GOP launches TV campaign to expose Mike McIntyre for backing federal stimulus, and pondering if he will support Obama's latest jobs plan.

Verne Strickland Blogmaster / November 2, 2011

TV ADS CRITICAL OF McINTYRE RECORD HITTING THE AIR -- ABOUT TIME?

By Pat Gannon / StarNews Online

The television advertisements have begun in the 2012 election for North Carolina’s 7^th Congressional District.

Beginning Wednesday, the National Republican Congressional Committee is running ads on Wilmington and Raleigh-area cable networks criticizing Rep. Mike McIntyre’s past votes in favor of federal stimulus packages and questioning whether the incumbent congressman will support President Obama’s latest jobs plan.

The ads, expected to run for two weeks, cost the NRCC $20,720, a spokeswoman said. The NRCC has already conducted a series of robocalls against McIntyre, criticizing him in areas such as federal stimulus spending and Medicare.

McIntyre, a Lumberton Democrat, plans to run for re-election in 2012. Republicans David Rouzer of Johnston County and Ilario Pantano of Wilmington plan to run for the GOP nomination to challenge McIntyre a year from now.

Watch the ad here.

Here is the full text of the ad, released by the NRCC.

Script: You know the old saying….fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Will Mike McIntyre fool you again? Last time President Obama pushed a wasteful stimulus plan, Mike McIntyre went along with it – and we got burned. The economy got worse. Now President Obama is pushing more wasteful stimulus spending. What will Mike McIntyre do? Tell Mike McIntyre: don’t burn us again. 

DISCLAIMER: The National Republican Congressional Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.

John Bolton, tough former US Ambassador to UN, testing waters for 2012 run.

By Verne Strickland 

Blogmaster USA DOT COM

May 20, 2011

There have been few Americans in the political arena more polarizing than Jesse Helms and John Bolton. 

That is, unless you’re willing to go to the far side of the aisle to include serial lefties like Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Ted Kennedy, Charlie Rangel, Joseph Stalin, and – perhaps my favorite – Barack Obama. 

But my mission here is to talk about – and praise – the rock-ribbed Americanism of John Bolton, protégé of the late U.S. Senator Helms of North Carolina, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and surrogate conscience of the so-called “United Nations”.

Jesse was derisively – and affectionately – known as "Senator No". He single-handedly trash-canned more hare-brained anti-American bills than a shredder in the basement of the U.S. Capitol. He drove them crazy. 

Well, while John Bolton has never been a household name in the same league with Helms, his pedigree has always been close enough to satisfy me.

Bolton really blew off the lid on the world stage when he was appointed in 2005 as U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., a bully pulpit from which he boldly bashed every phony, deceitful, demagogic position the sketchy world body ever took. 

Now, he hints that he is considering lobbing his fedora into the ring for a run at the White House in 2012. He has a lot of work to do on that, but he’s accustomed to going up against the odds. Who knows?

But what do we know of this irrepressible bull in the U.N. china shop – Mr. John Bolton? For some, who may agree with him and not know it – much too little. For others, who hate him without fully understanding why – way too much.

Allow me to offer just a few things I have known about him, and others I have gleaned from arduous research. Whoever you are, whatever you believe, you will not come up neutral.

One problem. There’s way too much information here to stuff into one article. This can happen when a writer can’t summon the courage to pare down a treasure trove of facts too good to ignore.

That writer turns out a series. So I am going to produce a series on John Bolton, potential candidate for our nation’s highest and most prestigious office – Dean of the Political Science Department at Harvard University.

Strike that. Bolton, in truth, cannot even get a phone call through to Harvard, Stanford, UNC, Brown, Blue, or any of the many stuffy, effete scholastic bastions of socialism we sometimes call “universities”. Yale is probably an exception, since he took a couple of hefty degrees out of there.

As I sort through the wheat and the chaff about Bolton, I am impressed more by what his detractors say about him than by what his ardent supporters pony up. Strange, you may say – but definitely true.

Anyway, as an introduction to Bolton 101, I am first going to present a few choice Boltonisms assembled by one of my favorite political writers -- Mark Steyn.

What I love about Bolton, America's new ambassador to the UN, is the sheer volume of "damaging" material.

 Usually, the Democrats and media have to riffle through decades of dreary platitudes to come up with one potentially exploitable infelicitous soundbite.

But with Bolton the damaging quotes are hanging off the trees and dropping straight into your bucket.

Five minutes' casual mooching through the back catalog and your cup runneth over. To wit:

The U.N.? ''There is no such thing as the United Nations.''

Reform of the Security Council? ''If I were redoing the Security Council, I'd have one permanent member -- the United States.'

International law? "It is a big mistake for us to grant any validity to international law."

Offering incentives to rogue states? "I don't do carrots."

But he does do schtick. I happen to agree with all the above statements, but I can see why the international community might be minded to throw its hands up and shriek, "Quel horreur!"

Sending Bolton to be U.N. ambassador, then, says Steyn, “is like . . . putting Sudan and Zimbabwe on the Human Rights Commission. Or sending a bunch of child-sex fiends to man U.N. operations in the Congo. And the Central African Republic. And Sierra Leone, and Burundi, Liberia, Haiti, Kosovo, and pretty much everywhere else.”

VS: Here’s some of the street cred on Mr. Bolton: He was born in Baltimore on November 20, 1948. 

Many would say that Bolton is no gentlemen, but it cannot be denied that he is a scholar. He graduated with a B.A., summa cum laude, from Yale University and received his J.D. from Yale Law School. 

John Bolton has spent many years of his career in public service. Previous positions he has held are Assistant Secretary for International Organization Affairs at the Department of State, 1989-1993; Assistant Attorney General, Department of Justice, 1985-1989; Assistant Administrator for Program and Policy Coordination, U.S. Agency for International Development, 1982-1983; General Counsel, U.S. Agency for International Development, 1981-1982.

Bolton is an attorney who held two assistant attorney general positions in the Reagan administration's Justice Department and was assistant secretary of state for international organizations in the first Bush administration, enjoyed the staunch support of the committee's chairman, Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C.

Helms called Bolton "a treasured friend" and repeated his earlier encomium that "John Bolton is the kind of man with whom I would want to stand at Armageddon."

Said Helms: "John is a patriot. He is a brilliant thinker and writer. And, most importantly, he is a man with the courage of his convictions. John says what he means and means what he says. And that is precisely what is needed at the State Department and elsewhere in the government." 

 Implacably loyal to the United States of America, from whence he came, John Bolton was and is a paragon of American virtue and nationalism. 

 

Though he offended many – chiefly stiff-backed U.S. liberals and elitist Europeans – he has friends and admirers who see in him a refreshing candor and an unabashed American spirit which bows no knee to those who strut about with an Old World air of superiority. 

Let's give him a chance. 

This is our first in a series of posts on Ambassador John Bolton, who has expressed his interest in a run for the Presidency in 2012. To learn more about this patriotic defender of America, watch for our second installment soon.

McIntyre opponent drops out of Democratic campaign. Cites personal attacks.

Verne Strickland Blogmaster

Posted: Apr 05, 2011 8:25 PM EDT Updated: Apr 05, 2011 8:31 PM EDT 

 

By: Jon Evans - email 

Del Pietro

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WECT) -  Del Pietro has announced that he is dropping out of the Democratic campaign to challenge incumbent Congressman Mike McIntyre in 2012.

Pietro was recently the subject of a personal attack by a member of McIntyre's staff. Pietro told WECT News Tuesday night that he expected more similar attacks from inside the Democratic Party as the campaign continued, and he did not want to put his family through that type of politics.

"It's saddening," Pietro said, "but I think this is the right decision for the long term."

Pietro has ruled out a run for political office, but says he looks forward to endorsing a qualified primary and general election candidate to represent the citizens of District 7.

He issued this statement:

I am officially announcing that I will be withdrawing my intentions to challenge for the Democratic nomination for Congress in the 2012 election.  The direct attacks of this past week from Congressman McIntyre's staffer are an indication of what this campaign would be.

I have a wonderful and very loving family and they do not deserve to be put through such a terribly unethical campaign as put forth by Congressman McIntyre and his staffer.  
My heart goes out to the people of this district which is the poorest and sickest in North Carolina.  

May God be with you.

The official filing period for the Congressional seat does not open until February of 2012.

Copyright 2011 WECT. All rights reserved.

McIntyre concerned about jobs (mostly his own). Congressman has plan to subvert NC redistricting to his own ends. Here's the scoop!

By Verne Strickland

Hello. It’s Verne. Your trusty old blogger bud. The conservative pundit who rats on pompous, big-spending, excessively incumbent, closet liberal Democrats -- plus commies, atheists, pacifists, radical Muslims, and Mormons with more than six wives? Know who I am now?

Well okay, then. I have a question for you. Have you talked with your congressman recently? Mr. McIntrye? From Lumberton? The guy who staged the little jobs summit recently? Where his aide dissed Mr. Del PIetro behind his back, telling a TV reporter Pietro was crazy, not all there, off his rocker, schizophrenic? Remember that?

Well, I think it’s time you did talk with your congressman. Because he’s acting mighty weird these days. You’re probably used to this. But this time it’s really bizarre. Maybe it’s Mr. McIntyre who’s off his rocker.

Truth is, Mike just don’t do right. He’s so bound up with hanging onto his own job that he’s ignoring the plight of the unfortunate jobless people in his own district. That’s selfish, disappointing, arrogant, and deplorable. 

The bottom line of my tirade here is to inform you that Mike has figured out a way to game the system on redistricting. His aim is to subvert the outcome and influence it in his favor.You can stop him in his tracks.

Mike has revamped his own website to program his robots so they will come together in a mass, or a pile, or possibly a wad, and do his bidding on this issue. They probably will. 

So let’s get our own true soldiers together and resist this audacious campaign by Congressman Mike McIntyre, who has faithfully worked to improve the lot of “his” people -- but after fourteen years in his cushy Barcalounger in Washington still lives in one of the poorest, sickest, most impoverished and demoralized counties in all of North Carolina! That would be Robeson County. So let’s cut to the chase.

McIntyre is using scare tactics to trick voters on redistricting and preserve the gerrymandered "good old boy" network.

We saw it with the bogus social security scare ads, and then the bogus fair tax scare ads.  Now we're even seeing it with redistricting.  How far will the Democrats go to keep their grip on power? Too far, you can bet.

As a government shutdown looms, trillions in deficits accumulate and unemployment and foreclosure continue to ravage Southeastern North Carolina, do you know whose job Congressman McIntyre is trying to save? HIS.

Are you as stunned as I am to learn that while our nation is struggling to undo the liberal's job-killing policies, Congressman McIntyre is busy trying to LOBBY the newly-elected leadership in Raleigh to keep his job?

Of all the Democrat and Republican congressman in North Carolina, Mike Mcintyre is the ONLY ONE who has re-dedicated part of his website to redistricting and launch a lobbying campaign to keep his job.

Call his office and ask him how he could possibly spend the time and energy on saving his job -- time that he should be spending on the people of North Carolina. 

Call Congressman McIntyre at (202) 225-2731 and ask, “Whose job are you really trying to protect, Mister Mike -- yours or the hapless people of your neglected district?"

Call the Congressman and tell him to get back to work and leave the district issues to the newly-elected legislators that the people of Southeastern North Carolina have empowered. Tell him that they should do their job just as you expect the congressman to do his. Will you please do dat?

You've seen it all, from voting machines that only make "mistakes" that favor the Democrats to Nancy Pelosi pumping in $570,000 dollars to bail out McIntyre at the last minute in the recent election.

Now they are at it again, right under your nose. How much do these liberal scalawags think will fit under your nose anyway? They are trying to intimidate our new Republican legislators. They are using fear to keep their hold on power. The only question is, are you going to let them win? We need a congressman in Washington fighting for OUR families, not HIS job security!

McIntyre has been paid over $2 million dollars of tax payer money in salary over the last 15 years. and that doesn't include the nearly $20 million for his staff. Whose interests is he actually looking out for?

I’m not through with this yet. This is so important, so cheeky, so downright onerous, that I am going to do a series on the issue, which maybe we’ll call “Mike and you. Who comes first? Well can you guess?” Not very catchy, but it'll have to do. I gotta rush this to press.

There will be a series of meetings coming up in April and May at convenient locations throughout Brunswick, Cumberland, New Hanover, Pender and Robeson Counties.

We will post the locations in our next report. Be sure to mark the date, time and place on your calendar. Or write it with your wife's lipstick on the bathroom mirror. This is big. Resolve to be there to resist McIntyre’s cheesy effort to get control of the redistricting process.

We’ll also explain how to register to voice your opinions, and how to assure that you are in compliance with the Public Hearing Guidelines.

Also call McIntyre’s office and let him know you don’t like him meddling with a fair and open redistricting plan. You didn't forget the number did you? It's  (202) 225-2731.

And visit the official Mike McIntyre web site to see what he’s doing. I don’t think you’ll be surprised. But I’ll wager you’ll be very disappointed.

Go there now -- http://www.mikeworksforme.com/redistricting-2/

Keep the faith, neighbors. I am your humble servant. Verne.

Press ignores McIntyre staffer's sick outburst at jobfest. We do the job they didn't.

By Verne Strickland
March 30, 2011

Seventh District Congressman Mike McIntyre hosted a “Jobs Creation Summit” this week at the northern campus of Cape Fear Community College near Castle Hayne.

But then you have probably heard about that. Not the actual meeting itself. That was a bust according to a report sent to me during the "summit":

"Half of the audience walked out during the middle and second half of the program. It was completely ineffective."

No, anything that happened with the program will surely not be remembered. It's what happened during the event that Congressman McIntyre and his people would like to forget.

A bizarre incident that went under the radar, at least as far as the audience was concerned, was captured and reported by an alert news team representing WWAY-TV3 of Wilmington. Here's an excerpt of from their story:

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)March 29, 2011 -- During Rep. Mike McIntyre's jobs summit today, one of the Congressman's staffers made some interesting comments to us.

After he saw Del Pietro, a Democrat who plans to challenge McIntyre in the primary, talking to our crew, McIntyre's economic development director Tony McEwen pulled them aside.

McEwen told us Pietro is "crazy," "shaky," "schizophrenic" and "not all there."

Pietro says McEwen is trying to destroy his reputation because he knows he is a serious contender to beat the Congressman.

"I think average folks like us should be able to run for public office without having to endure dirty politics," Pietro said.

"Quite frankly this is exactly what the folks in this Congressional district and across America are exhausted by. Our political system can be very dirty, and this is clearly an indication of that."

When asked about McEwen's comments, McIntyre's Chief of Staff said in an e-mail to WWAY, "(A)ny comments Tony McEwen made with regard to the subject manner you referenced were not authorized by, nor reflective of, this office."

When asked if he, the Congressman or McEwen would like a chance to talk on camera or by phone about what was said and Pietro's reaction, Mitchell e-mailed back, "We have no further comment. Thanks."

VS: But Pietro did have some further comments, which he offered in an exclusive interview for USA DOT COM:


Pietro: “The slanderous attack that Tony McEwen used against me with a WWAY reporter is just very unfortunate. I fully plan to pursue all legal avenues to put a stop to this. It’s just completely inappropriate.”

VS: How did this happen to erupt like this?

Pietro:“All I did was say hello to the WWAY reporter who was there. And after that the WWAY news director told me the reporter was pulled aside and told of all these slanderous remarks. WWAY called me immediately to get my comments on it, and it was such a serious situation that I was asked to go down to the station and get a face-to-face interview.”

VS: What are you considering in the wake of this incident?

Pietro: “I’m going to be pursuing all avenues in terms of civil litigation against Tony McEwen and the congressman. Tony is a representative of the congressman, and is doing the congressman’s dirty work, and basically the congressman is accountable for Tony’s remarks. They are baseless and it’s saddening that the congressman and his staff would stoop to this level.”

VS: You said that Mr. McEwan has run afoul of federal law?

Pietro: “Yes, he’s a federal employee covered by the Hatch Act, as I understand it, and he is not supposed to be campaigning while he is working in any way, shape or form. That’s the way I understand the law, and he clearly violated that law. When he made those remarks, he is technically campaigning against me. That’s an issue that’s to be reported to the Federal Government."

VS: What does the Democratic Party have to say about all this?

Pietro: “Tony is the State’s third vice chair of the party, and I was just told by a local Democrat that the party is going to put forth a resolution at our convention asking him to resign his office. This will be at either the county or the district level.

“This is just very dirty politics, and it’s uncalled for. They should be able to campaign on substance, but apparently if they don’t feel they can beat me on substance, they will just resort to these types of attacks.

“A call was made to the congressman’s office by the chair of the Democratic Party for the Seventh District, Melvin Williams, making him aware of what transpired, and explaining that I’m looking for a sincere apology from the congressman and Tony McEwan, and also asking for disciplinary action against Tony for slanderous comments.

“I am in consultation with an attorney right now to discuss what my legal options are in terms of filing a civil suit against both Tony and the congressman. This wasn’t typical political rhetoric, this was a direct slanderous attack, and I’m not going to tolerate it.”



VS: News media in the area treated the McIntyre job summit tempest like a hot potato. Although Pietro said he talked with StarNews reporter Patrick Gannon about the incident, the embarrassing political dust-up was ignored in Wednesday's print edition.

In an earlier time, this would probably be the end of awkward moments like this. In this hidebound Cape Fear region, which has been a Democrat stronghold for a century, no self-respecting news organization would have ventured the faintest suggestion of such a gaffe involving a powerful Democrat's staff.

But this is 2011, friends, and thank God for the Internet. No longer do Republicans and their supporters have to resort to sky writing or leaflet drops to report the news.

And no longer do we have to plead with pompous "news" writers to drop a favorable line or two about our agenda somewhere on the obituary page. Today, we don't have to run our information through a Democrat filter which sanitizes the copy into total obscurity.

Why? The American public has the Internet.

Free at last, free at last . . . as the late MLK famously intoned.

So I did my bit on my USA DOT COM blog, and some readers generously commented.



Blogger Darvin Dowdy said...

HEY DEL: I get your indignity "but" what you're experiencing is the norm from the main-stream DNC. We Tea Party conservatives have had to to endure slanderous attacks, such as this and worse, continuously by Democrats. We've just learned to try to ignore them. Sometimes its difficult.

Just know that the "folks" out in NC7 don't think you are crazy. They're cheering you on. Keep applying pressure and bring some civility back to the Democrat Party. (great interview, Verne!) DD
March 30, 2011 4:39 AM


Andy Yates commented on your link.
Andy wrote: "Tony McEwen is paid by our tax dollars and was on the clock when these statements were made. He shouldn't be commenting on political candidates or engaging political activities. What else is McEwen doing to attempt to advance McIntyre's political future while he is on the clock?"

VS: Then there was an assortment of comments posted on the WWAY message board:


Disgusting
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Wed, 03/30/2011 - 8:27am.

This story is disgusting and for McEwen to espouse such dirty rhetoric is indicative of McIntyre and his office. Is this what happens when an entrenched incumbent has a legitimate challenger? I hope this is the straw that broke the camels back for McIntyre. McEwen should be fired.
»

Snakes, etc...
Submitted by Loyal Democrat (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 11:56pm.

I know both of the gentlemen you have written about in your story. If either of them is "not all there" or "schizophrenic" it isn't Del Pietro. I think Tony McEwen's actions demonstrated that he is the type of ambitious politician who would sell his grandmother to meet his needs. It isn't the first time I have seen him behave in this manner.

On the other hand, Del Pietro is a True Democrat, loyal to the party and to the President who says what he believes and follows through on those beliefs. He would make a fine, honest Congressman representing our district.
»


Smear tactics???
Submitted by Scar1 (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 9:25pm.

Del is kind enough not to slap Mike in the face for that one. How very low to smear someone's character. And Del has kids and family that will read such accusations. How would Mr. McIntyre like it if someone said this to his children. Del's children are young but can hear others repeat such "trash". How cruel can one be? Apologize!!!!!

Perhaps he is afraid Del will win. And with this type action he has my vote. How nasty!!!
»

Has a lot of Potential
Submitted by Guest (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 8:49pm.

If you look at Pietro's calm and cool demeanor he certainly looks like someone that is going to be a serious contender. So far when I've seen him in news clips he has been very knowledgeable and articulate. He very well could be our next Congressman.
»

A true Democrat
Submitted by True Independent (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 7:50pm.

Actual, from what I've read, Pietro sounds like a real Democrat.
McIntyre is a Democrat in name only. There must be something about Pietro that makes McIntyre worry because I don't think he would waste his time commenting on someone he considers truly "crazy".
It would be nice to have a real Democrat in the congressional race for a change.
»

McIntyre is Dirty
Submitted by Mike Miller (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 7:05pm.

The real story here that we need to capitalize on is that McIntyre and his staff are dirty. This is a golden opportunity for us to expose McIntyre for what he is.
»

Remarks
Submitted by Tea Party (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 6:29pm.

What the real story here is how dirty the Congressman and his staffer are. Who cares what this guy's political philosophy is. This is a golden opportunity for us to capitalize on the fact that McIntyre is a dirty politician. Desperate is probably a better term.
»

Remarks (FOOLISH remarks)
Submitted by hugh (not verified) on Tue, 03/29/2011 - 9:58pm.

Mike is honorable and is not remotely "dirty". This is irrelevant to you and your other desparate supporters who can only try to gain ground by lying and distorting the truth and record of a senior Congressman who has been a great asset to his district. "A golden opportunity to capitalize" is all you seek without regard for the truth--you are indeed desparate.Save your slander.

*****************

VS: Well, it takes all kinds. We could go on and on but you get the idea. Interesting how the lack of civility and respect which the Democrats preach but don't practice at the national level also infects party hacks down the line.

Del Pietro is as quiet now as the press which has failed to give a fair report of this -- or any report at all. Pietro has said his piece, and likely has now fallen silent because he has hired that attorney he mentioned to go after Mike McIntyre Incorporated.

See you in court, boys.

Washington Post Preview 2012: Slamming Pantano

Verne Strickland Blogmaster

INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO READ THIS PROPAGANDA SPEWED BY THE WASHINGTON POST. TAKE IT WITH A SACK OF SALT, QUESTION IT, AND SUPPLY YOUR OWN ANSWERS.

As Ronald Reagan famously said: "There you go again." So here goes the predictably liberal WASHINGTON POST again -- generating hogwash about conservative Christian Republican Ilario Pantano of Wilmington, NC -- candidate for the U.S. Congress.

Can Ilario Pantano get to Congress?

By Rachel Weiner 02/21/2011

Ilario Pantano knows how to generate headlines.

"Ladies and gentleman, it is time to start offending!" Pantano joked during an appearance on a panel about political correctness and the military during the Conservative Political Action Conference earlier this month in Washington.

The question for Pantano is whether he can go beyond the headlines -- and the controversies that surrounded him during his 2010 race -- and win a rematch against North Carolina Rep. Mike McIntyre (D) next November.

Pantano failed to take down McIntyre despite the national Republican wave as two stories from his past complicated the campaign.

First, Pantano worked for on Wall Street for Goldman Sachs, and, second, he was accused of killing two unarmed detainees while serving in Iraq. (The murder charges were dropped by the military when a witness' testimony could not be corroborated). Both issues could well come up again as Pantano pursues a rematch against McIntyre.

In 2010, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee used Pantano's work for Goldman Sachs against him, framing a whole television ad around it.

A prominent tea party activist used it as a reason to support McIntyre.

While Democrats didn't seek to make an issue out of the Iraq story (and Pantano argues that voters were on his side), but it came up often in press reports on the race. In one ad, Pantano used footage from an NBC interview but cut out questions about Wall Street and Iraq.

While Pantano won't be able to change his past, his political future may be brighter due to the upcoming redistricting process in the Tar Heel State.

Gerrymandering helped keep Republicans down in North Carolina in 2010; Democrats won seven of North Carolina's 13 seats last November despite getting only 46 percent of the total congressional vote statewide.

Now, after nearly a century of Democratic control, Republicans are getting a chance to redraw the map. (North Carolina is one of three states where legislators have total power over the process so even though the state's governor is a Democrat, it doesn't matter.)

David Wasserman, a redistricting expert and House race editor at the Cook Political Report, told the Fix he sees two possible scenarios for the map in North Carolina heading into the 2012 election.

Scenario 1: Republicans abandon Pantano. Under this plan, redistricting would move African-American -- and reliably Democratic -- voters from the Cumberland County portions of the 2nd and 8th districts into McIntyre's 7th district. That would help freshman 2nd district Rep. Renee Ellmers (R), who squeaked out a win over longtime Rep. Bob Etheridge (D) last fall, in part thanks to a damning YouTube altercation. It would put 8th district Rep. Larry Kissell (D) in danger. But it would leave McIntyre safer than he was before.

Scenario 2: Republicans alter the 7th District by chopping off the Democratic parts -- Robeson County and Cumberland County -- and adding in very Republican Onslow County to the north, borrowing it from Rep. Walter Jones' (R) safe 3rd District. This more aggressive plan would convert McIntyre's district from one that gave Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) 52 percent in 2009 to one that would have given him 55 percent. Kissell or Ellmers would take on Robeson County and African-American parts of Fayetteville, which would make those districts slightly less favorable for the GOP. Republicans could also cut the black neighborhoods of Wilmington out of McIntyre's district, making it even more competitive.

"My sense is that Republicans will be under heavy pressure to go for the 'aggressive' scenario and may overreach," Wasserman told the Fix. "Obama-level turnout should help McIntyre in a big way, and he could conceivably win a district that was 5-10 points less favorable than it is now, given his appeal and likely 2012 turnout." (McIntyre's district is currently 21 percent African American.)

There's also the possibility that Republicans will put McIntyre and Kissell in the same district, forcing the two Democrats to run against each other. But that would make Kissell's district more Democratic.

For his part, Pantano says he's prepared for any scenario. "Am I aware that redistricting is an issue? Absolutely," he said. "I'm still a relative political neophyte ... but I'm a two-time Marine combat veteran, so I look at this all very pragmatically. We're going to hope for the best but prepare for the worst."

Pantano argues that having the Democratic National Convention in North Carolina will only hurt McIntyre, who has touted his support from Republicans. McIntyre, the only North Carolina Democrat to vote for the health-care repeal, already faces a primary challenge from the left.

Pantano has to hope that he can keep the focus on McIntyre rather than debating his own resume, which wound up being his downfall during the 2010 campaign.

For his part, Pantano isn't spending much time re-hashing what happened in the last campaign. "There's an expression in the military, 'paralysis from analysis,'" he said. "Sometimes you just have to say, it feels right."