Easley throws away $250,000 in taxpayer money -- Perdue complains debate stories "not fair"

State's jet purchase dropped

State officials are scrambling to recover a $250,000 down payment after canceling an order for a new $9 million jet.

Gov. Mike Easley on Wednesday ordered the N.C. Department of Commerce to scrub the deal after reporters asked about the Cessna Citation jet, called the Encore+. The reversal came during a week in which Easley told agencies to prepare for a 3 percent budget cut.

"A plane is not necessary," said Easley spokeswoman Sherry Johnson. "It's not going to be purchased in this economy."

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"If it was wrong when the media found about it, it was wrong before the media found out about it," said Jack Hawke, senior adviser to Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, the GOP candidate for governor. "It's part of the culture of secrecy that covers up these things and wastes taxpayer dollars."

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I don't think I need to even COMMENT on that story.

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Perdue protests debate story

Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue says she has debated plenty.

The Democratic nominee for governor criticized an N&O/Charlotte Observer story Wednesday on how U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole has largely avoided debates and how Perdue is skipping the only live statewide televised debates.

"It took me almost three or four minutes to get to the part that said, 'Oh by the way, she's done four [debates],' " Perdue said during a meeting with the N&O editorial board Wednesday. "'She's done one every month. She's doing one next week.'"

Perdue and McCrory have faced off in four debates that were televised in individual TV markets, such as Raleigh, which sometimes were picked up by stations elsewhere in the state.

Perdue said that five debates, counting one next week in Charlotte, is more than any governor's race in history. She said the article wasn't fair, but added: "I'm a grownup. Things don't need to be fair."

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Really? Then why go running to the editorial board to complain that the News & Observor is reporting the truth? Grown-ups realize that there are consequences to their actions. Bev Perdue wants to avoid interviewing for the state's highest executive position, and she expects everyone to overlook her absence.

Guess what, Bev? We've put up with 8 years of that kind of government, and we're sick of it.