NC State has been in a mess for months and finally today appears to be headed in the right direction.
It seems pretty clear Erskine Bowles has a heck of a lot to do with that.
It's too bad he'll be 71 in 2016 because he's an extraordinarily competent executive and clean as a whistle...he would make a great Governor, reaching the office his dad just couldn't quite get.
For now North Carolinians are lucky to have him in the position he's in.
Given Perdue's unpopularity, he could probably beat her in a Primary in 2012.
ReplyDeleteListen to what CHRIS says. Bev will be almost 65 in 2012. I'm betting that she will voluntarily step down, not trying to make it until she's almost 69. Erskine would never run against Bev in a primry. One just doesn't do that against a sitting governor in a primary (except for Bob Scott's disastrous run against Jim Hunt).
ReplyDeleteBev's status at the present time is a reflection of the 'times,' especially the economic downturn. She's doing her best against incredible odds. She made it in on Obama's coattails. Sure, things will be different in 2012, and Obama will probably be as strong as Reagan was when he ran for re-election. That may or may not be enough to carry Bev again. Then, there is the fact that she is obviously a woman. Go west of Buncombe and see how many counties she carried. Zip. There is still an anti-woman-in-public-office bias there.
So, we can't totally count Erskine out in 2012. If I were Bev, I would pour everything I have into these four years, then kiss it goodbye and head back to New Bern. Both Bev and Erskine are as 'old school establishment' as you can get. Maybe some young turk will show up on the Tar Heel horizon between now and 2012 or surely by 2016.
I certainly think Erskine Bowles is a capable leader--I voted for him twice--but I'm not sure if you're not giving him too much credit here.
ReplyDeleteMuch of the information that we found out today, Bowles just discovered on Friday, so the notion that he's had a strong hand in righting this ship seems far-fetched to me. I mean, you might be right, but I don't think there's sufficient evidence to support that thesis yet.
Haha - you guys crack me up with your Bowles gush-fest. Didn't he run for Senate in this state twice, and lose once by about 10 points, and the second time by about 5 or 6?
ReplyDelete...oh sure!! He'd do GREAT running for governor....but based on what evidence beyond your own personal feelings of love for the guy?