How bat****-crazy will neo-Confederate Corey Stewart be in tonight’s “People’s Debate” with Tim Kaine in Richmond starting at 7 pm? See below for video and my commentary. I’d say “enjoy,” but seriously, is listening to the sound of neo-Confederate Corey’s voice something any sane, sentient human would ever characterize as “enjoyable?” Instead, think of it as motivation to crush his political career in five weeks, so that we never have to put up with this nutjob’s ravings again.
UPDATE 7:51 pm: Closing statements – Kaine says you’ve seen a clear choice tonight, between a Virginia for ALL and taking Virginia backwards – “I don’t think Virginians want to go back.” Kaine says Corey just stands here and makes stuff up while he’s for moving us forward, together – and that’s what he’s always done. Kaine says he wants a fundamentally optimistic, inclusive, forward-looking Virginia. Corey of course wants the exact opposite and would be a catastrophe in the U.S. Senate. On November 6, I urge every single Virginia voter to cast their ballot for Tim Kaine and against the farcical, disgraceful demagogue…neo-Confederate Corey.
UPDATE 7:45 pm: Question on neo-Confederate Corey’s favorite topic – Confederate statues. Corey starts ranting and raving about supposed state-sponsored discrimination in our colleges and universities. Kaine actually responds to the question on statues and Charlottesville. What Charlottesville was about was “anti-Semitism and hatred,” not “statues.” “Corey Stewart was a frequent…champion of Jason Kessler…of a guy named Paul Nehlen…who is a white supremacist and anti-Semite…Corey Stewart went to Alabama to campaign for Roy Moore.” Corey also trafficked in the racist, “birther” conspiracy theory. Corey claims, laughably, that he despises racism and bigotry, even as he employs racists and bigots. (and yet again the crappy WTVR feed cuts out…)
UPDATE 7:40 pm: Question on infrastructure. Kaine says he hopes after the midterms, we’ll be able to make some progress on this issue. Kaine cites getting rail to Dulles when he was governor, Amtrak service to Lynchburg, etc. Corey yet again attacks Kaine, given that he has absolutely nothing of substance or constructive to offer. Lies, lies and more lies. Kaine says he got a bunch of big transportation projects done when he was governor. Corey says “blah blah blah.” Kaine says there’s no reason to even respond, because he’s “just making it up.” So true.
UPDATE 7:33 pm: Question about Mitch McConnell. Corey says Lindsey Graham is “one of my new heroes.” Barf. Corey goes back to ranting about sexual predators in the U.S. Senate; anything to avoid talking about Brett Kavanaugh. Sen. Kaine says the majority controls the information Corey Stewart keeps ranting and raving. Kaine says he finds “offensive,” with zero evidence, that Dr. Ford’s allegations are “Democratic shenanigans.” Says Corey demeans women with credible stories of sexual harassment and assault. “Don’t pretend to care about sexual assaults.” Corey goes back to his far-right talking point about the U.S. Senate and sexual assault. Kaine says what Corey’s saying is “just false.” God, I can’t wait until I don’t have to hear Corey Stewart’s insanity…
UPDATE 7:31 pm: Corey ranting and raving about Democrats supposedly dipping into the Social Security Trust Fund. Sen. Kaine calls Corey’s answer the “theater of the absurd” – didn’t answer the question, made stuff up, etc. “Your strategy is to make cuts…you’ve got a track record.”
UPDATE 7:29 pm: The video feed has cut out for the moment, so let me just note that Corey Stewart continually speaks in broad, vague generalities indicating that he knows NOTHING about any of these issues, while Sen. Kaine talks specifically and granularly, indicating deep/extensive knowledge and understanding. No comparison; these guys are in completely different leagues (Kaine in the majors, Corey in Class A at best).
UPDATE 7:27 pm: Corey keeps doubling/tripling/quadrupling down on the horrendous Republican tax monstrosity.
UPDATE 7:26 pm: The Kaine campaign notes that “29 of Kaine’s bills have been signed into law — 12 under President Obama, and 17 under President Trump. Some highlights: Kaine has successfully passed legislation to reduce veterans’ unemployment, fight the opioid crisis, provide better tools to deal with campus sexual assault, expand career and technical education, obtain federal recognition for Virginia Indian tribes, among numerous other priorities.” The Kaine campaign adds, “Kaine has supported and secured funding for major transportation projects in Virginia both as Governor and Senator. As Governor, Kaine passed the “first substantial funding reforms for Virginia’s roads, rails and transit operations in a generation” and played a key role in making projects like Metro’s Silver Line to Dulles, the Norfolk Tide light-rail system, and extending Amtrak service to Lynchburg a reality. In the Senate, Kaine has secured funding for major projects like the I-95 Atlantic Gateway multimodal project, a new interstate connector at Norfolk International Terminal, the replacement of the Chesapeake Deep Creek Bridge, and rehabilitation of the I-64 Delta Frame Bridges.”
UPDATE 7:22 pm: Question on affordable housing. Corey says we have to “raise all ships,” which of course has nothing to do specifically with the question. Then Corey attacks Kaine for voting against the Republicans’ tax cut (which, I’d note, blew up the deficit/debt by trillions of $$$ and was heavily weighted to corporations and the top 1%). So…note that Corey had absolutely NOTHING to say on affordable housing, just b.s. and bluster, the same handful of nonsensical talking points he keeps returning to. Sen. Kaine says he was a housing attorney before he got into politics, then talks granularly about the issue, something that Corey obviously can’t do because he has NO CLUE. Kaine says PW County was the “foreclosure capital of Virginia.”
UPDATE 7:16 pm: Question on mental health care. Sen. Kaine says mental health is an issue that touches every family. That’s why he’s so proud that the Senate will be voting in the next 48 hours on a bill to combat addiction. Need a more significant commitment at the federal level and a change in focus to treating addiction as a public health issue, not so much as a law enforcement issue. Kaine says we don’t need officials who will slash public health budgets, as Corey Stewart did. For his part, Corey simply attacks Kaine baselessly…”he doesn’t work with the president…he’s bitter about 2016″ (hahahahaha). Basically, all that faux-tough-guy Corey Stewart knows how to do is talk tough, make shit up and get nothing done. Sen. Kaine says they’re in his hometown and people know all the great stuff he got done as mayor and as governor. “I know you don’t care about that stuff, but I think Virginians do.” Kaine notes that he works with President Trump when it’s good for Virginia.
UPDATE 7:11 pm: Question on prescription drug costs. Neo-Confederate Corey yet again has nothing to offer other than “outrage”/ranting and raving, bashing the federal government and “federal bureaucrats.” Kaine says “you need to hang on to your wallets if Corey Stewart were to get his hands on your health care”; talks about his terrible record on health care in PW County, that Corey wants to eliminate the Affordable Care Act. Kaine notes that he’s a cosponor of a bill to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies, something even Trump said he supported when he was running. Corey rants about Kaine supposedly getting “nothing done, folks” (love the faux-folksy schtick, by the way). So basically, it’s the same false, b.s. attacks from the last debate, with absolutely nothing positive to offer. Why would anyone support this loser? Kaine reminds everyone he was governor during the worst recession since the Great Depression, that he cut his own salary.
UPDATE 7:10 pm: Sen. Kaine tells Corey Stewart not to “make stuff up,” which is exactly what Stewart has been doing. Kaine says Corey should stop pretending he cares about sexual assault, that if he did he wouldn’t have campaigned for Roy Moore or for “sexual harasser” Vance Wilkins.
UPDATE 7:07 pm: Sen. Kaine correctly says the issue of sexual assault of women was minimized by Corey Stewart, who joked about pulling a girl’s pig tails. Kaine says we have to get to the bottom of what went on with Brett Kavanaugh before a vote is taken to confirm him to the Supreme Court. Corey returns to his clownish nonsense and deflection from the issue at hand, ranting and raving about Congress. It’s truly pathetic; I can’t believe this guy’s as crazy and stupid as he seems, but who knows. Regardless, he’s got absolutely nothing to offer.
UPDATE 7:02 pm: Sen. Tim Kaine’s opening statement. Thanks AARP for sponsoring the event. “Elections are about choices…the choice in this election is VERY clear.” “My theme is upbeat, positive and forward looking, ‘A Virginia That Works for ALL’…my opponent’s theme is angry and divisive, ‘Take Virginia Back.'” Kaine goes after Corey for “championing the causes of white supremacists,” “trafficking in bizarre conspiracy theories,” etc. This is about the direction you want Virginia to go. For his part, neo-Confederate Corey starts blabbering and lying about how great Trump supposedly is (natch) and of course giving ZERO credit to Democrats and President Obama for saving the economy from the Great Recession. Corey then doubles down on his wild charges about sexual harassment in the U.S. Senate.
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