Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper finds himself at the center of a political dust-up over North Carolina’s voter I.D. law and the state’s constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. But some political analysts think Cooper’s vocal criticism of Gov. Pat McCrory and Republican legislators is an intentional move to jumpstart a campaign for governor. Host Donna Martinez talks about Cooper’s sudden public profile with Thomas Mills, Democratic political analyst, and Becki Gray, vice president for outreach for the John Locke Foundation. The trio also discuss the political dynamics of the partial federal government shutdown and why national Democrats are so intent on getting Sen. Kay Hagan re-elected, and why national Republicans think they can snag the seat away. Then we focus on the political controversy stirred up by a Buncombe County Register of Deeds who is opposed to North Carolina’s ban on gay marriage. This week the county official flouted the law by accepting marriage applications from same-sex couples and said he intends to seek an opinion from Attorney General Roy Cooper. Martinez gets reaction from Tami Fitzgerald of the North Carolina Values Coalition, the organization that led last year’s successful effort to define marriage in our state as solely between one man and one woman. Fitzgerald says the Buncombe County official is breaking the law and should be held accountable. Then we turn to comments from Gov. Pat McCrory about problems in the Health and Human Service department and negative media coverage of HHS Secretary Aldona Vos. The governor also explains the $750,000 early state appropriation to help state food banks that have experienced greater demand during the federal government shutdown. Then Martinez updates the Rielle Hunter story. This week, the mother of John Edwards’ young daughter wrote on a national blog that she’s sorry for the affair. Martinez also shares details about a key Republican state legislator who unexpectedly announced she will not seek re-election. And finally, People in Politics Special Correspondent Scott Briggaman talks with Dan Crawford of the progressive group, the North Carolina League of Conservation Voters, about the group’s legislative report, which gives many legislators very poor scores.