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Annotations & Elucidations

The Biggest Loser Strikes Again

The Washington Post is at it again . . . still! Forget Creigh Deeds, Jody Wagner and Steve Shannon, election night’s biggest loser was the Post. It created Deeds with its Democrat primary endorsement of him. His campaign slogan effectively became, “Endorsed by the Washington Post” and its influence over the liberal Northern Virginia base carried him to primary victory. It then became his de facto political consultant, telling him to come clean on his tax increase plans, which he did in a Post op-ed, and coaching him every step of the way. It even gave him his singular line of attack against his Republican opponent — a thesis Bob McDonnell wrote while earning his MBA at Regent University. Now, after a couple of weeks of silence, the Post can’t contain itself and is back on the hunt, trying to tie the governor-elect to a comment Regent founder Pat Robertson made about Muslims. Lesson learned number one from the campaign: Don’t hire the Washington Post as your campaign advisor. Lesson two: It’s a real sore loser.

Elsewhere, we’re mentioned in a piece about Governor-elect McDonnell’s transition team. One of our board members, Dave Barrett, was named as a transition team senior advisor. Richmond Times-Dispatch columnist Jeff Schapiro speculates on whom McDonnell will name as Secretary of Finance, his most important personnel decision, according to Mr. Schapiro. Is House Majority Whip Kirk Cox (R-66, Colonial Heights) a contender? The T-D also examines the online advertising aspect of the late campaign — it was among the best, it says. No wonder, there was a lot of material to work with. Also, policies are starting to emerge from the Team McDonnell. Finally, please check out Michael Ramirez’s editorial comics at the links below. He’s a hoot. Maybe the Post should look them over, laugh . . . and lighten up.

News:

*Gov.-elect McDonnell announces senior advisers to transition team (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

McDonnell meets House Democrats, stresses common ground (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

McDonnell eyes health-care changes at state level (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Robertson’s remarks put McDonnell in a bind (Washington Post)

Online ads in Va. gubernatorial race ’set the standard’ (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Dates set for special Senate primaries; “Debate” held in the 8th today (BearingDrift.com)

Tickets on sale now for Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly in Norfolk (The Daily Press)

Analysis:

Budget boss atop concern (Jeff Schapiro/Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Editorial Comics:

Pork Flu (Below) (Michael Ramirez/TheWeek.com)

Pelosi & Reid’s Miracle Health Care Reform (Michael Ramirez/Townhall.com)

RINO: A Scene From “The Godfather” (Michael Ramirez/Townhall.com)

Hopefully, you’ve perused the March 3 News Stand. In it, I bring to readers’ attention an article by The Washington Post’s Marc Fisher who laments that economic downsizing has led to a reduction in media coverage of state government in Richmond and Annapolis. Among the Mainstream Media, he notes, several newspapers have reduced the number of reporters at the capitols, about half as many in Virginia as there used to be, and that only one Virginia television station still maintains a bureau in capitol square. Alas, he maintains, despite the explosion of new media —blogs in particular — it isn’t enough to fill the gaps left by the reduction of full-time journalists.

Says who? While we won’t be pretentious enough to claim bloggers fill the exact same role as political beat journalists, especially the old-fashioned five W’s objective reporters — those days disappeared along with the buggy whip manufacturers anyway — we can say, speaking for ourselves, that bloggers have more than replaced what passed for electronic media coverage of the legislature. Never more than sound byte “journalism,” exactly how much depth do viewers get from one- and two-minute television reports, or 30-second updates on radio?  

Perhaps Mr. Fisher should have looked at our blog during session (see Capitol Square Diary) and our YouTube page. Everyone should. At last count we had 23 videos posted there, almost all concerning the General Assembly, and many of them from committee hearings. Not five- or 10-second sound bytes, but full testimonies and questions and answers between committee members and witnesses, not to mention the committee votes. Ahh, the votes.

Often what passes for news coverage of devious parliamentary gimmicks that kill bills without the legislators going on record is the media’s complyingly innocuous, “the bill died in committee.” But how? We show you! Which is something, that no matter how many television or radio station bureaus there are, never seems to be told. We don’t let the politicians escape, unlike the Mainstream Media. I’m not sure why Mr. Fisher doesn’t think that’s laudable.

The fact is, the new media is here and will continue to grow in outlets as well as users, evolve in its delivery mechanisms (we were just getting used to blogs, then Facebook, when Twitter came around), and increase in importance. If that’s to the Mainstream Media’s demise, so be it. But if the MSM is at least partly responsible for its own demise for its complacency in  seeing the future, it surely is fully responsible for its diminishing presence by its lack of depth of coverage and its flat-out distortations of its coverage of politics and policy.

Apparently, what matters most to MSM apologists is numbers — after all, what can legitimize the biased MSM other than to say tens of thousands read their publications or watch their broadcasts? It certainly isn’t in the quality or depth of coverage. But the velocity of change in information consumption is happening faster than a Dick Saslaw foot-in-the-mouth comment. So new media audience numbers will grow in time. Of course, expecting the MSM to acknowledge that is like expecting them to cover a Dick Saslaw foot-in-the-mouth comment. It rarely, if ever, happens.

The Washington Post yesterday reported (click here) on another major breakthrough in creating from adult stem cells, cells with all of the characteristics of embryonic stem cells. The difference being, of course, these manipulated versions don’t come from embryos and, therefore, don’t destroy life. The research was published online yesterday at the Web site of the journal Nature (click here).

The key here is the word “another” because many may remember about 15 months ago a different group of scientists discovered the first such procedure to do this. Please see this extensively cited post I wrote at the time.

If the first method made the argument for embryonic stem cell research obsolete, surely this method does, reducing to practically nothing risks associated with diseases caused by viruses. Furthermore, doctors quoted in The Post article say more such methods are on the way to fruition.

Regardless, all of the procedures proven or under research have in common the fact that they make research with these emulated embryonic stem cells more accessible and less expensive because highly sophisticated labs won’t be needed. That means if there’s any cure to be had from them, more researchers, doctors and scientists will be able to have at it. That is to say, if something is there to be discovered it’ll happen quicker with more people giving it a go. The embryonic crowd should be delighted.

Of course, the best part of it all is that the divisiveness over embryonic stem cell research — which has produced not one significant medical advancement, while adult stem cell therapy is responsible for dozens of cures — can end, now, right? Let the harmony begin. Oh, were we to wish. …

Said Mark A. Kay of Stanford University:

“The point is, we don’t know yet what the end potential of either of these approaches will be. No one has cured any disease in people with any of these approaches yet. We don’t know enough yet to know which approach will be better.”

How ironic. Who are supposed to be the flat earthers? Sadly, destroying life still trumps obsolescence, while the argument remains obstinate.  

The first News Stand of March yields a plethora of articles on a number of subjects. One article of personal interest: The Washington Post’s piece about bloggers not being able to fill the gap left by the shrinking press corps. Who says?!

On a more serious note, the Post also reports on more bad news for the pro-abortion crowd — scientists have created another way to enable adult stem cells to emulate embryonic stem cells. It also reports on the Obama administration revoking the conscience clause for medical personnel of faith. This, most assuredly, is horrible, but expected, news. Lots of reading . . . time to delve into it!

Divisive Issues No Longer McDonnell’s First Words: Va. GOP Nominee for Governor Goes Centrist (Washington Post) 

Deeds, Moran Take Different Routes in Va. Race (Washington Post) 

General Assembly adjourns; Kaine says stimulus saved 7,100 state jobs (Richmond Times-Dispatch) 

Va.’s $77B budget spared major cuts, Assembly adjourns (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot) 

Lawmakers Approve Revisions to 2-Year Budget (Washington Post) 

Legislators Split On Budget (Harrisonburg Daily News-Record) 

Local lawmakers say session was productive (Winchester Star)

Bloggers Can’t Fill the Gap Left by Shrinking Press Corps (Washington Post) 

Goodlatte Endorses Brownlee (Washington Post Voices blog)

Researchers Find Safer Way to Produce Stem Cell Alternative (Washington Post) 

Health Workers’ ‘Conscience’ Rule Set to Be Voided (Washington Post)

The Washington Post reported late last week that Joe Price, an attorney and former chairman of the board of Equality Virginia, was indicted on obstruction of justice charges surrounding a murder that took place in Price’s home in 2006. (Read The Post’s account of the indictment, by clicking here.) 

What makes this information relevant to all Virginians is that Price is currently the Virginia attorney representing Janet Jenkins who is seeking full custody of Isabella Miller, the small child caught in the custody dispute between Jenkins and her former partner Lisa Miller. The case has extraordinary implications not only for little Isabella, but for Virginia’s marriage amendment and the future of family law.

Not surprisingly, The Post makes no mention in its article of Price’s longtime affiliation with the commonwealth’s largest homosexual rights group, or his involvement with one of the most important legal cases regarding family law in the nation.

The Family Foundation first heard rumors of Price’s involvement in the August 2006 crime during the marriage amendment campaign that fall. Because there were no mainstream media stories that verified the situation we decided that raising awareness of the case during the amendment campaign would have detracted from the effort to pass the amendment.

It will be interesting to see if Price continues to represent Jenkins in the high profile custody case while he is under indictment, or if anyone in the mainstream media will ever report all the facts about the Price situation.

One of the most interesting congressional campaigns in Virginia in several years is in Northern Virginia’s 11th congressional district. Democrat Gerry Connolly and Republican Keith Fimian are waging a competitive race which, according to the pundits, was not supposed to happen.

The seat currently is held by retiring U.S. Representative Tom Davis, a so-called “moderate” Republican. Because of Northern Virginia’s changing political climate, this was supposed to be a slam dunk for the ultra-liberal Connolly, a career Washington bureaucrat turned Fairfax career politician. The conservative Fimian, on the other hand, has only spent his  career as a successful CPA for the respected international firm KPMG before starting his own business out of his garage — U.S. Inspect — which has grown into the largest provider of residential and commercial  property inspection services in America.

There’s one problem with the campaign, however. While Mr. Fimian is out door-to-door, at festivals, addressing groups and campaigning hard, Mr. Connolly is nowhere to be seen — except on television ”approving” his character-assassin advertisements that even The Washington Post says are false (see here). There’s no wonder why he’s hiding behind such unscrupulous ads. You see, Mr. Connolly has for some time now been the chairman of Fairfax County’s board of supervisors. He is presiding over a whopping $430 million budget deficit. That’s a $430 million deficit for a single county — big money even by Tim Kaine standards. What truly is incredible about the deficit, however  — in the literal sense of the word — is that the deficit came after Mr. Connolly raised property tax rates on top of increased house assessments! (By the way, let this budget debacle be a microcosmic warning to those who also think raising taxes will balance the federal budget.) Now, the county is in trouble because of declining home values, despite the fact that it is ranked as one of the five most prosperous counties in the nation. (Why does a wealthy county need to spend so much on government?)

Is there no end to the liberal lust for more and more of the hard-earned money from hard-working, play-by-the-rules, Virginia families, especially in economic times like these? This is why, despite the slanderous attack ads by Connolly, the race is in a statistical dead heat — also despite the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee making it one of its highest profile target races. While millions of dollars are spent trying to ruin a good man’s reputation, for doing nothing more than working in the real world and creating hundreds of jobs, the voters know the real story. See this news report by local station WJLA-TV, the ABC affiliate:

A tax-increaser who still has left his county in financial ruin (not to mention his extremist positions on life issues), Connolly not surprisingly has failed to address the deficit or take a stand on solutions to our pressing energy problems and repeatedly has blown off  joint speaking appearances. Connolly has twisted the old expression, “You can run but you can’t hide.” He isrunning (for Congress) by hiding from his out-of-touch liberal record. 

On June 25, I sarcastically wrote that someone needed to call the ACLU because Fort Lee scheduled a concert of Christian and Gospel music. It’s not as if the ACLU doesn’t have a track record here: It has spouted its most tenuous of all its “separation of church and state” claims into the ranks of the military before, especially when the Boy Scouts contracted the use of one of its bases (Fort A.P. Hill) for its Jamboree a few years ago because the Boy Scouts recognize God. (”God forbid!” the atheist said.)

Well now! Who is to say we don’t have an influence around these here parts? Look what we found in The Washington Post, datelined June 25 (click here for entire article):  

The American Civil Liberties Union is threatening to sue the U.S. Naval Academy unless it abolishes its daily lunchtime prayer, saying that some midshipmen have felt pressured to participate.

In a letter to the Naval Academy, Deborah Jeon, legal director for the ACLU of Maryland, said it was “long past time” for the academy to discontinue the tradition. She said the practice violates midshipmen’s freedom to practice religion as their conscience leads them.

We like the Naval Academy’s response:

The Naval Academy rejected the ACLU’s request that the prayer be eliminated.

“The academy does not intend to change its practice of offering midshipmen an opportunity for prayer or devotional thought during noon meal announcements,” the university said in a statement. It said that some form of prayer has been offered for midshipmen at meals since the school’s founding, in 1845, and that it is “consistent with other practices throughout the Navy.”

This prayer is voluntary. If those in training to defend our country want to give thanks and receive the blessings through the strength of group prayer to the Lord their Creator throughout this process, they have every right. If they have not a care, a minute of silence might do them good in the bustle of an Annapolis day. If it makes them better officers to defend America, why should the atheists care? Who does this hurt, except our country, if this moment of prayer benefits us with the best possible officers? Shouldn’t we all want the best possible officers? 

We want to publicly offer our apologies to the entire U.S. Military and, in particular, the United States Naval Academy for any role we may have had in this nuisance of an inconvenience brought on by the busy bodies at the ACLU, who constantly look for a solution where there are only imaginary problems regarding church and state. So, while we have nothing against West Point, in this instance, we’re fully behind the Middies.  

GO NAVY!

Even though our blog is young, we’re proud that we’ve been able to secure a number of exclusive interviews with significant newsmakers, including statewide office holders such as Attorney General Bob McDonnell and Lieutennent Governor Bill Bolling, party chairmen, General Assembly leaders and a national political strategist. A few of these interviews made the news themselves. (Click here for The Washington Post’s mention of our interview with Delegate Jeff Frederick (R-52, Woodbridge) when he announced his candidacy for Republican Party of Virginia chairman; or here for Black Velvet Bruc Li’s comment on our interview with state Democrat Chairman Richard Cranwell; and also this one from Right Wing Liberal on Chairman Cranwell.)

That these people are willing to speak directly to our audience says a lot about you, our readers, and your feedback has been very positive. More interesting interviews are on the way with General Assembly members, but also with reporters in the mainstream media (should be interesting!) and local officials who are doing exemplary work in their communities, whose successes and conservative ideas for solutions need to be shared to a broader audience. We also hope to have a national political figure or two, religious leaders and people from different walks of life who are playing big roles in affecting our culture and public policy.

In the meantime, in order to make reading these electronic conversations easier, we have created an Interviews category to archive them so you can more conveniently find them. We hope you take time to read some of the older interviews if you haven’t already and let us know what you think. Also, feel free to suggest names of Virginia leaders, policy makers, media types or other individuals you’d like to hear from. 

Also of note, check our growing blogroll, as we continue to strive to become your one-stop shop, your portal of Virginia politics. (Make us your home page!) Among our latest additions is Alton Foley’s highly regarded I’m Not Emeril. We hope you give it a visit.