scouts to avoid those same books in the public library or to avoid the displays of explicit materials in Charlotte's parks.

Note also the ad hominem attacks by both the Mayor and the Party Chair against Davis while meticulously avoiding addressing the issues raised by Davis.

[Huber]

NC Ping?

[kalee]

I wonder what some of the book were, I'd like to see if they are in our public library.

[Alia]

NC *Ping*

Please FRmail Constitution Day OR TaxRelief OR Alia if you want to be added to or removed from this North Carolina ping list.

[billbears]

After what McCrory did, or rather didn't do, in reference to the dustup in the cemetary in Charlotte, if I lived in Charlotte I would be hard pressed to give him a glass a water if he was dying of thirst.

Note: I'd give him the water...eventually

[JohnnyZ]

Note also the ad hominem attacks by both the Mayor and the Party Chair against Davis

Asking someone to tone down their rhetoric to increase its effectiveness?

Expressing concern that 'shock' presentations have limitations in polite discourse?

I think their emphasis was in the right place -- stylistic, not substance.

If you want to nitpick what people say or don't say, I would recommend blasting Davis for accusing Anarella of offering him a "bribe", which was clearly a gratuitous, false, and insulting characterization?

I'd like to think we could have a principled primary challenge, a la Castano last time, without bashing McCrory and Aneralla on things that are definitely NOT policy, and making accusations about "bribes".

[TaxRelief]

After what McCrory did, or rather didn't do, in reference to the dustup in the cemetery in Charlotte, if I lived in Charlotte I would be hard pressed to give him a glass a water if he was dying of thirst.

I suspect a lot of folks will be grateful that there is an alternative.

[Huber]

Asking someone to tone down their rhetoric to increase its effectiveness?

Expressing concern that 'shock' presentations have limitations in polite discourse?

I think their emphasis was in the right place -- stylistic, not substance.

John,

Good thoughts, but knowing Charlotte (and it's culture) as we do, it seems more likely that the subtext of their message was more along the lines of "don't bring up anything controversial because it could tarnish the city's image and may offend some of our important supporters and by the way, why can't we all just get along", along with an added "Oh by the way, we'll take the lead on this and we just need you to sit quietly in the background and we'll let you know when we need you..."

Also, if it was really about Davis's style, McCrory and the GOP Chair would, in true Charlotte style, have addressed the core issue discretely behind the scenes, explaining to Davis their credible plan for dealing with issue. They would not have publicly attacked him. Davis is not going to unseat McCrory - he is not that kind of a threat. Their specific wording in this instance clearly shows their true intentions were to publicly discredit him because the substance of the issues that he raises is embarassing to them. The style issue is a red herring!

[mykdsmom]

Unfortunately the NC GOP machine is more oligarchy than conservative, and will only support Conservative principles when they do not conflict with the personal agendas of the elite crowd.

A statewide epidemic of this is firmly in place, it's discouraging because there doesn't seem to be any way to change it any time in the near future.

MKM

[azhenfud]

If the "readings" are inappropriate for the virgin ears of the almighty council of government, why would they allow such to be available at a publicly funded library with minors as potential readers of the same?

I think Davis is exposing the lack of a consistant standards among Democrats and RINO's and they're not taking a liking to it.

[JohnnyZ]

would, in true Charlotte style, have addressed the core issue discretely behind the scenes ...... They would not have publicly attacked him.

What was the genesis of the unObserver story?

[jern]

great news. maybe the Meck GOP can run off the last city/county wide republican. what a joke of an operation than ran in '04

[Huber]

Possibly "cutting-edge reporting"?! ...Nah!

[Alia]

Huber -- I still don't understand. But in a way.. maybe. Out in the west, talk show hosts and internet conservatives would read/post the pornography being foisted on pub ed students; but not the Republican legislators doing the reading and posting. Is it that GOP central wishes Davis to be focused on other things? Is it really about the oligarchy versus conservatism?

Or is it GOP trying to "tighten up" the party?

I'll read through this thread yet another 'nother time, trying to understand.

I most often compare NC politics to CA politics -- which I know very well. The differences are remarkable. The "lines" in CA are pretty clear -- it's liberals against everyone else. Here in NC -- the lines are a tad blurry.

One thing I have fathomed todate: If the Repubs don't get their acts together here in NC -- just look to CA (a 20 year ahead projection) to see what NC will resemble. IMHO, of course.

[Huber]

Their are two big differences in NC (also from the perspective of a non-native - the Northeast in my case,) The first is the Southern propensity to put on a good face - regardless of how ugly things may be behind the scenes. In other parts of the country confrontation is dealt with openly and directly. Here in NC, everyone will be smiling at you warmly when you suddenly discover a knife in your back, bless your heart.

The second is a long tradition of pork and currying political favors through the good old boy and girl network. There is probably very little difference between the NC RINO Republicans and many NC Democrats. Most position themselves as mildly socially conservative, but only to the extent that it doesn't get in the way of someone's pet project. Principles are more of a public costume adapted by these pols than a real internalized moral code.

So Davis is objectionable on two fronts. The first is that he is willing to openly (as Reagan put it) "talk about difficult things". The second is that he is truly principled rather than someone likely to "play ball" with the rest of them.

[Alia]

Thank you *very* much for that explanation, Huber.

One thing I have observed in NC -- in re that blurred line -- is that what Davis is doing would go a far ways in waking the voting population UP as to what is sneaking into our state. And it is. And trying to "maintain face" a la Southern is only going to make things worse for the GOP, IMHO.

[ohhhh]

[A statewide epidemic of this is firmly in place, it's discouraging because there doesn't seem to be any way to change it any time in the near future.]

The conservative republican party is dead. It seems all that is left is the far left neo-communist democrat party and the liberal republican party.
Perhaps a conservative party may emerge again or...