Pat McCrory is like Where’s Waldo, except nobody cares where he is. To call him “disappointing” is an understatement worthy of Oxford. Only a description like this capture the scale of his ineptitude: The governor’s chair has effectively been empty.
McCrory’s slide into irrelevance truly is amazing, when you consider the history. After his election, the man seemed poised to become a figure of national significance. Chuck Todd gave him an admiring interview, the New York Times sought him as an authority on Gov. Christie’s troubles, and he was widely displayed as a crown jewel of the ascendant RGA. Some sensed he could be on a presidential ticket.
The tone of his rhetoric in those days was buoyant and jaunty, even arrogant. “I see unlimited opportunity,” he announced in his Inaugural Address. The new guv bestrode Blount Street like a hybrid of Superman and Mr. Clean, promising to fix what was broken and do much more besides. Many in both parties expected just that kind of performance.
A few awful years later, the political establishment has internalized his irrelevance. Little’s made of the fact that legislators have full control over policy. He’s the object of open contempt from both sides. “Some of my colleagues don’t think he understands what his job is,” said Rep. Chuck McGrady. That statement cannot have been facetious.
And there’s Graham Keith.
Here we stand, my friend. The Governor of ten million people plays one role within our government: Profiteering. His most noticeable legacy is a couple of “fire pits” behind the Executive Mansion. Fire pits–and a scandal that shocks the conscience.
Alexander Jones is an original contributor to PoliticsNC.
McCrory’s “experience” as mayor of Charlotte should have given pause to anyone who was paying attention. Charlotte is essentially run by the city council and paid staff, and the mayor historically has been more a “goodwill ambassador” for the city than anything else. McCrory’s cronies did a good job of hyping him for the position of governor: it’s too bad that he apparently failed to notice that it was hype that was being presented. (I wrote to his opponent suggesting he use the slogan “more than just a pretty face” in the gubernatorial contest.)
Like Warren Harding, McCrory is not fit for the office he holds and should never have been there: unfortunately, unlike Harding, he fails to realize his mistake–and almost certainly will go on doing so until his term ends and he can slink back into the corporate fold.
McCrory has always been a sock puppet for Art Pope and his cronies.
Douche bag
Very well stated. I am a life long Democrat, but hoped McCrory would be a moderate and effective Republican in the mold of Jim Martin. My mistake. McCrory won’t or can’t stand up to the GA and it looks like he will be fighting FBI, etc for the remainder of his sorry ass term as governor.
Please, please, get out and vote!
Brad, well said; GET OUT AND VOTE, PLEASE!!!
This blog essentially says McCrory has been an ineffective, irrelevant, and disappointing governor who may be facing a scandal of significant proportions. One can disagree with its delivery/tack, but its point is square on.
I’m as anti-McCrory as it gets, and I don’t agree with much of this analysis. He was never going to be a figure on the national stage. He rode a national GOP wave against a lackluster opponent who stepped in at the last minute. The “profiteering” tag gives him too much credit. It takes guile to be a profiteer. That’s not what he is. He’s a stooge.