Mr Smith Goes To Raleigh

 
This is about the only left turn Fred Smith will take for the next year and a half. In front of a crowd of about 60 people on the steps of Raleigh's Borden Building, Fred Smith declared his candidacy for Governor of North Carolina for 2008. The crowd was predominantly white males but included about 15 white females, about a dozen newsmen, three African-American males and a few right-wing bloggers including Lorie Byrd and Dean Stephens.

The setting was part of the former Methodist Orphanage that Smith claims as his background by virtue of his mother being a house matron for 24 boys. Speaking from the white columned porch of the two story brick building with slate roof and dormer windows Smith gave a predictable speech that garnered some polite applause from the generally demure crowd.

He said he wants the campaign to be "a conversation with the people". His right-hand man Jonathan Hill asked me if I wanted to get closer to the podium then waved me off when I said I was with BlueNC. Talking to two women nearby he said we say the most terrible things and use the foulest language. There ended the conversation.

Our ancestors were a tenacious and hard working people who fought to ensure that their principles and values were upheld.

No confirmation yet from Native American or African American supporters on the extent of shared values.

You can read the talking points elsewhere in the MSM. He used the words accessible and affordable healthcare, energy independence, clean water and clean air but offered no explanation as to how his party seems opposed to these things. The immigration issue was one of the few that got a rise from the crowd along with the unnecessary "right to vote" marriage amendment. How ironic that he claims to want government out of our lives. He wants to "empower people not bureaucrats". Don't we all. I'm sure there's an exception in there somewhere for DOT bureaucrats.

Smith said he wants to do three things:
1) Articulate a vision for a plan
2) Build, recruit and motivate teams of people to execute the plan.
3) Assemble resources to carry out the plan.

Sounds like a plan. For what?

In response to a question from Cullen Browder of WRAL about name recognition he brushed it off saying that this is "the first down in a long football game"

In response to questions about commitment to a campaign he said he didn't "want to be called John Edwards". He had a few of the right-wing catch phrases down pat. "The price of freedom is not free". People want "a hand up, not hand-outs".

In response to one question about his claim of humble beginnings being in contrast with his strong business support and how he would relate to poor and moderate income people he pointed to the 7-600 people who work for him. He said they were hard working people who knew he wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth and would look out for them. He didn't say anything about the number of his hardworking employees and their spouses who give him 4 digit contributions that he doesn't need.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Fred Smith for Governor: