Tillis and McCrory: Role reversals and makeovers

by | Jul 11, 2014 | 2014 Elections, Budget, Editor's Blog, NC Politics | 3 comments

Pat McCrory sure was a lot more fun before they put him in a box. We haven’t had any of those say-anything moments in awhile. We also haven’t had one of his freewheeling, unscripted interviews with reporters, either. 

Instead, we’re getting Pat McCrory 2.0. This governor is more serious, less spontaneous and more scripted. He’s breaking out a tough persona, threatening the Senate with vetoes and accusing them of walking out on teachers. Can you imagine that last session?

No, somebody has finally reined McCrory in. His polling numbers are no longer slipping. Unfortunately, it’s because of what he’s not doing (i.e., talking to the press) instead of anything substantive that he’s done. 

HIs handlers are trying to rehabilitate his image and to do so seem to have cut a deal with Tillis. McCrory has emerged as the chief critic of the Senate while Tillis is avoiding the spotlight. The governor has endorsed the House plan and is playing the role of House spokesperson. 

The roles serve both men’s political ambitions. Tillis is running for US Senate and, while he’s still Speaker, is more interested in picking a fight with Kay Hagan than Phil Berger and the Senate. McCrory, for his part, has looked like a weak governor who’s played second fiddle to the legislature and this arrangement allows him to look tough and decisive. He’s picking a fight and, win or lose, McCrory looks like he’s standing up for something instead of getting run over or ignored.  

It’s more than just posturing, though. the House budget is a run to the center while the Senate budget continues the conservative trend. The state is more moderate than much of the legislation that the General Assembly has passed. Both men need to get back to the middle if they hope to win their statewide races. Berger, in contrast, is protected by a gerrymander that will almost surely keep him as leader of the Senate for at least another cycle or two.

Who knows whether the new roles will help. More than anything, Tillis needs the legislature to go home. The longer they are in session the greater the chance that somebody will do something stupid that puts him in a quandary. McCrory, though, needs to shed the perception that he’s weak and incompetent. Standing up for the House budget gives him a chance to sound tough but it will do little to erase his long list of missteps. From lying to the press to blatantly breaking campaign promises to protecting incompetent administrators, McCrory has a lot of damage to undo. 

3 Comments

  1. James Protzman

    The House budget is a run to the middle? Only if you think “the middle” is located a few clicks left of full-blown batshit crazy.

    From where I’m standing it looks like a double down on austerity at a time when austerity has proven itself to be nothing but trickle-up economics.

  2. BattleDem

    The republicans in the NC Legislature do not listen to Puppet Pat because they know that the REAL power is with The Dark Feudal Lord Art Pope and Puppet Pat is just the Court Jester! He stumbles through the Halls of Democracy without making any waves nor leaving any footprints. After only one term he will not be remembered nor will there be a bridge named after him unless it is a “Bridge to Nowhere”.

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