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This is an interesting tidbit: Former Governor Jim Gilmore announced Monday that he had been elected the new president and CEO of the Free Congress Foundation, the influential conservative think tank founded by the legendary conservative leader, strategist and grassroots activist Paul Weyrich (see New York Times), who died last December. Weyrich was one of the architects of the conservative renaissance that eventually brought about the Reagan and Gingrich Revolutions.

When the announcement hit my inbox, I was eager to post it. This is big news — a Virginian taking the lead at a conservative hallmark, in the shoes of a true legend (Washington Times). But in his letter, the former governor included a link to a December 10 column by John Gizzi of Human Events in which he explains why he is taking the position and his goals, etc. That was more than two weeks prior to Monday’s e-mailed letter. Figuring it was old news, I ignored it. Yet, the announcement still exploded in the media, new and mainstream. There’s articles everywhere. Interesting how news can still trail real time, no matter how electronic and digital we become. It just goes to show that good reporting still beats all.

So, we join in the congratulations to former Governor Gilmore in his new position. He is a good, hard working, earnest man. He will have a national platform and a well schooled staff to put forth and advance conservative ideas and solutions to problems America faces in the economy, foreign policy and cultural and social issues, of which Weyrich was a determined traditionalist. In the age of Obama, there can be no shortage of limited government conservatives working in the vineyard.

Annotations & Elucidations 

The Debate Review Edition

The headlines say it all about last night’s gubernatorial debate. Or at least say what the individual reporters say is all. They range from Democrat Creigh Deeds’ continued haranguing of the “the thesis” issue, to both he and Republican Bob McDonnell going after each other equally, to it was a snoozer. That’s pretty much it today — lots and lots of debate coverage, but that’s what happens when there are so few and so few televised this late in the game. It becomes a media focus. Even the New York Times weighs in, again, on the campaign, it’s third article in short succession. In other news, The Daily Press takes a look at Senator Tommy Norment’s (R-3, Williamsburg) arrangement with William & Mary, Liberty University does its part for representative democracy, ObamaCare isn’t popular in Virginia, and some ministers have something to say on same-sex marriage. All that and more, below.

News:

Deeds accuses McDonnell of ‘lying’ in Virginia Gov debate (Washington Times)

Deeds blasts McDonnell on thesis (The Daily Press)

Deeds sticks to his campaign script (Politico.com)

Candidates for governor clash on taxes, Obama (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Barbs Traded on Taxes, Traffic in Prime Time (Washington Post)

Televised debate generates a few sparks (Roanoke Times)

McDonnell and Deeds give personal takes on social issues (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Deeds, McDonnell tread softly in first televised debate (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Little new ground in debate (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)

GOP Fervor Mounts As McDonnell Leads (Washington Post)

Gubernatorial candidate profile: Creigh Deeds shaped by rural roots (Roanoke Times)

McDonnell: A Razor-Sharp but Selective Memory (Washington Post)

Second Thoughts in Battle for Virginia (New York Times)

State employees appear in ad for McDonnell (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

In delegate race, incumbent Bell touts record as Neff presses reform (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

Get out the vote: Liberty U. cancels Election Day classes (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Sen. Norment part of unique legal setup at W&M (The Daily Press)

Poll: Nearly half in Virginia oppose Obama’s plan for health-care reform (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Va. ministers protest ban on gay marriage (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Annotations & Elucidations 

The Debate/Mason-Dixon Edition

The news is almost all campaign, with several national articles (including the New York Times, which has two pieces — one specifically on Virginia, in the News section, and one on Virginia and New Jersey and their national implications, in National News) continuing to shine the national flood lights on the commonwealth. Tonight is also debate night, the first live televised one. Will Democrat Creigh Deeds apologize for his negative campaign? Will he finally explain his transportation and tax increase plans (his last attempt at explaining the latter was called “embarrassing” today by his patron, the Washington Post, and now has been turned into a new ad, which will begin running tonight).

Now the Dems, including DNC Chairman Tim Kaine, are targeting Senator Ken Cuccinelli. He began an ad they say is unfair and misrepresents Democrat attorney general candidate Steve Shannon’s position on the special session that remedied a Supreme Court decision that would ceased prosecutions on drunk drivers and drug offenders. Hmmm. How do you misrepresent Shannon’s view? Calling it a “political stunt” is pretty hard to misinterpret.

But the big news was the release of Mason-Dixon’s first poll this campaign season. Mason-Dixon is the gold standard in Virginia political polls. The last poll it conducts, the Sunday before each election day, has never predicted the wrong winner, so it is awaited with baited breath. Its 2009 debut has all three Republicans leading: Bob McDonnell up by eight for governor, Lt. Governor Bill Bollingup by 13, and Cuccinelli up by seven. Not to be outdone, however, is SurveyUSA, which conducted another poll last week for WDBJ-TV in Roanoke and WJLA-TV in Washington (its fourth consecutive weekly poll). It was mostly drowned out by the Washington Post poll results, which showed all three Republicans up by nine. SurveyUSA has the three Republicans up by 11, 17 and 10, respectively. Details on everything mentioned above, and more, are below.

News:

Mason-Dixon Poll: McDonnell up by 8 points over Deeds (Richmond Times-Dispatch/Lynchburg News & Advance) 

Mason-Dixon Shows McDonnell by 8 (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Poll: GOP’s Bolling, Cuccinelli lead (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Virginia: 4 Weeks Until Votes Are Counted, Republicans Remain Poised to Win 3 Top Statewide Contests (SurveyUSA.com)

Results of SurveyUSA Election Poll (SurveyUSA.com)

Va. Candidates Meet Tonight in First Live TV Debate (Washington Post)

Debate a major moment in Va. governor’s race (AP/The Daily Press)

Two State Races May Put Lens on Obama (New York Times)

GOP Launches New Ad on Deeds and Taxes (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Cuccinelli Airs New Ad; Shannon, Kaine Protest (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog) 

Kaine says Obama supporters key for Deeds (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Biden calls Virginia race winnable for Deeds…. (The Shad Plank Blog)

Debate in House race heats up over transportation question (Lynchburg News & Advance)

8th District candidates debate in Roanoke Co. (Roanoke Times)

Sexually explicit novel pulled from Roanoke school libraries (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

National News:

Democrats May Lose Two Governors Races (Reuters/New York Times)

McDonnell Holds GOP Comeback Hopes in Virginia; Dems Hope Deeds Bet Pays Off  (PoliticsDaily.com)

House Votes to Add Sexual Orientation to Law on Hate Crimes (Washington Post)

Analysis:

Republican sweep looking likely in Virginia (Josh Kraushaar/The Scorecard Blog Politico.com)

Annotations & Elucidations 

The Non-Endorsement Edition

The news is just as Doug Wilder likes it — about him. It’s practically sucked out the news cycle any mention of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce endorsement of Bob McDonnell and the Virginia Fraternal of Police endorsement of the entire GOP ticket. The latter merited a picture and a sentence in today’s Richmond Times-Dispatch, buried in an article all about Our Doug’s announcement. Even the New York Times wrote about it! Elsewhere, Jody Wagner continues to miscalculate and delegate races are heating up. Oh, and surprise! The VEA is attacking Bob McDonnell.

News:

Wilder on Deeds: That’s not ‘leadership’ (Washington Times)

Wilder declines to endorse Deeds (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Former governor refrains from endorsing Deeds (Roanoke Times)

Wilder Declines to Endorse Anyone for Governor (Washington Post)

Governor candidates spar over economic plans (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Virginia Teachers Union Blasts McDonnell in TV Ads (Washington Post)

Bolling, Wagner clash over rules of debate, Va. Budget (Northern Virginia Daily)

Landes, Marrow Get Personal (Harrisonburg Daily News-Record)

Lesinski criticizes Gilbert for failing to create more jobs (Northern Virginia Daily) 

GOP Takes Page From Democrats in N.Va. House Races (Washington Post)

National News:

Wilder Balks at Endorsing Deeds in Va. Race (New York Times The Caucus Blogs)

Analysis:

Two Groups of Women Help Put the Race Into Focus (Jennifer Agiesta and Sandhya Somashekhar/Washington Post)

Annotations & Elucidations

The Big Game

Everyone knows the story du jour. The first two pieces have ample comment from our leadership. Meanwhile, President Obama is getting into the minds of our school children (You will worship me! You will worship me!) I wish I could go on, but I’m off to the Big Game tonight at RFK Stadium: D.C. United v. Seattle Sounders FC for the U.S. Open Cup championship! (See the great Jack Bell’s New York Times “Goal” soccer blog.) Lots more tomorrow.

News:

* Thesis Issue Builds, McDonnell Tries to Move On (Washington Post)

* Conservatives wary of McDonnell’s changed views (AP/WVEC.com)

McDonnell lead halved after ‘89 thesis surfaced (Washington Times)

McDonnell thesis shows his true colors, GOP foes say (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

McDonnell defends writings from past (Roanoke Times)

McDonnell Tries to Salvage Women’s Votes (Washington Post)

McDonnell plan prioritizes education spending (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

VEA derides McDonnell’s plan to raise salaries (Roanoke Times)

National News:

Critics Decry Obama’s ‘Indoctrination’ Plan for Students (FoxNews.com)

Commentary:

The Macaca Thesis (Ruth Marcus/Washington Post)

Wrong. Way wrong. According to Andrew Langer, president of the Institute for Liberty, who spoke today at the Tuesday Morning Group, the federal government’s regulatory burden on small business equals $7,700 per employee. For a small, family-owned company, with 10 employees, that’s a $770,000 annual gorilla on its back.

This is small business, the engine that creates about two-thirds of all American jobs. That figure doesn’t include state and local regulations, either. Get the picture as to why we need smaller government?

The irony is that many big businesses don’t mind regulation. It locks in many advantages it has over competitors. That’s why Philip Morris lobbied for the recent bill that empowers the FDA to regulate tobacco (see New York Times). Large companies have the wherewithal, lawyers, accountants and savvy to maneuver around and take advantage of the avenues and loopholes the regs provide.

But you poor small business owner saps . . . good luck. More is on the way (see Entrepreneur’s Daily Dose blog).

Who recently said that marriage between one man and one woman is the “traditional and universally recognized form of marriage”? If you guessed Carrie Prejean, who lost her Miss California crown last week (see Fox News) — after pageant officials said she could keep it — for speaking out in favor of traditional marriage, or some right-wing Christian fanatic you are . . . wrong.

However, if you guessed Tony West — Ding! Ding! Ding! — You win.

Who’s Tony West? He is the United States Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division and he filed the legal brief defending the federal Defense of Marriage Act in federal court June 11 (see here). The Obama administration, in fact, is asking the federal court to dismiss the case, brought on by a “married” homosexual pair.

Now, major homosexual special interest groups are going ballistic, with a leader of one blasting the president in a personal letter (see Wall Street Journal). Not only that, but the New York Times is steaming mad, too. The poor president can’t get a break. 

In the brief, the administration sounds as right-wing crazy as the 57 percent of Virginians who voted for our Marriage Amendment, unintended consequences and all:

In allowing each State to withhold its recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions, Congress was merely confirming longstanding conflict-of-laws principles in a valid exercise of its express power to settle such questions under the Full Faith and Credit Clause. That Clause ensures that each State retains the authority to decline to apply another State’s law when it conflicts with its own public policies. DOMA is fully consistent with that constitutional principle, as it permits States to experiment with and maintain the exclusivity of their own legitimate public policies — such as whether that State chooses to recognize or reject same-sex marriages. Similarly, in relation to plaintiffs’ purported “right to travel” claim, DOMA simply does not impinge upon anyone’s ability to travel among the States. Again, it merely permits each State to follow its own policy with respect to marriage.

Although the administration says it wants to repeal DOMA legislatively, it also says that while it is still the law, it is constitutional, and must be defended. Admittedly, this position is surprising coming from a president who, as a law professor, said restraints had to be put on the Constitution (hear for yourself) and believes in courts making policy rather than inerpreting the law, but it is refreshing — and correct — nonethesame.

It’s also fun to see liberals disillusioned with their ”anointed one” whom they unceasingly, thoughtlessly adore. A little wedge on the left is never bad.

Now the Obama administration has itself in a pretzel, not only casting doubt on his sincerity on homosexual “rights” (he’s abandoned other promises as well), but establishing a precedent for defending laws it disagrees with by abandoning its advocacy of judicial activism. That said, we doubt it has established a pattern, but will still watch whether the administration continues this intellectual honesty regarding the proper roles of the legislative and judicial branches.

It is primary day and that means starting tomorrow Virginia will be one huge political festival through November. If you don’t like it, find another sport. 

However, for those who think the General Assembly is dysfunctional, I draw your attention to the New York Times article in the National News section: The GOP there has regained the upper chamber in Albany when two Hispanic Democrats decided to vote to reorganize the body with the Republicans. But they didn’t switch parties. Many Dems vacated the chamber and cut off the lights to try to keep a quorum from meeting and/or hearing and seeing how to vote. Confused? Find it funny, as in a I Dream of Jeannie farce? You’re right, but read the article. You can’t find this kind of entertainment in Hollywood, Las Vegas or Broadway.

In another piece of non-Virginia news, but which also sounds familiar, a breakaway Episcopal Church in Colorado has reached a settlement with its former diocese over church property. There is a similar controversy in Falls Church.

Have a great time tonight watching the returns come in. We’ll almost certainly have a comment tomorrow.

News:

Light turnout reported in early primary voting (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Go vote: It’s primary day for Democrats (The Daily Press)

Candidates finishing campaigns (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)

Virginia Democrats face pivotal primary (Washington Times)

Primary Hinges On Voter Turnout (Washington Post)

Severe Thunderstorms Hit as Polls Open in Va. (Washington Post) 

National News:

G.O.P. Regains Control of New York State Senate (New York Times)

Obama Justice Dept. hunting for ‘all actors’ in Tiller murder(OneNewsNow.com)

Diocese says property dispute with breakaway church settled(AP/OneNewsNow.com)

GOP: American tradition of impartial courts ‘under attack’  (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

International News:

A swing to conservatism in Europe? (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

Tomorrow, Pastors For Family Values, the pastoral component of The Family Foundation, and the Capital Bible Seminary, will sponsor a Pastors Fellowship Lunch (RSVP info here) at 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 111, in Springfield. It will last from 12:00-2:00 p.m. There is no charge for the event, which includes lunch, but a reservation is required. All pastors are invited.

The featured speaker is someone we are especialy pleased to have, one who will not disappoint anyone who attends: Bishop E. W. Jackson, Sr. He is the Founder of Exodus Faith Ministries, a nondenominational ministry headquartered in Chesapeake (and satellite church in Boston), as well as author of Ten Commandments To An Extraordinary Life — Making Your Dreams Come True, published in 2008.

Bishop Jackson has a wealth of varied, real life experiences that make him a rare resource of intellect and inspiration. After three years in the U.S. Marine Corp, he attended the University of Massachusetts-Boston, from where he was graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1975 after only three years, and was awarded the Phi Beta Kappa Key.

He was graduated from Harvard Law School in 1978 and also studied theology at Harvard Divinity School, and was licensed to preach by Ebenezer Baptist Church in Boston. After a successful professional career, including a 15-year law practice and work in the radio business — as host of a daily nationally syndicated program and founder of Boston’s first and only all-gospel radio station — he moved to the nonprofit field.

In 1996, he took over ”The Samaritan Project,” a national outreach and racial reconciliation effort that distributed $500,000 to churches victimized by arson. In recognition of his national leadership, he was consecrated a bishop in 1998 and moved to Chesapeake to establish the headquarters for Exodus Faith Ministries, Int’l.

Bishop Jackson served both as a minister for the Boston Red Sox chapel services and as protestant Chaplain for the Boston Fire Department. He has taught Law at Northeastern University in Boston and at Strayer University in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.

He and his wife, Theodora, are the founders of the Chesapeake MLK Leadership Breakfast which brings together hundreds people from the greater Chesapeake area to celebrate the life and ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. They also are the founders of Youth With A Destiny, a nonprofit  organization dedicated to helping youth avoid drugs, gangs and violence through faith, education and positive activities.

He presently serves as a member of the Chesapeake Police Advisory Board, the South Norfolk Revitalization Commission and a Trustee of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce.

Bishop Jackson’s media appearances include CNN’s Talk Back Live, ABC’s Good Morning America, ABC’s Politically Incorrect, Hardball with Chris Matthews, C-SPAN’s Washington Journal and National Public Radio. He also hosts his own radio program on WYRM-AM/1110 in Norfolk. His op-eds have appeared in newspapers around the country and he has been the subject of the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, New York Times and many other publications.

Bishop Jackson will bring encouragement to the pastors attending the luncheon tomorrow, and is something surely not to miss, especially during these ambiguous times.  

Vermont’s legislature today overrode Governor Jim Douglas’ veto of its same-sex “marriage” bill, making it law (New York Times).It is the fourth state to legalize same-sex “marriage” but the first to do so through the legislative process. State courts in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Iowa mandated the “law” in those states, but more may be on the way in New England as per another article in the Times.