The Daily Haymaker Guest Editorial
Our GUY IN CHARGE - editor and publisher Brant Clifton - has marched to the beat of a different drum from very early in life. The grandson of a Democrat party machine boss, Mr. Clifton registered Republican at 18 and campaigned for Ronald Reagan and George Bush. He worked for the late U.S. Senator Jesse Helms in Washington during and right after college.
Mr. Clifton took on the liberal media as an analyst with The Media Research Center, then jumped into a lengthy career with the "drive-by media". His work has appeared in local newspapers in The Carolinas. He has done on-camera work for ABC's Good Morning America, and print work for national publications such as US News & World Report and People magazine. Mr. Clifton has also worked as a correspondent for AP, UPI, Reuters and Agence France Presse.
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Once again, we got treated to a double-header of televised political brilliance.
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Once again, we got treated to a double-header of televised political brilliance.
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You can get a really good sense of where things stand during the last month of an election cycle. In a close race, the candidate feeling the most endangered tends to get more aggressive in attacking their opponent.
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You can get a really good sense of where things stand during the last month of an election cycle. In a close race, the candidate feeling the most endangered tends to get more aggressive in attacking their opponent.
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South Carolina, what are we going to do about the little guy? Y'all have done so well with your House delegation (Clyburn notwithstanding) and with Senator DeMint.
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South Carolina, what are we going to do about the little guy? Y'all have done so well with your House delegation (Clyburn notwithstanding) and with Senator DeMint.
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To paraphrase El Rushbo -- the closer you are geographically to DC, and the longer you stay there, the less conservative you become over time.
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To paraphrase El Rushbo -- the closer you are geographically to DC, and the longer you stay there, the less conservative you become over time.
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I button-holed a Republican legislator recently to try and get some of the inside skinny on the happenings on Jones Street.
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I button-holed a Republican legislator recently to try and get some of the inside skinny on the happenings on Jones Street.
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Republican Pat McCrory has a large fundraising advantage in his encore campaign for the governorship.
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Republican Pat McCrory has a large fundraising advantage in his encore campaign for the governorship.
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There's nothing like the whitest white man on the planet Earth complaining that someone else doesn't get "the black experience."
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There's nothing like the whitest white man on the planet Earth complaining that someone else doesn't get "the black experience."
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Last night, Mitt Romney showed John McCain how it SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE in 2008. The Mittster called Barry's bluff on a number of occasions -- correcting his misstatements and outright lies.
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Last night, Mitt Romney showed John McCain how it SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE in 2008. The Mittster called Barry's bluff on a number of occasions -- correcting his misstatements and outright lies.
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What's going on here? Why are these conservative-oriented groups lining up behind Democrats in supposedly competitive races -supposed easy GOP pickups?
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What's going on here? Why are these conservative-oriented groups lining up behind Democrats in supposedly competitive races -supposed easy GOP pickups?
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North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District race could be a bellwether for the next two years of Congress and the Republican Party.
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North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District race could be a bellwether for the next two years of Congress and the Republican Party.
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While many candidates hold meet-and-greets in swanky hotel ballrooms, Tedesco holds court at dutch-treat events in small town cafés.
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While many candidates hold meet-and-greets in swanky hotel ballrooms, Tedesco holds court at dutch-treat events in small town cafés.
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The N&O is presenting the surprising, shocking news that the NC Association of Educators is upset with GOP gubernatorial nominee -- and general election frontrunner -- Pat McCrory.
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The N&O is presenting the surprising, shocking news that the NC Association of Educators is upset with GOP gubernatorial nominee -- and general election frontrunner -- Pat McCrory.
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When the GOP majority took over the North Carolina General Assembly in 2011, we were promised an end to pay-to-play. Pay-to-play has typically meant the shakedown of lobbyists and other interested parties for campaign donations in exchange for legislative attention to their concerns.
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When the GOP majority took over the North Carolina General Assembly in 2011, we were promised an end to pay-to-play. Pay-to-play has typically meant the shakedown of lobbyists and other interested parties for campaign donations in exchange for legislative attention to their concerns.
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Obama's EPA is preparing to shut down more than 200 coal-fired generators. What does that mean in terms of the big picture? An independent group is arguing that it means higher electric bills for Candidate Hussein Obama's favorite demographic -- the working poor and middle class.
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Obama's EPA is preparing to shut down more than 200 coal-fired generators. What does that mean in terms of the big picture? An independent group is arguing that it means higher electric bills for Candidate Hussein Obama's favorite demographic -- the working poor and middle class.
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I've seen and heard WAY too much lately about Mitt Romney's tax returns. The Obama sycophants at the AP slobbered all over the Romney documents, pointing out -- from the Marxist, statist, class warfare perspective - how much the Mittster made and the percentage he paid. WHO CARES ??????
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I've seen and heard WAY too much lately about Mitt Romney's tax returns. The Obama sycophants at the AP slobbered all over the Romney documents, pointing out -- from the Marxist, statist, class warfare perspective - how much the Mittster made and the percentage he paid. WHO CARES ??????
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First Amendment protections against laws that abridge the "freedom of speech" were twisted into "freedom of expression" to justify protection for flag-burners and government subsidies for masterpieces like "Piss Christ" (a crucifix in a jar of urine).
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First Amendment protections against laws that abridge the "freedom of speech" were twisted into "freedom of expression" to justify protection for flag-burners and government subsidies for masterpieces like "Piss Christ" (a crucifix in a jar of urine).
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Jay Parmley, the former executive director of the NC Democratic Party who helped bring discussions of mano y mano 'crotch-punching' to the state's local papers and newscasts, is getting an up-close-and-personal look at the economic situation he and his allies helped create.
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Jay Parmley, the former executive director of the NC Democratic Party who helped bring discussions of mano y mano 'crotch-punching' to the state's local papers and newscasts, is getting an up-close-and-personal look at the economic situation he and his allies helped create.
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We've talked about A LOT of stuff in the 2012 race for governor of North Carolina. We've heard a lot about Pat McCrory's tax returns. We've been treated to commercials featuring a Pat McCrory puppet.
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We've talked about A LOT of stuff in the 2012 race for governor of North Carolina. We've heard a lot about Pat McCrory's tax returns. We've been treated to commercials featuring a Pat McCrory puppet.
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Washington is buzzing about a bit of theater on the US House floor recently, involving a group of Members that included The Second District's Renee Ellmers:
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Washington is buzzing about a bit of theater on the US House floor recently, involving a group of Members that included The Second District's Renee Ellmers:
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Disciples of Candidate Hussein Obama -- inside and outside of the media -- are STILL sticking by this nonsense that the violence against Americans and US embassies around the world is in response to a movie.
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Disciples of Candidate Hussein Obama -- inside and outside of the media -- are STILL sticking by this nonsense that the violence against Americans and US embassies around the world is in response to a movie.
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The media and the left have told us -- again and again -- that a vice-presidential nominee MATTERS because he /she will be "a heartbeat away from the presidency" if the election goes their way.
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The media and the left have told us -- again and again -- that a vice-presidential nominee MATTERS because he /she will be "a heartbeat away from the presidency" if the election goes their way.
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After seeing those photos of the mob overrunning the US embassy in Cairo, yanking down the American flag, my mind wandered back to similar images in Tehran in 1979 The more I think about it. the similarities between the Carter years, and our current situation, are striking.
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After seeing those photos of the mob overrunning the US embassy in Cairo, yanking down the American flag, my mind wandered back to similar images in Tehran in 1979 The more I think about it. the similarities between the Carter years, and our current situation, are striking.
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Remember the video of Robin Hayes's temper tantrum at the RNC? There was an older gentleman in the video who was invited as a guest speaker to explain his concerns with the rules changes.
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Remember the video of Robin Hayes's temper tantrum at the RNC? There was an older gentleman in the video who was invited as a guest speaker to explain his concerns with the rules changes.
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In the face of a "Fire Hayes and Clean House" groundswell among party activists, the folks at NCGOP are taking steps to limit damage caused by the leak of a videotaped rant by state party chairman Robin Hayes at the recently completed national convention in Tampa.
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In the face of a "Fire Hayes and Clean House" groundswell among party activists, the folks at NCGOP are taking steps to limit damage caused by the leak of a videotaped rant by state party chairman Robin Hayes at the recently completed national convention in Tampa.
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Well, the freak show in Charlotte is winding down. We've been treated to a celebration of abortion, the booing of God, and serious - I think - attempts to make us believe things are going GREAT.
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Well, the freak show in Charlotte is winding down. We've been treated to a celebration of abortion, the booing of God, and serious - I think - attempts to make us believe things are going GREAT.
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There's been a sudden explosion of purple hair and tongue-piercings in the vicinity of Trade & Tryon. Barney Frank -- a/k/a "The Banking Queen" -- checked into his hotel with a belt strapped around his neck.
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There's been a sudden explosion of purple hair and tongue-piercings in the vicinity of Trade & Tryon. Barney Frank -- a/k/a "The Banking Queen" -- checked into his hotel with a belt strapped around his neck.
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I was listening to Rush discuss the flap over the rules changes at the GOP national convention. He made an excellent point:
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I was listening to Rush discuss the flap over the rules changes at the GOP national convention. He made an excellent point:
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Some regular readers of this blog have shared a great video with me from the recently-completed national Republican Convention in Tampa.
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Some regular readers of this blog have shared a great video with me from the recently-completed national Republican Convention in Tampa.
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Now that their fearless leader has been reduced to political impotence and irrelevance, the group of General Assembly Republicans who sided with Richard Morgan to form an alliance with Jim Black is slowly but surely ditching their digs on Jones Street.
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Now that their fearless leader has been reduced to political impotence and irrelevance, the group of General Assembly Republicans who sided with Richard Morgan to form an alliance with Jim Black is slowly but surely ditching their digs on Jones Street.
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The stenography pool in The N&O newsroom trumpeted recently an announcement of an ethics reform package by Democrat gubernatorial candidate Walter Dalton. Apparently, Dalton wants to clean up the legislature -- where he has been serving since 1996.
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The stenography pool in The N&O newsroom trumpeted recently an announcement of an ethics reform package by Democrat gubernatorial candidate Walter Dalton. Apparently, Dalton wants to clean up the legislature -- where he has been serving since 1996.
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Congresswoman Renee Ellmers is having quite a rocky relationship with folks in her new majority Republican district. A recent survey by Public Policy Polling found that she was leading her Democrat opponent Steve Wilkins by only 44-28 in this VERY Republican district.
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Congresswoman Renee Ellmers is having quite a rocky relationship with folks in her new majority Republican district. A recent survey by Public Policy Polling found that she was leading her Democrat opponent Steve Wilkins by only 44-28 in this VERY Republican district.
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Media reports indicate that a Lexington, NC -based corporation may have defrauded as many as TWO MILLION PEOPLE with an alleged Ponzi scheme.
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Media reports indicate that a Lexington, NC -based corporation may have defrauded as many as TWO MILLION PEOPLE with an alleged Ponzi scheme.
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Tea Party folks have been told for months now that we need to get on the bandwagon -- for the sake of unity. We need to join the cheering section for Pat and Mitt.
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Tea Party folks have been told for months now that we need to get on the bandwagon -- for the sake of unity. We need to join the cheering section for Pat and Mitt.
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Yep. That's the bill of goods wonderboy super-scribe Rob Christensen is trying to sell us in the pages of The N&O:
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Yep. That's the bill of goods wonderboy super-scribe Rob Christensen is trying to sell us in the pages of The N&O:
