Catawba College alumnus Pat McCrory '78, the former seven-term Mayor of Charlotte, N.C. and the 2008 N.C. Republican Gubernatorial candidate, visited campus on April 7.

He spoke to students in Dr. Michael Bitzer's State and Local Politics class about politics and issues he has encountered running for public office. While he sidestepped the question of whether or not he would run again for the N.C. Governor's seat in 2012, he noted that there is a strategy "to how and when you communicate and launch a product."

Here are some tidbits of wisdom, McCrory shared with the students during his visit:

"Often in politics, you're more worried about your friends than your enemies."

"The toughest jobs in politics are those that are closest to the people. The toughest job in politics is the school board."

"We need to start building things rather than buying things."

"The greatest lesson I learned during the gubernatorial race was that I have some entrepreneurial skills that I didn't know I had and I learned that emotionally and physically I can handle the campaign."

"I love problem-solving, I like leading, and money doesn't drive me."

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History & Politics