Canesgate

Whatley's self-inflicted wound illustrates the difference in the two campaigns.

Michael Whatley clearly doesn’t follow hockey. That’s not a sin and it shouldn’t be a political liability, but Whatley and his campaign turned it into one. Whatley tried to be something he isn’t and that’s what people hate about politicians.

Whatley’s campaign made a stupid error when they posted an AI image of generic hockey players in Carolina Hurricanes uniforms. They were begging for scrutiny and they got appropriately ridiculed. Then Whatley couldn’t name any players on the team when asked his favorites.

Paige Maston of the News & Observer got it right. Whatley’s problem is not about hockey or any other sport. It’s about, as Maston says, “relatability and authenticity.” Instead of looking like part of the growing Hurricane fan base, Whatley looks like a phony trying to score political points.

In the bigger picture, the episode shows the difference between two campaigns. Former Governor Roy Cooper has long been known as a Hurricanes fan. This season, he’s leaned into it. His campaign posted videos and photos of Cooper decked out in Hurricanes garb wandering through the parking lot of the Lenovo Center mingling with fans before games. It’s almost like they set Whatley up and he took the bait.

Cooper’s team didn’t even have to push the narrative. Hurricanes fans and social media did the work for them. Whatley’s campaign and their allies on social media spent two days trying to convince people that it wasn’t a big deal. The incident may be forgotten by October, but the campaign lost those days trying to fix an unforced error.

Whatley is still a largely undefined candidate. As Maston points out, “For some people, this Hurricanes fiasco could have been their first introduction, and it doesn’t exactly make a good impression.”

Whatley has turned out to be a hapless candidate running against a seasoned politician. He doesn’t seem to understand the political environment or campaigns in general. At a time when Republicans are trying to put a little daylight between themselves and a deeply unpopular president, Whatley is doubling down on his support for Donald Trump. Most recently, he embraced Trump’s slush fund at the same time Congressional Republicans were rejecting it.

He’s defining himself as a rubber stamp for Trump who is largely disconnected from average North Carolinians. Whatley has never really been a leader and has no practical experience. He’s a political operative and insider whose career has hinged on his relationships, not his accomplishments. That’s not a great résumé at a time when voters are angry at the political establishment.

Few people will remember the Hurricanes incident when the campaign heats up this fall, but it shows what type of campaign Whatley is running and what type of candidate he is. He’s chasing public opinion instead of leading it. His campaign is trying to be opportunistic but is too incompetent to find the right opportunity. He’s done little to define himself while wrapping himself around a flailing and unpopular president. Team Whatley will have to make significant adjustments to be competitive this fall.