Opinion

Opinion Roundup: Trump's Charlotte rally, Margaret Spellings resigns, mail bomber had N.C. ties and more

Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Trump holds rally in Charlotte, crime victims amendment raises questions about funding, man detained in mail-bomb case played soccer at UNC Charlotte, ex-Wake deeds office staffers get prison time for roles in embezzlement, Margaret Spellings resigns as president of University of NC system, Medicaid changes get thumbs up and more.

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Trump Tries to Rebuild Political 'Momentum' by Reviving Old Attacks
Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018 -- A round up of opinion, commentary and analysis on: Trump holds rally in Charlotte, crime victims amendment raises questions about funding, man detained in mail-bomb case played soccer at UNC Charlotte, ex-Wake deeds office staffers get prison time for roles in embezzlement, Margaret Spellings resigns as president of University of NC system, Medicaid changes get thumbs up and more.
CAMPAIGN 2018
KEN SMITH: Trump rallies in Charlotte for NC congressional candidates (WRAL-TV reports) — The Bojangles’ Coliseum in uptown Charlotte sounded more like a rock concert when President Donald Trump took the stage. “Hello, NC,” he said upon entering the arena. "Thank you very much. I'm really happy to be back in Charlotte."
JILL COLVIN: Trump lectures media for trying 'to score political points' (AP reports) — President Donald Trump lectured the media at length on Friday evening, accusing reporters of trying "to use the sinister actions of one individual to score political points" against him hours after police apprehended a staunch supporter of his in connection with the mail-bomb scare targeting Democrats and CNN.
KAYLA EPSTEIN & DAVID NAKAMURA: Trump says ‘we must unify’ at N.C. rally after bomb plot, then criticizes Democrats and media (Washington Post reports) -- Rallygoers reiterated support for the president and viewed mail-bomb plot that put nation on edge with slight suspicion
ASHLEY PARKER & PHILIP RUCKER: ‘I could really tone it up’: Trump shows little interest in uniting the nation during crises (Washington Post reports) -- The president sounded inclusive notes on the package bombs. Then he expressed annoyance that they had taken the spotlight from a Medicare announcement, told a black audience that Democrats betrayed them and echoed a “Lock him up!” chant about one of the bomb targets.
ELY PORTILLO, JIM MORRILL & TIM FUNK: Trump, seeking to score political points, accuses media of trying ‘to score political points’ (Charlotte Observer reports) -- After a spate of bomb scares, President Donald Trump on Friday decried “the politics of anger and destruction” during a rally in Charlotte, even as he slammed the media for “constant unfair coverage.” “Everyone will benefit if we end the politics of personal destruction,” he said at Bojangles’ Coliseum. “We must unify as a nation in peace, love and harmony. … The media has a major role to play whether they want to or not.”
Rev. William Barber begins 3-state get-out-the-vote effort (AP reports) — The Rev. William Barber has started a three-state get-out-the-vote tour that will take him to NC, Georgia and Florida. Barber is known as the architect of the "Moral Monday" movement in NC, where he also was president of the state chapter of the NAACP.
STEPHEN KINDLAND: Rev. Barber, rally energize crowd to get out the vote (Hendersonville Times-News reports) -- Technology overcame adversity when former N.C. NAACP president the Rev. Dr. William Barber II spoke about voter suppression and other issues to a packed Thomas Auditorium crowd at Blue Ridge Community College. Unable to get a flight to Asheville and caught in a traffic jam somewhere on I-40, Barber spoke via live stream to a disappointed but attentive audience that had come to see the Protestant minister who co-chairs the national Poor People’s Campaign and serves as president of Repairers of the Breach, a nationwide initiative that calls for the “rebuilding and repairing of the country’s moral infrastructure.”
LAURA LESLIE: NC Democrats, GOP accuse each other of breaking rules involving outside political groups (WRAL-TV reports) -- Ad money from outside groups is pouring into N.C. this fall to back or oppose candidates for Congress, the General Assembly and the state Supreme Court, including millions of dollars from anonymous sources who want to influence voters.
ADAM OWENS: Crime victims amendment raises questions about funding, resources (WRAL-TV reports) – N.C. voters are being asked this fall whether to amend the state constitution to expand the rights of crime victims.
HARRY BROWN & KATHY HARRINGTON: The case for a bipartisan board (Winston-Salem Journal column) -- This year, voters will decide whether to pass a constitutional amendment requiring a truly bipartisan board of elections and ethics enforcement.
WILL DORAN: NC Democrat isn’t telling the full story about corporate influence in her campaign (Charlotte Observer reports) — The campaign for a U.S. House seat representing parts of Greensboro and surrounding areas has frequently focused on money: Who’s getting the most outside funding, and who is or isn’t beholden to special interests
BILL MCCARTHY: George Holding misleads on Obamacare premium increase during debate (Durham-Herald Sun reports) — In a debate Monday night, Republican Rep. George Holding sounded off on the ACA, also known as Obamacare, for raising premiums. “Obamacare raised premiums by 100 percent, and after that 91 percent of the people were covered, but we’re all paying 100 percent more,” Holding said.
PAUL SPECHT: Budd relies on Manning’s husband to support a claim she gave ‘nearly $1M to liberals’ (Durham-Herald Sun reports) — In NC’s 13th Congressional District, incumbent Republican Ted Budd has accused Democrat Kathy Manning of being a “left-wing political insider” who was “hand-picked” by House minority leader Nancy Pelosi.
MICHAEL GORDON: Roommate of man accused of slurring poll worker says incident has been ‘over-hyped (Charlotte Observer reports) — The man accused of racially harassing and threatening a campaign volunteer at a Charlotte voting site remained jailed Friday after a judge refused to reduce his bond. Wayne, 28, is charged with ethnic intimidation, disorderly conduct, communicating threats and going armed for the terror of the people. At the time of his arrest, police said he was carrying a BB gun.
Endorsement: Lora Cubbage, William Wood in Superior Court; Jon Kreider in District Court (Greensboro News & Record) — When we elect judges, the least relevant information of all should be whether a “D” or an “R” follows a candidate’s name. But here we are anyway. Republican lawmakers in Raleigh have foisted partisan judicial elections on us. So the best way to deal with it? Ignore the party labels.
Rewrite state law to clarify standards on candidate residency (Wilson Times) — Residency challenges aren’t unheard of in local elections, as Mayor Bruce Rose prevailed in a November 2015 hearing after his opponent failed to present evidence. In General Assembly contests, they’ve become a handy wrench in the tactician’s toolbox. Democrats challenge Republicans; Republicans challenge Democrats, and the resolution process is riddled with partisan politics.
How we see Mecklenburg’s five NC Senate races (Charlotte Observer) — Five Senate seats appear on the Mecklenburg ballot, including at least one with a solid chance of flipping to Democrats. Here’s how we see those races.
POLICY & POLITICS
MICHAEL BIESECKER & STEPHEN BRAUN: Man detained in mail-bomb case played soccer at UNC Charlotte, says former coach (AP reports) — The man detained in connection to mail bombs sent to prominent Democrats, Robert De Niro and CNN was a walk-on soccer player for UNC Charlotte, according to a tweet from Jamie Boll, a news anchor at WBTV in Charlotte. Boll said that former UNC Charlotte Soccer Coach Bob Warming told him that 56-year-old Cesar Sayoc was a player for UNCC in 1983.
CANDACE SWEAT: ’I could've talked him out of it': Former soccer coach remembers mailing bomb suspect (WRAL-TV reports) — "I think if on the day before this happened, if I came into the room with him and said 'How are you doing?' 'Oh, I'm getting ready to do this,' I could've talked him out of it," Scarborough said. "I really think he respected me enough to listen to everything I had to say." Scarborough was Sayoc's soccer coach at Brevard College in the early 1980s. He said he remembers Sayoc, now 56, vividly.
PATRICIA MAZZEI & NICK MADIGAN: Who Is Cesar Sayoc, the Mail Bombing Suspect? (New York Times reports) -- Cesar Altieri Sayoc Jr., a South Florida man charged in connection with a string of bombs mailed to prominent Democrats, appeared to have a lively social media presence, where he frequently posted in right-wing circles and shared conservative news stories and condemnations of liberal politicians.
Vertex, show piece of McCrory’s economic development policy, closing, rail car maker shuttering Wilmington plant (Wilmington Star-News reports) -- The company came to the Port City in 2014 promising more than 1,000 jobs
Ex-Wake deeds office staffers get prison time for roles in embezzlement (WRAL-TV reports) -- Three former Wake County employees pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme that saw more than $1 million skimmed from the Register of Deeds Office.
EDUCATION
MELISSA KORN: Margaret Spellings Resigns as President of University of NC System (Wall Street Journal reports) — Margaret Spellings, a former U.S. education secretary under President George W. Bush, will step down as president of the University of NC system on March 1, saying it was time for new leadership after three years in the role. She has overseen the 17-campus, 230,000-student UNC system since March 2016, focusing on expanding affordability and access
MATTHEW BURNS: UNC President Margaret Spellings resigns: 'All leaders are for a time' (WRAL-TV reports) — “All leaders are for a time," University of NC President Margaret Spellings said during a news conference following her closed-door meeting with the UNC Board of Governors to hash out details of her separation. "Times change, and those changes demand new leaders and new approaches."
EMERY DALESIO: NC universities head Margaret Spellings quits amid turmoil (AP reports) -- Margaret Spellings — a former education secretary to President George W. Bush — resigned as president of N.C.'s public university system, ending a tenure marked by cultural controversies and a hard-edged governing board that didn't choose her. The UNC Board of Governors approved a separation package for Spellings paying her more than $500,000 when she leaves as president of the state's 17-campus system in March, three years after she started.
JOHN NEWSOM: Guilford College, 3 other schools, sue feds over student visa change (Greensboro News & Record reports) — Guilford College and three other schools are suing the federal government over a recent change to immigration policy that could make it easier to ban international students from this country for up to a decade.
JANE STANCILL: Fellow UNC students punish protester who poured blood and ink on Silent Sam statue (Durham-Herald Sun reports) — Maya Little left after the honor court vice chair, Amelia Ahern, said there was no reason that law student Frank Pray could not be impartial in the case. Ahern said Pray had not made any comments about the specific issue before the court — a charge against Little for damaging the Silent Sam Confederate monument with ink and her own blood.
HEALTH
TRAVIS FAIN: Proposal might save NC $300M in health care costs. Hospitals say it's a bad idea (WRAL-TV reports) — State Treasurer Dale Folwell is battling hospitals across NC over costs, pushing a new plan that would save money for the largest insurance plan in the state and potentially send ripples throughout the health care industry.
SARAH OVASKA-FEW: Medicaid Changes Get Thumbs Up, as State Pushes Forward with Managed Care (NC Health News reports) — The plan includes looking hard at social problems that keep people from being healthy and integrates solutions to those problems into plans.
As Billions In Tax Dollars Flow To Private Medicaid Plans, Who’s Minding The Store? (Kaiser Health News) — Even as NC prepares to move it's Medicaid program to managed care, questions arise about what kind of value states are getting from private insurers running the programs.
JASON PARKER: UNC cancer center reduces costs $43M a year through drug waste program (WRAL-TV/TechWire reports) -- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Department of Pharmacy and the North Carolina Cancer Hospital have found a way to fight rising drug costs by implementing a waste reduction program that has cut costs $43 million a year. And the effort is receiving national attention.
AND MORE…
Mega Millions disappointment (Winston-Salem Journal) — It’s for the best. Money makes people crazy. That’s probably the best attitude to have toward Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing that, as of this writing, is likely to have made one South Carolinian very happy and left the rest of us trudging out to meet the day with a little drag in our step.

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