News & Observer | newsobserver.com | Columns by Rob Christensen

Rob Christensen

Rob Christensen has been writing about North Carolina politics as a reporter and a columnist for more than 30 years for The News and Observer. He can be reached at 829-4532 or robc@newsobserver.com



YOUR PRIMARY/CAUCUS GUIDE

Get an update and a look ahead here.

N.C. was Clinton's Waterloo

There has been a lot of history in that old basketball barn, Reynolds Coliseum -- the Dixie Classic, Everett Case and David Thompson. We can now add Sen. Barack Obama's victory speech Tuesday night -- which had the look and feel of a convention nomination acceptance speech.

Updated: May. 11, 2008 6:14 AM | Full story

A fresh, fractious era for N.C. Democrats

For most of North Carolina's history, there was no chance that a man named Barack or a woman named Beverly would finish atop the heap on election day.

Updated: May. 7, 2008 4:58 AM | Full story

State GOP ad is the ghost of Jesse Helms

We have seen this before -- North Carolina Republicans using racially loaded commercials only to be disowned by their national leaders.

Updated: Apr. 27, 2008 3:49 AM | Full story

N.C. loses starring role to competitive Indiana

Rob Christensen:Now the Democratic presidential race comes to North Carolina -- sort of.

Updated: Apr. 23, 2008 3:03 AM | Full story

Is this another remake?

Rob Christensen:Haven't we seen this movie before?

Updated: Apr. 20, 2008 1:43 AM | Full story

Pitfalls lurk in 2nd term

Rob Christensen:I was driving around Eastern North Carolina with Mike Easley one day in 1990 when Republican Gov. Jim Martin had his famous meltdown.

Updated: Apr. 13, 2008 2:04 AM | Full story

Infighting weakens Dems

Rob Christensen:You've seen the accusatory TV ads of Richard Moore and Beverly Perdue, each trying to ruin the other's reputation.

Updated: Apr. 6, 2008 5:20 AM | Full story

Clinton's best hope is Bubba

Rob Christensen:In the opening weeks of the Democratic presidential primary, white men -- those who are Democrats and unaffiliated -- appear to be the swing voters.

Updated: Mar. 30, 2008 3:37 AM | Full story

Political circus is in town

Rob Christensen:For the next six weeks, North Carolina will pretend it's Iowa -- only without the snow, silos or miles of corn.

Updated: Mar. 25, 2008 8:24 AM | Full story

A hotel with a history

Rob Christensen:Room 871 of The Mayflower hotel in Washington was where New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer had his career-ending tryst with a high-priced call girl.

Updated: Mar. 16, 2008 5:16 AM | Full story

If push comes to shove ...

Rob Christensen:The talk about the Barack Obama-Hillary Rodham Clinton race possibly being settled at the national convention reminds me of the mother of all North Carolina Democratic conventions.

Updated: Mar. 9, 2008 3:05 AM | Full story

A hot primary season could be in N.C.'s forecast

Rob Christensen:North Carolina voters may help pick the next president for the first time in a generation -- a case of the tail wagging the presidential dog.

Updated: Mar. 5, 2008 2:43 AM | Full story

Who is our Bill Buckley?

Rob Christensen:When columnist Bill Buckley died last week, he was described as the father of the modern conservative movement in America.

Updated: Mar. 2, 2008 2:05 AM | Full story

So far, it's Perdue's primary

Rob Christensen:State Treasurer Richard Moore and New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton are in a pickle.

Updated: Feb. 24, 2008 2:04 AM | Full story

Teacher's words turn tide

When "Miss Amy" Womble hobbled to the front of the room at Jonesboro Heights Methodist Church in Sanford to speak one day in 1965, the angry crowd fell silent.

Updated: Oct. 24, 2005 6:46 AM | Full story

Cobey shines in GOP

If North Carolina's Republican nominee for governor were chosen in a party convention or caucus, Bill Cobey would likely dominate the way "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" swept this year's Oscars.

Updated: Oct. 24, 2005 8:48 AM | Full story

Helms not yet displaced

Reflecting on his recent quest for the White House, U.S. Sen. John Edwards mentioned his former colleague and fellow Raleighite in less-than-flattering terms.

Updated: Oct. 24, 2005 3:03 PM | Full story

Ballantine says age isn't issue

Fortunately for Patrick Ballantine, North Carolina has a history of picking governors who still have all their hair and most of their teeth and can still see their feet. Jim Holshouser was 38, Jim Hunt and Bob Scott were 39 and Terry Sanford was 43 when they were first elected governor.

Updated: Oct. 23, 2005 11:27 PM | Full story

Caucus carries no weight

Dick Cheney was shocked when the president took a whupping in North Carolina.

Updated: Oct. 23, 2005 2:30 AM | Full story

W visits Charlotte - again!

Dear President Bush, Was it something we said? Do we need to take a breath mint?

Updated: Oct. 23, 2005 12:39 PM | Full story

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