The governor's, um, place in history

If you didn’t see Ryan Teague Beckworth’s Saturday story in The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer about how Gov. Mike Easley’s chapter in the latest edition of North Carolina Governors came about, don’t miss it. It’s a hoot. Here’s a link.

Monday afternoon, the governor answered a few questions about the chapter, calling the whole affair "idiotic" and referring to it as a "catfight."

Ryan rooted out the e-mail exchanges and the differences in drafts between what professional historians would have published and the, ah, scrubbed, spun and tumbled-dry version his press office liked. It’s too juicy for words.

I blogged on the chapter back in March and noted,
“Alas, the entry on the state’s current governor, did not read with the same kind of raw-material, bark-still-on candor. Gov. Michael Francis Easley’s entry read more like a public relations pamphlet. (Indeed, the book’s introduction notes, Easley’s entry was written after consultation with his press office.) Among other things, it referred to ‘[T]he more than $400 million in annual funds generated by the new lottery’ for schools – except the lottery hasn’t generated that kind of money yet.

“It also noted he ‘successfully led North Carolina through its transition to become a major competitor in the new global economy... Easley provided the tools needed to attract successful new industry and to grow existing businesses. These tools will help secure a strong, healthy economy for North Carolina years into the future.’

“Whew! Even Easley’s admirers will find that spread on a little thick. Perhaps state officials should wait until governors have left office before they try to assess their gubernatorial terms.”

I’m happy to hear the state will follow that policy next time – but, of course, future governors could decide to change it.