What an amazing experience and honor it was for me to emcee the Sarah Palin rally in Minges Coliseum this week.  When the McCain-Palin campaign folks approached me to ask if I would be willing to do it my immediate response was “are you kidding”?   

     When the event started I was told to go out and do a little warm-up and get the crowd rocking.  Being in front of 8,000 people can be a little nerve-wracking but to be honest everyone was having such a good time it was easy.   I was concerned that people would be a little cranky after standing outside in the long lines.  However, when I asked everyone to participate in the McCain-Palin cheer it was obvious the anticipation of seeing the vice presidential candidate was going to override tired feet and warm temperatures. 

     What a thrill for me to be able to introduce Mayor Pat McCrory, the Republican gubernatorial nominee and Senator Elizabeth Dole.    I've always wanted to say it and I got the chance to say "Ladies and Gentlemen, the next governor of North Carolina....Pat McCrory".  Honestly, I was shocked at the ovation McCrory received.  When he arrived at the podium he whispered in my ear "Can you believe this?  This is really heady stuff".  I was also honored to receive a kiss from Senator Dole after introducing her (see picture).

     Speaking of pictures, later in the week when we started posting photos on this site that had been emailed to us by listeners I received a voicemail from McCrory after he saw the site.  He liked the one of he and myself from the reflector.com website.  "We look like a couple of aging rock stars at a concert", he joked. 

     Meanwhile back to the event, the atmosphere backstage was exhilarating if not a little tense.  Campaign staff people and Secret Service officers were in a constant state of preparedness.  However things went to a whole new level when Governor Palin’s SUV pulled up to the back door of Minges.  By that time I was already off stage after the speeches by McCrory and Dole.

     My job then was to introduce Senator Richard Burr and his wife Brooke by announcing on a microphone that had been set up backstage.  Secret Service people who had let me move around wherever I wanted, for the most part, started eyeing me when Governor Palin appeared coming down the back concourse of the coliseum. 

     I quickly learned what it means to “hold”.  When her entourage appeared I was told “Sir, I need you to hold right over there”, said a member of the Secret Service as he pointed to the spot directly behind the microphone.  My spot was on one side of the door that Palin would use to enter the arena.  Her bodyguards stopped her just on the other side of the door.  However, some people in the crowd caught a quick glimpse of her from upstairs in the arena and there was an immediate collective scream.  Realizing she had walked into view she quickly stepped back.

     Governor Palin then looked directly at me.  I’m sure my eyes were open as wide as silver dollars and I realized I was gawking at her.  It was a little bit of an embarrassing moment to be honest but then she smiled at me, gave me her famous wink and then gave me a little wave.  That moment put me at ease and I waved back, smiled and mouthed “Welcome to Greenville”.  Man, what an incredible moment!

     A young lady with the campaign had on a headset and cued me to introduce Senator Burr.  I spoke into the microphone “Ladies and Gentleman, please welcome Senator Richard……..”   I was stopped by one of the senior staffers who said “it’s not working”.   The mike was supposed to be turned on in another part of the arena but I looked on top of it and the little switch on the mike was in the off position.

     I reached up and pushed it into the on position and laughed.  I looked over at Governor Palin and she was laughing.  She shrugged her shoulders as if to say to me “oh well, it wasn’t your fault”. 

     I asked the staffer with the headset “are we ready to try again”?  She pointed at me and I started my introduction of Senator Burr again.  This time it worked.  He and Mrs. Burr walked onto the stage, introduced Governor Palin and the place absolutely came unglued.  I’ve never seen such enthusiasm and adoration for any human being.  Her style and grace are unmatched in American politics.  I cannot think of a person who has electrified an entire people in the way she has and Eastern North Carolina was clearly excited to be a part of her journey.

     After she spoke for about thirty minutes and started working the “ropeline” shaking hands with people who could get close enough things started happening backstage again.  I had been standing in the doorway with Senator Burr, Senator Dole and Pat McCrory watching her speech.

     A Secret Service agent in charge of our area said to us “we are taking you folks to a holding area so you can get a picture with Governor Palin".  We were ushered to an area just outside the ECU men’s basketball locker room that had been created as the holding area with pipe and drapery.  There were some refreshments.  I poured Senator Dole and myself an ice tea and we stood and talked for about ten minutes.

     Pretty soon Governor Palin and her entourage came walking by and headed into the locker room which had been converted into her dressing room.  Senator Burr said to me “are you coming with us to watch the debate?”  The McCain-Obama debate was scheduled to start on TV in about thirty minutes.

     Not knowing exactly where my wife, Debbie, and family were at that moment I said “Sure.  I’ll call Debbie.  Where are you guys going to watch the debate and who’s coming?”  I assumed he meant he and Mrs. Burr and possibly Dole and McCrory.

     Burr responded “We’re all going.  She’s coming too”.  Burr was pointing to the locker room where Governor Palin was dressing.

     My response….”No way!”  (Actually I'm editing the expletive that fell out of my mouth).  Burr just smiled and shook his head in a positive manner.   I said “Where are you going?” 

     “I don’t know yet”, said Burr.

      In a while a Secret Service agent stuck his head in around the drapery and said.  “Folks, we’re moving”.  It was just like a scene in a movie.  Brooke and Richard Burr, Elizabeth Dole and Pat McCrory were moved into the concourse of the arena.  I wasn’t sure I was supposed to follow but the agent looked at me and said “Sir I need you to HOLD right over here” and he pointed to an area just by the door of the coliseum.  Just then Governor Palin walked out of the door wearing an ECU Pirates pullover jacket. 

     Her eyes caught mine and I said “Wow…ECU top, huh?” 

     She responded to me “Oh, do you like it”?  At that time she did a little twirl like she was modeling it for us.  She came over and spoke to us all for a few minutes and we told her what a wonderful speech she had given.  She acknowledged that it had been a very lively crowd and one of the best rallies she had done on the campaign trail.

     One of the campaign staffers in charge said to me “Lets get a picture with you and Governor Palin."  Immediately, I was told where to HOLD again by one of the Secret Service agents.  By this time I knew that meant they wanted me to move to a specific spot.  The official photographer then moved in for the picture and Governor Palin grabbed me around my waist.  So I grabbed her around hers.  To be honest I wasn’t sure if I should.  She was very kind to me and after the picture she thanked me and gave me a peck on the cheek.  Unbelievable!

     Then she thanked me again for handling the emcee duties and they swept her away along with the Senators and McCrory into a waiting SUV.  I realized I still didn’t know where they were going but after the motorcade pulled away I was told by a staffer “they’re heading to Boli’s on the Boulevard”.

     I quickly called my family and told them to go there and get a table.  Luckily they arrived just ahead of the motorcade and got in the restaurant.  McCrory’s nephew, ECU student Patrick Sebastian, and I drove over to the restaurant together. 

     Governor Palin was very nice to everyone in the restaurant posing for pictures and signing autographs.  However when the debate came on she watched intently and took notes.  The menu?  Pizza and beer.  She drank one sugar free Red Bull and ate the topping (no crust) off a pepperoni and cheese pizza.

     The Secret Service only allowed those already in the restaurant and a few others to enter.  If there was an empty table they allowed some in but no one was leaving, of course.  So there weren’t more than 40 people or so at any one time in the restaurant.  Occasionally, they would allow a camera crew in for a few shots.  After all, this was a staged moment to show Governor Palin is one of the “regular” Americans.  CNN was in and got several shots of the crowd and the Governor’s table where she, The Burrs, Dole and McCrory watched the big screen TVs.    

     After the debate Governor Palin got up and again visited with folks and allowed pictures.  Over and over again we heard her say “Nice to meet cha”.  She stayed around and spoke to anyone who approached.  The Secret Service then ushered her out onto the courtyard and into the SUV.

     What a night for Greenville.  What a night for my family and me!

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     They ain’t laughing now.  


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     A vote by the Greenville City Council on Thursday night could be the most controversial in recent years.  There are but two potential outcomes when the vote on the controversial request from Dr. Unk’s takes place.  The vote will most likely either result in a change in a city ordinance to match the state alcohol laws or a lawsuit against the city.

     Dr. Unks, a restaurant (or is it a bar…that is the question) on Jarvis Street in the university neighborhood, has requested that the city’s alcohol to food ratio be changed from 50-50 to the state alcohol beverage control board law of 30-70 (30% food to 70% alcohol).

     Jeremy Spengeman, the owner of the establishment, says he is being targeted by the Tar River University Neighborhood Association (TRUNA) and there are members of the city council participating in the attempts to shut him down.  Spengeman and his attorney, Phil Dixon, have presented research they say claims the Greenville ordinance is unlawful.  Attorneys for the state ABC board are clearly in Spengeman’s corner stating that state alcohol laws actually disallow any local ordinances on the subject.

     Since tabling the vote which was originally scheduled to be taken by the city council in June the city staff has done research of their own.  The city got the same response from the ABC board in Raleigh but went a step further and sought out other legal opinions.  They found a somewhat different one when they went to the UNC Institute of Government which told them the state versus city issue has never been tested in a courtroom.

     If the city council does not agree to change the city ordinance to match state law on Thursday night the courtroom is exactly where this will ultimately be decided.  Spengeman has been threatening legal action on this and claims with a second mortgage on his personal home as the guaranty on the business he will have no choice but to “do what I have to do” to use his words.

     Spengeman has used the term “anti-business” when it comes to certain members of the city council.  This was a term floated in the November elections when the debate took on an “us versus them” theme that some blame on the neighborhood groups in Greenville. 

     It should be noted that Spengeman has admittedly violated other ordinances when it comes to instituting a cover charge and other minor violations.  He also did not do himself any favors by naming his restaurant Dr. Unks.  In fact, realizing the marketing problem, he has recently changed the name to just Unk’s. However, he says the city has investigated him to the point of harassment. He points out that another establishment just down the street, in the same city zone, has not been the target of such city actions.  

     The argument that we should all fight to preserve neighborhoods is, of course, accurate.  In this particular case it seems that argument should have been made long before now.  Why was the building Dr. Unk’s occupies ever zoned to allow an establishment like this in the first place?  It seems Spengeman is being asked to pay too steep a price for a mistake made by the city years ago before he was ever on the scene.

     If the city council does not want to appear to be “anti-business” this is a strange way to go about it.  The citizens of Greenville should applaud those people who volunteer their time on neighborhood groups in an effort to preserve a positive quality of life.  In this particular case it appears the people pushing the city council could push this one right into the courtroom.

      It’s time to evaluate how much power the neighborhood groups have on city council decisions.  In the case of Dr. Unk's and in the name of neighborhood preservation they have pushed a little too hard this time and the outcome is likely a costly lawsuit that will have to be paid for by the taxpayers.

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     Officials in Greenville are dealing with some interesting new problems this week.  ECU officials are busy responding to the aftermath of the great football victory over West Virginia on Saturday.  There is no question excessive force was used by police officers on the field immediately following the game but who is responsible?

     Local law enforcement, particularly the Greenville police who deal with ECU students daily, have been quick to privately distance themselves from the action.  ECU Police Chief Scott Shelton stopped short of putting the finger on the specific outside police officers responsible for the action but he indicated they are from outside Pitt County.  This leaves either the Kinston Police or Lenoir County Sheriff’s Department.

     Officers on the scene are giving differing accounts of Shelton’s orders prior to the game.  An anonymous caller into Talk of the Town on Tuesday, who identified himself as a Pitt County Deputy Sheriff, stated that in a pre-game briefing officers were clearly given orders to show force in the event students tried to take the field.  He also said some of the students were taking “cheap shots” at officers as they ran onto the field, leaving one to believe there may yet be more to this story.

    Other officers asking not to be identified have told us they were appalled when they looked over and saw what was happening with students being thrown to the ground and beaten.  They have said the word circulated prior to the game’s end to stand down if the students rushed the field.

     Two confusing and differing accounts by officers charged with controlling the same aftermath which would become a mass of students on the field.  With these conflicting views of orders from the authorities in charge of security it appears that, at best, there were communication problems when the crowd became rowdy.

     These are allegations that deserve to be answered.  Shelton and Chancellor Steve Ballard, who has vowed there will be a complete and thorough investigation of the incidents, should get to the bottom of what happened, and quick. 

     With ECU getting positive play across the country for its great season opening victories this ugly incident has marred what would otherwise be the university’s finest hour in the national spotlight.  What a shame.

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