Mike Mcintrye

In a telephone interview yesterday McIntyre answered questions about his victory over Ilario Pantano and his plans for the remainder of the year in Washington and his political aspirations.

When asked about supporting Nancy Pelosi he said:

It's time to turn the page and go into a different direction with fresh ideas, new leadership and one who unites. We need a leader who is a uniter. Clearly, Ms. Pelosi is not that person.

I wonder if he thinks Heath Shuler is that person? More below the fold....

Just when you think you've heard it all:

Pantano was charged with a capital crime for slaying two Iraqis during a raid in 2004 and hanging a sign over their bodies with a Marine slogan, "No better friend, no worse enemy." Ultimately cleared of the charges, Pantano went on to write a book about the experience. He hopes the notoriety will help him win the Republican nomination.

"This is my effort to turn a negative into a positive," Pantano told The Associated Press during a recent interview at his Wilmington home. "I think that the voters in this district will see a life story ... of a guy who has chosen to serve over personal gain."

In a bizarre twist on matters of personal integrity, a challenger to Blue Dog Mike McIntyre this week showed what always matters most to Republicans: money.

Breazeale, who is making his second challenge against 7th District Democratic Rep. Mike McIntyre, announced this week that he is guaranteeing his pledge to serve no more than six years in Congress with a $250,000 check secured by personal assets written in a promissory note, Rob Christensen reports.

I know I shouldn't be surprised by stunts like this, but somehow I can't get past the moral squishiness behind Breazeale promissory note. To put it simply, we now have a candidate for federal office telling us in no uncertain terms that we the people can't trust him to keep his word unless there's money on the line. Of course, Breazeale is in good company. He knows that voters don't trust Republican liars like Sue Myrick, who made a similar solemn promise as part of her Contract on America, a promise that she wouldn't serve more than 12 years in Congress.

Democrats in Congress these days benefit from an environment of low expectations. They don't get much done and most people seem just fine with that. But is it really asking too much for them to simply tell the truth to their constituents? Apparently not. If your name is Congressman Mike McIntrye, truth doesn't seem to be in the job description.

Adam Linker breaks it down at Progressive Pulse, based on a story in the Robesonian.

“This bill provides medical benefits for illegal aliens,” he said. “I can’t say it any more directly. That is absolutely unacceptable.”

Frank Eaton reports tonight that Representative McIntyre will be running for reelection in the House. Let the jockeying for Senate begin again!

I just came across this headline: McIntyre To Vote For SCHIP Bill Will Not Support Presidential Veto. What shady source did I get my info? Well, McIntyre's website itself.

Now if only we could get my representative, Etheridge, to join the Coalition of the Sane (COTS), it'd be a great day.

Have you heard about Brazil and their successful effort to become energy independent using biofuels? The key to their effort has been the planting of vast tracts of sugar cane to be distilled into celulosic ethanol. Well it seems that North Carolina's Congressional Democrats will be playing an important role in the development of a similar program for America.

According to Reuters, "What's being suggested is a five-year pilot program to encourage farmers to grow 5 million acres a year of switchgrass and other crops for making so-called cellulosic ethanol."

This program comes under the legislative authority of the House Agriculture Committee. In the new Congress two of the four Agriculture Subcommittees will be chaired by Mike McIntrye and Bob Etheridge (pictured right) of North Carolina. Their efforts will be key to moving this program through the Congress to legislative approval.

I wonder, how much of that switchgrass will be in North Carolina?