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Annotations & Elucidations

The Landmark Edition

A short edition today, which gives you no excuse for not reading every article. Leading the news is the landmark pro-life budget amendment passed last night by both chambers of the General Assembly. We’re quoted and mentioned prominently in the lead link below. This may only be the start. Nationally, states are moving toward using a provision in the government health care takeover law that allows them to opt out of paying for abortion in health care. Ashley Horne of CitizenLink.org has an in-depth analysis of the hows and whys of federal government funding of abortion in this new law, despite the so-called prohibitive language in the legislation and President Obama’s executive order supposedly prohibiting it. Speaking of executive orders, Peter Sprigg of FRCBlog explains the impact of the president’s order allowing “same-sex partners” hospital visitation rights and such.  

While most of the ink is about yesterday’s “Veto Session,” the Richmond Times-Dispatch highlights yesterday’s “Virginia Annual Political Rite of Spring,” The Shad Planking in Wakefield. Former governor and senator George Allen was the keynote speaker and about 1,200 attended, less the 138 (two House seats are vacant) from the General Assembly. You’d think they could schedule it on a day when Virginia’s princes and princesses could attend. On the other hand . . . maybe that’s the point?

News

*Va. legislature votes to restrict abortion funding (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

McDonnell bid to restrict abortion funding upheld (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Virginia legislature restricts abortion funding (Washington Post)

McDonnell cuts for broadcasting, at-risk children rebuffed (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

House rejects at-risk youth cuts, others by gov (The Daily Press)

Session finalizes budget matters (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)

General Assembly veto session a mixed bag (Roanoke Times)

Former McDonnell brother-in-law addresses gay-rights rally (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Allen and about 1,200 turn out for Shad Planking (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Rep. Scott questions police procedures after hotel visit (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

National News

States Opt Out of Paying for Abortion in Health Care (CitizenLink.org)

Analysis

Hospital Visit Horrors? Here’s the Rest of the Story (Peter Sprigg/FRCBlog.com)

How Exactly Will the Government Fund Abortion Under the New Health Care Law? (Ashley Horne/CitizenLink.org)

Annotations & Elucidations

The Mostly All Virginia Edition

Today’s News Stand is all Virginia, for the most part. Even The Weekly Standard’sMary Katherine Ham’s feature on the use of the Internet by GOP campaigns has a lengthy portion devoted to the expertise in which Governor Bob McDonnell’s campaign used new technology to find and target voters. We have a round-up of Tea Party Day across the commonwealth. Commentary also has a Virginia ledger today, with Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s opinion piece making National Review Online.

News

Va. public broadcasting funds in peril (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Roxann Robinson to run for Nixon’s delegate seat (BearingDrift.com)

At UVa, Justice Scalia warns of scholars’ agendas, biases (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

How do LGBT people fare in the area? (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Think tank says Virginia budget raises taxes on poor (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Black Baptist pastors criticize McDonnell’s policies (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Tea-party supporters rally in Richmond (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Hundreds of Tea Party activists rally in downtown Norfolk (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Election plans brewing for Roanoke Tea Party (Roanoke Times)

Tea Party activists sh0w frustration at local rally (Charlottesville Daily Progress) 

Lynchburg tea partiers sound off on Tax Day (Lynchburg News & Advance)

Cuccinelli: I’m fighting for Constitution (Lynchburg News & Advance)

Cuccinelli opines that taxes and fees can be embedded in the state budget (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Will Marshall run for U.S. Senate in Va. again? (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

National News

Obama extends hospital visitation rights to same-sex partners of gays (Washington Post)

No hooking up, no sex for some coeds (CNN.com)

Analysis

Tea-party influence could cut two ways (Tyler Whitley/Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Tea partiers in two camps: Palin vs. Paul (Politico.com/Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Techno-GOP (Mary Katherine Ham/The Weekly Standard)

Commentary

Unconstitutional Mandate: Virginia’s Obamacare lawsuit is about more than just health care(Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, III/National Review Online)

McDonnell is tarred by missteps (Jeff Schapiro/Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Annotations & Elucidations

The Nuts And Bolts, Tax Day, TEA Party Version

After yesterday’s very meaty edition of the News Stand, we’ve compiled a very basic version today — can’t always keep that pace up, you know. Plus, there’s other stuff to do. (What good conservative blogger wouldn’t be getting ready for the TEA Party tonight?) Still, we have a good variety of reading for you today, especially of state news, of which we play a big part (the first three links).

Something else of interest: The Virginia Supreme Court heard arguments earlier this week on a property dispute between the (liberal) Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and nine more traditional (or orthodox) parishes that broke away and kept their property when the Episcopals appointed an openly homosexual bishop in New Hampshire a few years ago. The diocese wants the land back. At contention is an 1867 Virginia law meant to referee such disputes. 

Nationally, the polls show liberal leaders falling faster than American prestige around the world, and — lo and behold! — TEA Party members are wealthier and better educated than most and not racist! Golly Gee! (This is only news to mainstream media types, but fun to cite.)

Have fun paying your taxes (those who do) and attend a TEA Party!

News

*McDonnell proposes adding to Va. budget to attract commerce (Washington Post)

*Pro-choice plate avoids McDonnell veto pen (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

*Governor McDonnell Targets Abortion Funding (Video 2:16) (CBS6/WTVR.com)

McDonnell makes no vetoes to legislation (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Going fast more costly (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)

McDonnell amends 122 bills (Roanoke Times)

19 Baptist pastors criticize McDonnell (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Va. Episcopal hierarchy fights to keep church property (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Analysis

Tea Party Supporters Richer, More Educated Than Most, Poll Finds (FOXNews.com)

AP-GfK Poll: Obama slips, other Dems slide, too (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Poll shows resistance to health care bill rising (AP/GOPUSA.com)

National News

Tea Party leaders on alert for infiltrators (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Bunning endorses outsider Paul in Kentucky US Senate race (AP/GOPUSA.com)

RNC chairman: GOP wants to help black community (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Fla. governor Crist might run for Senate as independent (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Commentary

Establishment Terrified by Tea Party Movement (Matt Towery/GOPUSA.com)

GOP Should Push Tough Regulation of Wall Street (Michael Barone/GOPUSA.com)

William Ayers’ Wyoming Debacle Highlights Leftist Weaknesses (Christopher G. Adamo/GOPUSA.com)

The Individual Mandate: We’re All Amish Now (Jon N. Hall/GOPUSA.com)

Annotations & Elucidations

Calling Mr. Ripley 

It’s more Tea Party mania as Tax Day fast approaches. Groups are seeking Tea Party support in potential opposition to President Obama’s next choice to the U.S. Supreme Court; liberal activists are trying to infiltrate Tea Parties with the purpose of embarrassing them (as we’ve known all along, and which the mainstream media finally has picked up on, see Aleksandra Kulczuga at The Daily Caller as well as the AP); and in Virginia, Tea Party activists have won two western GOP unit chair elections in recent days.

Meanwhile, nationally, and speaking of Tea Parties, support for the health care law is plummeting faster than a Soprano victim in the Elizabeth River, and more Americans than pay income tax think we’re over taxed! That should tell you something, and Scott Rasmussen and Richard Olivastro do in Analysis and Commentary, respectively.

Think the Virginia Health Care Freedom Act is nervy, standing up to the big, bad federales? William Green of the Tenth Amendment Center has an idea that will knock your boots off. Also in that vein, and speaking of New Jersey (The Soprano’s), many here patted themselves on the back after Governor McDonnell and the General Assembly balanced our budget without a general tax increase and reduced spending to $70 billion (over two years), a figure last seen in 2006. Very nice. But, as Norman Leahy notes at Tertium Quids, the other new governor, Chris Christie of New Jersey, is fighting for, and winning, real reforms, not to mention that even though it is larger than Virginia, it’s annual budget is $29.3 billion. Even more impressive: The N.J. deficit is $10 billion; our two-year deficit was $4 billion. New Jersey more frugal than Virginia? Call Mr. Ripley.

News

Morrissey, Style Weekly settle $10 million libel lawsuit (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Griffith reaping GOP support (Roanoke Times)

Boyer elected head of Bedford GOP unit (Lynchburg News & Advance)

National News

Groups look for Tea Party support on nomination (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Foes of Tea Party movement to infiltrate rallies (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Census: No evidence of a conservative boycott (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee on gay adoption: Kids ‘aren’t puppies’ (New York Daily News)

Analysis

Support for Repeal of Health Care Plan Up To 58% (Scott Rasmussen/Rasmussen Reports)

66% Say America Is Overtaxed (Scott Rasmussen/Rasmussen Reports)

Florida Senate GOP Primary: Rubio 57%, Crist 28% (Scott Rasmussen/Rasmussen Reports)

Christie may be the real GOP model (Norman Leahy/Tertium Quids Blog)

Media Research Center: Coverage of Tea Parties is disparaging and biased (Aleksandra Kulczuga/The Daily Caller Blog)

Commentary

Next it will be government crashing the Tea Party (Richard Viguerie & Mark Fitzgibbons/Washington Examiner)

Ending the Fed From the Bottom Up (William Green/Tenth Amendment Center)

Stupak’s Final Retreat (Editorial/Washington Times)

Good Riddance (Thomas Sowell/GOPUSA.com)

Democrats Manipulate CBO (David Limbaugh/GOPUSA.com)

Can You Afford More Taxes? (Richard Olivastro/GOPUSA.com)

A V-Shaped Boom Is Coming (Larry Kudlow/GOPUSA.com)

Is Romney Grasping at Straws? (Aaron Goldstein/The American Spectator)

Annotations & Elucidations

Back In The Day, Again

We’ve been here before . . . and before and before. A governor signs a proclamation designating April Confederate History Month and all, well, war, breaks out. One minute Governor Bob McDonnell is loved by libs for an executive directive; the next, they’re on his back about a proclamation. But the libs are keeping busy. They’re still harassing Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli over his law suit challenging the constitutionality of the government takeover of the health care system.

Nationally, Senate Republicans’ spine seems to be growing thicker and sturdier, but it’s too early to tell. But apparently, they are ready to oppose a hyper liberal Obama circuit court nominee. In Analysis, the great Michael Barone looks back at the mid-term election of 1946 to look for trends in 2010. Who knew? But 1946 was the biggest GOP Congressional landslide in decades, much bigger than even the famous 1994 sweep. Also, Phillip Dennis gives an inside look inside the Tea Party movement and its leadership. His conclusion may surprise the casual observer (and floor liberals!). Meanwhile, Commentary features our normal all-stars, including Walter E. Williams, Michelle Malkin and Thomas Sowell.

News

Democrats seek more information from Cuccinelli (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

McDonnell Confederate History proclamation criticized (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

McDonnell: April is Confederate History Month (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

McDonnell’s Confederate History Month proclamation irks civil rights leaders (Washington Post)

McDonnell declaration draws ire, approval (Roanoke Times)

Allen rallies GOP faithful (Roanoke Times)

Church & Culture: Religious themes abound in arts, politics, sports (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

National News

Ready-to-run Mitt Romney could trip in health care (Philadelphia Daily News)

Republicans step up opposition to liberal court nominee (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Black conservative tea party backers take heat (AP/GOPUSA.com)

O’Connor: More justices may skip State of Union (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Analysis

What 1946 Can Tell Us About 2010 (Michael Barone/The American)

Palin? Armey? Republican Or Dem? The Leader Of Tea Party Is . . . No One! (Phillip Dennis/Investors Business Daily)

Fear and loathing at the RNC (Byron York/Washington Examiner)

Commentary

True Confessions from America’s Census Workers (Michelle Malkin/GOPUSA.com)

The Face of Hate (J. Matt Barber/GOPUSA.com)

Parting Company (Walter E. Williams/GOPUSA.com)

Not Necessarily Discrimination (Thomas Sowell/GOPUSA.com)

A Sinking Ship of State (Tony Blankley/GOPUSA.com)

Annotations & Elucidations

Even On New Year’s Day . . .

The News Stand is back after a Christmas/New Year’s break. Not much comment today. With a new administration and two months of General Assembly upcoming, there will be plenty of news upon which to comment in the days and weeks ahead. For now, take a look at some articles of interest to ween you back into the Virginia political mindset: The Wall Street Journal’s Brendan Miniter profiles Governor-elect Bob McDonnell while the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Roanoke Times bid adieu to Governor Tim Kaine; the Washington Times examines McDonnell’s call to eliminate the governor’s one term limit; the Washington Post looks areas of the Virginia budget that may no longer be sacrosanct from cuts; and the AP reports that 13 attorneys general, including outgoing Virginia AG Bill Mims, are  threatening a lawsuit over the pending nationalized health care legislation — and they are not all “red” state AGs, either. We anticipate that Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli will continue Virginia’s participation in the proceedings should the legislation become law.  

But, just to show you it’s always something around here, in case you missed it, CNN called us for a New Year’s Day interview regarding the Isabella Miller custody case. So, below, we posted the video of the report which includes reporter Mary Snow’s interview with Family Foundation President Victoria Cobb.

News:

Back to GOP Basics (Wall Street Journal Online)

Parts of Virginia’s budget may no longer be off-limits (Washington Post)

Kaine had wins but took some lumps as governor (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

A term of crisis: Gov. Tim Kaine exit interview (Roanoke Times)

Va. GOP names new executive director (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Va.’s McDonnell seeks end to term limit (Washington Times)

Va. mom fails to hand over daughter in custody dispute (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

National:

13 attorneys general threaten suit over health care (AP/Roanoke Times)

Video:

*Lesbian Custody Battle (2:13) (CNN.com)

Family Foundation President Victoria Cobb speaks to CNN on New Year’s Day about Lisa Miller apparently running away with her daughter, Isabella. 

Annotations & Elucidations 

The Bell Sounds For Deeds

So much for Republicans for Deeds. Former Senator Brandon Bell, from the Roanoke area, originally, and surprisingly, signed on the Deeds campaign. Unlike three other liberal former senators who call themselves Republicans and announced their support for Senator Deeds earlier in the year, Bell’s endorsement was puzzling. He even announced that he was backing Lt. Governor Bill Bolling for re-election and Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-37, Fairfax) for attorney general. Yesterday, however, whether he’s reading the tea leaves, a bandwagon jumper, or finally read the Deeds platform, he reversed course and now is in the Bob McDonnell camp. The Roanoke Times has the details. Speaking of the Times, it really hit the nail on the head with this headline: “Contrasts sharp in attorney general race.” On the ball, they are, at the Times.

On another note, the federal government can’t get the Pig Flu vaccine in on time, and we’re supposed to trust it with nationalized health care? Not a chance.

News:

McDonnell talks business with Lynchburg furniture maker (Lynchburg News & Advance)

McDonnell wins Bell’s endorsement (Roanoke Times)

Contrasts sharp in attorney general race (Roanoke Times)

Deeds repeats closing debate remarks almost verbatim (Washington Times)

In this show, special guest stars speak for Deeds (Washington Post)

Bolling, Wagner frame campaign on mutually low job evaluations (Washington Post)

Neff mailing compares Bell to bad hubby (Charlottesville Daily Progress)

TAP’s fatherhood program focuses on responsible fathers (Roanoke Times)

National News:

Web makers release tape of Philly ACORN visit (AP/GOPUSA.com)

GOP senator says Obama showing Nixonian tendencies (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Obama to slash bailout exec pay by 90 percent (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Key senators may rebuff Obama on health care (AP/GOPUSA.com)

U.S. health care tab would grow under overhaul (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Education chief calls for teacher prep overhaul (AP/GOPUSA.com)

CDC concedes vaccine production behind schedule (AP/GOPUSA.com)

Commentary:

Obama Bails Out When Asked About Fox News (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

The Real Flaw: Fox Is A No Fawn Zone (Debra Saunders/GOPUSA.com)

Obama Hits Opponents With Chicago Brass Knuckles (Michael Barone/GOPUSA.com)

Justice Department: Blacks MUST Have Democrat Label To Know How To Vote (Bobby Eberle/GOPUSA.com)

Annotations & Elucidations

The Answer Is . . . Abortion!

If Virginia’s gubernatorial campaign was modeled after the game show Jeopardy!, where the answers are the clues and the questions are the answers, Democrat candidate Creigh Deeds’ response to the word “abortion” would be, “What is the winning campaign issue?” It may be, but not the way he’s going after it. First, he’s the one way out of touch. As a well -publicized poll showed earlier this year, a majority of Americans now consider themselves pro-life. But a super majority of Americans always have been against partial-birth abortion and for parental consent. So, who’s the extremist here?

But what makes this a particularly odd move by Deeds is that he has simply proclaimed it! That is, out of nowhere, he has flat out declared this is the issue of the campaign. As if he declares the ground rules. Okay, maybe he does. So at the first and only debate, thus far, with Republican Bob McDonnell, Deeds said the “social” issues wouldn’t be a big part of his campaign. Talk about decisive leadership!

Still, it remains funny that Deeds thinks he can make up the rules of the campaign (being far down in the polls does not dictate a position of strength); that he blurts it out of nowhere; that he contradicts himself; and, after all that, picks a losing issue.

Enjoy your briefing today from the News Stand. We are pleased to start off with video from WTVR/CBS6 in Richmond, which interviewed our very own Chris Freund about the Deeds gambit.

Video:

*Deeds goes after McDonnell on abortion (2:34) (WTVR-TV/WTVR.com)

The Family Foundation’s Vice President-Policy and Communications Chris Freund is interviewed by Richmond CBS affiliate WTVR-TV/6.

News:

Economy, abortion rights focus of gubernatorial race (Richmond Times-Dispatch) 

Deeds picks off political scab: abortion rights (Roanoke Times) 

Deeds targets abortion issue (Washington Times)

Deeds Throws Abortion Gauntlet (Washington Post)

Commentary:

Desperate Deeds (Ramesh Ponnuru/Right Matters Washington Post Blog)

Leading the news today is the LG campaign as Jody Wagner attempts to counter the obvious — that she underestimated state tax revenue when times were good (laying the pretense for Virginia’s largest tax increase) and overestimated them when times were bad, necessitating budget cuts. She’s not having much luck so far. Thus, as The Daily Press reports, the commonwealth prepares for yet another round of budget cuts.

A lot of the news today is national: The Alliance Defense Fund is engaged in legal battle with the FDA over the “morning after pill,” state budgets have gaping holes (wasn’t the “stimulus” supposed to solve that?), D.C.’s recognition of out of state homosexual-marriage now is in effect, the Obama’s remain churchless months after leaving Jerry Wright’s flock, and there’s another push for a personhood amendment in Colorado.

We have a number of commentaries and some analysis today, as well. David Limbaugh looks at the hypocrisy of liberals who thought George W. Bush was “seizing” power, but remain silent on the absolute power grabs and usurpations of freedom by Barack Obama. Meanwhile, Matt Barber notes that Mr. Obama’s massive fiscal deficit pales to his moral clarity deficit. We also have an AFA blog post about the censoring of a seventh-grader’s pro-life t-shirt. Finally, in analysis, Cliff Kincaid explores the philosophical relationship between the president and Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez, while Rebecca Grace and Elizabeth Delaney (of the Norfolk Examiner, which makes its News Stand debut) each debunk a myth — on homosexuality and “global warming,” respectively.

News:

Bolling, Wagner spar on finances (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

State agencies told to prepare for more cuts (Daily Press)

Hmmm. So You Say That How? (Washington Post)

Roanoke political parties ponder futures (Roanoke Times)

National News:

Christian legal group battles FDA over ‘morning after pill’  (OneNewsNow.com)

States Straining To Repair Budgets (Washington Post)

Married gays see progress in D.C. (Washington Times)

‘Gay marriage’ law takes effect in nation’s capital (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

Obama’s still church homeless halfway through 2009 (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

‘Personhood’ pushers at it again in Colorado (OneNewsNow.com)

Commentary:

King Barack? (David Limbaugh/GOPUSA.com)

Obama’s moral clarity deficit (Matt Barber/OneNewsNow.com)

Seventh-Grader’s Pro-Life T-Shirt Censored in California (American Family Association Blog)

Analysis:

Leading ‘Progressive’ Describes Obama-Chavez Axis (Cliff Kincaid/GOPUSA.com)

Countering the lie of same-sex attractions (Rebecca Grace/OneNewsNow.com)

One world controversy (Norfolk Examiner)

Let the post-mortems and second-guessing begin! It’s analysis time. Better analyze all you can because the general election campaign will begin in earnest ASAP, if it hasn’t already. In fact, the Washington Times’ headline today says it all: “Deeds starts fast in denigrating GOP” (see below). Already going negative, are we? Does that mean Deeds sees himself as behind? We’ll have comment on what’s negative, who’s been negative, and some not-too-smart comments that a candidate said that he thinks were smart, before too long. 

News:

Candidates For Governor Get Fast Start (Washington Post)

Deeds’s Victory Renews McDonnell Rivalry — With a Difference (Washington Post) 

Democratic candidates show solidarity with Deeds (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

How Deeds defied expectations and changed the race (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot) 

Deeds lays groundwork for next phase of race for Virginia governor (Roanoke Times) 

Deeds prepares for fall rematch (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star)

Deeds starts fast in denigrating GOP (Washington Times) 

How Moran’s Early Edge Unwound (Washington Post) 

Lack of Va. Roots Doomed McAuliffe’s Bid (Washington Post)  

House hopefuls face uphill battle against Carr, Cox (Richmond Times- Dispatch)