Monthly Archives: August 2010

Another great video diary by Jeff Schapiro of the Richmond Times-Dispatch.  In this one, Schapiro explains that "Gov. Bob McDonnell wants to get the state out of the liquor business, but not everyone thinks it's a good idea."  Actually, after watching this video, my question is whether anyone other than Bob McDonnell thinks it's a good idea.  That, in turn, raises an important question: when it comes to this harebrained liquor privatization scheme, what exactly is Bob McDonnell drinking, anyway?  

Sen. Webb issued the following statement a short while ago.

After more than seven years of operations and countless rounds of troop rotations, I am heartened today by the President's confirmation of the end of the U.S. combat mission in Iraq and his stated intention to withdraw all our troops by the end of 2011.  Although our residual force of 50,000 will continue to perform hazardous duties during the year ahead, today's transition is an important milestone.

More after the "flip"

cross-posted from Sum of Change

We have already posted several telling interviews from our filming at Glenn Beck's 828 Restoring Honor Rally, but we haven't yet posted our most emotional, interactive, and intense experiences. Towards the end of our day downtown, we stopped to chat with some folks from the crowd- as we did throughout the day. When we began our interview with Madonna from Indiana, we were in the exact center of a circular cement area that is the entrance way to the World War II Memorial. Our conversation started with Madonna, the only person in her group of 5 or so who decided to stop and chat with us.  Quickly, however, not only did several of her friends decide to join our discussion, but several onlookers decided that they belonged in our conversation as well. Before we knew it, we were encircled by 30 or so rally goers who decided to engage us (verbally) in an effort to try and convert us to Glen Beck's White Christian Civil Rights Utopia. Below is the majority of the half hour experience in 6 parts and at the very bottom is all 30 minutes of our discussions unedited.

Are you sitting down? I hope so, because this is going to shock you. That's right, the Democratic Party of Virginia, which was last seen boarding a Greyhound bus to parts unknown, never to be heard from again, has actually issued a press release!. I told you I hoped you were sitting down. :) Anyway, it's good to see the DPVA return from the Land of the Living Dead.  It is a bit pathetic, however, that it took craziness even by Ken Kookinelli standards to prompt this DPVA reappearance, but hell, I guess we'll take it.

"I was glad to see this ideological crusade by Mr. Cuccinelli dismissed by Judge Peatross, but the real victims are Virginia's tax payers," DPVA Chairman Dick Cranwell states.  "The Attorney General is using his tax payer funded office as his own personal piggy bank, at a time when Virginians need help.  These ideological crusades do nothing to protect Virginians from predatory lending.  They do nothing to protect consumers from unsafe products or fraudulent services.  In short they do nothing but advance the Attorney General's reputation as an extremist who cares more about his ideology than he does about Virginia.  Tax payers beware, Mr. Cuccinelli is wasting your money."

UPDATE: Of course, the DPVA has not weighed in on this, which it should do ASAP given the level of importance. Hello? Anyone home at DPVA?

Ah, summer in what certain Republicans refer to as "Communist Country!" Wait, I didn't know that Kim Jong-il was into funnel cakes, ice cold lemonade, corn dogs and Ferris wheels.  :)

The McDonnell-Cuccinelli antics add to the fog that provides cover for the unfounded ramblings of the Goodlattes of Virginia. Unchallenged by Democrats, these anecdotes become embedded in the electorate's world view. That won't change anything in the 6th District this year. But they wash over Virginia for 2011 and beyond.

The Mutt and Jeff act is a perfect one-two reactionary strategy. The Attorney General tilts at windmills while the Governor provides a "more balanced" view of principle, sounding reasonable, businesslike, and bipartisan. Meanwhile, uncontested Republicans like Goodlatte (here showing bipartisan appeal) hold town halls with apprehensive audiences where they twist the facts to stoke the fear and resentment. No effective counter from the Democratic Party of Virginia (DPVA).

"George King of Lynchburg asked why energy products that are made in China, such as photoreceptors, couldn't be made in the United States. Goodlatte said the answer lies in reducing the cost for companies to operate in the United States, through lower health-insurance costs and lower corporate taxes." - reported in The News & Advance

It couldn't be the almost slave labor cost advantage...it must be the evil health insurance and taxes. Unfortunately, this plays well in Peoria...or more appropriately, anywhere outside NOVA. And when these trees fall in the Republican forest, the case for a red Virginia is built from the timber.  

Yesterday, I got word that Jim Webb's Communications Director, Jessica Smith, is leaving her job after 4 years with "Team Webb" (she started with the Webb campaign in 2006, which is where I first got to know her) to take a Schedule C position with the Department of Justice. There, Jessica writes, she will "focus on civil rights issues, and among other tasks...provide communications support for the 93 U.S. Attorneys across the country." That's great news for the Department of Justice, and I wish Jessica the best of luck in her new position.

By the way, in 2007, Jessica was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People on Capitol Hill" for her "porcelain skin and brilliant smile," "flame-red hair and whip-smart bearing." That's not a bad combination of traits to team with top-notch professionalism, diligence, loyalty, tact, etc. Again, good luck to Jessica!

P.S. Replacing Jessica will be Will Jenkins, who she describes as "a native Virginian who hails from Hampton Roads." According to Jessica, Jenkins "has been with us for a number of months now, and I know that he and our press office won't miss a beat."  

Thanks to Tom Whipple for the Tuesday "Clips."

1. MCDONNELL SEEKS INDEPENDENT PROBE OF COMPUTER OUTAGE
4. GROUPS URGE MCDONNELL NOT TO ALLOW STATE TROOPERS TO ACT AS IMMIGRATION AGENTS
6. MCDONNELL MOVES AHEAD WITH SEEKING POLICE ROLE IN ENFORCING IMMIGRATION LAW
9. JUDGE REJECTS KEN CUCCINELLI'S PROBE OF U-VA. GLOBAL WARMING RECORDS
17. ALTRIA THE TOP-SPENDING LOBBYIST FOR THE YEAR?
18. GOODLATTE STRESSES AUSTERITY IN LYNCHBURG TOWN HALL
32. A FEDERAL JUDGE PUTS A DAMPER ON MR. CUCCINELLI'S U-VA. WITCH HUNT
33. FINALLY, SOME GOOD NEWS FOR SOUTHSIDE
35. TOWN HALL OR POLITICAL RALLY?
36. BOB AND KEN MOVE TO THE RIGHT
40. VIRGINIA OFFICIALS WANT HURRICANE EARL ON RESIDENTS' RADARS
46. ANOTHER $1 MILLION FOR WEATHERIZATION PROGRAMS

The Danville Register & Bee finally takes on a question we've all been asking ourselves: What's with all these Democrats trying to take credit for the economic recovery package helping avert another Great Depression?

Rep. Tom Perriello, he of the shoe in the cowpie campaign commercial, really stepped in it last week. Perriello, under fire for his vote in favor of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, said the stimulus prevented another Great Depression.

"The Recovery Act helped avert a Great Depression that was looming when I was sworn in, and has put our country on a solid road to economic growth," Perriello said.

Perriello's comments followed the release of a report by the Congressional Budget Office that the stimulus now costs more - $814 billion instead of the original $787 billion - but that it had lowered unemployment and increased the gross domestic product.

Hoo boy! That Tom Perriello TOTALLY stepped in it ... by defending a bill that lowered unemployment & increased GDP at a time of economic crisis.

Wait ... what?

I could have sworn that just a few months ago, Bob McDonnell was heaping praise - not to mention taxpayer dollars by the boatload - on Northrop Grumman for moving around 300 jobs to Virginia. Of course, a few months later, it turned out that Northrop Grumman could taketh away (laying off 330 people at Fort Eustis) just as they could giveth (supposedly 300 jobs coming our way, at a cost of $12-$14 million to Virginia taxpayers).  And now, it gets even worse.

Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) called for an independent, third-party investigation into the massive computer failure that has left several state agencies crippled for five days.

"I am not pleased that our employees and citizens have experienced this disruption in service," McDonnell said in his first comments since the computer failure Wednesday...

McDonnell announced in April that the state had reworked its massive $2.4 billion computer services contract with Northrop Grumman, extending the 10-year contract by three years and agreeing to pay the company over $100 million more than originally envisioned. State officials say the company's financial penalties are likely to exceed $100,000.

Ah, crony capitalism - aka, "corporate welfare" - run amok. Heckuva job, Bob McDonnell!