Thank you all for coming.  I am here to unveil the North Carolina Republican Party’s first ad of 2008 opposing Richard Moore and Beverly Perdue for Governor. 

Being Governor of North Carolina is about leadership.  Unfortunately, over the last eight years, we have had a Governor who has been absent or uninterested when it comes to questions of leadership.  From the mental health crisis to the thwarting of open government laws, we have seen this year the outcomes of failed leadership on the part of the Easley administration.  Now Richard Moore and Beverly Perdue hope to arise from the same Democrat power circles that Mike Easley arose from eight years ago.  Both Democrat candidates have been a part of the Democrat establishment in Raleigh for more than fifteen years.  Short on new vision, accomplishments, and leadership of their own, Moore and Perdue have raced to grab onto the coattails of Barack Obama as he makes his way into North Carolina to campaign for the Democrat presidential nomination.  Moore and Perdue should know better.  Left-wing Democrat presidential candidates do not fare well in North Carolina.  That is why North Carolinians have favored Republican candidates for President in every election since 1976.  Barack Obama is no different.  He may claim to be an “agent of change” but his agenda of higher taxes, further government expansion, and naïve foreign policy offer only a renewal of the same tired, liberal politics of the past.  If Moore and Perdue plan to offer the Obama liberal agenda for North Carolina, voters will reject it.  We are already the highest taxed state in the southeast.  Raising taxes now will only further damage an ailing economy.  We don’t need more government spending, we need less.  Just last year, the state budget increased 9.5 percent.  Democrat politicians in Raleigh have been feeding at the public trough long enough.  If we are ever going to reduce our tax burden, we have to choke it off at the source: spending.  We don’t need another Governor who will feed the spending addiction of the Democrat leaders in Raleigh. 

It is no secret that Barack Obama has also received scrutiny recently for his ties to controversial figures, such as his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, and former Weather Underground terrorist, William Ayers.  This ad presents a question of patriotism and judgment.  It is entirely appropriate for voters to evaluate candidates based on their past associations.  The people whom a candidate surrounds himself with during a campaign are the same ones that will follow that candidate into office if elected.  Unfortunately, in Barack Obama’s run for the White House, he has chosen to associate himself with the wrong people. 

Likewise, Richard Moore and Beverly Perdue in their pursuit of the Governor’s mansion have not chosen their associations wisely.  Beverly Perdue was linked to Thomas Betts, a member of the North Carolina Board of Transportation.  Betts later resigned amid allegations that he was raising money for Perdue’s gubernatorial campaign.  Richard Moore has been closely linked to Wall Street executives with whom he has formed ties while managing the state’s pension fund for N.C. government employees.  These same executives and their employees have donated thousands of dollars to Moore’s campaign for Governor.  These associations have brought stains on the character of both candidates.  The Democrat candidates also show poor judgment and a lack of leadership by endorsing Barack Obama, a man too liberal for North Carolina and linked to extremist figures throughout his political career. 

The Republican candidates for Governor have a vision for North Carolina that includes lowering our taxes and getting control of government spending.  Our candidates also want to change how Raleigh works so it is no longer serving the interests of the districts of the most powerful Democrats but serving the entire state, especially those areas that have been neglected for too long.  Republicans have a plan to revamp our education system so that one-third of our children are no longer dropping out before finishing high school.  Republicans will not accept the status quo of Democrat dominance in state government.  Beverly Perdue and Richard Moore have been in Raleigh for too long.  The Republican candidates for Governor are the only ones with a credible claim to changing the culture of Raleigh so it works for the people and not the most powerful.

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Transcript of “Extreme” Ad

“Narrator: For twenty years, Barack Obama sat in his pew listening to his pastor. 

Jeremiah Wright: And then wants us to sing God Bless America.  No, no, no.  Not God Bless America, God (censored) America. 

Narrator: Now Bev Perdue and Richard Moore endorse Barack Obama.  They should know better.  He’s just too extreme for North Carolina

Chairman Linda Daves: The North Carolina Republican Party sponsored this ad opposing Bev Perdue and Richard Moore for North Carolina Governor.” 

The state budget increased by 9.5 percent last year

“At the beginning of the year, legislative leaders promised to be more responsible in fashioning the budget. But the budget the General Assembly eventually enacted will raise state spending by about 10 percent – the same kind of reckless growth rate we saw in the late-1990s that led to North Carolina’s budget crisis of 2001-02 – and includes new provisions that were in neither of the House and Senate budget bills from which the new plan is supposedly derived.”  (“The Bitter Fruits of ‘Deliberation’” John Hood, Carolina Journal Online, August 3, 2007 http://www.carolinajournal.com/ issues/display_story.html?id=4221)

North Carolina is the highest taxed state in the Southeast

“In recent years, North Carolina has been creeping up the national rankings in state and local taxes. The latest rankings put our state in the top half nationwide for the first time in memory. North Carolinians will pay an average of 10.45 percent of their income to Raleigh and various local governments. That’s a higher tax burden that in any of our Southeastern neighbors…”  (“On Taxes, a Significant Nine Percent” John Hood, Carolina Journal Online, April 28, 2006 http://www.johnlocke.org/news_columns/ display_jhcolumns.html)

Barack Obama has not been forthright about his relationship with William Ayers

“Obama minimized his relationship by acknowledging only that he knows Ayers. But they have quite a bit more of a connection than that. He's appeared on panels with Ayers, served on a foundation board with him and held a 1995 campaign event at the home of Ayers and his wife, fellow former terrorist Bernardine Dohrn. Ayers even gave money to one of his campaigns.

It's not as though Ayers and Dohrn have denied or repudiated their crimes. After emerging from years in hiding, they escaped federal prosecution because of government misconduct in gathering evidence, but they don't pretend they were innocent. In 2001, Ayers said, ‘I don't regret setting bombs. I feel we didn't do enough.’”  (“About Obama’s terrorist acquaintance” Chicago Tribune, April 20, 2008 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/chi-oped0420chapmanapr20,1,2975893.column)

Barack Obama draws support from FBI-labeled “domestic terror group” members Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn

“In the mid-1990s, Ayers and Dohrn hosted a meet-andgreet- at their house to introduce Obama to their neighbors during his first run for the Illinois Senate.  In 2001, Ayers contributed $200 to Obama’s campaign.”  (“Who is Bill Ayers?”  Chicago Sun-Times, April 18, 2008 http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/obama/902213,CST-NWS-ayers18.article)

Beverly Perdue’s relationship with Board of Transportation member Thomas Betts Jr. led to his untimely resignation

“A state Board of Transportation member resigned Friday after his boss questioned his effort to raise campaign money for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue from people connected to a high-profile commercial project in Roanoke Rapids.”  (“NC DOT board member resigns over Perdue fundraising” The Associated Press, January 28, 2008 http://www.fayobserver.com/article_ap?id=116558)

Richard Moore holds close ties to Wall Street executives tied to the state pension fund

“The Blackstone Group, a private-equity firm in New York, is one of the newest additions to the portfolio of the $77 billion pension fund for N.C. government employees…  Blackstone employees are also among the new contributors to the gubernatorial campaign of Treasurer Richard Moore, who has ultimate authority over the pension fund.  Nine employees gave $18,000 last year to Moore’s campaign.”  (“Equity-firm staff among Moore contributors” The Charlotte Observer, March 1, 2008)

“EXTREME” AD FACT SHEET

Barack Obama has been a member of Jeremiah Wright’s church for more than 20 years:

“Mr. Obama’s association with Mr. Wright goes back more than 20 years, when Mr. Obama first joined Trinity United Church of Christ and was baptized there. Mr. Wright has since officiated at the wedding of Mr. Obama and his wife, Michelle, and baptized their two daughters.”  (“Clinton Criticizes Obama Over His Pastor” The New York Times, March 26, 2008 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/26/us/politics/26wright.html)

Jeremiah Wright was pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago for the 20 years Barack Obama spent there:

“Wright, pastor at Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, had been Obama's pastor and spiritual adviser for 20 years.”

(“Obama speech brings range of reactions” USA Today, March 19, 2008 http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-03-19-obama-reax_N.htm)

Jeremiah Wright preached the sermon at Trinity on April 13, 2003.

“The sermon at the heart of the controversy, preached at Trinity on April 13, 2003, is actually titled ‘Confusing God and Government.’”  (“Sermon's words unearth racial fissures” Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, March 27, 2008 http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080327/OPINION02/803270335/1039/OPINION)

Barack Obama has called Jeremiah Wright his “spiritual mentor”:

“Obama, who has attended Trinity United Church of Christ for more than 20 years, calls Wright his spiritual mentor.”  (“Obama's former pastor: 'Don't quote Jeremiah Wright, quote Jesus'” The Chicago Tribune, April 13, 2008 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/chi-080413-jeremiah-wright,0,5922667.story)

Richard Moore endorsed Barack Obama:

“State Treasurer Richard Moore has endorsed Barack Obama.” (“N.C. delegation short on sizzle, fizzle, clout” The News & Observer, March 4, 2008 http://www.newsobserver.com/politics/story/980105.html)

Beverly Perdue endorsed Barack Obama:

“Gubernatorial candidate Beverly Perdue, who last month was remaining neutral on the presidential race, announced Wednesday she is supporting Sen. Barack Obama.”  (“Perdue Announces Obama Endorsement” The Charlotte Observer, March 13, 2008)