Perdue: Named a Republican, married one, too

When Governor-elect Bev Perdue announced the appointment of former state Rep. Lanier Cansler, a Republican from Buncombe County, to be her secretary of health and human services the other day, the press corps made quick note of the fact that Perdue, a Democrat, was naming a Republican to her cabinet.

In days past, when a Democratic governor appointed a Republican to a state post, it was front-page news in a lot of places. Things have changed since then, and while the political parties are often at direct odds with deep divisions, this appointment drew far less attention for bipartisanship than it did for the fact that Cansler is (A) regarded as pretty well qualified to run a difficult department and (B) encumbered by the fact that he has been registered as a lobbyist for several businesses that do work for his new department, and thus has a potential conflict of interest. Perdue noted that she and Cansler had talked about that possible conflict and said he would be "100 percent owned by the people of North Carolina."

As for the fact that she was appointing a Republican, however, Perdue dismissed the suggestion there was anything unusual about it. She said Cansler's political party was "not a litmus test, otherwise Bob and I would not be married."

The reference was to her husband, Bob Eaves of Chapel Hill, a Republican.