I'm sure you non-North Carolina types are enjoying the banana republic exploits of our never elected Agriculture Commissioner. Here's the latest shot from the editorial page of the Greensboro News & Record:

Be patient, Britt Cobb urged Monday. There's no reason to hurry a decision in the deadlocked state agriculture commissioner race.

That's easy for him to say. Every day's delay extends his term in office. It would suit Cobb just fine if the 2004 election is never settled.

Steve Troxler can't be expected to have the patience of Cobb. After all, it's Troxler -- who won more votes than Cobb -- who's being kept out of office by Cobb's stalling.

"He's drawing my client's paycheck," Troxler's attorney, Marshall Hurley, fumed about Cobb.

. . .

It's up to Cobb. He was not elected to office in the first place, and he wasn't elected in November. Every day he remains taxes the public's patience.

Like Barry Goldwater in 1974, it's time for more of North Carolina's Democrats, starting with Governor Mike Easley, to tell Mr. Cobb to pack his bags. Every day he remains makes him - and his party - more of a joke.

Oh yeah, Bill Fletcher needs to quit too. You want establish a precedent for following the rules on provisional ballots, but you don't want to follow the rules that say whoever gets more votes wins? Quit the race, let Atkinson get sworn in, and work the provisional ballot issue with the legislature.