So long, Mr. Pope. Welcome to the fray, Mr. Roberts.

by | Aug 7, 2014 | Editor's Blog, NC Politics, NCGov | 6 comments

Well, Art Pope has left the governor’s office. With him, goes Pat McCrory’s most seasoned political advisor. While it’s really no surprise that he’s gone, it has to be a blow to the politically struggling McCrory.

When Pope was appointed, howls came from the left. The man who funded most of the Republican electoral machinery was now running the Governor’s office. But the appointment made sense.

Pope is a creature of the Raleigh political establishment. He’s served twice in the state House and his organizations have been setting the GOP political agenda for two decades. He knows what Republicans want to do and he understands the process for getting it done. 

Pope recently told the Washington Post that he defers to the governor, but nobody really believes that. McCrory can still barely find the bathrooms. While the governor called the legislators names, Pope’s the one who actually faced them down in committee meetings and he was comfortable in that setting.

If Pope is a political animal, his replacement is a political neophyte. Lee Roberts is the son of journalist Cokie Roberts, has an impressive academic resume and has extensive experience in finance. He says he’s been to plenty of places in the state most people haven’t, but the one place he hasn’t been is in the legislature. He’s about to learn exactly how unique that section of North Carolina is. 

McCrory is a man with few political skills and little intellect. He’s compensated by surrounding himself with people who make up for his shortcomings. In Charlotte, he had Duke Energy and the banks to guide him. When he got to Raleigh, he had Art Pope to open doors and show him around. Unfortunately, he’s not a quick study. 

Now, he’s appointed a guy with the paper to make up for his own lack of academic achievement and business acumen. But while Roberts’ pedigree, like Aldona Wos’, may impress McCrory, it won’t impress the legislators he will need to persuade. Many of the rural legislators who make up the backbone of the GOP caucus will resent Roberts’ background and success. Never underestimate the pettiness of an insecure legislator with a chip on his shoulder.

McCory has never understood the difference between savvy and smart. Maybe that’s because he’s not much of either, but right now the governor needs somebody who understands the legislature as much as he understands budget numbers. I wish Mr. Roberts the best but I’m not optimistic. 

6 Comments

  1. Frank McGuirt

    My greatest concern is that although Mr. Roberts comes from a noted an respected family with strong political experience and connections he has experience only in business. Too often business people seek and gain political positions proclaiming to “run government like business”. You cannot do that, sorry. Different rules apply in all facits. As Roger Miller once said, “You can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd”. It’s like trying to play football in baseball gear. The business of business is business–to make a profit delivering goods or services. In government there is no profit incentive and the business of government is providing services effectively and efficiently.

  2. BattleDem

    The Dark Feudal Lord Art Pope is not gone, he is just pulling Puppet Pat’s strings from his office at home. No commute.

  3. Mick

    Man, Thomas, you’ve hit your stride again with some gems. Especially liked “McCrory has never understood the difference between savvy and smart. Maybe that’s because he’s not much of either…” and “McCrory is a man with few political skills and little intellect.”

    While I agree that the gov will miss Pope’s political skills and gravitas in face-to-face dealings with the legislature, I cannot help but feel that his leave was taken for a reason other than some pre-agreed-upon length of service. And that is to get McCrory out of the line-of-fire of the oft-repeated barb that he is Pope’s minion and gopher.

    The gov’s approval rating has languished from low to limited. Right now, it appears he will be facing a tough fight for a second term. At the start of this year’s budget session, he told the media that he would be more assertive and vocal in pushing his causes and agenda. It appears that, post puppy mill, teacher pay deal, business privilege tax, certain budget bill provisions, and county sales tax referendum measures, he’s still not distinguished himself as a strong and independent force.

    And throughout the rather weak-kneed 19 months on the job, a common derision tossed McCrory’s way is that he is nothing more than a spineless lackey for the arch-conservative, ALEC-obsessed Pope. Arguably, one can viewed Pope’s leaving as an admission of sorts, one that understands that McCrory’s relection come 2016 is at risk, and that, at the very least, he needs to win, on his own merit, and thus needs to rid himself of the perception that he’s serving Pope and not the sate’s voters.

  4. Longindtooth

    That quote needs to be bronzed for the enjoyment of posterity.

  5. Longindtooth

    Never underestimate the pettiness of an insecure legislator with a chip on his shoulder.

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