Trial lawyer cash, and a full-time job. That’s the spin coming from the McCrory team on why they were badly outraised in the last quarter. Following Cooper’s successful fundraising haul, the state party tweeted that the money raised was part of Cooper’s “long tradition of raising lawyer money.”
The trial lawyers attack brings to mind perhaps the most notorious trial lawyer in state politics – John Edwards. When Edwards was running for Senate in 1998, the Lauch Faircloth campaign and the GOP tried to use his profession against him. Tying him to then-President Bill Clinton, the Edwards-Clinton duo was described as “two tobacco-taxing lawyers with a habit of stretching the truth.” It didn’t work.
On the other hand, attacking one’s opponent for being beholden to trial lawyers can be a wonderfully effective line of attack in a Republican primary. That’s what now-Congressman David Rouzer did in order to take down a challenge from attorney Woody White of Wilmington. Even though White was a conservative Republican, Rouzer’s campaign convinced voters that White was an ambulance-chaser in the mold of John Edwards – and therefore could not possibly be a conservative.
How about the other spin on why the governor was outraised? The McCrory campaign’s response is that they’re just getting started, and that the governor is busy with his “full-time job.” The implication being that Cooper’s job as Attorney General is only a part-time gig. The rest of the time, he’s goofing around and getting his trial lawyer friends to gin up cash.
Here’s one thing the McCrory campaign can’t spend: the less money raised, the less money that can go to getting out their message – including convincing voters that their depiction of the Attorney General is the correct one. While third-party groups will certainly come to his aid, the governor will have to pick up the pace if he hopes to avoid stories that he’s the underdog for reelection.
John Wynne is the “conservative voice” at PoliticsNC, where he also provides polling analysis and commentary on legislative campaigns. When not writing about politics, he enjoys gardening and listening to opera. Contact: johncwynne@gmail.com.
I think the main thing that we are missing is the root of these problems! The renumeration of the lawyers! I think thats the main thing that needs to be looked upon. Similar incidents have happened all over the world, in Paris a similar incident took place a couple of years back and they had launched a similar attack which was supported by many renowned lawyers such as Mr. Bechara Taraby,( http://www.yelp.com/biz/tarabay-bechara-paris ) and many others.
The last thing Governor McTravel needs to do is call attention to his on-the-job history. Just this Summer alone he’s jaunted off to out-of-state “events” held by the Republican Governor’s Association, the Koch Brothers, the Milken Institute, and God only knows where else. Carmen Sandiego was quoted saying, “I’ve seen him five times myself, and Waldo told me McCrory borrowed a book that he wasn’t even finished reading yet.”