Over the past few weeks, I’ve had a number of people ask me who John Wynne is. Most have been taken aback by his unabashedly conservative point of view.
About six months ago or so, I invited John to post on PoliticsNC. John’s job is two fold: provide analysis of districts, individual races, and polling; and to provide a bit of conservative commentary. For several months, I read his blog, Carolina Strategy. He was providing analysis of counties that was spot on. He also showed a keen understanding of politics and political messaging.
I thought he would be a good addition to PoliticsNC. While I originally created PoliticsNC as forum to express my own frustration with politics and give myself an outlet to express my opinions, I also wanted to make people think. John’s perspective would help accomplish that.
I never wanted PoliticsNC to be a place for people to reinforce their own biases. There are plenty of places to go for that. I’ve always wanted an exchange of ideas and to help people understand or question their own opinions. I don’t agree with much of John’s commentary, but I do believe he has a legitimate perspective. As a friend once said about him, “He’s good. He’s just usually wrong.” That’s about how I feel.
One commenter said that PoliticsNC is becoming Fox News. That’s wrong because we’re not news. We provide commentary and analysis. Anybody is free to disagree.
I want comments on the page and I want people to disagree with John–and with me, for that matter. But I want to foster a respect for differing opinions. We can all want the same outcomes with remarkably different ideas about how to get there. Demonizing our opponents doesn’t help change their minds or make those who agree with us morally superior.
And from a political perspective, it’s better to understand your opponents than to just dismiss them as wrong. I’m a better political thinker because I try to understand how conservatives come to their point of view. Every now and then, they make me question my beliefs. I certainly hope that I make them question theirs.
So argue with John. Beat him up when he’s wrong. He’s got a thick skin or he would have left long ago. But don’t dismiss him. About half of North Carolina agrees with his point of view. If you’re not one of those, look at him as a window into how the other side thinks because countering his arguments, not ignoring them, is how you win elections in North Carolina.
Thomas Mills is the founder and publisher of PoliticsNC.com. Before beginning PoliticsNC, Thomas spent twenty years as a political and public affairs consultant. Learn more >
Editor of PoliticsNC, Thomas Mills,(author of this article) was one of the debate advisors in The Runner Up, Clay Aiken’s docuseries on Esquire. hmmmmmmm. Interesting.
hey – if you really want to present a different commentary, how about inviting some less than blue-dog Dems to contribute on a regular basis? You know – the “P.R. Latta” Democrats who who helped Jerry Meek build the NCDP between 2005 and 2009 and turned the state “blue”?
That’s true. It might be nice to see someone who doesn’t think Two Scoops of Stupid is a major earth shaking political event for the left.
Not sure what you mean by “two scoops of stupid”. Can you explain?
Well, I guess Mr. Wynne has an interesting perspective but he’d be wise to check out the real world sometime.
John Wynne is a good reminder that even bias masquerading as reasonable thought is still bias. Reminds me of John Hood, but without the condescending arrogance.
Uh, I meant to say, “got” an attitude.
Good on you, Thomas. You’ve good an attitude that is sorely lacking in today’s political discourse.
We should all welcome challenges from fresh and different perspectives.
It’s not too much to ask that they be thoughtful, factually accurate and well-informed. I, for one, find it hard to respect the opinions of anyone, anywhere on the political spectrum, who doesn’t at least approach those minimum standards.
As I’ve pointed out, Mr. Wynne has made sloppy factual errors (such as assuming that Judge Hobgood was appointed instead of elected, so as to call into question the substantive merits of his decision on vouchers). And he has proclaimed that he’s uninformed about a very complicated topic (the US Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby decision), and has then proceeded to opine about it.
So, I have not found Mr. Wynne, in his posts on topics about which I know something, to be factually accurate or well-informed. I don’t think it’s “demonizing” or disrespectful to point that out.
I wasn’t pointing fingers. I think your comments have been respectful and accurate. As I said, I encourage people to call John or me out when we’re wrong. I’ve got sharp elbows and don’t apologize for using them. I’m fine with heated, passionate, and pointed exchanges. I was more responding to the accusation that PoliticsNC is becoming a right-wing blog and answering the question for all of the people who have asked me, both publicly and privately, who John is and why I have him post.
I’m with David Turner, whoever he is. Although I usually have to clinch my teeth when I read Wynne’s posts, I think it’s important to know what “the other side” is thinking.
I agree that we all need more forums for civil discourse on issues. Snark and pilloring “the other guys” only goes so far. It might be satisfying for a moment but a little more thoughtful commentary from both sides might, in the long run, actually wind up being more satisfying…so in that spirit, let us begin……………
I’ll freely admit I found the first few entries by John a little jarring. I usually see your articles on my Facebook timeline before anywhere else. I was like, “What?” 🙂
At the end of the day, it’s your forum, Thomas. While I don’t see that happening at BlueNC (we do get some Libertarian posts from time to time), Gary and Carter pull it off pretty well, so there is some precedent for that format. Good luck with it. 🙂
Always check who wrote the article. That way you can know if it is the lie reality or the reality reality.
I remember the first time I shared one of John’s columns into the Armed Democrats NC group on FB and got a lot of “who the heck is that RWNJ” questions. I agree wholeheartedly that it’s a positive to have perspectives represented here from opposite ends of the political spectrum, and I’ve enjoyed reading his posts thus far; haven’t agreed with a single thing yet, but enjoyed reading.
Opposing ideas are good. So long as they don’t lie.
And, to boot, he has the ‘correct’ perspective! 🙂 Go John! and well said Thomas.
“Correct” in a money is speech, lying is a right and children should starve kind of way 😀