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Annotations & Elucidations

Ooops. We’re Taking You To Court, Instead.

Of all things: The mysterious Know Campaign, which planned on a mass mailing, prior to the election, telling recipients that their neighbors vote, so why don’t you? last week told the State Board of Elections it would cooperate with its investigation and disclose who made available to it a Voter Vault list, of which only certain people — including elected officials — have access, but now says it is going to court to block having to supply said information. Hmmm. As Jerry Seinfeld would ask, “Who arrrrrrrre those people?”

Meanwhile, the GOP celebrates, the Dems deliberate and Jeff McWaters will be the new senator from the 8th district. Also, some are floating the idea of ending the car tax reduction to balance the budget. That takes a lot of nerve, but, unfortunately, it’s not surprising. Some never can read election results, even when it hits them in the face.

In Analysis and Commentary past and future elections are evaluated, as the Washington Post picks Virginia’s own, U.S. Representative Tom Perriello (D-5) as the fifth most likely incumbent/defender of a party’s seat, to lose in next year’s Congressional elections, and former Governor Doug Wilder explains why Creigh Deeds lost. (Why isn’t ever why Bob McDonnell won?) Also, the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Jeff Schapiro takes a look at one of the most powerful men in the General Assembly — Delegate Kirk Cox (R-66, Colonial Heights) — and the many cards he has to play.

News:

McDonnell and GOP celebrate victories (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Victory bash: GOP rallies in Williamsburg (The Daily Press)

Kaine tells Democrats not to dwell on the past (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Deeds thanks Dems, exhorts party to keep fighting (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

End to car tax relief on table to plug budget hole (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

McDonnell watches cash during transition (Richmond Times-Dispatch) 

GOP picks McWaters to run for Va. Senate (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Nonprofit sues to avoid disclosing donors (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Analysis:

Spotlight centers on Cox (Jeff Schapiro/Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Change you can count on: Five key districts (Chris Cillizza/Washington Post)

Commentary:

Wilder: Why Creigh Deeds Lost (Doug Wilder/Richmond Times-Dispatch)

Annotations & Elucidations

Back From Break

The four day Thanksgiving break is universally good for everyone. With so many events converging in November, it’s good to hit the breaks, take a rest, then gear up for the non-stop onslaught that is December (Christmas season and preparing for the General Assembly) and January and February (which is all General Assembly all the time).

One wouldn’t think there’d be much news over the break, but there is. The Richmond Times-Dispatch profiles Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli, who is ready and eager for his new job (to the horrors of liberals). Virginia’s financial woes continue to make news as the commonwealth borrows more to meet its unemployment insurance obligations, but it may just yet reap a windfall (see the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot and Washington Post, respectively). Speaking of the GA, ethics reform will be big this year, per The Daily Press. Speaking of ethics, the State Board of Elections is demanding some answers this week from a group that wanted to mail you information about your neighbors voting habits. Only certain people can obtain Voter Vault lists, such as elected officials, so the supplier (or willing supplier) to the Know Campaign is a case for the curious. The Virginian-Pilot has the details. In some good news, because we believe the more people can understand that the Founding Fathers intended America as a land of limited government and religious liberty, it’s now easier than ever to read their words as they wrote them (see the T-D).

Nationally, more fallout from the leaked e-mails documenting the “global warming” hoax, the GOP looks for more orthodoxy, a boycott of Gap and Old Navy ends, a Hollywood superstar calls President Obama a “socialist,” while said POTUS leaves out God in his Thanksgiving proclamation. Finally, speaking of Hollywood, the latest “feel good movie of the year,” Blind Side, has some troubling aspects about public education and government influence on families that shouldn’t go unnoticed, as writes Star Parker. Whoa! Told you it’s full steam ahead. Hope the break got you ready for what’s coming at us.

News:

Cuccinelli digs in to set course for AG’s office (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

GOP to hold firehouse primaries for both open Senate seats (Washington Post Virginia Politics Blog)

Va. to borrow $1.26 billion for depleted unemployment funds (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

U.S. sitting on $17 billion in unclaimed war bonds (Washington Post)

Lawmakers expect focus on ethics reform in wake of Phil Hamilton (The Daily Press)

Officials tell nonprofit to reveal voter history data source (Norfolk Virginian-Pilot)

Founding Fathers’ papers go online (Richmond Times-Dispatch)

National News:

Global-warming data sets ’simply made up’ (OneNewsNow.com)

Divided Senate opens health care debate (AP/OneNewsNow.com)

GOP purity test proposed (OneNewsNow.com)

AFA ends boycott of Gap, Old Navy: Best Buy and Dick’s Sporting Goods make AFA’s “Naughty” list (American Family Association)

Commentary:

Obama Doesn’t Use ‘God’ in Thanksgiving Proclamation (Bryan Fischer/Focal Point Right, Rightly Concerned Blog) 

Angelina Jolie Thinks Obama Is A Socialist (Elijah Friedeman/The Millennial Perspective, Rightly Concerned Blog)

Obama invites a nightmare (Peter Heck/OneNewsNow.com)

‘The Blide Side’ should trouble as well as inspire (Star Parker/OneNewsNow.com)

So Much For Obama’s Pledge to Remove the Influence of Lobbyists (Bryan Fischer/Focal Point Right, Rightly Concerned Blog)