The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Good: Actually I should say the Great. Today's Winston Salem Journal editorial: they gave me a super endorsement in the GOP race. It's a badly needed shot in the arm as we begin the home stretch. Last night's WRAL-TV debate: while the pundits focused on Pat and Fred, anybody actually listening to the answers made a commitment to vote for me. My website at www.orr2008.com. Vision 20/20: the most thoughtful, creative and visionary approach to the long term economic development strategy for our state. Too bad it's also the best plan never read by the media or the public. My left ear: no more awkward bandage although there's a not-so-pretty scab (the Cary Skin Center trophy is now passed to Mark Johnson of the Charlotte Observer). The Knuckleballs: in first place where they belong.

The Bad: Poll numbers which continue to create a vicious cycle ie. bad numbers mean trouble raising money and less and less press attention which means bad poll numbers. Pollsters: a pox on them. Who knows who actually will vote in the GOP primary on May 6th? Pat McCrory's real record on immigration, property rights and leadership: Gonna be a long three weeks for ole Pat. This could be just like Memphis in the last two minutes...clunk...clunk...clunk. Voter registration numbers in NC since January: 76,000 Democrats, 54,000 Unaffiliated, 15,000 Republicans. Ouch! Houston to GOP...we've got a problem. WRAL-TV lighting for Fred Smith: one wag said it made him look like Lon Chaney...or was that Dick Cheney? The final round of the Masters: if you love golf it was tough to watch.

The Ugly: The Tar Heels first half against Kansas: I was driving home from a Lincoln Day dinner and turned the radio off with 10 minutes left in the half. The Moore - Perdue campaigns despite the pledge to "go nice": Yeh, unless poll numbers show the need to "go mean"...the ultimate in half-truth advertising. The N.C. Supreme Court's inexplicable dismissal of the Dell lawsuit: they are required by law to hear cases involving a substantial constitutional question. If there isn't substaantial constitutional question involved in that case, then I need to turn in my law license because I obviously don't know anything about the law. Friday night's upcoming Civitas Conservative Leadership debate in Greensboro: it's a cage fight and major smackdown event with predictions of blood being left on the Koury Center floor. The only thing missing will be Rick Flair. Wooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Finally, a tribute to Clint Eastwood and the spaghetti westerns. I caught the end of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly a few days ago. As Tuco soaked in the tub one of Angel Eye's henchman confronted Tuco. As the henchman waived his pistol around threatening to shoot Tuco, he suddenly spun around, gunned down by Tuco who had his pistol with him in the soapy bath. "If you're going to shoot, shoot." Tuco says. "Don't talk." Good advice, Fred.

A Quick Look Back

I actually had to look back at my calendar to refresh my memory about all that's been going on these past several weeks and interrupting my regular blogging efforts. Campaign wise it's been a whirlwind of driving, debating, interviewing, working on issues and strategizing. Despite the usual predictable poll numbers I continue to be energized and buoyed by the press coverage (ok, I never get as much as I would like but it has been picking up) and the comments of random supporters and strangers. With six weeks to go, I am still confident that most likely voters are either undecided or if committed, are soft in their candidate support. A win is still very much out there.

I got a very nice two part story by James Shea of the Hendersonville Times News last week. James followed me around for several days (a little unnerving to have a reporter constantly in tow but it worked out fine). Jordan Schraeder of the Asheville Citizen had a good blog piece as did Under the Dome on my endorsement by the Charlotte/Mecklenburg Black Caucus endorsing me in the primary. Finally, Jordan also did an article on the fact that our campaign is the only one dealing with substantive positions on the issues. Fred tried to take a shot by labeling our efforts something about "majoring in minors", I suppose claiming that we were actually focusing on trying to solve problems rather than relying on fluffy rhetoric.

Laura Leslie had a fun posting about my ear issue. Ah, the body piercing gone bad joke. However, skin cancers aren't a joking matter despite my best attempt and now that I'm a few grams short of left ear material since last Monday, I can make the responsible candidate pitch for everyone to use sun screen regularly and get check ups by your dermatologist. Anyway, everything is fine but trying to apply a bandage (maybe for the next several weeks) to your ear requires more dexterity and patience than a candidate in the waining weeks of a hotly contested election should have to endure.

At least this weekend provided a short respite from the campaign trail thanks to the Easter holiday and the NCAA tournament. Warm weather and a lack of political events allowed me a couple of hours to whack a few golf balls with my daughter Louise (I certainly did apply my sun screen!) The Heels were awesome (as was Davidson, Laura) and I'm excited about the way the team is playing. Today was a chance to make it to church after being out of town the last several weekends. The church was overflowing, Greg gave a great sermon, and I had the extra pleasure of holding my granddaughter Lauren on my lap for the entire service. And one of my democrat leaning fellow parishioners complimented me on the campaign saying how proud he and his wife were in the way we had conducted our efforts.

Tomorrow begins a long week traveling all across the state with more debates and press interaction. Fred and Pat appear to me to be smug and cocky about locking up the two top slots in the primary. Am I worried? Not in the least. After all, Hoosiers is one of my favorite movies. Bring it on, boys.

ACC memories

I know that I can't complain about being too busy to blog when I spent the better part of last week at the ACC Tournament in Charlotte. However, that fun time was interspersed with campaign events and lots of debates, interviews, etc. leading up to it. So I'm back on track with my blogging and with a fairly quiet Easter weekend ahead, I plan to catch up.

The ACC Tournament has over the years been that special father/child event that the boys and I have looked forward to every year. Over the past several years as my youngest daughter has become a huge Carolina fan, the event has evolved from a "guys" adventure to a "sons and daughter" event. (Oldest daughter Kelly is the State grad in the family and is always welcome but with the down years for the Pack and two small children she hasn't joined the fun). Lest anyone think that I am a big money donor or on the freebie list for tickets, let me assure you that neither circumstance is true. I've ridden a friendship with a Florida State supporter all these years and bought tickets through him. I can do the Seminole chant if needed but rest assured I was pulling for the Tar Heels in Friday's match up with the Noles.

This years finale had a special significance for me as it marked the first time Clemson had been in the finals since 1962. That historic note from 46 years ago marked my first ACC Tournament. My Dad and I traveled to Raleigh from Hendersonville and had a simply wonderful time. We stayed in the Heart of Raleigh Motel which has since been torn down and is a state government parking lot next to the Governor's Mansion. We visited the General Assembly which was still meeting in the Capitol and I received an "Honorary Page" certificate from Lt. Governor Clyde Philpott (I think that's right).

Our seats in Reynolds Coliseum were on the last row in the "end zone" and trust me it was hard to see anything. But I remember Clemson's upset of Duke in the semi's lead by Jim Brennan but the Tigers fell in the finals to Wake Forest. My Dad died in 1985 and that 1962 trip was our only ACC Tournament together. However, every time I go with my kids it brings back a flood of wonderful memories from that special time with my Dad.

This year's tournament was great. (kudos's to Charlotte - and yes, I'll give the Mayor a hat tip even if I didn't ride the light rail). The Heels won. Duke lost. And it was great fun despite interspersing the games with campaign events in Burke County and a debate in Greensboro on Saturday night (causing me to miss Clemson defeating Duke). It was a veritable who's who of politics and sports as I constantly ran in to a variety of mainly big Dem's ranging from former Governor Hunt to Congressman Mel Watt. However, the BIG surprise was seeing Carmen Hooker Odom at the Tournament. If only the political press was working the event rather than sports reporters, maybe we could finally get some answers about the mental health debacle.

Anyway, despite a lot of driving, a lot of sitting, and a lot of spending money, it was a great 4 days. Wendi Amos, my star volunteer for the Mecklenburg area made Thursday night's games with me; the boys showed up on Friday, my law school buddy and long time friend John Corne made the Friday game; my daughter-in-law and in utero granddaughter to be made the games on Saturday; and on Sunday daughter Louise made the finals replete with her Poplar Bluff #50 Hansbrough jersey. And the Heels won. It was great.

The Diversity of the Campaign Trail

My travels this past week have highlighted the amazing variations of the campaign experience that make it both a challenge and yet provides the richness and diversity that makes a campaign so interesting. Tuesday night found my wife and me in the countryside near Greenville, meeting with a group of conservative activists. The dinner at Lee's Country Kitchen was buffet style, good country cooking like collards and pork chops. Great food, great conversation and a chance to talk about the issues in the governor's race.

The next day in New Bern we visited with the Republican Women's Club, did a newspaper interview and then spent an hour talking to a prominent Republican activist. This was followed by an opportunity to see the newest member of the family, the infant daughter of our nephew and his wife who live in New Bern. (I resisted the temptation to kiss the baby although she's mighty cute. I'll save that photo op for later.)

Thursday night featured an intimate and stimulating dinner in Durham with about 8 couples who were there for the fun and "checking out the candidate". It was a great opportunity to talk with a range of prominent men and women in the business and professional communities and to exchange views and ideas. Will it produce the hoped for show of support in the days to come? I think so, but even if it doesn't it was a great dinner and a fun evening.

Friday found me speaking in front of a large group of business people who were representing their respective companies at a meeting of the NC Technology Association. For a liberal arts kind of guy that type of Q&A makes me a little nervous but all in all I was very pleased with the opportunity to explain my position on the issues. Since several of the members had received "incentives" that I had been critical of, I was curious to see what kind of response I might get. Not a stone was thrown.

Saturday was a very interesting day as we attended the installation of my law school classmate Judge Tom Ross as the new president of Davidson College. It was a very impressive occasion and a chance to visit with a number of people, including Governor Jim Martin (former Davidson chemistry professor) and his wife Dottie. I also talked at length with D.G. Martin about the campaign but couldn't wrangle an invite for his WUNC-TV Book program. OK, so I haven't written a book but I will. Maybe I'll call it "More Than a Little Extra Effort". After a quick tour of campus we had a nice meeting with one of my supporters to talk strategy for the months ahead.

Perhaps the most interesting event of the week was the Saturday night dinner put on by the Caldwell County GOP. My wife and daughter were not sanguine about heading into Google territory in light of my strong opposition to the huge subsidy. I promised to keep weaving since a moving target was harder to hit but they didn't seem to appreciate my humor. Anyway, I was received cordially if not with some restraint and the not-so-veiled antagonism of a few. The gentleman across from me at dinner, wore his Google hat and a blinking Google pin and it was obvious that he wasn't interested in engaging me in conversation. But I made my pitch, actually got nice applause and didn't back off my commitment to follow the constitution and oppose bad public policy. With a bright moon lighting the way, we quickly exited the county and made it back to Raleigh by midnight.

Sunday was church, a nap, the YMCA for a badly needed workout and my daughter's fall athletic banquet. Tonight it's blogging, paying bills, reading Sunday's paper and watching what will probably be the final game of the World Series. A new week comes bright and early and we'll crank up my old Willie Nelson CD and take off once more to his melodious version of "On the Road Again."

"Orr Force One" takes a Backseat to No One

Under the Dome's blog site yesterday and again in the print edition this morning featured a story about one of my primary opponents Fred Smith and his new campaign RV. This 34 foot gas guzzler has been retrofitted to house up to six staffers complete with lap tops and internet cards along with I guess all the comforts of home for the candidate. According to Dome such a vehicle starts around $100,000 and was paid for by the candidate. Used primarily for the Smith statewide BBQ tour, "Hushpuppy Heaven" is apparently a sight to see.

But lest Orr supporters feel we are being outdone, rest assured that "Orr Force One" will not take a backseat to any vehicle. Our dashing 2004 extended cab 2WD Toyota Tundra pickup is a match for any campaign vehicle on the road. Purchased from Fred Anderson Toyota in Raleigh for a mere $22,000 and financed by BB&T (less than a year left before we're debt free) this well oiled driving machine has already logged thousands of miles from the mountains to the coast.

Piloted by Matt Barnes or the candidate himself, we have resisted the urge to retro fit this campaign essential because the lovely gray cloth seats are extremely comfortable and the back seat can either hold two short legged staffers or if the seat is folded up, two full sets of golf clubs. While we have contemplated placing a card table and rocking chair in the bed of the truck, we are not sure that this would meet current safety standards.

Hopefully, Dome will give our campaign equal attention and already our sophisticated media team is placing calls to press members offering rides in "Orr Force One" on a limited, first come, first serve basis. Look for us on a road (poorly maintained under the current administration) near you.

Rainmaking in the Mountains

Thursday saw my wife and me headed west for a fundraiser in Asheville. Our first stop along I-40 West was in Statesville Thursday night to speak to the Iredell County GOP Men's Club. There was a very good turnout and lots of questions after my talk with a strong focus on the emerging "incentives" issue. By 11:00 that night we had pulled into the Cane River Valley in Yancey County as the rain started to fall. There's nothing quite like the sound of rain on a tin roof to make a tired campaigner go quickly to sleep.

Friday found the rain continuing to come down heavily and the Cane River was looking like its old self as swift waters rolled downstream ultimately toward the Mississippi. The rain stopped just long enough for me to get a good, long walk in and then head over the mountain for our fundraiser.

My long time friends Jim and Iris Barkley had generously opened their home looking down on several acres of pastures with the Black Mountains in the distance for our first fundraiser in the west. With impeccable timing the rain stopped just as the guests began to arrive. We had a great turnout and helped start filling our coffers in an effort to adequately fund our campaign.

As I told the more than one hundred attendees, any candidate who can be a rainmaker simply by scheduling a fundraiser clearly has an edge on the field. It was a great evening with lots of old friends from my Asheville days but also lots of new people who had simply responded to the invitation and wanted to hear what I had to say. We're still over seven months until the primary and interest in the race is slowly starting to build along with the "incentives" issue. As Paul O'Conner said in his column today in the Winston Salem Journal, the incentives issue is mine and it's starting to get traction. More in the days ahead on ways we can bring some sanity to our economic development policy in North Carolina.

Pressures on the Mound

Since there were no political journalists present tonight and no sportswriters interested in this particular story, I will reprise my early-in-life role as a reporter and duly retell the events of the evening.

It was a balmy night in the mountains as the Asheville Tourists baseball team took on the Hickory Crawdads in the final game of the season. The several thousand fans were there for the game, hot dogs and cold drinks, and the post game fireworks. But for three purportedly seasoned political campaigners the night was all about strikes.

The local Republicans had organized a gathering at the game and invited the three GOP gubernatorial candidates to throw out the first pitch or should I say pitches. So there I was sporting a new Tourist cap and in my regular running shoes (I changed in the truck); along with Fred who switched from cowboy boots to running shoes before the main event (good staff work); and Bill in high dollar loafers (not so good staff work) with a large family entourage.

It turns out that we weren't the only "first pitchers" as four other local citizens were also scheduled to do the honors. I asked all of them if they were running for governor too, but no takers and the group's only female quickly replied that "she didn't do politics". So as we waited for the impending pitch-off to begin, Fred, Bill and I warmed up down the foul line "soft tossing" a baseball to each other and keeping a wary eye lest one of us decide to test the toughness of an opponents bare palms (no gloves).

Finally the moment came and our group, escorted by the Tourists' promo man, took us to home plate where we met a very tall Latino player introduced to us as a pitcher who would serve as our honorary catcher. If I could read bewildered minds in Spanish I can imagine he was thinking: "What the ****** am doing having to try and catch this crowd?" Anyway we then proceeded to the mound whereupon I was introduced as the first candidate and "victim" to try and make an athletic move from the rubber by throwing a brand new slick white baseball into what appeared to be a very small mitt some 100 yards away. (It just looked that far.)

Now I love baseball and have continued playing slow pitch softball right on up to this year. But now with several thousand people and my two primary opponents watching I'll admit to being nervous. In the YouTube world we live in I could just see me planting my pitch in the dirt about twenty feet in front of the catcher for all the world to laugh at.

But taking a deep breath and focusing on my target, I nailed a strike right down the middle with good form and good pace (didn't catch the radar gun result - but it was smokin' good). The crowd reacted audibly and with applause as if to say, "I can't believe that little old guy did that." Now it was time for Fred to follow and I know he was feeling a little more pressure but he's a competitor and put a strike, ok, maybe a ball, depending on the umpire, with decent pace into the catcher's glove. Bill, admit it, you were shakin' baby after seeing two guys 15 years your senior perform like that. But to Bill's credit, he found the catcher - wide and outside and not much mustard on it - but I know he just wanted to get it there and he did. (Had I been in his shoes believe me that would have been my goal).

So the GOP field acquitted themselves well and we're prepared to take on Bev and Richard and maybe Mike Munger the libertarian. Play ball!!!!!!!

No to Moore and Orr

Hmmm. Maybe I should have listened to the Moore camp when they said that the NCAE endorsement process was merely a charade and that Bev had it all wrapped up. Being the eternal optimist, I diligently worked on my written answers to their lengthy questionnaire and delayed a trip to the mountains to attend their Saturday morning hour long interview with the gubernatorial candidates (except Bill who stayed home). I confess that I've been endorsed in judicial races by the NCAE 3 out of 5 times and have felt that I had a positive relationship with their leadership. So I thought maybe they'd be willing to endorse in both primaries - wrong. After what I felt was a very good session answering questions in front of the group, I took it in the back of the head as I traveled west on Saturday.

Now I really didn't think I'd get endorsed over Bev, the darling of the NCAE but I really did believe that they should also endorse in the GOP primary. After all as I told them, what about the approximately 30 per cent of their membership who are registered Republicans. Yes, Virginia, there are teachers who are registered as Republicans and vote that way. By doing just what the Moore camp predicted, the NCAE appears to have "cooked the books" and to have once again fallen into the public perception that they are merely a tool of the Democratic Party. But, alas, that's exactly what they did and now all those teachers across the state will not have the benefit of a real debate about the future of education and I predict will rarely see the Lt. Governor who now has that vote locked up. Once again the political gurus of the NCAE missed the boat. Too bad for the teachers.

Random Musings and Catching Up

I'm finding that it's easy to let several days slip by without making a blog entry so now I'm feeling the urge to get something up. Rather than comment on a policy issue like I've been doing, I thought I'd give my readers a sense of what I've been doing these past few days. Friday found me at my home in Yancey County spending the bulk of the day quietly working on a questionnaire dealing with education issues. The NCAE is interviewing candidates for Governor this coming Saturday. The process is already stirring up a little controversy as it appears the Moore camp feels it's a done deal for Perdue. Not so says the NCAE. Wonder what the odds are that Fred or I might surprise the pundits and get the nod? Anyway I'm glad Fred's going to participate because the GOP needs to be out front on education issues. Sorry that Bill chose not to interview.

Back to Yancey County where waiting for me when I got there was a recorded call from Fred's campaign inviting me to a BBQ that Friday in Yancey County. In the mail was a sizable mailing from Fred complete with another written invite, a copy of his book, and an opportunity to contribute. Nope, didn't send anything but thought about grabbing some of his free BBQ. Instead took a nice run down the road by the river (pretty darn low due to the drought) and went to a church dinner where I think I picked up at least 6 votes.

Saturday was highlighted by a trip to Franklin in Macon County for a political gathering in which I was the featured speaker. It was a good crowd; I got to see lots of long time friends like Harold and Dean Corbin; and came home with my first cake of the political season (a carrot cake and it was delicious). After the ride home on Sunday listening to old country music it was time to start writing a speech for the Agri-business Council meeting. That Monday night event was a great opportunity to meet some new people and learn about an extraordinarily important industry in North Carolina. Fred, Richard and I spoke to the several hundred participants but Bev and Bill were no shows.

This morning was my first Pancakes and Politics breakfast - an hour long on the record gathering for reporters to sit down with me and talk about a variety of issues. Since I don't have a consultant to tell me not to talk so freely with the press, I'll be interested to see what if anything comes out of it. But I thought that the 5 reporters (actually 4 reporters and an editorial writer) found it to be a good opportunity and if nothing else it should reinforce my commitment to availability, something the present Governor doesn't do much of.

So, there's a brief glimpse as to the last few days on the campaign trail. "Orr Force One" logged a bunch of miles since my last post. Lots of road time to think about the campaign and ponder the upcoming football season. I can't wait.