Well, it was a good try, but The Asheville Tribune’s two-part interview with ex-Congressman Charles Taylor has failed to answer the burning question among area politicos: Will he or won’t he run again? However, the paper seems convinced he won’t.
The interview published in the conservative weekly’s Oct. 25 edition asks Taylor straight up whether he intended to wrest his former seat away from Democrat Heath Shuler. Given two opportunities to give a straight answer, Taylor demurred, giving two long, non-answers instead, and ending with: “I will continue to work in the public arena to further advances for Western North Carolina.”
(Note: The edition is not currently available online; to read the full interview you’ll have to pick up a hard copy.)
Editor Bill Fishburne tacks the following coda onto the interview. Take it for what it’s worth:
“After hours of interviews, some laughter and some sad moments, and after multiple attempts to get an up or down, yes or no answer to our question about his candidacy, we are left to make up our own minds. The interviews gave us first-hand knowledge of the depth of his involvements with his business interests, his family, and with many non-profit organizations that contribute to the quality of life, health safety and education of residents of the 11th District. Based on the sum of these insights, it is The Tribune’s belief that Taylor will not be a candidate in the 2008 election. [emphasis ours]
— Hal L. Millard, staff writer
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