Infighting weakens Dems

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

Moore, as state treasurer, was involved in "a cesspool of pay to play," says one Perdue ad.

Perdue has "been investigated for corruption by the SBI and a federal grand jury," says a Moore ad of the lieutenant governor.

The TV ads make Perdue and Moore sound like they need a parole officer rather than a campaign manager.

Both candidates are using such half-truths in an effort to win the May 6 Democratic primary for governor.

Such brass-knuckle attacks worry leading Democrats.

"We've gotten a lot of e-mails and calls from voters who are upset about the tone of the campaign," said state Democratic Chairman Jerry Meek. "I would certainly request the candidates tone down the rhetoric a bit. It certainly doesn't benefit us in the fall."

"There is no doubt that they are damaging each other," Meek said. "That is going to be counterproductive in the fall."

Meek and other Democrats have reason to be worried. Twice in the past century, North Carolina has elected a new Republican governor. In each instance, the Democrats ripped themselves apart in the Democratic primary, leaving the nominee in a weakened position.

The first time was in 1972, when Greensboro businessman Skipper Bowles (the father of University of North Carolina president Erskine Bowles) upset Lt. Gov. Pat Taylor in the Democratic primary.

Former Secretary of State Rufus Edmisten remembers an incident in Johnston County, where Bowles supporters put a casket on the porch of a Taylor backer.

Republican Jim Holshouser was elected governor that fall.

During the bitter 1984 Democratic primary for governor, Edmisten defeated former Charlotte Mayor Eddie Knox and Lt. Gov. Jimmy Green and others in a rusty-knife primary.

Edmisten remembers an incident at the Asheville airport, when supporters seeing him off became involved in a fistfight with Knox backers. Republican Jim Martin was elected governor in 1984.

The Democratic divisiveness is not the only reason why the Democrats lost those elections. Both Holshouser and Martin were attractive candidates who were helped by national Republican landslides for Richard Nixon or Ronald Reagan.

Edmisten said he doesn't believe the Perdue-Moore slugfest has damaged the eventual Democratic nominee.

"It's not at that stage yet," Edmisten said. "But it could get that way. They have to be careful. Don't let it look personal."

Of course, it is personal. It is common knowledge that Perdue and Moore don't care for each other.

Raleigh insiders have seen the Perdue-Moore nastiness coming for a couple of years.

The conventional wisdom is that the only way Moore could defeat Perdue is to convince voters that she would be a bad choice for governor. And anyone who knows Perdue knew that she would counter-punch.

Meek said he has no plans for a peace parley.

"I think the campaigns both understand that a knock-down, drag-out primary is not going to benefit the nominee," Meek said. "The problem is both of these people want to be governor. There is little we can do as a state party to try to rein them in except to point to the obvious."