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Political Hay
Sarcasm-Gate?
One governor’s gaffe became a viral sensation. But was she really joking?
RALEIGH, N.C. — First it was a joke. Then hyperbole. Then sarcasm. Now, it’s anyone’s guess what she actually meant.
While addressing voters at a Rotary Club meeting near Raleigh on Tuesday, North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue, a Democrat, suggested a novel solution to America’s problems: cancel the 2012 congressional elections.
“I think we ought to suspend, perhaps, elections for Congress for two years and just tell them we won’t hold it against them, whatever decisions they make, to just let them help this country recover,” Perdue said. “I really hope that someone can agree with me on that. You want people who don’t worry about the next election.”
All it took was a tweet from a local reporter for Perdue’s election-canceling ways to go viral. By the time the Drudge Report and Rush Limbaugh picked up the remarks, Perdue’s team was in full damage-control mode.
“Come on. Gov. Perdue was obviously using hyperbole …” an aide to the governor told the media. Later, Perdue said she meant to be sarcastic. “We really just need to encourage our leaders who are elected to work together and solve America’s problems,” she said.
North Carolina’s punditry collectively scratched their heads, however, when audio of Perdue’s bizarre suggestion emerged. It’s obvious she isn’t joking. For a joke to be a joke, there are prerequisites. A big one is that someone needs to laugh, or at least chuckle. I don’t care if it’s one person in the back row. If no one laughs — as no one did after Perdue’s comment (heck, there isn’t even nervous coughing) — it’s not a joke, whatever was intended. To try to spin Perdue’s remark as jest is funnier than the original remark.
Hyperbole? Perhaps. Sarcasm? None that I can detect, and I’ve listened to many press conferences and speeches by the governor.
Apparently, Perdue’s humor is so deadpan even she didn’t realize she was joking.
Republicans couldn’t pass up a political opportunity this ripe for the picking. They gleefully pounced. “It took [the governor’s staff] three hours to say it was a ‘joke,’ but when that flopped, it became ‘hyperbole.’ We’ll just call it an unconstitutionally bad idea,” said GOP spokesman Rob Lockwood.
So, what to make of Perdue’s comment? To comprehend fully, one must understand the present political dynamics in North Carolina. At the national level, the Tar Heel State is ground zero for the 2012 presidential race. To gauge how seriously President Obama takes winning the state, look at where the Democratic National Convention will be held next year: Charlotte.
At the state level, it’s a different picture. For the first time since Reconstruction, Republicans are picking up steam. The GOP reclaimed both chambers of the state legislature in 2010. (As a colleague of mine said, maybe Perdue meant to say that the 2010 election should have been canceled). If a GOP-friendly redistricting plan holds up in court, Republicans have a solid shot at controlling the state house for the next decade, and beyond.
The scenario is equally dire for Democrats at the gubernatorial level. Two words explain why Perdue won her first term in 2008: Obama’s coattails. Then-candidate Obama’s ground game in North Carolina was astounding, and the year decidedly favored Democrats running for state office. Even so, Perdue barely eked out a win by 144,969 votes out of over 4 million cast.
Since assuming office in 2009, Perdue’s approval rating has fluctuated from 30 percent to 25 percent to 42 percent. She’s had a difficult time keeping the liberal base of her party happy while obeying a constitutional requirement to run a balanced budget.
A Republican challenger — the leading contender is former Charlotte mayor Pat McCrory — has a better than even chance of knocking her off next year, when Republicans will undisputedly do better than in 2008. Behind the scenes, there is talk of a primary challenge to Perdue from the ranks of her own party.
All that to say this: Perdue wasn’t serious about canceling elections. She couldn’t have been, if only for political reasons. Perdue isn’t Exhibit A for “disciplined politician,” but she isn’t tone-deaf. Legitimately suggesting that elections be scrubbed is a losing proposition all the way around, particularly because she can’t initiate a single action to make it happen. The truth is that Perdue made an unfortunate off-the-cuff remark, resulting in disastrous consequences.
About the Author
David N. Bass is a journalist who writes from the Old North State. Follow him on Twitter.
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Kitty| 9.30.11 @ 6:28AM
Don't be so certain this "joke" will be forgotten. Some of us have been half-expecting Obama to try canceling the elections. (Unconstitutional? When did that ever stop him?) So when we heard it, it got our attention in a BIG way.
J.C.| 9.30.11 @ 2:33PM
For those of you not from N.C., Dems have been in control, oh about forever. That is until the last elections. North Carolina hasn't had real democracy until the recent Republican takeover, and the Dems still desperately clinging to power want no part of this whole Democracy thing.
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 3:01PM
Did AS purposefully initially use Kathleen Sibelius's photo as the icon for this article? Or was it just a mistake? If purposeful, it's even funnier.
TrueBlue| 9.30.11 @ 7:03PM
Oh I expect massive "flash" riots after the 2012 elections to give him a reason to call martial law and "temporarily" void the elections.
Trish| 9.30.11 @ 7:48PM
Right Kitty.
Mike Hawk.| 9.30.11 @ 6:32AM
Perdue would seem to be a fan of Foot-in-mouth politics of the stupid as perfected by "Plugs" Biden. It was not a joke as she is not that bright.
Petronius| 9.30.11 @ 3:48PM
That's what happens when somebody channels Ann Richards. Have the moat monsters been fed lately?
Michael Tomlinson| 9.30.11 @ 6:42AM
She wasn't joking anymore than Obama was when he bemoaned he didn't have the dictatorial power of China's current Thug-in-Chief or soulmates Chavez, Castro and RINO Ron Paul's BFF in Iran. This is exactly what Democrats want an oligarchy of elitists telling us what to do.
That's whats behind all the commissions and special committees doing the people's business. Government by nameless, faceless and unelected oligarchs.
Democrats want elections to be merely high paying popularity contests for despots.
Herb| 9.30.11 @ 7:39AM
Money quote!
"Democrats want elections to merely be high paying popularity contests for despots."
And with ninety-nine percent approval rates, like those elections for Chavez, Mugabe, Kim Jong-Il, Hitler, etc.
It may seem silly, but there is the belief among some that the true sentiment behind one's public statements can be discerned simply by playing them backwards. Rush had some fun with this, and I once heard a clip of Hillary Clinton reemerge with an eerie message when played in reverse.
Hillary was about to lose the '08 nomination to Obama after thinking it was hers for the asking. Publically she declared, "the best Democrat will win this race" or some such. Backwards, it came out as "white-house-throne-it-is-mine".
Obama's campaign slogan "Yes, we can!" actually reverses into "thank-you-satan".
Anyway, I wonder if Gov. Perdue's words could be parsed using the same process.
WillyP | 10.3.11 @ 9:09AM
Amazing, I just played it backwards, and I could swear it sounded like "I think we ought to suspend, perhaps, elections for Congress for two years"!
Ret. Marine| 9.30.11 @ 6:43AM
I don't believe for one moment this was intended as a joke, we all know demonrats have no sense of humor. She was as serious as a heart attack. They know they are in for a beating like no other in their long liars careers. They rightfully deserve it.
Is this prior warning to this Republic for what they would do if necessary, you betcha, they know they are not winning any hearts and minds because anyone with a heart and a mind knows they are always projecting what they "feel"., and say what they "think" vrs. calling it like it is or what is needed. What is needed is a total recall of all of these types and their wishful thinking. I don't ever remember any one from the Republic thinking public making such an asurd remark, the fact is she was caught, and now if forced to recant her true intentions. Get ready for the "surprise" people, this is yet another case of projection because they know the Patriots are not buying what they are trying to sell, tryanny.
TrueBlue| 9.30.11 @ 7:08PM
It's not much different than President Obama's musing to La Raza that he'd love to just bypass Congress to "get things done."
Mary Mayes | 10.1.11 @ 2:51PM
He's told them that TWICE, to which they started chanting, "Yes, you can!"
Kenny| 9.30.11 @ 6:44AM
Prdue's remark will not fade away as quickly as Bass thinks because it fits the narrative that the Democratic Party want rule by the elite, not by the people in a democratic republic.
Kitty| 9.30.11 @ 6:56AM
Bingo!
George S| 9.30.11 @ 11:15AM
I'm sure a good number of Republicans will not lose too much sleep if they didn't have to campaign every two years.
Kitty| 9.30.11 @ 1:51PM
You're right. There is a lot of dead wood in both parties.
P. Arthurson| 9.30.11 @ 7:09AM
This isn't a bad idea, this is sedition.
crookedwren| 9.30.11 @ 10:20AM
Remember the Republic that was Rome? Remember how they kept a Senate that was no senate because the Executive became an Emperor? Remember "Bread and Circuses"? Remember the ultimate in "reality" and "survivor" entertainments?
I have college students who did not know about any of these things -- only the movie "Gladiator" -- and had no idea that Christians were murdered for entertainment.
COLLEGE STUDENTS.
This has been eliminated from their education. Why?
And if they don't know that history, then what?
John II| 9.30.11 @ 10:57AM
A few years ago, one of my college students said something inadvertently preposterous (Latin for "back-asswards") in class. Despite four decades in the teaching racket and the consequent leathery hide, I was stunned by the student's ignorance. So I popped a few random historical questions to the whole class. One characteristic example should suffice: fewer than half of them could place the American Civil War in the right century.
And there are fools who ask why I watch movies so much . . .
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 3:05PM
You might also recall the phone survey of Ivy Leaguers a decade or so ago. Their performance was even worse. A spot in an Ivy League classroom, residence hall, frat or student union association does not indicate anything but an occupied spot.
Occam's Tool| 9.30.11 @ 4:31PM
Indeed. Why, I remember when I was an upper level resident at UCLA, we had our WORST intern transfer to Yale's Psychiatry program.
Talking with one of his colleagues there at a conference much later, I was saddened to learn that he had died in a plane accident (he wasn't a bad person, just incompetent), and also found out that he was one of their academic stars.
Yup. Dhimmis and Ivy dudes. Don't much like 'em. Nossir.
Occam's Tool| 9.30.11 @ 4:36PM
And I worked with a Yale trained psychologist once. At one point, upset with my (correct) approach, she stated---"hey, I was trained at Yale!"
I said, "so what? I'm UCLA." (We are top 5.)
Petronius| 9.30.11 @ 3:52PM
And they don't know which one of the "57 states" they live in either. But then the whole country is in a state of despair except the nihilists inside the beltway.
NVA Patriot| 9.30.11 @ 7:11AM
All,
This will not be forgotten. It is the raw material of every enterprising Tea Party leader.
It will be the gift that keeps giving as every Tea Party Leader uses her line as the reason for each Tea Party member to get active and drive the vote...
We already used the line last night in Arlington, VA - not exactly "Red" territory. We are converting Dems to liberty in deep "blue" Arlington and Gov Perdue plays her part...
Should Have Impeached| 10.1.11 @ 12:03AM
The part that makes it sound like it's not a joke is where she continues: "I really hope that someone can agree with me on that. You want people who don't worry about the next election."
She wasn't waitin' for the laughter.
Timothy L. Pennell| 9.30.11 @ 7:25AM
Sometimes we say what we're thinking. The Romans had a saying for it. Something about Wine's ability to get to the Truth.
She said what she wishes. She knows that the Democrats are FINISHED. She knows that they are about to lose EVERYTHING,
Orszag said the same this.
His Majesty. The first American Pharaoh: Barack the Marxist, said as much, himself, when he mused about how much "Easier it was, to get things done" in Communist China.
This is what they feel. The question is: What will they do?
I believe that they will pull out all the stops. Obama will call on his ARMY, to shake things up. To "Take out these sons of bitches". Joe Biden will go to the Unions, because, "You're the only ones. The only ones, with the POWER......."
The Black Flash Mobs will be drafted in to service, by the "Black Leaders". America's Cities will BURN, like the 60's.
Every now and then, especially, when you're feeling down, you let down your guard, and say what you REALLY mean.
Next Summer will be LONG, and extremely HOT.
Count on it.
John Drake| 9.30.11 @ 7:46AM
"in vino et veritas" ....i.e., in wine there is truth. Freshman year high school Latin, 1970
Sugartown Super| 9.30.11 @ 10:26AM
That would be "in vino veritas" no "et"
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 3:07PM
'in vino veritas est'
Frekki| 9.30.11 @ 10:58AM
"Semper ubi sub ubi". Allways wear underwear.
When a Republican loses their election, they return to the private sector and work. When a Democrat loses their election, they don't eat. That's why we must be vigilant against their election fraud.
Frekki| 9.30.11 @ 11:16AM
Spito, Spitari, Spitavi, Hoctoey and Splash,
ahh, memories.
Ed| 9.30.11 @ 1:05PM
"Veni, Vidi, Vici"
J. Caesar
"Latin is a dead language,
as dead as dead can be.
First it killed the Romans,
and now it's killing me!"
Sugartown Super| 9.30.11 @ 1:45PM
Veni, Vidi, Visa.
I came, I saw, I shopped
8 years of middle and high school Latin, in an all-boys school, taught by a great teacher who was later arrested for trafficking in child porn. Yes, he WAS a Democrat...
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 5:53PM
Good one!
Anthony| 9.30.11 @ 6:08PM
You must be mistaken, it was a research project for the Latin all children's choir.
Anthony| 9.30.11 @ 6:40PM
Vidi, Veni, better put some ice on that!
Clintonius Maximus
John Navratil| 9.30.11 @ 6:54PM
Anthony,
Ouch!!
John Navratil| 9.30.11 @ 6:46PM
ilegitimi non carborundum -
don't let the bastards wear you down!
Al Adab| 9.30.11 @ 7:03PM
Quis custodiet custodes?
Who watches the watchers?
John Navratil| 9.30.11 @ 7:44PM
Al Adab,
I lean to the "who guards the guards" translation into English.
Interesting that in Italian, "guarda" means primarily to (in English) watch and, only secondarily, to guard.
Al Adab| 10.1.11 @ 9:32AM
Fair enough John. The meaning is clear. Root of custodian of course, meaning one who holds responsibility for anothers person or property. Much more than a janitor.
irish19| 10.1.11 @ 8:38PM
I never realized there were so many Latin scholars here. Very cool.
I was especially taken taken with Frekki's declining of the verb that obviously means "to expectorate."
Mary Mayes | 10.1.11 @ 3:05PM
That's what worries me the most -- the margin of victory for us in each state will have to be very large or they will steal it. I have no doubt they already have mechanisms in place, especially in Ohio, Florida, Pennsylvania, etc.
TrueBlue| 9.30.11 @ 7:13PM
There's a reason I just got a new shotgun.
Cincinnatius| 10.1.11 @ 1:31PM
Van Jones recently stated that the heat will be turned up this fall. Hope these guys realize that real Americans can make it rain longer than they can tread water. It may get really painful to serve in Obozo's army.
Carol| 9.30.11 @ 7:26AM
She wasn't joking.
Obama's Council Of Governors And The "Remaking" Of America
By Chuck Baldwin on February 9, 2010
"In other words, with the stroke of a pen, Obama significantly increased the ongoing effort to federalize the states and take control of the National Guard in violation of the now more or less moribund Posse Comitatus Act. Posse Comitatus was effectively annulled by the 2006 John Warner National Defense Authorization Act. The act provides the president with power to declare martial law under revisions to the Insurrection Act and take charge of United States National Guard troops without state governor authorization. Parts of the act were repealed in 2008."
http://www.vdare.com/articles/.....of-america
Frekki| 9.30.11 @ 11:08AM
If Obama tries to use the Guard against the population he will start a real civil war. I know many people in the National Guard, they will not obey orders to go against their family, friends and fellow countrymen. I don't think Obama is as ignorant and stupid to try something like that. But he has proven me wrong before. It might be fun to see him spew orders from the Oval Office only to have them ignored across the country. Dangerous, but fun.
Old Soldier| 9.30.11 @ 1:01PM
I wouldn't worry about the Guard or the military in general. The NCO corps is generally far better informed than John II's above mentioned college students. We also take our oath to the Constitution seriously.
Petronius| 9.30.11 @ 3:56PM
Really? They obeyed unlawful orders to confiscate guns in New Orleans and most owners will never get them back because Nagin's cronies kept them or sold them to friends.
Rob Schapiro| 9.30.11 @ 7:35AM
This was not a random suggestion by a lone politician. The Dems are floating a policy idea in precisely the same way they have launched many others. This is the third leftist who has called for less elections led by Obama himself who is "tempted" to just do what he wants. Dangerous times.
Mike D.| 9.30.11 @ 7:50AM
They are going to get plastered in 2012 and they know it. When rats get cornered they fight. Next year is going to be historic in regards to election violence and corruption. These leftists know everything they have strived for is possibly in jeopardy and they intend to stand their ground. Yes dangerous times.
Dan Hirsch| 9.30.11 @ 11:42AM
Remember Barry wanted to be President for "..oh about ten years.."
These people would not know the Constitution if punched them in the mouth ten times...
DTOM
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 2:44PM
... courtesy of the elcetoral votes of the 57 states.
BD57| 9.30.11 @ 1:13PM
Their basic premise: "Everything is just too complicated to let decisions of this magnitude be based upon VOTERS preferences .... we need to leave details to the experts." What happens in the end, of course, is that everything is a "detail."
Give people power and they will do everything they can to, first, keep and, second, extend it, all the while telling themselves they're doing it for the "little guy" who just doesn't understand / have time for such things.
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 2:45PM
Elitist, and what's with her Hillary-like style and color? 2012: 'an inconvenient election' year.
James Solbakken | 9.30.11 @ 4:34PM
What I can't figure out is why individuals get carried away with their power lust, but masses of people who have real political power, like the American People, do not do much to even keep it, but rather let demogogues take away from them, as if the People actually BELIEVED the lying BS the demogogues spew at them.
John Navratil| 9.30.11 @ 6:49PM
Rob Schapiro,
Don't forget Rudy Giuliani suggesting the transfer to Bloomberg should be delayed ninety days in the aftermath of 9/11.
No fan of Giuliani, really no fan of Bloomberg and absolutely no fan of the left, I must admit that stupid ideas are not uncommon.
Melvin| 9.30.11 @ 7:35AM
Living in North Carolina, I have observed the ascent of Beverly Perdue. She is the prodigy of the convicted felon former disgraced Democrat Gov. Mike Easely.
Mike Easley was a prodigy of bubba politics of former Gov. Jim Hunt, and if it wasn't for term limits we would still be suffering from bubba politics of Mr. Hunt.
Anyway Gov. "Tax Hike Mike" went by the moniker of, "Governor Mike Easley never met a tax hike he didn't like."
Gov. Easley ran run of the most corrupt political operation in NC history. The former Speaker of the House Jim Black is a convicted felon, former Agricultural Commissioner Meg Scott Phips is a convicted felon, and Representative Micheal Decker who used to be a Republican but (can't be proved) Mike Easley got Jim Black to do his dirty work for him by convincing Rep. Representative Micheal Decker to switch political parties for a nice tidy sum paid in cash.
Meanwhile Bev. Perdue guarded the door to see if anyone was coming.
Beverly Perdue is soon going to have her day in court for corruption due to using government aircraft for campaign traveling and other nice little tidbits that tend to get governors in allot of hot water.
Now that Beverly Perdue ascended to the NC governorship (just barely) she has sold her skirt to Barrack Hussein Obama. Berverly has made more trips to D.C. that Michelle has to beg for federal to cover her teachers union debts, which this year NC couldn't fully fund.
I watched and heard Beverly's little statement. In knowing her like North Carolinians do, this woman was dead on, no joking, no sarcasm, no hyperbole.
My take on this is, that the White House gave Beverly her marching orders to say this little phrase, because the White House wanted to see what the publics reaction would be, because Barry has allot riding on NC during the next election and Beverly is salivating for an appointment or Cabinet post because she has read the tea leaves in that she won't be reelected as Gov. of NC.
Don't let this little blonds fake pork chop grin suck you in the way it did with NC voters. This woman is vicious and corrupt as corrupt can be. A political opportunist from hell so to speak.
ncatty| 9.30.11 @ 11:20AM
We live in NC also and have watched the procession of Democrat "education governors" engage in the soft corruption of cronyism. However, never count a North Carolina democrat governor out until Hurricane season is over. It saved Jim Hunt's rear end.
Melvin| 9.30.11 @ 2:07PM
You got that right, just seeing that past maggot on TV still makes my skin crawl.
Michael Tomlinson| 9.30.11 @ 7:42AM
Bravo Melvin you nailed the sow! Great post. Next November NC needs another "Moore's Creek Bridge" against traitorous Democrats at the ballot box.
martin j smith| 9.30.11 @ 7:46AM
As others have said this Perdue person reveals the true nature of the Socialist Party USA as a totalitarian party. This is why they cannot be trusted and why the Republican Party leadership had better take this threat more seriously. I do.
Gazinya| 9.30.11 @ 8:06AM
Maybe if we had a seperate area for people who don't like smoke to sit? Maybe if we used some other kind of teaching method to help out children gain some knowledge? Maybe if some of our cars were a little more fuel efficiant. Maybe if we didn't use prayer so much? Maybe if we were more tolerant of other cultures? Maybe if we weren't so narrow on immigration? Maybe if we didn't get so routine in what we teach our children about right and wrong? Maybe if we just quite talking about family values? Maybe if we quit talking about certain behaviors and accept people for what they want to be? Maybe we should look at the Constitution as a living document? Maybe we could quit calling Evolution a theory and call it concluded science, then maybe we wouldn't need to talk so much about God? Maybe if we removed just a few of the religious symbols it would make children think more critically. Maybe we could just suspend elections while we still have some authority?
Maybe we could again "Trust in God" and throw these 'maybys' out.
Dennis C| 9.30.11 @ 11:55AM
We already are doing all of these things. That's why the country is in the toilet. And I hear a flushing sound....
Dick Nome| 9.30.11 @ 8:28AM
The only joke here is the practical joke the voters of NC played on themselves by electing this dimbulb Governor. It came back to bite them in the posterior. (Granholm ll)
Beau Blotz| 9.30.11 @ 8:29AM
Yeah, they needed an encore to John Edwards.
Mike D.| 9.30.11 @ 8:52AM
John Edwards? Thats somebody that gives people the need to shower after reading about him. Creep.
Nancy in NC| 9.30.11 @ 2:53PM
Perdue rode in on Obama's shirt tails in 2008. The turnout was large from the African American community that automatically push the D button.
In fact, I had planned on voting for her myself. But while waiting in line, I heard a woman talking about her father in law, that lived next door to Bev's father in law. Apparently Bev is downright mean to this gentleman. That was enough to help me decide to vote for the Republican, probably a RHINO, the former mayor of Charlotte.
NC is doing OK. The assembly has even managed to over ride a couple of her vetoes, but were unable to get vote ID passed. So we will have to be on guard for voter fraud next year. Chicago isn't the only place where dead people vote.
I'm sure Purdue would love to forego next year's election. I'm almost positive she won't be reelected. She's pretty much a joke...unlike her stupid statement.
Robert Pinkerton| 9.30.11 @ 8:52AM
Just as two science fiction authors warned us almost six decades ago: In his "future 'history'" timeline, from the middle 1950s, Robert A. Heinlein called our present time-frame the "crazy years." Did he call it correctly? One can hope not, because he postulated the end of those as a theocratic dictatorship peddling "miracles" by trick television. Likewise, in the early to middle 1960s, before the youth revolt broke out, Robert Silverberg predicted a "never-ending depression," ending in a coup which abolishes Constitutional governance and installing a "Council of Syndics" as very authoritarian government which none the less restores a modicum of prosperity.
Occam's Tool| 9.30.11 @ 4:33PM
Robert, which of Silverberg's 5000 novels was that?
MacDaddy| 9.30.11 @ 9:10AM
What's the federal penalty for sedition?
Whatever it is, it is too good for this conniving, corrupt wench.
Rise up, America. Take back our country. Expel these pretend Americans. Viva Liberty!
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 2:56PM
In one man's case, election to the land's highest office.
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 3:13PM
But is it sedition if you are not American?
JudyinNC| 9.30.11 @ 9:17AM
I live in NC and this joker was serious. I've been on her for 3 years because of her asinine positions. Told her to pack her bags and update her resume because she's gone in 2012
Louis Jenkins| 9.30.11 @ 9:23AM
Mrs. Gov. Perdue is toast. She has at last placed an X between her shoulder blades. And yes, she rode Obama's coat tails into the governor's office. One cannot see how she made it, considering her latest big snafu. Melvin is correct in his recounting of her tresspassings. The state government is now Republican, and if only the governor's office can be so. Perdue seldom visits Charlotte, but with the attention that city will get next year, she'll likely become a more permanent resident, at least until the election. And while we're at it, out with Kagen. And we thought Elizabeth was bad?
This was no mistake, no joke, no hyperpole. She floated the notion to see the reaction from community leaders, and you could hear the crickets chrip. I didn't believe her when she ran, but I can believe her when she shoots from the hip. An idiot!
Bill| 9.30.11 @ 9:29AM
Back in the 1960s-1970s, the Left was quite busy bemoaning "the imperial Presidency" and legislating it to limit it. The history of the next 40 years demonstrates that that movement failed utterly. During that time, someone on the right characterized the Lefties as our "monarchists."
They have now, it seems, at least one of their ilk who isn't concerned about making that a matter of public concern. Oh well, all to the good, all to the good...
NC Conservative| 9.30.11 @ 9:36AM
This "scandal" should be dubbed "dimgate."
Governor Perdue is a disgrace to North Carolina and the recording of her dim-witted statement will be played over and over during next year's election as she is roundly defeated.
North Carolina has suffered for the past three years because of her ineptitude, just as we have suffered at the national level with Obowma.
Con Chef (NB) | 9.30.11 @ 9:37AM
I don't give a crap if she WAS joking (which she clearly WASN'T), this haint needs to go & I mean YESTERDAY! Its NOT something one "jokes" about. This is sedition. Period. I'm more & more reminded of the fall of the Roman Republic with Caesar, Antony & Octavian's power grabs. Those men were traitors to the Republic & ushered in the era of Empire. Not unlike what this "president" is doing.
"Men ask, what is the reason why I, or why any one of you, O conscript fathers, should be afraid of bad laws while we have virtuous tribunes of the people? We ahve men ready to interpose their veto; ready to defend the republic with the sanctions of religion. We ought to be strangers to fear. What do you mean by interposing the veto? says he; what are these sanctions of religion which you are talking about? Those, forsooth, on which the safety of republic depends. We are neglecting those things, and thinking them too old fashioned and foolish. The forum will be surrounded, every entrance of it will be blocked up; ARMED MEN will be placed in garrison, as it were, at many points. What then?--whatever is accomplished by those means will be law. And you will order, I suppose, all those regularly passed decrees to be engraved on brazen tablets. 'The consuls consulted the people in the regular form,' (Is this the way of consulting the people that we have received from our ancestors?) 'and the people voted it with due regularity.' What people? that which was excluded from the forum? Under what law did they do so? under that which has been wholly abrogated by violence of arms? But I am saying all this with reference to the future; because it is the part of a friend to point out evils which may be avoided: and if they never ensue, that will be the best refutation of my speech. I am speaking of laws which have been proposed; concerning which you have still full power to decide either way. I am pointing out the defects; away with them I am denouncing violence and arms; away with them too!"...Marcus Tullius Cicero, The First Philippic
“A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear. The traitor is the plague.”...Marcus Tullius Cicero
dennis2j| 9.30.11 @ 9:44AM
Bev "Forrest Gump" Perdue might just have a really, realy good reason for wanting to suspend elections. AP is reporting this morning that a deal to entice a tire manufacturer to build a plant in NC "may enrich donors with ties to Perdue". One of the key players is her son, a "site-selection consultant" (nudge-nudge, wink-wink) for a law firm advising the manufacturer in question. I suppose the up-side for the governor might be that, if she were to end up wearing prison stripes, losing the right to vote because of a felony conviction wouldn't be such a big deal if there weren't any elections in which to participate.
Anthony| 9.30.11 @ 9:57AM
This was NO joke, and if you heard the audio on this, you'd know that to be a FACT.
There was no build up to a joke of any kind, no smile or chuckle prior to the punch line, it was uttered in total and complete seriousness, even the audience took it seriously.
We need to stop kidding ourselves about the intentions of the left. They are taking the gloves off and lowering their masks. They are totalitarians, complete and simple. If we pretend otherwise, we are in deeper dodo than we already are in with this crowd of jackbooted thugs!!!!
BarbaraS| 9.30.11 @ 10:06AM
OTOH, it could be that the dims are tossing this idea around by polling the dim govenors and dummy-dumb-dumb let something slip. I'm sure the mere fact that she is up for election has nothing to do with it either./s
sparch| 9.30.11 @ 10:14AM
If the govenenor is so concerned about jobs and the economy, you would think she would go after the NLRB for what they are trying to do to Boeing. If the NLRB is successful, won't this cost her state jobs and tax reveue.
Instead of suspending the eletorial process, how about if the govenenor , and other polititians, just do their job now. Another effort to push the responsibilty down to other generations (but in this case to a dictatorial regime that will help only itself).
Jon| 9.30.11 @ 2:03PM
The NLRB is stopping Boeing from building a plant in South, not North, Carolina. I hope SC Governor Nikki Haley is speaking out against the NLRB's move. She most likely is.
daveng| 9.30.11 @ 2:23PM
I think you're confusing your Carolinas. Boeing is building in SC, Perdue is the NC governor.
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 2:48PM
But it will protect union dues flowing to DNC coffers.
BarbaraS| 9.30.11 @ 10:29AM
She did veto the ID bill which common sense would tell her would go far in eliminating voter fraud. However, as we all know the dims are totally against anything that prevents voter fraud.
Mary Mayes | 10.1.11 @ 3:39PM
This is the one issue that is so OBVIOUS! Voter ID, always opposed by democrats, not so as far as I know by Republicans. You have to have picture ID to do most everything else, for God's sake, but noooooo. not for voting. Get rid of all these fraud planners!
Radioman777| 9.30.11 @ 10:30AM
She wasn't joking and every North Carolinian knows it.
Derek Leaberry| 9.30.11 @ 10:45AM
One could forgive Governor Perdue for wishing to postpone the 2012 elections. It would appear that three or four Democratic incumbent congressmen are in danger of being retired due to the excellent redistricting map written by the Republican legislature. And it would also appear that the North Carolina Democratic Party has a diminished base of blacks, Duke and Chapel Hill college professors, an assortment of Yankee retirees who marvel at the wonders of North Carolina yet wish to bring their Yankee big-government ways to the Southland, and Andy Griffith, whose show was a fraud, a coven of lefties and homosexuals who successfully pulled the wool over decent folks. Perhaps Mrs. Perdue can be retired shortly to New Bern.
William L. Gen sert| 9.30.11 @ 10:47AM
Liberals are so out of touch with America and Americans that it does not seem unreasonable to them to propose solutions that destroy the very foundation the American experiment is built on, elections. Perdue is not an exception; she is just too indiscreet to keep her longings to herself.
LiveFreeOrDie| 9.30.11 @ 10:56AM
The Governors underlying thought I have to agree with. Politicians are more concerned with re-election than the good of the country. Of course my solution would be term limits, her solution is suspend elections.
martin j smith| 9.30.11 @ 11:24AM
It might not be a matter of dumb as much as a matter of her allowing herself to be used for a trial balloon. Sort of like Warren's class warfare comments in Mass. Are the Socialists testing how these ideas will be received ?
George S| 9.30.11 @ 11:29AM
All is takes is a trail blazer to utter the unthinkable:
"I propose a constitutional amendment for a federal income tax just for the very rich."
"I propose no-smoking in just one row of the airplane. Just one."
Once it's out there, it will be here. Consider the Guv's utterance a watermark in American history if she is reelected.
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 2:55PM
Dumb as a box of rocks, she is. The wincing at DNC headquarters must have been something to witness.
k962| 9.30.11 @ 11:36AM
No she wasn't joking. It's called "floating an idea" it's meant to see how much reaction it would get. No reaction then the idea would be actively promoted.
This is how dictatorships are born!
martin j smith| 9.30.11 @ 11:48AM
Here is another trial balloon. Van Jones calling for violence in October. Remember him a former Obamaite and known Communist. This all of a piece that should not be ignored.
Mike D.| 9.30.11 @ 2:29PM
Yep, they are going to take this to the streets and of course due to the violence, many voters will not be able to vote, and to protect their voting rights the elections will have to be postponed and martial law proclaimed until things calm down. This is exactly the scenario they are playing with.
Watch this very carefully. We are going into extremely dangerous waters with this clown in the WH and his minions. THEY WANT this in the streets and THEY WILL take this to the streets and they WAN T the violence that will ensue.
Mike D.| 9.30.11 @ 2:31PM
They are telling people what they are going to do, don't disregard it, they are dead serious.
Richard| 9.30.11 @ 11:53AM
The Left wants to govern with unelected elites like Europe. I understand exactly what she means. Because the ruling class must worry about being re-elected they cannot institute the statist and totalitarian policies they really want. I get it.
Trish| 9.30.11 @ 5:03PM
You nailed it Richard.
Anthony| 9.30.11 @ 12:00PM
The Muslim Marxist and his D allies bemoan the fact that governing is Hard. Oh poor, poor, babies!!!
Welcome to the real world, where affirmative action and intentions don't count for jack!!
How easy would Bush have had it, trying to defend America from radical Islam and the American left at the same time, if he could have acted like a dictator??
This is how the left thinks!! They need to be crushed!!!
PsychoDad| 9.30.11 @ 12:31PM
Aint it funny that for almost 8 years they were screaming that Bad Ol' Bush was gonna suspend elections?
Who was that other douchebag who was talking about Mao and the free market is a farce, then backpedaled the same way, "Oh, jk, lol!"?
fmm| 9.30.11 @ 12:36PM
It is always fun to watch these anti-republic democrats tell us what they really think and then try to run away from their reality.
Anthony| 9.30.11 @ 1:32PM
Assuming that there is an election in 2012, contrary to the desires of the left, either way, the aftermath is going to shake the very foundation of this Republic!!!!
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 2:53PM
We could not wait for election day 2010; now we cannot wait until swearing-in day in early January 2013 and the end-of-the-experiment-as-we-know- it on January 20 of that freedom-restoring year.
martin j smith| 9.30.11 @ 1:40PM
You know about calling the kettle black ? This is what the Socialists are all about. So they wonder : "Do we have fascism yet ? " under GWB --recall that ?.
But the real deal is under SOCIALISM. They want a take over and all of the signs of their real nature is coming out.
I am waiting for a top level Republican or candidate to say something. When will that happen if ever. ?
Trish| 9.30.11 @ 5:01PM
I am waiting for a repub to address this as well. My money is on Cain. BTW, the Nazis were National Socialists and they certainly did not let a good crisis go to waste.
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 2:42PM
"Apparently, Perdue's humor is so deadpan even she didn't realize she was joking." Great catch.
The panic leading to Election (Freedom) Day 2012 will not subside. She should be most happy she's not in the current election cycle.
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 3:15PM
She is? Let Allah help her.
shipley130| 9.30.11 @ 2:45PM
Postponing elections should never, ever fly out of any elected official's mouth. North Carolina, recall your governor.
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 2:50PM
Delay only if a 9/11 or Pearl Harbor occurs just hours before. Come to think of it, we're in year 3 of the current disaster so - on that count- it's morbidly understandable we should delay until we get our feet (marchin' troops) on the ground
Occam's Tool| 9.30.11 @ 4:35PM
Lincoln had them during the Civil war. There is no excuse for postponing elections---hell, they even had elections in World War Z. Zombie apocalyspses are no excuse.
Trish| 9.30.11 @ 4:56PM
Occam, the thing is that neither Lincoln nor FDR were out and out neo-Marxists...well, at least not Lincoln.
Al Adab| 9.30.11 @ 5:32PM
OT, the question is, is this Marius or Ceasar?
Mike D.| 10.1.11 @ 7:32AM
Ceaser, for sure.
Al Adab| 10.1.11 @ 9:35AM
Making FDR our Marius? Possibly so.
Mike D.| 10.1.11 @ 10:05AM
Caeser relied on finesse and politics and coruption like the Muslo-Marxist, Marius more by force. Marius was also a key reformer of the Roman Military into the fighting force that would dominate the next 400 years. Sulla would be a better choice.
Al Adab| 10.1.11 @ 12:20PM
Or Catiline?
Al Adab| 10.1.11 @ 3:06PM
We could have a lot of fun doing this. Maybe someone needs to be our Plutarch and record the parallel lives of the Romans and Americans. What a chronicle of the fall of Republics that would be.
Wodeshed| 10.1.11 @ 7:01PM
Double tap! Just to be sure.
Trish| 9.30.11 @ 4:49PM
Looks like a duck, waddles like a duck.....it is a duck. No chortles here.
Caroline| 9.30.11 @ 5:53PM
Rush read this article on his show today. I remember when Manuel Zeleya tried this in Honduras a couple of years ago, Obama and Hillary Clinton when all out, in support of him. After knowing AK-47's were sold to the drug cartels to possibly frame American citizens, I put nothing past this group.
We don't even know who Obama is.
Warning: The threat of suspended elections is real
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/40802
DaveS| 9.30.11 @ 5:58PM
True, but the backdrop wasn't sudden. There's no excuse under the circumstances to postpone 2012. It's an absurd and juvenile thought.
Margie| 9.30.11 @ 7:34PM
Gov. Bev Perdue was simply doing what God says people do~ she spoke from her heart. Heh.
"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Mt. 12:34.
Rurik| 9.30.11 @ 8:57PM
Anybody remember Salvador Allende, the one-time Socialist President of Chile? He tried the same thing. Ask Agosto Pinochet how that turned out.
AVCurmudgeon| 9.30.11 @ 9:09PM
It may have been hyperbole, it may have been sarcasm, but in reality it was just a plain statement of liberal frustration with having their statist orgy interrupted by conservative opposition. They want "automatic" policy change (as in the EPA regulations); they want Obama to do it himself (as in the executive orders on DOMA and immigration). All that "democracy" stuff, where you have to take your proposals to the people, explain them and respond to challenges, is just downright rude and unduly time-consuming.
These are the dictators in the wings.
Mike D.| 10.1.11 @ 10:08AM
The people are just being too irresponsible with this election thing, they have to be saved from themselves by those who know better. You just can't leave these kinds of important decisions in the hands of the drones anymore. Where have we heard that in history before.
Nice| 10.1.11 @ 4:52AM
That's what happens when somebody channels Ann Richards. Have the moat monsters been fed lately?
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Nice| 10.1.11 @ 4:53AM
I think you're confusing your Carolinas. Boeing is building in SC, Perdue is the NC governor.
http://www.bestbootsforsale.com
martin j smith| 10.1.11 @ 7:52AM
Is it not interesting that the COMMUNIST LEFT YOUTH and re-playing the 1960s in NYC and BOSTON. This situation must be closely monitored because at some point things will get out of hand by immediate design or general intent just waiting for a provocation ( excuse ) which these LEFTISTS will provoke I have no doubt.
The MSM are giving them play and the MTA Tansit Workers Union support them. This should be reported on and those participating should be
parto f an investigation journalist report as to who they are, who supports them ( financially and other wise ) and exactly what political groups are behind them.
David Bass this is NOT SARCASM-GATE this is
who the Marxist-Leninist crowd is and the mob in NYC and Boston are part of this scenario.
This the intent in general of the LEFT.
john dubose| 10.1.11 @ 11:48AM
Thank you gov. Perdue You admitted the totalitarian mindset of your party. The Republicans have it made now.
VotersofNY| 10.1.11 @ 6:45PM
She meant every word of it. That's exactly what the Democraps want so they don't have to worry about getting reelected. They have tried every trick in the book and now this is their last resort, to stop elections. We'll be in the streets if that ever happens, I guarantee it.
Rick| 10.1.11 @ 8:52PM
The governer is right. Democracy is the best thing in the world but where in an emergincy! Obama has to spend all this time trying to defend his job when we all really need to give him a brake to get what he needs to do done. Lincoln and FDR did it in a war and we should to. Obamas' winning the war on terrer and we need to help him insted of getting in the way!
POST American| 10.2.11 @ 12:22AM
"NOTICE, as the election approaches,
once again, as usual, ALLLL real issues
(the FED, the CFR---RED China TREASON,
weaponized, and MANDATED, injections,
GMO, and the FUKISHIMA fallout disaster)
----are NOT talked about, while they give
we the peasants chicken feed to talk about."
-ALAN WATT
AGAIN ----'CHICKEN FEED'.
Dan Mathewson| 10.2.11 @ 5:45PM
You must be Alan Watt.
Bill| 10.3.11 @ 9:48AM
Is it the Red China treason that's weaponized and mandated, or the GMO injections?
martin j smith| 10.2.11 @ 7:59AM
Rick --are you a comedian or are you something else. If you are being sarcastic fine, if you are being stupid get lost.
Tenn Slim| 10.3.11 @ 9:50AM
A droll comment, sarcasm, gaffe...Hardly.
Witness the last 2.5 weeks of Leftist activity, go to the Van Jones web sites, listen closely, IE MORE closely, to the Leftist Rhetoric.
THE LEFT IS NOT GOING TO GO QUIETLY INTO THE NITE, come 2012.
These are the opening salvoes of the long range goal of NO ELECTORAL PROCESS.
end
Semper Fi