Not Your Sweetie

North Carolina White ; We Need War to Change the Subject

Asked if he believes Lott is a
segregationist, Ballenger said, "I'd
have a hard time saying he wasn't. ...
Basically in some areas of
the South, in Charlotte and everywhere
else, there are people
who get rubbed the wrong way (thinking)
`We've got to bend
over backwards; we've got to integrate' and
things like that."

Ballenger, of Hickory, said he felt similar
sentiments dealing with
Rep. Cynthia McKinney, a Georgia Democrat
known for her liberal
politics and combative personality.

"If I had to listen to her, I probably
would have developed a little
bit of a segregationist feeling," he said.

and the very revealing:
"The news media has worked this thing
over," said Ballenger.
"The Democrats aren't going to let it die,
and I doubt the news
media will let it die. What we need is to
go to war somewhere,
and then you'd have something else to write
about." -- STAFF
WRITER JEN TALHELM CONTRIBUTED TO THIS
ARTICLE.

-- JIM MORRILL: (704) 358-5059;
JMORRILL@CHARLOTTEOBSERVER.COM