What are your thoughts on Mike Easley for President?

[bluestateguy]

I like this guy. A southern Democrat, who has really fought to protect American jobs from outsourcing, fought for education, health care and is pro-gun. He has good populist credentials. He's a bit more tested in the south than is John Edwards, having been elected four times as governor and attorney general.

[goobergunch]

1. We could do a lot worse than Easley.

Not sure if we should look to the South, but that depends on who the candidates end up being.

[Timebound]

2. Are you from NC?

I am, and I dislike him. He hasn't done anything for the poor in North Carolina.

Of course it seems the rest my state likes him, so he may be a good choice to oust the GOP in the presidency. I'd vote for him if he got the nom, but only cause I won't vote Republican.

*sigh* Just my two cents.

[KoKo]

7. He's given lots of money to "big business." He's very quiet and one

wouldn't know he was even Govenor. I've not heard one bit of initiative out of his office about voting problems and he was barely visible during the campaign. He didn't show up at the huge Kerry rally just before the election where all the top candidates were there, including Bowles who really needed some help. They said he couldn't make it because he had a prior commitment.

We've had more development (bad kind) since he took office than under Jim Hunt who was notoriously friendly to business and particularly Real Estate interests....but the cow has been out of the barn and running since Easley came in.

I don't have a favorable opinion of him, either...and I was active int he campaign but never saw him when the rest of our officials were all out on the campaign trail..:shrug"

[Spiffarino]

3. Garden variety weasel

Not many people like him here. I believe he beat Ballantine because Ballantine was so incredibly creepy and disingenuous.

I hope we can find a candidate in '08 that has the guts to speak out for our values, which I believe are much closer to the hearts of most Americans than the Repubs' values will ever be. Listening to Easley during the '04 campaign, you'd think he was a Republican.

Easley refused to show up both times Kerry came to NC. He's not on our side.

[JI7]

6. it was kind of funny because Kerry would keep brining up his name

and praising him.

Kerry did seem to understand and didn't hold it against any of the Democrats running in conservative states who tried to avoid being associated with him.

[Spiffarino]

8. And of course, you're right

But Kerry coming here was a coup for those of us who supported him and worked so hard for his campaign. We worked to elect the entire slate of Dems, yet Easley supported none of them. He just rode herd for himself. I'm still sore about it.

[JI7]

4. he kept his distance from Kerry during the campaign

as did many other southerners running for office then. so i'm sure he has an idea of how the political mood is in the state and other places.

[AntiCoup2K4]

5. The South has dominated politics for too damn long.

We need to put an end to that bullshit.

And no, i'm not bashing the South or saying they should be excluded. But it's time the other 3/4 of the country had something to say.

I have a feeling the sane Republicans would agree. The Religious Reich has done them less favors than the DLC has done us.