News-Record.com

My column today:

For once, I'd like to make it through a whole day of jury duty. Or even get as far as a courtroom. Then I'd feel I was doing my civic duty -- and earning the 12 bucks pay.

Sure, I probably wouldn't be selected to sit on a jury. Don Vaughan, an attorney and former city councilman, expressed that opinion when I ran into him in the courthouse Monday morning. The judge and lawyers wouldn't want a newsman covering a trial from the jury box, which of course is exactly what I'd do.

Well, there was no risk of that. Everyone summoned for jury duty Monday in Greensboro was dismissed at 2:20 in the afternoon without having to render a verdict on any question weightier than where to eat lunch. ...

Cheers for the Charlotte Observer, which today endorsed Hal Jordan over Jim Black in the 100th N.C. House District race.

"Speaker Black has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments in his 10 terms in the N.C. House -- the past four as speaker," the Observer noted. ...

"But in addition to that record of achievement, Speaker Black has another record that does not reflect well upon him or the institution he serves. It involves how he built and used his influence."

Ironically, a news story in today's Observer reports that North Carolina Democrats have raised five times as much money as North Carolina Republicans and quotes the executive director of the N.C. Democratic Party, Caroline Valand, as saying voters aren't concerned about the scandals associated with Black:

"That's not what voters care about. That's not going to affect voters' everyday lives. That's not going to raise the minimum wage. It's not going to improve their access to health care. It's not going to improve their kids' school."

The Observer's editorial board disagrees:

"The determining factor for us is not legislative accomplishments or public policy. It's public trust. While Rep. Black can point to many accomplishments, ethically he has cut too many corners and crossed too many lines. His actions have stained the House's reputation, eroded trust in government and given the impression that money talks much too loudly in state politics."

The Observer has it right. It's too bad the leaders of the state Democratic Party think public trust and integrity in government don't matter to most North Carolinians. But maybe they think all their money will keep on talking through Election Day.

Update: This is just not Jim's day. There are likely to be many more bad ones to come.

Here's today's editorial about the TV ads running this week from FairJudges.Net.

You can view the ad on the group's Web site.

The ads are rather innocuous. They support "fair" judges and name Sarah Parker, Mark Martin, Patricia Timmons-Goodson and Robin Hudson, all candidates for the N.C. Supreme Court.

They are fair judges. We endorsed all four.

So, what's the problem?

There are several. The most basic is that FairJudges.Net is a 527 organization, and this is the first time that a 527 has gotten involved in North Carolina court races. This will surely invite the participation of more in the future.

A 527 is a political organization that can spend virtually unlimited amounts of money promoting issues but not candidates. In this case, the issue is "fair judges." While the ad names four "fair judges," it doesn't technically urge anyone to vote for those candidates. But, come on, it really does.

This ad is positive, but 527s in other states have aired very negative ads aimed at unseating judges. Groups that favor the death penalty, or support gun control, or oppose abortion, or support same-sex marriage or any other single issue can raise millions and flood the airwaves with ads. In judicial races, where most voters know nothing about the candidates, this kind of influence can make a big difference.

The FairJudges.Net ad, although positive, is still unfair because it puts some candidates at a big disadvantage. Eric Levinson and Ann Marie Calabria, for example, are participating in the public financing program, which means they agreed to abide by spending limits. In their campaigns, all candidates were supposed to have equal amounts of money to spend. Suddenly, these ads are airing that benefit their opponents.

There's also the suspicion that FairJudges.Net, which claims to be bipartisan, is associated with the state Democratic Party. One of its "fair judges," Martin, is a Republican, but the other three are Democrats. Martin is a no-brainer, though, because his opponent is Rachel Lea Hunter, whom everyone views as unqualified for a seat on the Supreme Court.

Bob Hall of Democracy North Carolina said yesterday that his group urges the State Board of Elections "to examine possible coordination between FairJudges.Net and the state Democratic Party, particularly the so-called independent expenditure committees of the NC Democratic Party, which have spent funds in support of the same judicial candidates named in the ad paid for by FairJudges.Net."

Hall also said: "We call upon the supporters and officers of this new group to recognize the damage they are doing to the integrity of our court system and election system by using legal loopholes to sponsor candidate advocacy, at the eleventh hour of the campaign season, without full accountability."

Chris Heagarty, executive director of the NC Center for Voter Education, issued a statement yesterday that included this:

"While this group (FairJudges.Net) makes positive statements about qualified judges, spending by 527 groups can inject an almost unlimited amount of money into judicial elections, giving the beneficiaries of this advertising an unfair advantage - even if those praised in the television spots did not seek, nor welcome, that aid.

"527 group electioneering is legal and regulated by the NC State Board of Elections, the IRS, and the FEC. There is nothing to readily suggest any illegal activity or violation of those regulations on behalf of this group. However, we feel that this type of electioneering by 527 groups, even if dedicated to positive advertising, still creates a potential conduit to maneuver around existing campaign finance limits that could be abused by less scrupulous organizations and is not a healthy development for those of us concerned with protecting the integrity and independence of our judicial system."

The Center provides information about judicial candidates at ncvoterguide.org

It's important to note that Parker, Martin, Timmons-Goodson and Hudson had nothing to do with the FairJudges.Net ads and had no contact with the organization itself.

Parker, quoted in the editorial, said she'd rather not have the organization's help. Martin and Hudson compared it to endorsements they've received from many other groups and newspapers. I didn't speak with Timmons-Goodson yesterday.

In a way, the attention this has drawn to judicial races is good. It alerts voters that these contests are on the ballot and that they're important. But the benefit is outweighed by the harm done to other candidates who counted on a level playing field and by the unwelcome introduction of 527 groups campaigning in North Carolina, which potentially will lead to problems down the road.

I'm all for having the regional headquarters for La-Z-Boy in High Point.

I'm very uneasy with High Point offering $600,000 in incentives to lure the 120-employee operation ... from Greensboro.

La-Z-Boy and subsidiaries American Drew, Lea Industries and Pennsylvania House have offices on Grandover Parkway.

Maybe all is fair in this game. Furniture is High Point's business, and High Point should grab a big furniture player if it can.

But the ideal economic development story is one that benefits all of Guilford County. This won't be one of those.

The High Point Market Authority issued 84,976 registration badges for the October business event.

The number provides "an accurate benchmark for next Fall Market," Authority President Brian Casey said in a news release.

That's in contrast to the registration number of 100,128 for the Spring Market, which Casey told me today he no longer has confidence in.

The 100,000 figure was widely celebrated when it was announced in May. Much higher than previous market estimates, it was cited in a press release as an indication that "the latest edition of the High Point furniture market was extremely successful. ... The counts are from our new central registration system, which delivers accurate results very quickly. We believe the numbers demonstrate that the High Point Market is the vital center of our industry -- the place to be for everyone who is serious about the furniture business."

Casey reminded me in a phone conversation today that he was only a few weeks on the job back in May and hadn't had time to investigate the reliability of those registration numbers. But as recently as Aug. 24, when I interviewed him in his High Point office, he was still standing firmly behind their accuracy.

What happened? Actually, I am willing to credit the Market Authority with improving its numbers. I think they probably double-counted a lot of registrants in April -- for example, people who registered both as buyers and exhibitors. That was eliminated this time, Casey said.

But, let's face it. It's also a problem to acknowledge that registration might have declined by 15 percent from April to October.

By the way, keep in mind that these numbers are registrations. No one knows what actual attendance might be, although it's surely less than the registration number.

There's always been spin when it comes to market numbers. Vegas does it. They released only a vague number for their July show -- probably because their attendance really slipped, according to many observers. For years, High Point market officials stuck to their 70,000 to 80,000 estimate, reporting each market that attendance was either "a little up," "a little down" or "steady" -- pretty meaningless.

Lately High Point officials have been pitching the line that market attendance doesn't really matter; the key issue is how much business is done. Casey asserts that fewer people represent more buying power, thanks to industry consolidation. I'm sure that's true. But it ignores two points: First, no one knows how much business is really transacted at any market, so no one can say with authority or precision by that standard whether a market was good or not. Second, attendance does matter -- a lot -- to High Point and the Triad. More market people spend more money here. That's a huge part of the economic impact.

Why does it matter to have numbers? Accountability. The market is being supported with millions of dollars a year in public funds, with more sought. In return, organizers have an obligation to demonstrate how well market is doing by all measurable indicators they have at hand. Registration is an important, measurable indicator.

Registration is useful for other reasons. You want to know where people are coming from and where they're not. What are the trends? Is Vegas cutting into traffic from the Western U.S. and Pacific rim? How many first-time registrants is High Point getting? Who comes in the spring but not in the fall, or the other way around? This information should help marketing efforts.

Speaking of marketing, High Point has a better and better story to tell. More entertainment, more free food, more free transportation, a task force of hotel operators pledging to lower room rates, with a similar effort coming for restaurants. These are initiatives that just might help boost attendance, once word circulates through the industry that High Point is putting on a much more customer-friendly furniture show.

It's helpful if High Point finally has an accurate registration system because the bottom line is to keep its numbers up.

"The legislator approached with some obvious hesitancy. 'Why do you, and others in the media, constantly beat up on us? Why are you so negative all the time?'"

That's Tom Campbell's opening to his latest column for NC Spin. He answers bluntly:

"The public servant mentality has given way to one of entitlement. Gerrymandered legislative districts have virtually assured re-election for most all lawmakers, eliminating the need for legislators to have to visit country stores, meeting and actually listening to those whom they profess to serve. Accountability has gone by the wayside. Perhaps the most dangerous trend over the past two decades has been the emergence of legislative leadership, the House Speaker and Senate President Pro Tem, as the principal fundraisers for lawmakers. Lobbyists, seeking access and legislation, have gladly genuflected to these long-entrenched leaders, pouring massive sums into their election coffers. Sums which the leaders can then dole out to cronies. The chosen beneficiaries easily outspend any who would challenge them at the polls. Not only is the election bought, but so is the one elected."

And more.

The bottom line: By and large, North Carolina voters are being cheated, politically, by their representatives in Raleigh.

You saw the Charlotte Observer's endorsement of Jim Black's opponent, Hal Jordan.

Recently, the Charlotte Post spoke up for the embattled speaker of the N.C. House.

The Charlotte Post calls itself "the only minority owned, locally published communication that specifically targets the African American community."

Its view really encapsulates what's wrong with our political system: the willingness to accept tawdry means to accomplish preferred ends.

The Charlotte Post fears the repercussions if Black loses his House seat or his job as speaker:

"If he's replaced after eight years in the top position, millions of dollars in state funding that has flowed this way to pay for programs ranging from extra district attorneys to marketing the CIAA basketball tournament will be jeopardized. For a region that receives precious little relative to its tax contributions to North Carolina, slowing that reciprocation from Raleigh puts Mecklenburg in a precarious spot.

"On the legislative side, replacing Mr. Black would have consequences for African Americans. Depending on who took the gavel, the drawing of legislative districts could dilute the voting strength of African Americans and make us less a player in competitive districts. If a Republican or more conservative Democrat takes over, black legislators, who hold key committee assignments now, would also lose their standing in the House hierarchy. That makes it more difficult for their voices to be heard during the introduction and debate over bills."

Legitimate needs should be funded. Qualified legislators should be placed in key committee assignments. Why does it require corrupt leadership to make those things happen?

The Charlotte Post editorial doesn't exactly endorse Black. The writers understand that, even if he regains his seat Tuesday, he's not very likely to return as speaker. If he's indicted, he may not serve in the House again at all.

But the Post's lamentation over the possible loss of this mighty politician doesn't impress me. Black should have stepped down months ago. The integrity of the legislative process should be seen as more important than the political or monetary benefits that an all-powerful speaker can provide for people and causes he favors.

I heard there was trouble at the coliseum last night.

Fights. Drinking. Rowdy behavior.

No, it had nothing to do with David McCullough, who was speaking in the auditorium.

Guns N'Roses played the big house next door.

Sure, we history buffs got plenty excited about McCullough.

But none of us was hauled away by the cops.

FairJudges.Net, which I wrote about the other day, reports receiving $75,000 from the North Carolina Democratic Party.

What do you want to bet that, next election, the Republicans will create a front organization of their own so they can pump big money into supposedly nonpartisan judicial campaigns, too?

Just back from watching the Charlotte Bobcats defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight -- my first visit to the year-old Bobcats Arena uptown. What a palace for basketball. It was a lot of fun.

Cavs star LeBron James seemed surprisingly disinterested until the last few minutes, and then his efforts were too little too late.

Maybe he was distracted by Liv Tyler, sitting beside the Cleveland bench.

Tar Heel heroes Raymond Felton and Sean May played well in Charlotte's first win of the season after two losses.

The crowd was announced as the biggest ever in the arena, more than 19,000.

The game and associated activities made for a colorful variety show, from the rock band in an outdoor plaza beforehand to fireworks afterward. Inside, there's something going on all the time, on the court and throughout the house. Plenty of places to eat, bars, attractions for kids, entertainers, you name it.

It would be great if Greensboro had professional basketball. Sure, the NBA is out of the question, but the hoops equivalent of the Grasshoppers would be cool. Yeah, we've got the college tournaments in March, but it's a long, cold winter until then.

Can somebody resurrect the old ABA and the Carolina Cougars?

I'm sure UNCG has its share of far-out faculty members, but its Bryan School of Business and Economics seems to be staffed with people who really know their trade.

I'm always impressed with Andy Brod.

And Bruce Caldwell's Counterpoint column today about the folly of "living wage" proposals resounds with common sense and clarity.

But then, I wrote something along the same lines myself.

Caldwell is a professor of economics. Thanks for writing, prof.

Ted Haggard made a profound public confession at New Life Church in Colorado Springs yesterday.

Once a man pronounces himself a "deceiver and liar" in front of thousands who regarded him as their spiritual leader, what worse can anyone else say?

Haggard added: "I am guilty of sexual immorality, and I take responsibility for the entire problem. ... There is a part of my life that is so repulsive and dark that I've been warring against it all of my adult life."

The evangelist's dismissal stems from accusations of a drug-and-sex relationship with a male prostitute.

In addition to the immediate personal and professional damage to Haggard, he's exposed as a hypocrite because of his strong opposition to gay marriage. He's been totally disgraced, and everything he's preached is completely discredited.

Or so some say.

But there's another way to look at this.

I see Haggard just as he's described himself: a man with a dark and repulsive side who has been a deceiver and liar.

Not a deceiver and liar in what he's preached but in what he's practiced.

The truth is, no one who preaches a perfect gospel is good enough to live it. Haggard has fallen farther and harder than most, but everyone falls.

Yet, everyone who falls can be lifted up.

"I'm sorry I’ve created the test, but please rise to this challenge and demonstrate the incredible grace that is available to all of us," Haggard told church members.

That statement might make no sense to anyone who isn't a Christian, but it's powerful.

Haggard is confessing himself a sinner and appealing for God's forgiveness and redemption through grace. He's not embracing his sinfulness but repudiating it. I assume he intends to turn his life around. He may fail and fall again. But, if he is saved, it will be through the faith he has proclaimed.

The word is true, the man is not. But, with God's help and the support and prayers of his family and Christian friends, he can get better. I wish him well.

Oh, man. It's raining. And it's chilly. Guess I won't be able to vote.

If you hear that today, how about reminding the moaner that people have shed blood for the right to vote?

Durham DA Mike Nifong gets his mandate to carry on with the case against accused rapists David Evans, Colin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann. In this odd election, 49 percent was a winning number. Lewis Cheek, who said he wouldn't serve if elected, polled 39 percent. Write-in candidate Steve Monks drew 12 percent. All numbers are unofficial.

What is official is that Durham's embarrassment continues.

AP writer Gary Robertson: "House Speaker Jim Black led challenger Hal Jordan by seven votes Tuesday with all precincts reporting, according to unofficial results.

"Provisional ballots had not yet been counted, and the eventual winner was sure to request a recount."

Why would half the voters in this Mecklenburg County state House district want to keep Jim Black, who faces mountains of legal troubles?

Maybe for party reasons. If (when) Black resigns, the seat would be filled by an appointed Democrat. Electing Jordan would turn it over to Republicans. The district generally favors Democrats.

But let's wait to see what the provisional ballots say. Black may be out sooner rather than later.

Update: Black tells The Charlotte Observer: "When The Charlotte Observer has beat up on you for a solid year with negative reporting, I feel lucky to be even."

Yeah, Jim. This is all about The Charlotte Observer beating up on you.

What newspaper should President Bush blame for the hammering Republicans took yesterday?

National Democrats denounced Joe Lieberman for resuming his re-election campaign as an independent after losing the party primary.

Now they need the veteran Connecticut senator after his strong victory over Ned Lamont today.

Make them crawl, Joe.

Look, there's no question Lieberman is a Democrat. He should stay in the Democratic caucus. I doubt he's the type to hold grudges.

But he shouldn't forget, either, how badly the left wing of the party (which is to say most of it) wanted to get rid of him.

My column today:

David McCullough's topic was history, not current events, when he spoke last week in Greensboro. But, as he knows and many Americans don't, the past has a lot to teach us about the present.

Especially worth noting at election time is the role that leaders play in shaping the course of history. ...

I was holding my breath last night over judicial elections. To my relief, the results were OK -- not my choice in every race, but nothing really wacky.

Meaning, Rachel Lea Hunter lost her bid for a seat on the N.C. Supreme Court. Still, despite all the media attention about her oddball campaign and her lack of qualifications, she won 37 percent of the vote against incumbent Mark Martin, one of the state's best jurists. More than 475,000 North Carolinians, including more than 32,000 Guilford County residents, voted for her. I have to assume that was because they had absolutely no idea what they were doing.

She probably benefited from the gender advantage. An appellate court judge told me last week it's now calculated at 8 percentage points. That's the standard boost female judicial candidates get at the polls. That would explain why the two statewide judicial races where two women were running against each other were almost toss-ups.

In Guilford County, though, two male judges prevailed over women challengers. District Court Judge Tom Jarrell's credentials far surpassed those of Susan O'Hale and he won easily -- reversing the 2004 experience when voters showed a strong preference for women at the District Court level. Superior Court Judge Stuart Albright's victory over Susan Bray was closer, as expected, but the outcome wasn't a surprise. Guilford County voters have been electing Judge Albrights for decades -- Doug Albright, and now his son. Bray was an excellent candidate who will keep her seat on the District Court bench.

Some voters complain that the judicial races are nonpartisan. That's what might have saved Mark Martin, who's a Republican. Rachel Hunter is a Democrat, and the way North Carolina voters were going for Democrats yesterday, she might have won in a partisan contest.

On that subject, I've got a complaint. It's not with the congressional elections. Republicans got what they deserved there. The next speaker, Nancy Pelosi, was crowing: "The American people voted to restore integrity and honesty to Washington."

OK, but what about integrity and honesty in Raleigh, where Democrats have presided over a legislature where special interests have gotten their way by pouring money into the coffers of powerful leaders like Jim Black? Well, Black may or may not have been defeated in his district, but across the state Democrats GAINED legislative seats. Clearly, voters were punishing Republican legislative candidates for the sins of Republicans in Washington -- and rewarding Democratic legislators for their shady practices. Maybe it was just too complicated for voters to make distinctions.

Just trying to catch up ...

High Point native J.D. Hayworth, a six-term Republican congressman from Arizona, is on the ropes. He hasn't conceded yet, but the numbers right now aren't in his favor.

Hayworth, who went to N.C. State on a football scholarship and became a sportscaster, was considered an up-and-comer in the House. Looks like he'll have to start over.

Some of the more interesting state ballot measures included:

* English as official language: YES in Arizona

* Minimum wage increases: YES in Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Nevada and Ohio

* Same-sex marriage ban: NO in Arizona; YES in Colorado, Idaho, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia and Wisconsin

* Tax oil production: NO in California

* Legalize some uses of marijuana: NO in Colorado, Nevada and South Dakota

* Restrict affirmative action: YES in Michigan

* Stem cell research: YES in Missouri

* Ban most abortions: NO in South Dakota

North Carolina elections would be a lot more exciting, and turnout would improve, if we could vote on all sorts of controversial measures. But our leaders don't even want us to have competitive legislative races, let alone ballot initiatives like these. They put too much power in the hands of the people.

Who knew that Rummy was on the ballot yesterday, too? Well, come to think of it, maybe a lot of voters did.

The AP's Mike Baker reports:

"N.C. voters set a record low for turnout, with fewer than a third of eligible voters going to the polls Tuesday for a midterm election dampened by rain and a lack of marquee races.

"State elections director Gary Bartlett estimated Wednesday that 31 percent of voters cast a ballot, although an official count won't be ready for more than a week. North Carolina's previous low for turnout in a general election was 42 percent in 1994."

This despite the option of early voting, which wasn't available in 1994.

Voter turnout nationally was 40 percent.

North Carolina's 1994 election was similar to this years, without races for top political offices like president, governor or U.S. senator. Why such a drop in turnout this time?

My two theories:

1. Less competitive races on the ballot at all levels. Generally safe districts for incumbents discourage tough challenges. Most state legislative races were uncontested. So were two of the five Guilford County commissioners races and all but one school board race. Why should voters turn out when, in so many cases, the outcome is a foregone conclusion?

2. The large increase in voter registration. In November 1994, the state counted 3,635,875 registered voters. Now there are 5,568,960. The increase exceeds population growth. It means that voting advocates have done a great job of registering new voters and making registration much easier. "Motor Voter" registration at DMV offices (which began in 1995) is an example. Trouble is, we may be registering people who have very little real interest in voting. Inflating the registration rolls with people who are, for all practical purposes, nonvoters depresses the turnout rate.

More people voted Tuesday than in 1994 -- approximately 1.7 million compared to 1.5 million -- but it was a much smaller percentage of registered voters.

There are no excuses for not voting. People who register to vote should participate in elections. But there would be more reason to vote if our political system allowed more real competition.

Elizabeth Dole can't claim success in her job as chairwoman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, but she isn't due the blame for her party's losses Tuesday.

Democrats picked up the six seats they needed to take over control of the Senate (counting two independents in their caucus).

Three of those -- in Montana, Missouri and Virginia -- came by very thin margins.

The key loss was in Virginia, where George Allen was beaten by Jim Webb. Dole must have been pulling her hair out over Allen's inept campaign. Personally, I don't hold her responsible for his "macaca" comment, which by itself probably cost him the election.

After two years stumping around the country for other Republicans, Dole does have a lot of work to do in North Carolina if she wants to keep her own seat in 2008. There's no sign of a Democratic challenger yet, but strong D voting across the state Tuesday might have more than a few potential candidates thinking about it. Maybe Mike Easley?

"Living a lie" is a cliche I'd like to see thinking columnists give up forever. Unfortunately, Leonard Pitts was at it today on our Second Opinion page.

He writes approvingly of actor Neil Patrick Harris in order to paint a contrast to disgraced evangelist Ted Haggard.

Harris recently stated: "I am happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions and am quite proud to say that I am a very content gay man living my life to the fullest."

"Put aside," said Pitts, the fact that Harris was "outed" on a gossip Web site. Apparently the need to expose the Truth outweighs anyone's right to privacy. The point is that Harris responded correctly, by announcing his contentment with and pride in his sexual orientation.

On the other hand, there is the very incorrect Ted Haggard who, although "outed" for having had a sexual relationship with a male prostitute, has confessed to "sexual immorality" and has entered a program of "restoration" -- "a process that reportedly involves confrontation, counsel and -- you can't make this stuff up -- rebuke from 'godly men.'"

Horrors! Only rebuke from self-righteous columnists is acceptable!

What's wrong with Haggard? Why can't he accept who he really is and, like Harris, content himself with his homosexuality?

"Wouldn't you much rather be Neil Patrick Harris than Ted Haggard just now?" Pitts asks. "In other words, wouldn't you rather be a content gay man living life to the fullest, than a closeted gay hypocrite living lies to the fullest?"

Don't answer that question. It's rhetorical.

Certainly, Haggard has been exposed as a hypocrite. He's also confessed that, "There is a part of my life that's so repulsive and dark that I've been warring against it all of my adult life."

That tells me Haggard doesn't see contentment in that direction. Why should he? Here's a man with a wife and children. He's committed a grievous offense against them. Does that mean he should renounce and abandon that very important, perhaps essential, part of his life? I wonder if Pitts thinks so because, not satisfied with rebuking Haggard, he turns his attention to the man's wife:

"And here, I'm thinking of Gayle Alcorn. She and Haggard have five children. They've been married 28 years. That's a long time to sleep next to a lie.

"I bet she wishes he had 'flaunted' his homosexuality a long time ago."

A 28-year marriage, a lie?

Five children, five lies?

I wouldn't bet a nickel that Gayle Haggard wishes Ted Haggard's "homosexuality" had come out long ago, erasing her marriage and children before they'd ever happened. You don't wish away a family.

Even if Haggard is homosexual -- and it's obvious he's not exclusively homosexual -- why can't people like Pitts consider the possibility that he loves a woman and wanted to have children with her, that he finds contentment, or the nearest to it he can manage, in family life, that he wants to be restored to that life?

I don't think the desire to want a family is a lie at all. Sadly, many men have destroyed their own families in many ways -- and Haggard's actions have been terribly destructive. As much as anyone, does he deserve a second chance? I'd say that's up to his family to decide. Of course, a lot depends on him and whether he loves them enough to overcome his other desires.

Where I would place a bet is here: If Haggard fails, and if he loses his family, he won't declare himself to be proud and content about it.

I just came back from the first community meeting on the police chief search.

I'd like to congratulate Fred Allen from the city's HR department who did a nice job of moderating the two-hour session, and City Manager Mitch Johnson, who listened for more than an hour and then answered questions.

There were about as many media types in the Central Library meeting room as regular folks, but the real people did all the talking most of the way through until one of those TV reporters popped up with a question: How much have all these investigations cost the city?

Johnson stated that the meeting was for the purpose of getting input from citizens.

One newsman muttered that "We're citizens, too."

That mild protest probably wasn't going to work. So a couple of citizens promptly piped up: "How much have you spent?"

Cornered, the manager had to answer: about $750,000.

So, citizens, here's your chance to ask questions just like real journalists: There are five more meetings. Don't miss them.

Butch Davis' goal as the next Tar Heel football coach should be nothing less than to win the Big Four title within two years.

The Big Four this year has been the Big One plus Carolina, Duke and State. Tar Heel fans deserve a team that can compete with the Deacons.

Our editorial today about High Point's La-Z-Boy deal.

My column tomorrow will deal with relations between High Point and Greensboro, which have been worse but should be better.

The Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at UNC-Chapel Hill wants to open a public preschool program for 3-year-olds.

The Chapel Hill-Carrboro Board of Education will consider the proposal Thursday.

"Parents are children's first teachers," the FPG institute says in explaining its FirstSchool initiative. "Many children also spend large amounts of time in early care and education settings outside their home. Whatever their setting, children who have high quality experiences before they enter kindergarten are more successful in school. Yet many children do not receive the quality early experiences they need."

It seems to me this is saying that some kids need to spend as much time out of their homes or away from their current care situations as possible as soon as possible.

I think it might be better to create a school for all expecting parents who haven't finished high school and teach them how to provide a nurturing environment for their children. Without that, by the time some kids reach the age of 3, they're already way behind.

My column today:

It's wrong to say relations between High Point and Greensboro have never been worse. Back in 1911, after a bitter battle in the state legislature, Greensboro defeated a bid by High Point to break away from Guilford County. The final vote was 54-42 in the House of Representatives.

Compared to that, the neighboring cities are merely experiencing a period of elevated unpleasantness. ...

British monarchs might still harbor some hard feelings about the American colonies' separation 230 years ago. That could be why they don't visit us much.

Queen Elizabeth II plans to show up in Jamestown, Va., next year for the 400th anniversary of the settlement's founding. Despite its age, the Old Dominion seems to be getting along fine these days.

Incredibly, Liz is only the second reigning British monarch to set foot in the United States. The first was her dad, King George VI, back in 1939.

And this will be only the fourth visit by this queen in more than half a century on the throne.

I wonder if the royals are sore losers.

Don't worry, Liz. The revolution is over.

Just back from Charlotte, where the Heels had just about all the Winthrop they could handle.

I think Winthrop is a very good team -- look out, High Point University -- but Carolina obviously isn't close to meeting its awesome potential ... yet.

Tyler Hansbrough is still the big star on this team. But he's going to get a lot of help from Brandan Wright. The other freshmen are also promising.

Let's just say that, for Tar Heel fans, basketball season is going to be a lot more fun than football season.

OK, it always is. But, I mean, Winthrop probably could whip us in football.

What? Winthrop doesn't play football? Now, that's not a bad idea.

Could the O.J. Simpson jurors please come back and take another vote?

This should be all the evidence they need.

Talk about timing. The featured speaker at today's annual meeting of the High Point Economic Development Corporation was David Rush of Polo.com.

The topic of his remarks was "Polo.com: High Point's contribution to landing the project."

The project is a $40 million "distribution/fulfillment center" (more about what that is below) in southeast High Point. It will employ 250 full-time workers, average salary about $34,000, by 2010 and maybe a lot more later, Rush said.

High Point indeed did a lot to attract the company, including an offer of incentives worth about 2.2 million. Other factors helped, including proximity to the Polo Ralph Lauren distribution center in north High Point and the planned FedEx hub at PTIA.

But the project is not "landed" yet. The Guilford County commissioners, meeting tonight, are asked to kick in another $650,000. Rush made it very clear this afternoon that Polo.com has not yet committed to the site in the Kivett Drive Industrial Park. "Assuming things go well tonight," he said, a final decision by the company will follow.

As Nate DeGraff reported last week, however, some commissioners are inclined to balk. Some never vote for incentives, and some think this deal amounts to a gift of $650,000 to a company that, for all practical purposes, looks like it's coming with or without the extra money.

This is kind of like playing poker.

What's at stake is a business that Rush says is likely to grow. Land owner/developer Carolina Investment Properties will build a facility of 360,000 square feet that could be expanded to as much as 900,000 square feet. The work force of 250 eventually could triple or more -- depending on seasonal demand.

So, what happens there?

OK, start at the Polo.com Web site. Go to the create your own page. You can select a polo shirt in whatever color you want. You can pick your pony's color. You can have your initials embroidered on the shirt. In other words, what you get will be all yours, absolutely unique.

No, I'm not getting a commission for this.

Your order, by phone or online, comes in to the High Point center (assuming there will be a High Point center) and is "fulfilled" right there. The garments themselves are made somewhere else but the custom embroidery is done on site, then shipped out.

Rush -- that's a pretty good name for this business, isn't it? -- admitted there won't be especially sophisticated equipment in this facility and much of the work will be "menial." Correction: I am told Rush said "manual," not "menial." I misheard. The company has not provided a salary scale -- how much for which jobs. I could guess that some workers might be paid a good bit less than the $34,000 average (and that's in 2010 dollars, remember). You need people to take orders, people who do the embroidering, people who move materials in and ship finished product out, people who control inventory, supervisors, managers.

You can see why proximity to the FedEx hub is important. The company already ships exclusively with FedEx, and that is likely to continue.

As I said, High Point worked hard for this. City Manager Strib Boynton and EDC President Loren Hill went to New York to make a personal pitch to Polo people. They've smoothed all the details. Robin Team of Carolina Investment Properties said that permits it takes 6-8 weeks to secure in some cities are granted in one day in High Point. High Point takes pride in being very, very business-friendly. It always has been, going back to the beginning of the furniture industry here in the 1880s.

The Kivett Drive location is excellent. It's in an area of High Point that, frankly, is depressed. The jobs will be well suited to a lot of people who live there and need them. Highway access is good.

Yes, it was a little grating to hear Rush emphasize how important incentives are. His company is getting a heckuva deal, with a $1.5 million state grant on top of the $2.2 million from High Point and hoped-for $650,000 from the county. That's getting close to $4.4 million altogether.

Can it fall apart if the commissioners refuse? Well, if I were on the board I'd swallow hard and make the deal. This means a lot to High Point, which is why the city worked so hard to get it.

This is why I have a hard time trusting scientists.

Just think. If we really can cool the planet by shooting sulfates into the stratosphere, maybe we'll bury ourselves in acid snow every winter.

John McCain starts his presidential bid as the favorite for the 2008 Republican nomination.

Some pundits think he won't pass muster with the most conservative portion of the party, as in 2000.

They may be right. Or Republican primary voters might decide to focus this time on more practical considerations like judgment and competence.

Anyway, if the Republicans have a serious contender who can run to McCain's right, I don't know who he is.

John Edwards has been campaigning for months against Wal-Mart, and yesterday Wal-Mart took advantage of an opportunity to hit back.

As The News & Observer reports today, a volunteer staffer for Edwards used the former senator's name to try to gain an advantage in acquiring a PlayStation3 for the Edwards family at a Raleigh Wal-Mart.

Wal-Mart issued a press release stating: "While the rest of America's working families are waiting patiently in line, Senator Edwards wants to cut to the front."

In an interview with the N&O, Edwards put the blame squarely on the volunteer: "A young man who volunteers for us, apparently without our knowledge, was looking for a PlayStation3 for himself and offered to look for one for us. He was not aware that Wal-Mart doesn't provide health insurance or decent pay for many of its employees or of my efforts to change the way Wal-Mart treats its employees."

Of course, I don't believe Edwards or his wife sent the young man to Wal-Mart. But this incident points to a bit of a problem for the crusading politician. If someone in his own organization "was not aware that Wal-Mart doesn't provide health insurance or decent pay for many of its employees," neither are most Americans -- or they're not that worked up about it.

Judging from Wal-Mart's incredible success in the retail market, I'd say most Americans like shopping there. It's convenient and they save money. If some of its workers don't get health insurance or decent pay, well, that's a concern. But that's true for a lot of people who work for other companies, and many of those people shop at Wal-Mart. Are they supposed to want to pay higher prices to fix the problem?

The text of the Wal-Mart news release follows:

UNC posted its first Big Four win of the season, thumping State 23-9 in Chapel Hill yesterday. The Wolfpack completed a second straight Big Four campaign without a victory. Wolfpack Nation wonders whether Chuck Amato will EVER beat a Big Four rival again.

State's Big Four misfortunes can be partially blamed on overextended Atlantic Coast Conference misscheduling. The Pack hasn't played Duke since 2004.

The Big Four season ends Saturday with Carolina visiting Duke. The winner will nail down second place behind undefeated champion Wake Forest.

Current standings:

Wake, 3-0
UNC, 1-1
Duke, 0-1
State, 0-2.

Congressman Charles Rangel's latest call for a military draft or national public service requirement might draw some serious discussion next year.

The New York Democrat will be chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which means he has to be taken seriously.

Rangel has made this proposal before, and it never garnered any significant support.

I'm not quite sure what his real motivation is for reviving it. In his interview on CBS' "Face the Nation" yesterday, he seemed to be trying to make some sort of political point:

"There's no question in my mind that this president and this administration would never have invaded Iraq, especially on the flimsy evidence that was presented to the Congress, if indeed we had a draft and members of Congress and the administration thought that their kids from their communities would be placed in harm's way."

If he's saying that young people from the same "communities" as most congressmen don't volunteer for the armed forces, he's wrong. The U.S. military very closely reflects the demographic and social-economic make-up of the country -- except that the educational level is higher in the military. At least there is a greater percentage of high school graduates.

It's also insulting to suggest that members of Congress don't care very much about the safety of men and women in the armed forces. Does Rangel want to tell us which of his colleagues are so hard-hearted?

A more substantive question is whether the all-volunteer force is providing enough manpower to meet our current or future military needs. Our forces are stretched thin in Iraq and Afghanistan, and what if another crisis occurs somewhere else?

On the subject of manpower, however, there's the issue of women. Would they be drafted into the military in the same numbers as men? In this age of gender equity -- you've come a long way, baby, since the males-only draft ended in 1973 -- how could you NOT throw out the gender bias in conscription? But would women meet the physical requirements in equal numbers? This could get complicated.

Rangel's proposal offers a national service option, but apparently only after the military needs are met. Most young people presumably could fulfill their obligations by teaching, working in hospitals, or maybe in homeland security posts. How about draftee baggage screeners at airports? I suppose the Peace Corps, in which my son Andrew serves, would count. Would well-connected families pull strings in order to get their kids into the Peace Corps? Not that that's a cushy assignment.

I'm really not keen on the idea of mandatory service, whether it's the military, teaching, working in nursing homes, or whatever. I think people do a better job if they're serving out of a sense of conviction rather than compulsion. At the same time, I'm willing to hear some debate about our military manpower needs. Right now, I can't see a draft as the only or best way to increase enlistments.

And, yes, ideally we wouldn't need more soldiers, so we definitely need to work on alternatives to war.

Immigration is still a volatile issue in North Carolina, the latest Elon University Poll reports.

"People in North Carolina see immigrants as taking more than they give back to the state," poll director Hunter Bacot said.

The issue didn't boost Vernon Robinson's congressional campaign against Brad Miller, but this poll should tell Miller and other winners that people are becoming impatient with the rapid influx of undocumented immigrants.

Robinson might have lost primarily because he was running in a strongly Democratic district where voters weren't going to support any Republican, let alone one who could be so obnoxious.

That doesn't mean they disagreed with Robinson on his top issue.

As the season of giving approaches, an appropriate Christmas present for readers might be "Who Really Cares" by Arthur C. Brooks.

Brooks is professor of Public Administration and director of the Nonprofit Studies Program at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

The book is the product of Brooks' research on the "charity divide" in America. I haven't read it, but an excerpt on the Web site points to some very interesting -- though hardly surprising -- findings.

Americans who describe themselves as conservative and religious contribute more money to charity, donate more time to volunteer organizations and even give blood more often than people who describe themselves as liberal and not religious.

This is not a function of wealth, Brooks discovered. The charity divide cuts across all income levels.

Also, it's not simply a matter of religious people giving to their churches. They give more to nonreligious charities, too.

I'll have to read the book to find out Brooks' ideas about why this divide exists.

I hope it will be widely read and perhaps encourage more Americans to participate in the season of giving.

Imagine O.J. Simpson and Jack the Ripper back in the news at the same time. Can't be a coincidence.

British Channel Five has produced a new documentary that takes another stab at the Victorian-era murder mystery, even coming up with a composite drawing of the suspect.

I thought Patricia Cornwell had already solved that one.

The Nicole Simpson/Ron Goldman murders are hardly a whodunit. It's just that, like Jack, the killer got away.

The almost-always sensible Sam Hieb at Piedmont Publius was shocked at the "state-ordered execution of the Lindley Park coyote."

Jason Hardin reported the story.

OK, let's see what else could have been done.

The coyote could have been taken to the Animal Shelter and put up for adoption.

It could have been relocated to a wilderness area in Guilford County. Oh, we don't have any? Sent to Wyoming, then?

I don't think so.

This was an animal that had been roaming around a residential area for the past several months, living off the easiest pickings it could find. Some residents thought its diet included their pets. They wanted it gone.

Others didn't mind the canine prowler.

But it was a wild animal and a predator -- potentially more bothersome and dangerous than a stray dog.

Coyotes are becoming a bigger problem locally and across North Carolina. Their numbers are increasing rapidly. They threaten livestock and can spread disease.

They've apparently become such a nuisance in Virginia that some counties there actually offer bounties. I think that's a bad policy, which doesn't work, anyway.

The problem with the Lindley Park coyote was that it likely became too comfortable living in a residential area. If it had simply been relocated, it might have settled into a similar neighborhood. Maybe other people feel differently, but I really, really do not want a coyote in my neighborhood, coming into my back yard and attacking my dog, or even killing the rabbits and chipmunks that have a hard enough time dodging the hawks, owls and stray cats.

I'm sorry if anyone was shocked that this coyote had to be killed, but that was the best thing to do under the circumstances.

Was this evening's High Point Holiday Parade the best ever?

Let's see ... Temperature in the 30s, howling wind out of the north, slashing rain.

Probably not.

But it might have been the fastest.

The procession was scheduled to set off at 6. But by that time, the News & Record float had just about crossed the finish line.

How? Someone made the very welcome decision to line 'em up and take off early.

The normal pace for a parade is slow ... then stop ... then slow.

This one? Man, I was running, and my guys in the van left me behind. They were nowhere in sight when I got to the end.

I did pause to mingle with the spectators, handing out our goofy foam rubber reindeer antlers -- which kids love, by the way. Some adults, too.

Mingling with the spectators meant jogging for about a block, then spotting some spectators and laying on greetings like, "Hey, you crazy people won't miss a parade for anything, will you?"

You know what was really funny? The folks out there were having a blast! I really have to admire people who enjoy misery. They've got spirit.

Come to think of it, I had a good time, too.

Especially because the time was short.

My column today:

North Carolina Democrats had a heckuva day Nov. 7.

Too bad for them there weren't bigger races on the ballot. Maybe they could have painted a big blue stripe across a state that Republicans still claim is red.

The little secret is that North Carolina wears both colors: red on top, blue underneath. Voters here favor Republicans for president and, more often than not, for the U.S. Senate, too. The Democrats get most state and local offices. ...

Once again, Margaret and I want to express our appreciation to Michael Retzer, U.S. ambassador to Tanzania, for inviting our son, Andrew, and other Peace Corps volunteers to Thanksgiving dinner at his residence in Dar es Salaam.

Andrew tells us Ambassador Retzer is very supportive of the Peace Corps mission and personnel, and he is generous in his hospitality to Americans in country. Andrew enjoyed Thanksgiving 2005 and Fourth of July 2006 at the residence.

It means a lot to us that he can celebrate these distinctly American holidays in distinctly American style with fellow Americans.

So, happy Thanksgiving, Andrew. And to Ambassador Retzer, to your staff and to all Americans serving our country far from home -- thanks, and God bless you.

Our editorial today about North Carolina's sex-offender registry.

Have you used the registry? How helpful or not helpful do you find it? Are most of the people listed really a threat to the public or not? Are some of them unfairly branded?

What about a registry for other types of offenders? Would you like to know if you had a murderer living in your neighborhood? Or a burglar?