I know it's important for governors to be seen as leading the troops in times of catastrophe.
I know Hurricanes present opportunities for governors to do exactly that.
And I know governors' comms teams will shoot video of the governor to promote the image of a governor as a great leader in times of crisis.
But this only works if the governor can credibly project an image of a great leader.
Does North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper cast such an image? Watch the video and decide for yourself:
I know I am probably harsher on Gov. Cooper's barely-satisfactory oratory skills, but... COME ON!
Look at the peoples' faces in this video! They look like every face in every corporate meeting where the CEO comes in and gives a "pep talk" - usually more "blah, blah, blah" than "rah, rah, rah."
In one hilarious shot, the camera focuses on a woman in the Army uniform. The camera pans slightly left and we see someone else's arm.
The camera slowly pans...
Then we see his hand.
Then his cell phone.
ABORT! ABORT! The camera whips back to the woman as the photographer realizes that the man is reading his phone rather than listening to the less-than-motivational address.
In another shot you see people ignoring the speech altogether - chatting with one another.
This guy's expression is similar to mine as I watched Cooper desperately try to conjure a modicum of energy that could spread to the room:
Cooper's emergency preparedness press conferences are worse - as he usually begins with a scripted statement.
Look, I understand the need for this kind of appearance and video. But maybe just limit his speaking parts. It's easier to believe he's a fabulous crisis leader when we don't hear what he says.
Pete's Prep: Friday, Sept. 6, 2019
- From the Asheville Citizen-Times: "A proposed yearlong city hotel construction moratorium faced criticism from members of a local business group, including one development company executive who said the stoppage could actually delay new hotels for four years."
- From the Carolina Journal: :While North Carolina public schools have made some gains, particularly in science, the percentage of students scoring proficient on reading tests hasn’t moved much over the past few school years."
- US Attorney General William Barr wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal: "Over the past several decades, however, some lower court federal judges have increasingly resorted to a procedural device—the “nationwide injunction”—to prevent the government from enforcing a policy against anyone in the country. Shrewd lawyers have learned to “shop” for a sympathetic judge willing to issue such an injunction. These days, virtually every significant congressional or presidential initiative is enjoined—often within hours—threatening our democratic system and undermining the rule of law."
- From The Federalist: "After 18 years, thousands of casualties, and a price tag that could be as high as $1 trillion, the United States has done all it can in Afghanistan. Instead of finding excuses to stay, it’s time to come home."
- Allahpundit at HotAir on Former South Carolina Congressman Mark Sanford's challenge to President Trump in a GOP primary: "So why’s Sanford running? To do damage to Trump in the media, I assume. Now that he’s in the race, news networks will be even more eager than they were before to give him airtime. He’ll have six months to make the case against the president every day to “soft” Trump supporters."
- John Hood at the Carolina Journal: "When it comes to redistricting, each party has historical reasons to be skeptical of the other’s intentions. Now is the moment to come together for the good of North Carolina. Neither side can know who will control the legislature after the 2020 elections. What if you end up in the minority? Shouldn’t you take out an insurance policy against the catastrophic loss of adverse redistricting in 2021?"