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November 28, 2025

Centreville Spy

Nonpartisan and Education-based News for Centreville

3 Top Story Point of View Craig

The Big Mo? Here Come the Iowa Caucuses by Craig Fuller

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Here come the Iowa Caucuses.

Curious minds ask, will they really matter?

Not all that much based on the past 20+ years.

Since 1972, Iowa has been holding some version of the caucuses. People must actually show up at neighborhood locations and declare their support for the primary candidates. Only Iowans may participate. The results determine to whom Iowa’s forty delegates go.

In the next couple of weeks, a massive effort will be underway to get supporters to turn out to the gatherings held on January 15th. During this same period, hours of news commentary will interpret the meaning of it all. They’ll ask if Donald Trump is going to win by a substantial enough margin or not. In Iowa, a win could be a loss for the front runner. People will be ready to write-off Ron DeSantis if he can’t come in second. And, any respectable finish for Nikki Haley can only suggest new momentum.

There is just one little problem.

If the Iowa caucuses for Republican candidates counted all that much, then we would be reading about President Mike Huckabee. He won in 2008. Or, how about President Rick Santorum, now a frequent cable news commentator? He won the Iowa caucuses in 2012. And, then we have the administration of President Ted Cruz who won in Iowa in 2016.

Of course, none of them capitalized on their Iowa victories to go on to win the presidency.

However, political careers do go on after Iowa. Former President George H.W. Bush won the Iowa caucus in 1980 before withdrawing from the presidential campaign. He became President Reagan’s Vice President and went on to win the presidency in 1988. But, guess what. That year in Iowa he finished behind Bob Dole and Pat Robertson. I was there and it was painful.

So, as political entertainment, Iowa is right up there as we start the 2024 election year. As a predictor of how things will end, it’s not all that reliable.

Stay tuned for what happens when voters cast ballots in New Hampshire on January 23rd and in the South Carolina on February 24th. Until then, I’m sure Al From and I will have a thing or two to say each Thursday afternoon. I mean, what else is there to talk about?

Craig Fuller served four years in the White House as assistant to President Reagan for Cabinet Affairs, followed by four years as chief of staff to Vice President George H.W. Bush. Having been engaged in five presidential campaigns and run public affairs firms and associations in Washington, D.C., he now resides on the Eastern Shore.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

These Pesky Constitutional Amendments by Craig Fuller

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We clearly are going to hear a number of interpretations about Section 3 of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States in the coming days and weeks.  Setting aside for the moment the serious question about whether the best way to address Donald Trump’s quest for a return to the White House should involve keeping his name off of the ballot, it seems worthwhile to carefully understand what is in the 14th Amendment.

While fascinated by this development in our presidential deliberations as we enter 2024, I should say at the outset that I am not an attorney; so, proceed with caution!

The intent of the provision seems very clear.  Engaging in insurrection or rebellion, or giving aid or comfort to our enemies, should prevent service in an official federal or state office.

Here’s a closer examination of the actual language is Section 3 of the 14th Amendment with some personal annotations:

No person…

The section begins with a rather absolute tone.

shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President,

Interesting that certain officials were singled out.  The Trump lawyers suggest that because THE PRESIDENT was not specifically mentioned that this does not apply to him.  However, in Colorado the finding was that senators and representative are “members” of legislative bodies as distinct from holding a specific office and this language was used because of this distinction. And, there is reason to believe that this interpretation is correct.

or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State,

Here they cover anyone holding a public office, civil or military, at the Federal or State level.  I’d say that the terms “Office of the President of the United States,” and “Commander in Chief” make clear that the Amendment applies to a President.

who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States,

Here again, the Trump team tried to argue that the former President was not a “officer of the United States.”  The Court rejected that notion.  And, as for taking an oath, I think that what happened after the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court said to the President-Elect on the steps of the Capitol, “…repeat after me” makes the case pretty clearly.

shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.

This was where there were those in Colorado who suggested without due process, there could be no presumption of guilt for Donald Trump.  However, the majority of the Supreme Court in Colorado found the evidence gathered during the District Court trial from the U.S. House of Representative’s Committee investigating the January 6th actions at the US Capitol, along with other testimony and material, to have provided sufficient reason to conclude that there had been engagement in insurrection and rebellion by the former President.

While it is reasonable to question whether only reviewing investigative material when no prosecution has been completed with a guilty verdict reached is sufficient to fully determine that an individual committed the aggrecious actions suggested, the specific requirement of a conviction was not inserted into the Amendment.  Instead, there is another safeguard offered as the final paragraph.

But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

The remedy for an unwise application of Section 3 of the 14th Amendment is found here, where with a vote of Congress, restrictions on any individual can be lifted.

So, the Supreme Court of Colorado, having determined by its interpretation of the 14th Amendment and the observable and investigated actions of Donald Trump in a lower court, that the former President is ineligible to hold a public office, therefore found he is not eligible to be listed on the primary ballot in Colorado.

I think they have made a strong case in Colorado; and while I would like to see the question of who is fit to serve as our next President settled in the voting booth, you just cannot choose which U.S. Constitutional Amendments you wish to abide by and which you would like to ignore.

Craig Fuller served four years in the White House as assistant to President Reagan for Cabinet Affairs, followed by four years as chief of staff to Vice President George H.W. Bush. Having been engaged in five presidential campaigns and run public affairs firms and associations in Washington, D.C., he now resides on the Eastern Shore.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

A New Era for Scouting: Craig Fuller Chats with Robert Nakagawa

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Editor’s Note: Spy columnist and commentator Craig Fuller is being honored later this month by the Del-Mar-Va Council of the Boy Scouts of America.  While the honor is appreciated, Craig wanted to take an opportunity to share with Spy readers a bit more about the role of scouting here on the Eastern Shore. He spent time this week with Scouting Executive Robert Nakagawa.  Robert is approaching the end of his 4th year in this role and has seen the growth of scouting involving young men and women locally. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Local Wine and DrinkMaryland in Centreville: A Chat with Mid-Shore Wine Coach Laurie Forster

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Centreville plays host to DrinkMaryland on Saturday, June 17th. From noon until about 5 PM, attendees can enjoy wine, beer, food, music and have a chance to look at unique products made right here in Maryland.

At center stage again this year is speaker, author and professional wine coach Laurie Forster. One of our spies caught up with Laurie right here in Easton where she and her husband have lived since 2005.

An earlier career in software sales required knowledge of wine when it came to wining and dining clients.  So, Laurie dove into an instructional program that eventually saw her leave the software industry for New York to learn more and gain important and hard earned wine certifications.

Believing that people need not feel intimidated by the language of sommeliers, she set out to help people feel more confident in their wine choices. Hence, “the wine coach.”

The concept has taken Laurie from Easton to points across the map, doing wine events for audiences of all sizes.  She has a book and a website (link below). Fortunately for us, her next stop is in Queen Anne’s County where she has been invited back to serve as the “MC” on centerstage at the Centreville DrinkMaryland event.  In addition to keeping a fun, casual and entertaining program going for attendees, Laurie will lead a wine tasting experience at 3:30 PM certain to educate attendees about Maryland wine.

All of this is made possible by local sponsors and the leadership of the event partners:  the Maryland Wineries Association (MWA) and the Town of Centreville.

Event spokesman, Jim Bauckman, shared the group’s excitement, saying, “We’re thrilled to be returning to Queen Anne’s County for the 2023 DrinkMaryland Event. The success of this event series since 2017 has been great for the local community and the small businesses that participate. Maryland makers are the focus – artisan and food vendors, local musicians and Maryland-made wine, beer and spirits.”

Enjoy the conversation with Laurie Forster.  Learn more about her work at https://thewinecoach.com . And, learn more about events and tickets for DrinkMaryland/Centreville https://drinkmaryland.org .

Craig Fuller served four years in the White House as assistant to President Reagan for Cabinet Affairs, followed by four years as chief of staff to Vice President George H.W. Bush. Having been engaged in five presidential campaigns and run public affairs firms and associations in Washington, D.C., he now resides on the Eastern Shore.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

To EV or Not to EV? By Craig Fuller

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This is a question for our time.

I decided the best way to find out what the world of electric vehicles (EV) was all about would be to dive into the pond.  Trading in a sports car that I’ve enjoyed for the past few years for a one-year-old state-of-the-art electric vehicle a few weeks ago has been great fun.  It’s also produced a considerable number of new insights and focused me on one of the fundamental issues everyone driving an EV of any kind must consider: range.

For every driving event, the question of having a sufficient battery charge to run the electric engines for the distance intended to travel is a consideration that receives, deservedly so, far more consideration than jumping into a combustion engine powered vehicle which passes by dozens of gas stations for just about any trip.

Let me say at the outset, I am extraordinarily pleased with the vehicle I now own. I should also say that this fundamental question of range is not new to me nor anyone else who has spent decades flying airplanes. The reason, every flight starts with a pre-flight calculation of how much fuel is onboard and whether or not that amount of fuel is sufficient to fly to the destination with a reserve onboard. It becomes second nature.

So, if you are prepared to think more like a pilot than all of us think as a driver of combustion powered vehicles, this experience should not produce the anxiety that some feel with EVs due to limitations around the number of modern charging facilities.

Back to the vehicles for a moment. The dealer I worked with made an interesting statement early in the process when he shared the thought that people no longer need to shop for just an EV; rather, they should search for the vehicle they wish to drive and then they can select one powered by electric engines.

Indeed, there are many EV choices from sports cars to pick-up trucks and everything in between. And, each of these comes with incredible technology and tools for successful travel between recharging.

Writer’s new EV

But, the recharging element of owning an EV is a big deal. In my vehicle and most models, you enter your destination and receive an estimate of exactly how much capacity your battery will have upon reaching the destination.  And, if you need to charge along the way, it will likely show you where charging stations along the route of your trip are located and even what type of charging is available.

Here is the breaking news: not all charging stations are created equal. It’s all about kW power.  Said another way, if most gas stations filled your gas tank at the rate of a gallon an hour, but some could fill the tank in 30 minutes, you would probably prefer the latter rather the former.  This is the reality with charging station technology.  There are charging stations all over, but only a few charge at high or ultra-high rates. The charging station technology has evolved, and the networks are expanding to provide rapid charging, but not all areas have that many of the modern charging stations.  And, here on the Eastern Shore, the high-rate charging stations are few and far between.

Yes, you can charge your vehicle at home. But you want to do it from a 240-volt source rather the 110-volt source, unless you have a day or two to fully charge your vehicle.

Here is what a map of charging station locations looks like in our region:

 

But, looking just at stations on a map charging at higher rates presents a different picture:

So, what should one consider when thinking about the question of entering the world of EVs? Well, I asked that question of an objective AI source. Here is what was offered.

So, all this boils down to some prudent analysis.  But there are lots of people who share their stories.  My favorite so far came from a couple I met at a charging station in Frederick, Maryland.  We had traveled there for lunch. We were pleased to discover that near a favorite Frederick restaurant was a charging station installed by a company called Electrify America.  With a 150-kW charge, we were fully charged in about 20 minutes.

While we waited, the couple we met asked where we had traveled from.  When they heard the Eastern Shore, they shared that they camped a lot with their vehicle and their favorite place to charge was in Vienna, Maryland, just south of Cambridge.  Not only did they report there is high powered charging station, but it is located adjacent to a pie shop with the best Key Lime pie they’d ever tasted.

Vienna Charging Station

Of course, I could not help myself and made the short trip to check on the station and the pie.  Both were “as advertised.” Remarkably, the small town of Vienna, Maryland had installed these state-of-the-art charging stations which proved very attractive to the pie shop and the town of just a couple hundred residents.

So, I conclude with a plea to organizations here on the Eastern Shore: we do not have many of these modern, high powered charging stations; but they are both needed and increasingly attractive to the growing number of travelers who will plan trips to destinations where their vehicles are rejuvenated rapidly while they enjoy a meal or visit one of our many great destinations. Having been slow to add charging stations in the region could be an advantage as governments and other organizations can now leapfrog ahead to offer what is currently available to those of us who have gone all EV.

Craig Fuller served four years in the White House as assistant to President Reagan for Cabinet Affairs, followed by four years as chief of staff to Vice President George H.W. Bush. Having been engaged in five presidential campaigns and run public affairs firms and associations in Washington, D.C., he now resides on the Eastern Shore.

 To view an article about EV Purchasing Factors CLICK HERE

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.