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Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council issued the letter below yesterday inviting conservatives to sign the Mount Vernon Statement, a proclamation in which the conservative movement reaffirms itself to America’s founding principles (see FRCBlog). A host of conservative leaders signed it in a ceremony yesterday (see FRC news release). Many are saying conservatives have tied themselves too closely with the Republican Party. Which may be true, but was that statement possible before the Tea Party movement? Now, there are options. Conservative movement stalwart Richard Viguerie offers his thoughts on his Conservative HQ Blog (here) while OneNewsNow covers the story here.

More than 100 conservative leaders joined together today to celebrate the release of the Mount Vernon Statement — a document in which the conservative movement has reaffirmed its commitment to Constitutional Conservatism and the principles of the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This is a significant moment as social, fiscal, and national security conservatives joined together to declare the importance of working in partnership to defend our nation’s founding principles.

You can become part of history as well by signing the Mount Vernon Statement today.

Sign the Mount Vernon Statement today to stand with us on the historic principles of Constitutional Conservatism

Sincerely,

Tony Perkins

President

Annotations & Elucidations 

A Nice Deep Breath

Computer problems hamper today’s blog offerings, but I’ve managed to eek out a News Stand. Wasn’t much going on statewide — it’s a good time to take a deep politics breath and relax after the last several months. One item of note is that Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli announced his transition plans. Otherwise, we found an article from Politico.com about the robo call Chuck Colson made for us (hear it here) — lil’ ol’ us in a major national blog like that! We have a few pre-election leftovers and lots of great commentary about the election results from around the country, as well as ongoing health care “reform” coverage. Take it all in . . . and breathe easy . . . for a while, anyway.

News:

*Colson urges vote in VA (Politico.com)

Cuccinelli transition team includes onetime McDonnell legal adversary (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Court order issued to stop review of Beach absentee ballots (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

GOP House gains intensify competition in N.Virginia (Washington Post)

Democrats doubt depths of Amiral’s private pockets (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Kaine to teach law, leadership after term (Washington Times)

Long-distance call from Alaska? (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Liberty University students head to the polls (Lynchburg News & Advance)

National News:

Southern Dems cast wary eye over election results (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Democrats’ concerns over abortion may imperil health bill (Washington Post)

‘Kill the bill’ protesters target health care (AP/GOPUSA.com)

House health care vote set for Saturday (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Senate blocks census citizenship question (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Democrats fear triple blow on Election Day (Christian Science Monitor)

Commentary:

Is the Republican Party Going RINO Hunting? (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

Written off by the Media, Republicans Win Big! (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

Wow! Look At What the Establishment ‘Republican’ Just Did (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

Republican Leaders Seeing the Light and Going Conservative? (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

White House Postelection Arrogance (David Limbaugh/GOPUSA.com)

The Death Of Deliberative Democracy (Michelle Malkin/GOPUSA.com)

Blueprint For GOP Victories (Linda Cahvez/GOPUSA.com)

NY23: What It Meant And What It Didn’t Mean (John Ellis/GOPUSA.com)

Better Or Worse? (Thomas Sowell/GOPUSA.com)

A Stomach Ache For Our Sponsor (Brent Bozell/GOPUSA.com)

Lots of campaign news today, as one might expect, as Brian Moran racks up more endorsements, and Virginia Republicans gear up for their nominating convention this weekend. But most of the big stuff concerns yesterday’s California Supreme Court decision upholding that state’s recently ratified constitutional amendment defining marriage as a between one man and one woman, and President Barack Obama’s selection of U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. 

There are several good articles and commentaries on these subjects in the National News and Commentary sections below. Also, please read Bobby Eberle’s rejoinder to retired General Colin Powell regarding his campaign to minimize conservatism in the Republican Party. Finally, be sure to read about a bill one congressman has introduced that would make 2010 “The Year of the Bible” — and his co-sponsors include members of both parties, as well as Christian and Jewish members. 

News:

Virginians critique nominee (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Moran picking up local support (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star) 

Democrats’ Inside Man Steps Into Spotlight (Washington Post)

GOP hopefuls for Fralin’s House seat hold forum (Roanoke Times) 

McDonnell backs Mullins for chairman of state GOP (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

GOP will choose slate of state candidates this weekend (Winchester Star)

LU Democrats club to meet with Falwell today (Lynchburg News & Advance) 

National News:

Calif. Ruling Shows Hurdles Remain for Gay Marriage (Washington Post)

Don’t expect smooth sailing for Sotomayor (OneNewsNow.com)

For Sotomayor, discrimination case likely issue (AP/GOPUSA.com)

2010: The year of the Bible? (OneNewsNow.com)

Commentary:

‘Empathy’ in Action (Thomas Sowell/GOPUSA.com)

Sotomayor: Racial Politics and Making Policy (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

To Gen. Powell . . . Just Where Have We Gone Too Far To The Right? (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

Republican Gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell today announced that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal will participate with him in a news conference tomorrow in Richmond where the popular Republican also will headline a fundraiser for the attorney general. We hope to be there and bring back some insights.

Here is the official word from McDonnell’s office:

Attorney General Bob McDonnell and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal to Hold Joint Press Conference Wednesday in Richmond

Jindal Visiting Richmond to Headline Fundraiser for McDonnell’s Gubernatorial Campaign

Louisiana Governor, and national Republican figure, Bobby Jindal will visit Richmond on Wednesday, December 10, to support Attorney General Bob McDonnell’s 2009 campaign for Governor. The two will hold a press conference at the Jefferson Hotel at 11:35 a.m. Following that event, the governor will headline a private fundraiser for the attorney general at another location.

All members of the press are invited and encouraged to attend Wednesday’s press conference. Governor Bobby Jindal has built an impressive record in his role as Governor of Louisiana, and established himself as one of the rising stars of the Republican Party. Prior to being elected to his current position he served as a member of Congress, and, prior to that, as the youngest-ever president of the University of Louisiana system. Today he is the nation’s youngest governor, and he is widely considered to be a frontrunner for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination if he chooses to run.

 Barack Obama:

You go into some of these small towns in Pennsylvania, and like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing’s replaced them. … And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.

Mark Warner:

One of the things you are going to see is a coalition that is just about completely taken over the Republican Party in this state and if they have their way it’s going to take over state government. It is made up of the Christian Coalition, but not just them. It is made up of the right-to-lifers, but not just them. It’s made up of the NRA, but not just them. It is made up of the home-schoolers, but not just them. It’s made up of a whole coalition of people that have all sorts of differing views that I think most of us in this room would find threatening to what it means to be an American.

(This post was updated on October 9 to include the actual audio on this thread rather than the link to its Web page. – The admin)

We posted the transcript of this quote a while ago, but it comes back to our attention since now it is available on YouTube. At least the audio of it is. Unless you doubt someone’s real attitude, despite what he says about being “bipartisan,” listen to his actual rhetoric. For example, below is the audio of an infamous quote from former Governor Mark Warner, now the Democrat nominee for the U.S. Senate in Virginia. Former Governor Jim Gilmore is his Republican opponent. The transcript is below the audio box and is more complete than the one provided in the box. Read it as you listen: It is Mark Warner telling a group of Democrat partisans what he really thinks of Christians, gun owners, pro-lifers, home-schoolers and others.

One of the things you are going to see is a coalition that is just about completely taken over the Republican Party in this state and if they have their way it’s going to take over state government. It is made up of the Christian Coalition, but not just them. It is made up of the right-to-lifers, but not just them. It’s made up of the NRA, but not just them. It is made up of the home-schoolers, but not just them. It’s made up of a whole coalition of people that have all sorts of differing views that I think most of us in this room would find threatening to what it means to be an American.

Funny how he said this to a particular group when he thought rural voters, Christians and others whose votes he courts posing as a “moderate” weren’t listening. Remind anyone of where and under what circumstances someone else’s “bitter and clinging to their guns and religion” comment was made?