A few minutes ago on a conference call (see below for audio) Virginia Democratic Party Chair Susan Swecker nailed Republican Lt. Governor nominee Jill Vogel for her disgusting, inexcusable attack on Democratic Lt. Governor nominee Justin Fairfax’s intelligence last night. As Chairwoman Swecker explained (bolding added by me for emphasis):
We just wanted to make sure you saw the outlandish statement that came out of Jill Vogel’s mouth last night, questioning Justin Fairfax’s ability to talk intelligently about issues, and that you know how offended we are as a Democratic family about it.
For those of you that were there, like Sen. McClellan was, or for those of you who watched the video, you could audibly hear the gasps in the room. I was dumbfounded and astounded to hear those words come out of her mouth, and then I was immediately got calls, texts and…it was unbelievable.
As Justin pointed out in his response – and I have to say I admire him and respect him so much for his steady and strong response under such personal and petty attack, showing us again that he is prepared to be our next Lt. Governor – these types of personal attacks are exactly the type of politics that people are tired of and that they reject. Justin is a former prosecutor with degrees from Duke and Columbia, and to question his ability to “talk intelligently” is more like something from 1957 instead of 2017.
Now, I can’t speak to what was inside of Jill Vogel’s head, but the optics of a white woman saying that a black man with extraordinary credentials who last night spoke with substance and great command of the issues – those optics aren’t good. As we say in Highland County, if it quacks like a duck, looks like a duck, it’s probably a duck.
State Sen. Jennifer McClellan then proceeded to rip Jill Vogel for her infamous transvaginal ultrasound bill, and also reinforced Susan Swecker’s points about Justin Fairfax’s intelligence and qualifications. Meanwhile, as Sen. McClellan put it, all of Vogel’s personal attacks don’t change the fact that she “has yet to explain one of the most embarrassing pieces of legislation any legislator in Virginia has offered over the last 10 years.”
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