By Miles Layton

A round-up of all things from God’s country…

First, a correction is needed. I admit I made a mistake — unlike mainstream media outlets who have still – still – not apologized or corrected the errors arising from the Russia hoax that led to impeachment hearings or the handling of the scamdemic fearmongering propaganda or misquoting Trump after happenings in Charlottesville. You people repulse me.  

Rather than publish (bury) a tiny correction at the bottom of page 3, here’s what I’ll say about my story about President Trump’s visit Friday evening to Rocky Mount. When I heard Trump briefly mention Laurie in his long, very long speech, he was referring to Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer – not Laurie Buckhout, a Republican candidate for CD 1. I didn’t have a transcript at dark o’clock to double-check my work – so in my sleep-deprived haze, I thought Trump gave a shout-out to Buckhout – he did not – though she served our nation with distinction as Acting Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy in the Trump administration. Though the overall story was right about Trump not endorsing anyone in the Republican Primary for CD1, I’ve corrected the error in the online version of our story by striking that sentence about the shout-out. 

Next — as to our story about Southern Bank selling a house for $10 to the Town of Edenton and the Edenton Historical Commission — the original story was factually true. Then we received new information that caused us to re-examine the vaguely worded agreement. Buried inside was a paragraph about the Lane House, the oldest house in the state. Because we didn’t make that connection, we misread that information in the documents provided by Town Hall. As soon as a town official contacted us — thanks — to clarify the issue, we corrected the story and quickly posted the correction on social media — thanks to the internet, we did this while shopping at the grocery store. Though the issue was corrected very soon after posting, we felt compelled to report that we added information to that story.

Sunday morning, I attended St. Paul’s — where I go to clear my head, pray and think. 

Since I suspect the local races may get … interesting … I’ve been asking God, well, how am I to handle this.  

During Mass, the idea came to me — moving forward, since it’s the dawn of another silly season in politics, we’re less inclined to publish any partisan personal political attacks, that’s certain to rile folks up, either from the campaigns and/or other politically minded folks. 

Doing so would distract from what the candidates’ campaigns are trying to do—making the case to voters for policies that will benefit Northeast NC. That doesn’t mean we’ll ignore things; it just means we’ll report the back-and-forth between candidates’ political posturing on a case-by-case basis. 

Unless a candidate does something serious — drives off a bridge at Chappaquiddick (Kennedy) or sleeps with an intern (Clinton) or visits Epstein Island (Clinton) — we’re going to take the high road.  

On a related note, we’re less likely to publish letters to the editor that are personal attacks condemning candidates; however, that will be determined on a case-by-case basis, erring more toward policy differences than political machinations.  

If candidates feel this approach is unfair, they can send their letters to the mainstream media outlets that love, absolutely love, when Republicans bash each other, particularly as it helps the media’s preferred candidates who are never — never — Republicans.

Last time around in 2022, a civil war between GOP factions within CD 1 – a fire fanned by the media that loves it when Republicans attack each other – not only left a bad taste with voters, but probably had an impact on the election.  

It is important that various candidates and their supporters be able to bridge the divide — reach across the aisle, as they say — because if you try to govern without a broad consensus, then you won’t win elections or get things done in Raleigh or anywhere else for that matter. Democrats have good ideas — Republicans have good ideas — let’s not be swayed by team jerseys.

During my long career, I’ve covered a gubernatorial race, a wild US Senate race and a congressional election that captured national attention. 

Thus, moving forward, I’m prepared to write stories that tell the voters which policies the candidates will pursue if elected — stories that explain American virtues, policy ideals and principles.  

That way — the voters are served, and perhaps it will be easier to coalesce support behind a winning candidate — Republican or Democrat — after the primary, certainly after the general election. 

Speaking of politics, NC Senate candidate Jay Lane called the house the other day, so we got to introduce ourselves to one another. He seems like a good guy – all the candidates I’ve met are good people who want what’s best for our region – we’ve reported on that a lot.    

Lane, a lifelong North Carolinian, Republican, farmer, and small business owner from Elizabeth City, announced the endorsement of Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler for his candidacy in North Carolina Senate District 1. 

“Northeastern North Carolina needs a farmer in the General Assembly who understands agriculture—and will fight for our values, heritage, and way of life,” said Commissioner Troxler in a press release issued Monday. “Jay is that farmer—and he has my full support for State Senate.” 

Albemarle Observer is pro-farmer — my family ran a farm for 150 years before suburbia transformed our Piedmont tobacco fields into apartments and strip malls.

Per Chowan County’s John Layton — Farming, especially these days, is not easy. Given the challenges farmers face, I know that supporting them and helping them succeed is a bigger issue than scoring points in the culture war.

Though endorsements of political candidates are impressive, more impressive is a politician’s fundraising abilities and, most certainly, their “ground game” to fire up the base to get out and vote. Toward that end – retail politics where folks shake hands with candidates is still VERY important in Northeastern NC.   

The best NC politician I’ve ever seen on the campaign trail — 4-time Governor Jim Hunt. He died last week – Dec. 18 – leaving a lasting legacy in Tarheel politics.

Whether Hunt was giving a speech before hundreds or campaigning in a conference room at the Elliott Center at UNC Greensboro, he was knowledgeable about the issues and connected with voters. I remember asking Hunt once – “What is your favorite book?” He answered, “The Bible” – that always stuck with me – made me think and reevaluate a lot of things as I read the good Book more and grew in my faith. 

Other things I remember – Hunt met his wife, Carolyn, at a National Grange Youth Conference when they were in high school. He was a two-time Student Government Association President at NCSU. Hunt was a strong supporter of the NC agriculture, particularly tobacco.  And I liked how a boy who grew up on a farm outside Wilson in eastern NC became a big name in state and national politics.

Former Chowan Herald publisher Bud Amburn recently reflected on his long and sometimes unconventional journey through North Carolina politics, recounting personal interactions with some of the state’s most influential political figures and an episode he said demonstrated political character rising above party lines.

“Yes, I consider Jim Hunt, Bob Scott, Walter Jones, Sr., and Jesse Helms my ‘fellow travelers’ in politics,” Amburn said. He acknowledged that Helms, a longtime Republican U.S. Senator, stood apart ideologically from the others. “Sen Helms would be ‘odd man out’ among such staunch Democrats, but he’s intertwined in Jim Hunt and me.”

Amburn traced his connection with Helms back to the early 1970s, shortly after Amburn became editor and publisher of The Chowan Herald. “Shortly after becoming editor/publisher of The Chowan Herald, Jesse wrote J. Edwin Bufflap, longtime editor of the Chowan Herald and a member of Town Council, of his military service at Edenton Air Base and his intent to be the Republican candidate for the US Senate in 1972,” Amburn said. “I responded to his letter.”

At the time, Helms’ Democratic opponent drew strong opposition from Amburn. “His Democratic opponent was an extremely liberal,” he said. Amburn said his next step was unprecedented in his family. “I did something no other Amburn had ever done: I endorsed Jesse.”

Side NOTE: Hunt ran against three-term Democratic Congressman Nick Galifianakis for the U.S. Senate seat in North Carolina, winning the election in a major upset to become the state’s first Republican Senator in decades. Why does the Galifianakis‘ name sound familiar? Because Nick’s nephew is Zach Galifianakis, the actor from the Hangover movies, and this awesome movie The Campaign, which is, interesting enough, about a congressional campaign in North Carolina. Also, worth noting, 1972 — President Nixon carried 49 of 50 states in his landslide win against Sen. George McGovern.

Back to Amburn — Years later, Amburn found himself once again intersecting with high-level politics, this time over a major health care development in Chowan County. “Flash Forward to 1981 and I was a partner with Jack Habit, John Mitchener, Jr., and Jim Lewis in development of the 90-bed Cape Colony Haven nursing home,” he said. The project ran into a significant obstacle. “The State Medical Facility Plan, almost a sacred document, allocated the area 26 beds. We applied for them, but was denied. I appealed through the Regional Commission.”

While ill at home, Amburn received an unexpected message. “Shortly, I was home with the flu and Pete Manning came with the message to call Gov jim Hunt,” he said. “He wanted me to come to Raleigh to ‘get a little nursing home matter taken care of’.”

Amburn said he met with Hunt and his patronage chief the following day. “‘Joe, Bud is a Jessecrat, but we are going to help him,’ he said,” Amburn recalled. “I was told to withdraw the appeal and follow forthcoming instructions.”

The decision drew sharp reaction. “I did which prompted a call from the Regional Commission, asking: ‘What the hell are you doing?’” Amburn said. “My response: ‘Following instructions.’”

Despite warnings, the outcome surprised many. “Long story short. We got the beds and he lost his job!” Amburn said. He concluded, “That was Jim Hunt’s character rising above politics.”

1984 – I remember the US Senate contest between Hunt and Jesse Helms. That was something. 

For folks who’ve moved here from other northern states or weren’t born yet and don’t remember, the North Carolina US Senate race in 1984 was a close, very muddy election. 

Hunt was running on a strong record as a two-term governor — he would eventually go onto serve two more terms. Helms was reelected — he was North Carolina’s longest-serving senator — 1973-2003.

Helms was a conservative firebrand before it was cool to be an outspoken Republican in North Carolina. I admired the man because he stood for something — you knew where he stood on the issues. Helms was not a politician who would compromise his principles.

Quotes from Helms:

Conservatism is a hard choice for a society that has become accustomed to big government and big entitlements promoted by liberals.

I fight for what I believe. If you are not willing to stand up for what you believe, your beliefs are not strong enough.

Within my own lifetime, I have seen the most ferocious assaults on Christian faith and morals; first on the part of the intellectual community, and then on the part of the government… the federal government has not even tried to conceal its hostility to religion.

That said, not everything Helms said was… let’s say he’d be “cancelled” in today’s world after quotes like this. There are some of the … tamer … quotes.  

Homosexuals are weak, morally sick wretches.

The New York Times and Washington Post are both infested with homosexuals themselves. Just about every person down there is a homosexual or lesbian.

I don’t care what the New York Times says about me, and no one I care about cares what the New York Times says about me.

Why build a zoo when we can just put up a fence around Chapel Hill? — Helms questioned the cost of a state zoo, suggesting it might be better to build a wall around UNC to contain its liberal ideas from spreading, reports NPR.

If you want to call me a bigot, fine.

Another Tarheel icon died in recent days – DG Martin.

His columns appeared in the Chowan Herald, among other newspapers across the state. If memory serves me correctly, longtime Chowan Herald staff writer Rebecca Bunch, RIP, was a strong advocate for including Martin’s columns within the Chowan Herald. Upon Bunch’s death, Martin sang her praises.