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Annotations & Elucidations

The Governor’s Take

The education poll leads the news, but by now you know all about that. As for politics, Governor Tim Kaine is all about the long knives, now, criticizing Creigh Deeds for his campaign, as if the DNC chairman had no say so in it. I would write that it’s easy for him to complain, but what does he know? He wasn’t in Virginia for the campaign (rim shot, please).

The bulk of the news is about the House of Delegates: The Appropriations Committee gets a budget briefing during its annual two-day Capitol retreat; recently defeated Delegate Phil Hamilton (R-93, Newport News) announced his resignation, effective Sunday; and each  caucus held it’s leadership votes over the weekend. The Republican lineup remains the same while the Democrats seem to have a position for every member of its diminished number.

In education news, about 10 teachers at a Henrico County high school are complaining about a guest speaker who advocates abstinence. Yeah. Hate speech. Speaking of communication and culture, a real blow to the Washington, D.C., media community: The homosexual advocacy publication Washington Blade is closing its doors. 

News:

Poll: Virginians like public schools but would like more nonpublic options (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Democrat Deeds ran without his base, Kaine says (Washington Post)

House committee to hear state budget forecast (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Va. House caucuses choose leaders (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Phil Hamilton resigns from House of Delegates (The Daily Press)

Freeman High abstinence-only speaker draws fire (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Health care-sharing ministries: Paying their fair share (Roanoke Times)

Gay weekly Washington Blade closes (Washington Post)

Washington Blade closes; new paper for gays planned (Washington Times)

Annotations & Elucidations

“Stylistic” Election Coverage

The Communications Department didn’t come up with much from conventional news sources today, but I dug around and found, in of all places, in-depth election coverage and post mortems from Richmond’s too-old-to-be-hip-anymore weekly freebie, Style Weekly, which now delves into the business of the serious. It’s done a decent job, too. Of particular interest are the hat-tips to Republicans by Democrat guru-strategist Paul Goldman and the whining of Claire Guthrie Gastañaga, Equality Virginia’s lobbyist. University of Richmond Professor Daniel Palazzolo harangues Governor Tim Kaine and Scott Bass gets about half of it right. It’s funny when liberals try to manipulate conservative mandates by telling us what they want the results to mean is fact, and then fratricidally turn on themselves (a sure sign that their interpretation of the results is a disingenuous attempt to water down the victory).

Elsewhere, Republican Ron Villanueva was declared the winner in the closest House of Delegates race, but it’s only one step toward resolution, and will go on still longer, for sure. Attorney General Bill Mims is doing what all former attorneys general do (especially those who fill out a term of an elected one), and that is sign on with a big bucks power law law firm, while Senator Edd Houck (D-17, Spottsylvania) makes the news for the second day on the trot, describing a dour picture of state funding to localities. Nationally, the Washington Post reports that pro-abortion activists are trying to muzzle the free speech rights of pro-life clinics and information centers.

News:

Misaligned: How Virginia Democrats overestimated the power of Obama and underestimated the importance of independent voters. (Style Weekly)

Villanueva declared winner in 21st District race (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Houck paints dire budget picture to city and Spotsy (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)

Attorney General to join Hunton and Williams (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Kaine Takes a Hike (Style Weekly)

National News:

Disclaimer proposed for anti-abortion clinics (Washington Post)

Analysis:

McDonnell, Picture Perfect (Paul Goldman/Style Weekly)

Presumptive Politics (Paul Goldman/Style Weekly)

McDonnell’s Power Surge (Scott Bass/Style Weekly)

Democratic Downers (Margaret Edds/Style Weekly)

Commentary:

Shilling For Bob (Claire Guthrie Gastañaga/Style Weekly)

Losing Legacy (Daniel Palazzolo/Style Weekly)

Editorial Comics:

“For Whom the Bell Tolls” (Glenn Foden/Townhall.com)

“A Year Later . . .” (Scott Stantis/Townhall.com)

The DNC Chairman, Governor Tim Kaine (contact here) sounded off last night in the attorney general’s campaign. Literally. He voiced a “robo call” on behalf of Democrat AG candidate Steve Shannon. Unfortunately, he really didn’t have much to say about Delegate Shannon’s qualifications.

Instead, he launched into a vicious attack on Republican attorney general candidate Ken Cuccinelli, using a Washington Post editorial as cover for calling him “bigoted” (see Norm’s Leahy’s first-hand account at Tertium Quids). I, myself, got a call from an African-American friend immediately after he received the call. He reasoned the calls were going into African-American neighborhoods to pump the fear of Satan into otherwise disinterested black voters. But they also went into upper income, socially conscious (i.e., “moderate”) white neighborhoods, too, the areas that the GOP seems to be gaining back this campaign. Which makes sense: with a double digit lead, the only way to defeat Senator Cuccinelli is to expand the voter universe and flip some votes (or get them to skip the AG ballot).

What is interesting is why the DNC chairman and his hacks think they can pick off Senator Cuccinelli. In the SurveyUSA poll, out today, he has the largest lead of the three (20 points!) — and even the Democrat Public Policy Poll says he leads in all regions of the commonwealth, including the liberal bastion of Northern Virginia. (How can that be?) The answer? Trashing the constitution and our founding principles. By parodying Senator Cuccinelli’s principled stands and record of adhering strictly to the constitution, liberals think they can caricature him into something abominable because adhering to Life and Liberty aren’t nearly so important as doling out government-style happiness.

No matter whether one interprets “bigotry” to be the racial kind or the “intolerant of other lifestyles” kind (the call left that open to your interpretation), it’s interesting to note that it was Senator Cuccinelli who accepted, attended, spoke and stayed late to meet people at the Virginia NAACP’s recent forum and Delegate Shannon who accepted — but stood them up. It’s also strange that Governor Kaine thought highly enough of Senator Cuccinelli to work with him on this summer’s special session to remedy the impact on Virginia from the U.S. Supreme Court’s Melendez-Diaz decision. (You remember . . .the session Shannon called a “political stunt.”)

Even stranger is Delegate Shannon’s previous dinner engagements at the home of Senator Cuccinelli. Guess he was an okay guy before he went up double digits, huh? 

Ever since he took the DNC job, Governor Kaine has not been able to decide whether he is governor or desperate partisan in chief. His level of campaigning is beneath the dignity of the office Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson once occupied.

Governor Tim Kaine, who doubles as the chairman of the Democrat National Committee, got a dressing down from a senior Congressional Dem the other day. U.S. Rep. James Oberstar (D – Minn.), a chairman himself — of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, one of the most important in Congress because of the mammoth amount of money it spends each year — sent Chairman Governor Kaine a harsh letter for Virginia’s 51st place ranking among the states and D.C. in spending of “federal” money for transportation projects.

You remember those projects, the ones that were “shovel ready” and supposedly would lift us out of the recession. You know, the same Governor Kaine (contact here) who is so concerned about Virginia’s transportation problems that he’s tried to raise our taxes ever year in office, including the first week of his tenure, even after campaigning that he would not raise taxes; the same governor who wanted to tax gas when it was $4.00 a gallon? The same governor Creigh Deeds says he’ll model himself after?

Here’s an excerpt from Rep. Oberstar’s letter (read the entire volley here):

Based on the State progress reports submitted to the Committee in September 2009, Virginia has fallen far behind other States in putting to work its Recovery Act Highway formula funds. According to submissions received from all States and the District of Columbia, your State ranks last among all States (51 out of 51) based on an analysis of percentage of Recovery Act Highway formula funds put out to bid, under contract and underway.

As of August 31, Virginia had begun construction of projects totaling only 17 percent of the State’s funding.

I strongly urge you to refocus your efforts to implement the Recovery Act and use the available funds to create and sustain family-wage jobs. These jobs are critical to Virginia’s and the nation’s long-term economic growth.

In August 2009, almost six months after enactment of the Recovery Act, I sent letters to the best and worst performers in putting to work Recovery Act highway funds. Since then, we have watched many states move aggressively. … 

Regrettably, Virginia is not among these States.

Anita Kumar of the Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog has the complete story in two parts: Her initial post (here) and a follow-up (here). We’re sure Governor Kaine will have a private response to Rep. Oberstar, who should know this is no way to address the chairman, especially when it validates the governor’s critics — the same critics he’s tried to ostracize, demagogue and steamroll the last four years — and undercuts his gubernatorial nominee.

We’re as thrilled as the next guy that Virginia continues to rack up victories in prestigious national rankings for business and management. The PR can’t hurt, especially in these times. Governor Tim Kaine certainly couldn’t contain his enthusiasm this morning on his monthly call-in show on Richmond radio station WRVA when he announced Forbes again named Virginia the best state in the nation in for business. (Never mind the fact that, by Forbes’ own admission, Georgia, which moved from 15th to fifth, is the real story this year). This adds to the Old Dominion’s CNBC Number 1 ranking, announced last month.  

Virginia has won so many “Best State For Business” and “Best Managed State” awards over the last 10 years (all without major league sports franchises and new stadiums, by the way) that one has to wonder how much of it is earned and how much is based on reputation. It makes one question whether CNBC and Forbes have even heard of VITA and Northrop Grumman (see Daily Press). How can either one claim the current administration has managed the state well with a massive agency/private sector partnership in meltdown (see Charlottesville Daily Progress)? What about the constantly missed budget revenue forecasts despite repeated warnings from outside sources and the General Assembly? Not to mention four years without a transportation plan. We don’t hear the governor championing those aspects of his government.

Annotations & Elucidations

Setting Trends

The News Stand is back after a bit of a late summer break. After all, nothing happens this time of year, anyway, right? So, we’re getting right back into it with a pretty large News Stand. Leading off is an interesting bit of news breaking about the Democrat gubernatorial candidate, Senator Creigh Deeds. Seems back in the day, oh, about 10 years ago, he wrote some of his own thoughts on homosexuals. Uncovered by The Weekly Standard and reported by our friends at Bearing Drift.

But that’s not all. Senator “Not Going To Run A Divisive Campaign” seems to have some out-of-control staff in Hampton Roads. Bearing Drift, again, with the details. Is this negativity a trend?

In fact, we have been e-mailed some pictures of dirty tricks in Buena Vista during the Labor Day Parade and we hope to have them up today.

Bearing Drift also has an update on several House races — let’s not forget the House campaign — with a report on a negative mailer (yes, a trend) and interesting polling numbers on a seat held by a liberal Democrat in a district the GOP carries in statewide races, but which it has not been able to find traction on at the House level. Almost given up on, unexpectedly, it’s back in play. A GOP pickup there would be huge. At the least, the numbers might dictate a reallocation of campaign dollars by state Dems to protect an incumbent, which would hurt their chances in other targeted districts. (By the way, congrats to BD — it’s the first blog to lead off the News Stand.)

Oh, other than that? How about the budget cuts by the DNC Chairman, Governor Tim Kaine? Furloughs and layoffs for state employees and education cuts. Is this what the unions voted for four years ago?

Nationally, actress Patricia Mauceri claims she was fired from her long standing role because of her objection to her character becoming homosexual; the new civil rights movement, education choice, is drawing more attention in dramatic ways (as rights movements usually do); and the Obama administration’s health care “reform” numbers are torn apart by the AP. Commentary features the always great Walter Williams and a thought-provoking piece on self-hate by Lisa Fabrizio. Meanwhile, Michael Barone and Bobby Eberle check up what passes for truth by the POTUS as well as his arrogance. 

News:

Deeds: “No Special Rights for Gays” (BearingDrift.com)

Deeds staff involved in sign defacement in Newport News? (BearingDrift.com)

Kaine: 593 layoffs, up to 15 percent college cuts (The Daily Press)

Kaine announces 593 layoffs, 2 prison closings, furloughs (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Virginia to lay off nearly 600, Kaine says (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

House Update: Amiral tied with Miller in 87th; Comstock, Hugo, Scalley, McConville, Hyland updates (BearingDrift.com)

Mathieson negative at Labor Day — must be desperate (BearingDrift.com)

Deeds campaigns at VUU; Minn.’s Pawlenty helps out McDonnell (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Deeds TV ad pegged to McDonnell’s thesis (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Scrutiny Spreads to ’03 McDonnell Remarks (Washington Post)

National News:

Soap Actress Says She Was Fired Because of Religious Beliefs (FoxNews.com)

Voucher advocates face up to police (Washington Times)

Opposition to Health-Care Reform Revives Christian Right (Washington Post)

Obama disapproval on health care up to 52 percent (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Analysis:

Be quiet America, Washington knows best (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

The Convenient Fantasies Of President Obama (Michael Barone/GOPUSA.com)

FACT CHECK: Obama uses iffy math on deficit pledge (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Commentary:

Inflation And Deficits (Walter Williams/GOPUSA.com)

The Limits Of Self-Hate (Lisa Fabrizio/GOPUSA.com)

Obama and The Joker  . . . So Much More than a Poster (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

In the 1980s, when Virginia was an electoral lock for Republican presidential candidates, and when the GOP won the presidency three successive terms, Virginia Republicans weren’t nearly as successful. In fact, they lost three gubernatorial elections on the trot.

One rhetorical tactic the GOP tried during those campaigns was to tie the Democrat to the rampant liberalism personified by big spenders, culture relativists, moral equivalency types and foreign policy weaklings such as Tip O’Neil, Patsy Schroder, Teddy Kennedy, Jim Wright, Tom Harkin and the whole motley crew.

The Dems here inevitably replied that “Virginia Democrats are different” and Chuck Robb, Gerry Baliles and Doug Wilder certainly lent that persona, if not actual substance, and the public seemed happy enough with them. All of which has come full reverse cycle in this year’s campaign. That is to say, Democrat gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds won’t say where he stands on what the “D.C. Democrats” are doing. Those are national issues he says, although a governor must be prepared to defend against federal the encroachment that inhibits his state’s right of self government and to be a laboratory of innovation.

But Senator Deeds won’t even say whether he supports or opposes “cap and trade” which would close the largest employer in his senate district! He won’t comment, either, on socialized medicine, card check,  government control of the Internet and radio, or mandated abortion on demand, all of which are, or have been, put forth by the Obama administration and its uber-liberal allies in Congress.

But waaaaaaaaaaaaaaait just one minute!

He will comment on former President George W. Bush. That’s right, Senator Deeds has new radio and television ads attacking the former president. So, who’s he running against? Oh, and by the way, where’s the mention of Governor Tim Kaine in those ads? Until a few months ago — when the governor’s popularity began to plunge — Senator Deeds was fond of saying that he would continue the Kaine model. (Being Democrat National Committee chairman kinda debunks the whole “bi-partisan” thing.)

So, apparently, not even state issues are on the Deeds itinerary. Let’s see: Senator Deeds won’t talk about the last four years in Virginia and he won’t talk about the last eight months in Washington. Guess that “Hope and Change” ain’t working to well for him, either.

A just released SurveyUSA poll for Roanoke CBS television affiliate WDBJ-TV/7 has all three Republican statewide candidates up by double digits.

Gubernatorial candidate, former Attorney General Bob McDonnell leads Democrat Creigh Deeds, a senator from Bath County, by 55 percent to 40 percent.

Incumbent Lt. Governor Bill Bolling, running for re-election, leads his Democrat opponent, former Finance Secretary Jody Wagner, 54 percent to 42 percent.

Attorney General candidate Ken Cuccinelli, a senator from Fairfax County, leads Democrat Steve Shannon, a delegate from Fairfax, 53 percent to 42 percent.

The poll asked 526 voters, “If the election for (office) were today, who would you vote for . . . ?” with the names rotated each question and with the candidates’ party identification preceding their names. There is a margin of error of 4.3 percent for the first two, and 4.4 percent for the AG race.

One thing comes quickly to mind: This early in a campaign, normally there are much more undecided voters, especially when choosing between two names with whom they may or may not be familiar. The fact that SurveyUSA used each candidate’s party label may be the reason for the high positive numbers for the GOP candidates given the consistent downward plunge in the favorable ratings of President Barack Obama, for his government takeover schemes in manufacturing and finance, and now in health care; as well as Governor Tim Kaine’s unpopularity for his job sharing as Democrat National Committee chairman, Virginia’s constant incorrect budget revenue forecasts, and the state’s IT contract controversy with Northrup Grumman.

Here’s more analysis from Eric Kleefeld at Talking Points Memo. According to the poll’s internals, 14 percent of those who voted for Mr. Obama last year now say they will vote for McDonnell, while 9 percent who voted for Republican Senator John McCain last November will vote for Deeds. SurveyUSA last polled the gubernatorial race after Deeds’ Democrat primary victory in early June. At that point, McDonnell led by 47 percent to 43 percent.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell received a huge boost yesterday in the form of an endorsement from billionaire Sheila Johnson, a lifelong Democrat and media mogul (see Washington Times). She is the co-founder of BET and other cable networks, among other businesses, and a big financial backer of Governor Tim Kaine’s 2005 campaign.

At first, this surprise and enthusiastic endorsement truly gives cover to McDonnell’s umbrella group of supporters, Virginians For McDonnell. When he announced its formation in June, many Mainstream Media types scrutinized it as only a shelter for prodigal Republicans who’ve danced with Senator Mark Warner, but not welcome back as full partners by GOP regulars, and a few legit independents. But without visible support from true Dems, analysts said, this was a gimmick, and no proof of McDonnell’s success in gaining a cross-section of support and/or middle-of-the-road and independent voters. 

Boy, does this change that. This modern-day Maggie Walker said she “did her homework” and interviewed all the candidates for governor, going back to the Democrat primary. Further, she said, she’s not changing parties. It remains to be seen if the McDonnell campaign maximizes this endorsement or if she will carry enough juice to have an impact at all. But one would think she will star for him in television ads at least — pretty ironic if she doesn’t, eh? — not to mention her potential financial support. 

In 1993, Virginians saw something similar when mystery novelist Patricia Cornwell, another very wealthy Virginia celebrity, who typically endorsed Democrats and who had endorsed Mary Sue Terry for governor, flipped to George Allen. Her reasons never were nearly as well explained as Ms. Johnson’s, but she made a famous television ad announcing her newfound enthusiasm for Allen. It perhaps was the turning point in the campaign, and there was no going back for Allen, who stormed past a 17-point polling deficit to win by about the same margin. 

At the least, this is a momentum builder for McDonnell. A big-time businesswoman, she must recognize how desparate the economy is now, and her credibilty there is huge. But will it have the impact and result of the Cornwell endorsement of George Allen in 1993?

This year’s Patricia Cornwell? Sheila Johnson stars at a news conference yesterday for Bob McDonnell. But will she star for him in campaign ads? Is this a campaign turning point or a momentum builder for McDonnell?

There’s a lot of variety in today’s News Stand, everything from the early success of the Choose Life license plates, to Governor Tim Kaine’s continued problems (miss forecast budget revenues, Northrup Grumman/VITA, etc.), to Republican Attorney General candidate Senator Ken Cuccinelli’s call for a special session to remedy evidence rules because of a recent Supreme Court ruling; and all from a variety of sources. We’ll have more elaborate comments tomorrow.

News:

‘Choose Life’ plates sent to motorists in Va. (Washington Times)

DMV gets nearly 600 applications for new ‘Choose Life’ plate (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot) 

Governor Hopefuls Veer Off The Trail (Washington Post)

Kaine to break record with budget cuts (Washington Times)

$2.2 Billion State Computer Contract Upgraded to Election-Year Headache (Washington Post)

AG candidate demands change in evidence law (Washington Times)

Cuccinelli calls for special assembly session on court ruling (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Parties, Candidates Make The Call (Harrisonburg Daily News-Record)

Project seeks health care stories (Roanoke Times)