Posted on 08/13/2002 10:35:07 PM PDT by Libloather
Bowles coaches with UNC's Smith on campaign trail
By GARY D. ROBERTSON, Associated Press Writer
CHAPEL HILL, N.C.(AP) - While other Democratic U.S. Senate candidates took to the business of campaigning or governing Tuesday, Erskine Bowles lived out a Tar Heel boy's dream.
At a Chapel Hill community center, Bowles led a group of young basketball players to victory over a group coached by Dean Smith, the former North Carolina coach who has endorsed Bowles.
"If you don't think it's a thrill to be endorsed by your lifetime hero, then you don't know what happiness is," Bowles said before taking to the hardwood. "This is a thrill for me."
Bowles reveled in the moment with Smith a few hours after Secretary of State Elaine Marshall went on the offensive, asking Bowles to answer extensive questions about his campaign and business dealings.
Marshall and another Democratic candidate, state Rep. Dan Blue, have made Bowles' business connections a campaign issue as the Enron, Arthur Andersen and WorldCom scandals have mushroomed.
"Clearly it is on the minds of voters," she said at a Raleigh news conference, touting her record as the state's chief securities officer. "They are very concerned."
Blue spent Tuesday at the Legislative Building voting on the state budget being considered by the House. With four weeks until the Sept. 10 primary, Blue was anxious to get back out on the trail.
"I'm here to help us get a budget passed," Blue said. "I don't see any reason to be waiting around here 'til the snow comes."
Bowles said he hadn't seen a list of nearly 40 questions Marshall wants him to answer, ranging from whether he's ever received stock options while a corporate official to whether he's received campaign contributions from a host of companies.
"To say the least, I'm not worried about (the questions) or concerned about them one iota," Bowles said. "I'll be open and frank and candid when I get a chance to look at them."
Bowles has defended himself in recent weeks for his previous membership on the board of directors of Merck & Co., which has come under scrutiny for accounting practices that inflated revenue. Opponents also are trying to tie him to the failed investments of a New York firm where he was a managing partner.
Bowles' campaign has distanced his business dealings from the high-profile financial disasters. Marshall, who said she wants answers from Bowles in a few days, said the Democratic candidates owe it to working people to hear the full story.
"It is a Democratic Party issue. We need to fully explain it to folks and investigate further," she said.
In Chapel Hill, Smith, college basketball's all-time winningest coach, called Bowles a consensus builder who grew up in a family that valued honesty, intellect and being a caring person. Smith was friends with Bowles' father, the late "Skipper" Bowles.
Smith also cited Bowles' work in getting a balanced budget in place while serving as White House chief of staff under President Clinton.
"Can you imagine him sitting in a room with Newt Gingrich and Trent Lott?" Smith asked. "It shows how he can get along with anybody, and I'm sure he will."
Bowles, a UNC graduate, called Smith "a leader in the finest sense of that word." Bowles said he appreciated the values of teamwork and loyalty that Smith instilled in his players during his 36 seasons as coach.
"Dean was also somebody who cared about the 12th person on the team as much as he cared about the star," Bowles said.
Bowles' collection of 9- to 12-year-olds with the Lincoln Tigers AAU team beat Smith's team 31-28.
Bowles and Smith talked with the kids and made sure everyone got to play. Bowles tried to encourage an 8-year-old girl on the edge of the bench.
His foray into coaching was shortlived; he was expected to return to more conventional campaigning Tuesday night at a Chapel Hill fund-raising event that's expected to generate more than $100,000.
With the primary and general elections approaching, Bowles sounded glad he didn't have to win 879 games like Smith did during his career.
"I just want to win two," Bowles said. "That's all I want to win."
Poor Dean really needs to get out more. This will label him a loser.
On a more serious note last night WTVD did a scientific 'poll' showing who would possibly win in the Democratic primary. They immediately jumped to show who would have their best shot against Giddy in the general election. Mysteriously enough, the station didn't bother showing the numbers for the Republican primary. I guess they figured since the RNC has already crowned Dolt as their candidate and been paying for her commercials for the past few months, no sense in mentioning Snyder or Parker at this late date. I hope North Carolinians that vote for this woman are proud. Because Washington DC and the RNC has picked our candidate. I'm sure that's what the Founders had in mind 200 years ago < /sarcasm>
MKM
Check for yourself on the NC Statewide Voter Search (NC State Board of Elections).
Being in a UVa family, I also despise anything from Chapel Hill. I don't know whether they are Tarheels or Taliban Heels after making their incoming freshmen read a "Islam is the religion of peace" propoganda piece. And what about making it illegal to fly an American flag in a private Chapel Hill business? I'll bet their playbook this year is the Koran and they wear turbans under their helments.
Good luck this season (except on 11-16).
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