WCNC Charlotte this is Flashpoint.
Thanks for joining us here on Flashpoint.
I've been Thompson, the race for
the presidency now well underway,
and right now it looks like Donald Trump
and Joe Biden could face off in a rematch.
But a former leader here in
Charlotte and across North Carolina
says more options are needed.
Former Republican Governor Pat
McCrory now joining an organization
looking at possibly adding a third
option unity ticket to the ballot.
Joining us now, the former Charlotte Mayor,
former North Carolina Governor
as well Pat McCrory.
I I also think he was one of the original
guests on Flashpoint as well going back many,
many years ago.
He's now the national cohost as well.
I I I should say back in the day,
he's now the the national cochair
for the No Labels movement.
It's an effort to encourage common
sense by partnership across America.
Welcome back to Flashpoint, Mr.
Mayor, Mr. Governor as well.
So for having me bring us up to speed
for the past year you've been sort
of out of the fray of of daytoday
public life has the last year giving
you a a fresh perspective on things.
I think January 6 gave me a fresh
perspective on this because I'm
concerned that we have both left
and right anarchist who I had to
deal with when I was governor
with the Charlotte riots in 2016,
who would rather have anarchy than civility.
And I think the civility has
got to return back to politics,
where we're talking to each other as
opposed to talking across each other.
And I'm very concerned that our current
political structure is not dealing
with today's problems and kicking them
down the road for the next generation.
And the biggest concern,
and one of the reasons I joined their labels,
is because 60% of the people
of America do not like.
Or do not want to select from
the current front runners of the
Democratic or Republican Party.
And we've never had that before
in American history,
or at least in my lifetime.
You know,
usually about 40% of the people do not
like the leading contenders or the
the selectees of the two major parties,
but over 60% of people saying
we don't want Trump or Biden.
These numbers we've never seen
before and I think there's kind
of an arrogance among the two
parties that we have to select or
concur with whoever they select.
And I don't think that's right
for our nation.
So if that those numbers
continue after Super Tuesday,
we're going to have a No Labels ballot
on all 50 states including North
Carolina and have another option
for the people of our state and
the people of our country, I hope.
Between now and then, however,
the two parties will align more
with what the American people want
regarding a selection of who might happen.
And I say that is a Republican.
I'm not changing parties,
and I think we've got some great candidates.
But if Trump and Biden are on the
ticket that most people don't want
either one of them, and that's not,
that means that I think the two parties
are losing touch with the American people,
and that's not good for Americans.
So, so let's go over how this would work.
How, with the sort of no Labels sort of
method is you mentioned after Super Tuesday,
if it's Trumpet Biden,
you all would nominate sort of a unity ticket
that would have one moderate Democrat,
one moderate Republican,
and then you would put forward
this sort of unity ticket.
Well, I would
say it's going to be most likely
one Republican, one Democrat who
will work together and understand
that when you have a divided nation,
you have to work together.
You know this this term moderate or
conservative or liberal, I'm I'm,
I'm a Republican conservative.
But on some issues I've been called
a rhino and other issues the left has
called me a a right wing extremist and
these labels are being thrown around
so much and so recklessly by political
parties and the media with all due
respect that it's not letting us work
together when there is the vision.
Even without the vision,
we're not working together when
1 party's in control,
we don't come to solutions for fear
of being called a rhino or a right
wing or left wing extremist because
we're more afraid of the primaries
than we are the general election.
Do you think this person,
this ticket would really stand a chance?
Critics say this person,
this ticket could just be a
spoiler and still throw it one
way the other to either Mr.
Trump or Mr. Biden. Do
you see? We're not going to,
we're not going to get
into it if it's a spoiler.
The two parties want to spread
the rumor that it's going to be a
spoiler when in fact they might be
the spoiler because they selected 2
candidates that are not satisfactory
to the majority of people.
So after Super Tuesday,
we'll do polling and if there's
a good chance now,
we're not going to get
the majority of the vote,
but it's winner take all,
just like we have in the primaries.
In a ticket that we think can win.
And only then would I agree to continue
as as a cochairman of this really good
group of people that I'm impressed with,
who would have imagined
that I'd be joining forces?
Ben Shavis, who served seven years in
prison for a crime he didn't commit.
Wilmington, NC and I, you know,
I find out he and I agree on a lot of issues.
We just never talked to each
other and we're trying to show we
can be civil to each other where
we agree and where we disagree.
I think that's I think that's how
most Americans are and and I think
you you blame the media but I think
you also will acknowledge that that
compromise is not exactly rewarded
in our legislative hallways.
I mean all you got to do is look at last
it's it's actually not it's not
rewarded by the parties by the
legislature or by the media at times
I'm having I had some more leftwing
media interview me yesterday and
they just fought me well you're.
This can't happen because a lot of
people want the status quo of the
current system, which is failing.
It's failing America right now.
And I mean, we've never had numbers
where so many people are.
Don't think the direction of
America is going in the right way.
How? How do you size up
what happened last week?
Last weekend at the GOP convention
here in North Carolina,
Tom Tillis was censored for his
moderate views on some social issues.
It's, it's I, I, I joined governor,
former Governor Jim Martin and
speaking against the censor,
it's it's ridiculous.
Tom, by the way, is a very conservative guy.
He and I initiated some of the most
conservative tax cuts and other
policy in North Carolina history
that have worked in the long term.
And Tom, I think is doing a good job.
I don't agree with Tom and everything,
but just because you don't agree
with someone, you don't Chancellor.
Here here I I hate,
I I I so disagree with the cancel
culture of the left and hear the
rights trying to cancel Thom Tillis
and they ironically left out all
other members of the delegation
that that voted with Tom.
So I think there's a little more
politics behind this regarding
possibly the 26th Senate election
still to come here on Flashpoint,
the former governor weighing in on
President Trump's arraignment this week.
Why he says it might just
fuel Trump's candidacy.