To put it mildly, Ken Cuccinelli and Terry McAuliffe differ when it comes to protecting Virginia's environment and natural resources. For starters, Cuccinelli denies climate science and pursues witch hunts against leading climate scientist, while going around bragging that he beat the EPA, as if that's a GOOD thing!  Astounding. Meanwhile, Terry McAuliffe knows that protecting and conserving Virginia's environment and natural resources, like the Chesapeake Bay and GW National Forest, is not just good in and of itself, but will help Virginia's economy and protect the health of Virginians as well. Ken Cuccinelli has a diametrically different view, one driven by his fossil fuel friends like the Koch brothers, and this should be a major reason why you not only turn out on November 5 to vote for Democrats up and down the ballot, but also donate and volunteer to your favorite Virginia Democratic candidate. Now, here's Terry's plan:

Virginia gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe launched his platform to protect Virginia's environment and natural resources to ensure continued economic growth in Virginia on Thursday. The plan, Protecting Virginia’s Air, Water and Open Spaces, includes supporting water clean-up plans, working with localities to ensure adequate water supply, and protecting Virginia’s coastal communities to keep Virginians safe and ensure that the Commonwealth's economy continues to grow in future generations.

McAuliffe highlighted his proposal at George's Seafood Incorporated in Norfolk, where he discussed finding smart, effective ways to reduce pollution in Virginia's waters to make it easier for small fishermen and businesses in water industries to bring healthy catch to market.

"I am committed to working with stakeholders from all sides to find innovative was to protect our great natural resources and make sure our water industries remain drivers of economic growth in Virginia for years to come," said McAuliffe.

McAuliffe's full platform is below: 

Protecting Virginia’s Air, Water, and Open Spaces

Conservation of our Commonwealth’s natural resources is a core responsibility of all Virginians and supports economic growth. Our Constitution obligates the Governor and the General Assembly to act as responsible stewards of Virginia’s environment. By protecting our natural resources, we defend the foundation of future economic growth and the long-term health of Virginians. As Governor, Terry will act in a responsible, bipartisan way to protect the Commonwealth’s precious resources for future generations of Virginians. 

1.    Restore Virginia’s streams, rivers, and the Chesapeake Bay. Thanks to the bipartisan work of lawmakers and non-profit organizations, a rigorous, science-based, multi-state program to truly clean up the Chesapeake Bay has been put together. The next four years are a crucial period for The Bay, which needs the support, advocacy, and leadership of the Commonwealth of Virginia if it is going to return to the economic, environmental, and recreational asset it can be. 

a.    Support localities’ water clean up plans. The Watershed Implementation Plans (WIPs) are the centerpiece of the plan to save the Bay. They are plans drawn up by localities in Virginia and other states to regulate the flow of pollutants into surrounding rivers and tributaries. Terry will direct the Department of Environmental Quality to engage and work side by side with these Virginia localities and representatives from the business community to help them implement their WIPs in an efficient and cost-effective way.

i.     Indentify and promulgate best storm water management practices. Storm water run off is one of the most difficult and expensive parts of the Bay’s ecosystem to manage. Terry’s Administration will coordinate with localities to identify the most efficient and cost-effective methods of dealing with storm water.

b.    Protect the Bay’s living resources. Fish and other living creatures of the Chesapeake are central to the economy and the livelihood of aquaculturists, watermen and recreational anglers. Virginia must enact innovative, science-driven strategies to manage these resources in a way that will sustain their populations for future generations. Successful bipartisan efforts to save the striped bass and blue crab populations are a good example of what we can accomplish when we work together.

c.     Work with farmers to reduce agricultural run off. Farmers are the backbone of Virginia's economy. As Governor, Terry will support farmers in continuing, refining and expanding their efforts to make meaningful contributions to protecting the Commonwealth's rivers, streams and the Chesapeake Bay. 

2.    Preserve open space. Virginia’s natural beauty and open spaces are a crucial part of our identity. In order to preserve the natural and rural character of our Commonwealth, we need to continue the work of past administrations to protect open space. 

a.    Protect the land preservation tax credit. Virginia’s program of land preservation is routinely ranked as the best in the nation. As Governor, Terry will protect and promote the outstanding Land Preservation Tax Credit.

b.    Preserve at least 400,000 acres of open space over four years. This pledge is the centerpiece of a bold, bipartisan agenda. Begun by Governor Kaine and continued by Governor McDonnell, this aggressive preservation of open land secures our environmental future for generations.

c.     Prioritize publically accessible land. Where appropriate, land preserved by tax dollars should be publicly accessible. This may include innovative public/private partnerships to open new parks around the state.

d.    Target preservation of environmentally sensitive areas. As Governor, Terry will seek to identify and prioritize the protection of Virginia's most environmentally valuable ecosystems, such as the wetlands. 

3.    Ensure adequate water supply and air quality. In order to ensure future economic growth, Virginia must guarantee a clean and stable source of water – groundwater and surface water – to businesses, farmers, and residents. Today, aquifers in many parts of the state are being drained faster than they are being refilled. We must work cooperatively with sister states to address this looming problem. 

a.    Engage localities in water planning. Terry will direct the Department of Environmental Quality to respond to dwindling aquifers by engaging localities in a comprehensive statewide process of water and drought planning.

b.    Renew cooperation in interstate water use organizations. Water supply management is not a problem for Virginia alone. Any effective plan must involve the cooperation of our sister states through organizations like the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin.

c.     Implement water reuse strategies for industrial sites. As water becomes more scarce, industrial sites should be encouraged and incentivized, where appropriate, to make use of aggressive water recycling and treatment plans.

d.    Work to protect air quality. Air quality is a national issue that by necessity has a national solution. Virginia should work cooperatively and proactively with sister states and federal regulators to do our part in solving this problem. 

4.    Sustainably manage Virginia’s mineral resources. Virginia is blessed with an abundance of mineral resources. A core responsibility of government is the careful management of these resources on behalf of all Virginians. 

a.    Ensure local control of fracking and horizontal drilling regulation. Localities that will deal with whatever costs and benefits may result from fracking and horizontal drilling should be encouraged to examine the issue and enact those rules that they believe will best serve their citizens. Terry will protect localities’ rights to make their own decisions about land use activities within their jurisdictions.

i.     Oppose fracking and horizontal drilling in the George Washington Forest. The Commonwealth of Virginia is committed to protecting and managing the George Washington National Forest. Allowing fracking and horizontal drilling in this protected area is inconsistent with this commitment.

ii.     Protect mineral rights of landowners. We have a responsibility to vigorously defend the rights of Virginia’s landowners. Terry will ensure that landowners are represented on the Virginia Gas and Oil Board.

b.    Continue the moratorium on Uranium mining. A study by the National Academy of Sciences states Virginia would have to overcome "steep hurdles" before allowing mining and milling of the ore to ensure the safety of workers, the public, and the environment. Unless these hurdles can be cleared – and there has been no indication that they can be – the moratorium banning uranium mining should remain in place. 

5.    Act decisively to protect our coastal communities. It is a scientific reality that man-made climate change is causing sea levels to rise. It is a daily fact of life for Virginians living up and down the coast and it will have major impacts on billions of dollars’ worth of public and private infrastructure. We must act now to prevent decades of increasingly severe floods and natural disasters. 

a.    Convene a Climate Change Adaptation Commission. Terry will bring together a bipartisan commission of scientists, policy makers, conservationists, and industry representatives to proactively develop a comprehensive plan to protect Virginia’s communities from rising sea levels.

b.    Draw on the expertise of Virginia’s university and college faculty. As Governor, Terry will encourage Virginia’s renowned network of universities and colleges to conduct research into the causes of and mitigation strategies for climate change.

c.     Empower coastal localities. Mitigating the effects of climate change cannot be a one-size-fits all effort. As Governor, Terry will work with localities to give them the appropriate legal authority and find funding opportunities to enact local mitigation strategies.

d.    Implement cutting edge surveying techniques. Part of mitigating sea level rise is having accurate data. The state government should take a lead role in identifying, prioritizing, and analyzing at-risk areas.

e.    Coordinate with sister states. Recurrent flooding from sea level rise affects every coastal state. We should coordinate our efforts with our regional partners to identify best practices and share costs.

 6.    Preserve historic resources. Virginia’s rich and storied history gives us our unique place in the nation, forms part of our identity and draws tourists from around the world. We should take an active and cooperative approach to preserving these important monuments to our collective past. 

a.    Administer state and federal incentives for historic preservation. The Department of Historic Resources, with the cooperation of the federal government and local non-profits, has helped spur billions of dollars of private investment in historic preservation with strategic use of tax credits.

b.    Ensure historic battlefields are protected. Significant portions of Virginia’s historic battlefields remain unprotected. The state should act in cooperation with localities and non-profits to coordinate their preservation.

c.     Protect Virginia’s diverse heritage. The history of Virginia is the story of men and women from all walks of life and backgrounds. Our Commonwealth must celebrate their hard-won contributions.

Cross posted from Scaling Green. Also, for Virginia political junkies, note that Steyer is going “big” in Virginia’s governor’s race this year to help defeat climate science denier and clean energy opponent Ken Cuccinelli.

Here are a few key points by Tom Steyer made in this interview by the CBC:

• On the TV ad rejected by WRC-TV 4 in Washington, DC, Steyer says it’s a “parody and a humorous point about a very serious subject, because we felt very strongly about the idea that this pipeline is a very bad idea, but it’s been argued about for so long, we thought we could make some lighthearted points about the inconsistencies being made by TransCanada.”
• Those inconsistencies include claims about the pipeline being a “big jobs program,” enhancing “American energy independence,” lowering gas prices in the United States, etc. that are not borne out by the facts. Instead, Steyer says, this has been a “one-sided debate about the Keystone XL pipeline, and we’ve just tried to bring in the other side.”
• Responding to TransCanada CEO Russ Girling’s claims that the pipeline has met all the criteria laid down by the U.S. government, including supposedly having “minimal impact on the environment” and being inevitable, Steyer said the State Department report has been challenged by the EPA and is most certainly not a done deal.
• Steyer would like to debate Girling, arguing that this would be “very helpful, because we have two extremely different views of the future.”
• According to Steyer, he’s not spending anything near what TransCanada has spent promoting the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline.
• In response to an assertion that he’s playing an “inside game,” trying to influence U.S. policymakers, Steyer explained that his anti-Keystone campaign is “really trying to talk to citizens about what’s going on so that people can start to understand it.”
• Steyer said it was a “ridiculous statement,” “hilarious,” and “standing on your head” when oil interests call American citizens “special interests” and oil companies “the people.”
• The bottom line, in Steyer’s view, is that this is a “very straightforward choice for the United States and for Canada to decide if we’re going to start thinking about energy differently, and if the idea is that we’re going to do the status quo…then god help us.”

Here are a few Virginia (and national) news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, August 15. As for the graphic, note that Virginia’s godawful energy policies are leaving our state in the dust when it comes to the boom in solar, wind, etc. So stupid — thanks Dominion, coal companies, Republicans, etc!

*Violence spreads across Egypt (“With at least 421 people killed, it is the deadliest day in Egypt since the 2011 uprising that toppled Mubarak”)

*White House criticizes generals for crackdown (Sadly, there’s probably almost nothing we can do in this terrible situation.)

*Trading one hostage for another (“Various reports are telling us that House Republicans are mulling a new anti-Obamacare strategy: Rather than push for a government shutdown to force the defunding of Obamacare, they will use the coming debt limit fight to force the administration to delay implementation of the law. Meanwhile, back here on Planet Earth, Obama and Congressional Democrats continue going about their day jobs.”)

*George Will: Obama tramples the Constitution (No, I don’t agree with this crazy op-ed, nor do I have the slightest respect for climate-science-denying George Will. So why am I including this article in the daily news updates? Simply to show how deranged by Barack Obama – just pure coincidence I’m sure, the first African American in the White House – so many Republicans are.)

*Va. Sen. Puckett says landowners impetus for seeking investigation (“Virginia Sen. Phillip D. Puckett pointed to regional landowners — and not a hotly contested governor’s race – as his impetus for seeking a state investigation of an attorney general staffer’s role in a natural gas royalties dispute.”)

*Outside money floods Va. governor’s race (“Major doses of outside money continue to flow into Virginia’s high-profile gubernatorial race, with nearly $1 million for an anti-Terry McAuliffe advertising the latest example.”)

*Attacks on car firm, natural gas scandals persist in Cuccinelli, McAuliffe race

*Anyone planning to write in Bill Bolling for governor?

*GOP uses Va. gubernatorial race to attack Hillary Clinton

*Fundraising, attack ads stir up Va. governor’s race (Notice how mainstream media coverage is almost 100% of the “horse race” aspect of politics, almost zero of the substance? Where’s the serious analysis of Cuccinelli’s radical education proposal, for instance? Del. Krupicka and others were able to do that, why not the corporate media?)

*Weekly Column: Cleaning Up Virginia’s Ethics and Disclosure Laws

*Governor Says State Tour Isn’t About Repairing Image (Riiiiight. Good one, though! LOL)

*Course correction needed on disclosure (“Lieutenant governor candidate E.W. Jackson has repeatedly tripped over campaign finance rules.”)

*The rising cost of AccessUVA

*Silver Line test train derails; cause of accident is under investigation

*D.C. area forecast: A feeling of fall on a summer day; clouds, possible dampness for weekend

*Span’s sprinting, snow-cone catch pushes Nationals’ win streak to 5 (“With a drama-filled victory over the Giants, the Nationals match their season-high winning streak.”)

I saw this online poll on the Roanoke Times website, and was pleasantly surprised to see that 80% OPPOSE fossil fuel “fracking” in the George Washington National Forest. True, it’s not a “scientific” poll, but still, it’s encouraging as far as it goes. The fact is, this should not be a difficult call, given that the GW and Jefferson National Forests contain 230,000 acres of old-growth forest, “over 50 species of trees and over 2,000 species of shrubs and herbaceous plants,” and “are popular hiking, mountain biking, and hunting destinations.” In addition, as this website explains, “More than 4.5 million Virginians rely on drinking water from the Potomac and the James River, which originate on the GWNF,” and “fracking would put those “critical drinking water resources at risk.”

Given all that, nobody in their right mind would actually support fracking in the GW National Forest, right? Think again. That’s right, guess which idiot supports fracking up the GW National Forest? You got it, our old fossil fuel friend Ken Cuccinelli, who never met a forest, stream, river, ecosystem, or planet he didn’t want to trash (in service of his paymasters – the Koch brothers, CONSOL Energy, Big Coal, etc.). In contrast, Terry McAuliffe opposes fracking the GW National Forest, as does the Virginia Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Southern Environmental Law Center, the Potomac and Shenandoah Riverkeepers, the Virginia Conservation Network, and pretty much anyone else with any sense. The bottom line is this, as Progress Virginia explains:

The best way to lower energy prices is by developing clean, safe resources that will create permanent Virginia jobs while preserving our unique environment. Clean energy is the fastest growing industry in the U.S. today. Virginia should be leading the country in creating renewable energy jobs. Fracking risks our natural heritage for the benefit of a few campaign donors.

Clearly, it’s not worth risking the amazing GW National Forest for the profits of the oil and gas companies. Yet Ken Cuccinelli would do just that – clearly prioritizing his fossil fuel donors over the interests of millions of Virginians, while Terry McAuliffe opposes it. As if you needed yet another great reason not just to vote for McAuliffe on November 5, but to actively campaign for him, and against the Koch brothers’ best friend forever – the Cooch – you’ve now got one.

P.S. For more information on fracking, see Cornell Professor: Natural Gas Fracking a “Gangplank to more warming and away from clean energy investments”, Rep. Upton: Taxpayers Paid to Develop Fracking Technology, Now Should Have No Say in Its Use, and Video: “Frackalypse Now”.

by Paul Goldman

Here at 200-proof politics, we analyze the education proposal unveiled yesterday by GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli as a chess board move, not as a policy wonk. In that regard, we have been writing since last year that education would be the deciding issue in 2013 should either the Dem or GOP candidate “win” the issue. Moreover, I have maintained this posture even longer in several conversations with both McAuliffe and Cuccinelli, along with others running for office at various levels of the game.

Admittedly the polls today show education to be of less concern to voters than at any time in the modern era. There is no reason to doubt the accuracy of the polls on this matter, since they have all been consistent here. Thus I will have to concede the evidence suggests my view of the education issue isn’t shared by the voters, much less the pundits. In most elections in the modern age, education showed up as the top state issue. But not today, by a long shot.

My reaction:  A chorus from a Collin Raye song:

Well, that’s my story.

I ain’t got a witness, and I can’t prove it,

but that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

Or, given that this is a column, perhaps Jimmy Buffet sang the better answer:

That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it

That’s my life and all that I’ve got

Call me a liar, call me a writer

Believe me or not

Believe me or not.

Either way, Buffet or Raye, the bottom line to me is the same: As purely a matter of chess board strategy, this was the first time the Cuccinelli campaign indicated to me they were ready for prime time. Here’s why.

1. This is the first time they seemed to have a coordinated approach in terms of their TV ads,  policy release statement and campaign events all around a major strategy play. A savvy Democratic strategy person pointed that out. She has an interesting insight when you noodle on it. To be sure, a “stopped clock” is right twice a day. But what if it was something else?

2.  If Bob Lewis’ story in the AP is basically indicative of the reaction – he is a top flight political reporter – it shows that the carefully staged and cleverly written Cuccinelli proposal could “get over” as they say. The Blaine Amendment repeal is iffy for sure, but if my Internet search is right, then North Carolina and Maryland DO NOT have Blaine Amendments. So the whole issue might not be all that important to swing voters here in 2013 given what is on their mind about other things.

3. The preamble to the Cuccinelli plan is something, by and large, I could have written for Wilder’s and Warner’s platforms, or Henry Howell’s for that matter, it is something Tim Kaine would regularly say in a speech, go down the list. GUV candidate George Allen could have said it, probably did. It tells me Cuccinelli’s campaign may be learning the art of political communication in Virginia.  

4.  The plan was backed up by arguably Cuccinelli’s best TV ad to date, because it didn’t have the same basic problems discussed in this space weeks ago. He spoke to camera, he looked more at ease, he didn’t look anything like his caricature. This was pointed out to me by a savvy Democratic strategy person. She was right, his ad folks finally got it right.

5. THE ACTUAL SUBSTANCE is not really the key to the politics anyway unless, in the future, a particular part of the plan becomes an issue into itself. As I say: read the stories. Those opposed were the usual suspects in the anti-Cuccinelli camp. It is no different when the press trots out the same anti-McAuliffe folks. To the swing voters, it is yada, yada, yada.

6. If you analyze the history of campaigns for Governor, NO REPUBLICAN HAS LOST who “won” the education debate as a matter of politics. Indeed, the reason segregationist Miles Godwin is amazingly respected is his role in jamming through the General Assembly the state sales tax to fund K-12 education improvements in a state nationally known for ranking near the bottom of such support. This has trumped a solid record as a full-blown segregationist until his death. Starting with 1981, education has been a big issue  (improving teacher salaries), 1993 (implementing statewide testing), 1997 (proposal to add 4,000 new teachers at state expense), 2001 (community colleges), 2005 (pre-K), and in my view, there really wasn’t much of an education issue in 2009. All the guys who were seen as winning the education issue – Robb, Allen, Gilmore, Warner and Kaine – won. It has proven to be the best issue in most campaigns.  

In that regard, let me therefore close by saying – as I have written repeatedly on this blog – that the 2013 McDonnell Transportation plan opened the door for Republicans running for statewide office to “win” the education issue. Indeed, the Democrats admitted this was true when initially opposing McDonnell’s proposal, only to back the modified version even though it took $2 billion from education and gave it to road developers as DEMOCRATS HAVE ALWAYS MAINTAINED IN EVERY OTHER GUV RACE. Indeed, this was the reason Democrats initially opposed McDonnell’s plan!

Again, I am not judging the merits of the 2013 transportation plan: only the politics. I am not judging the $2-#3 billion claim as to the merits, only pointing out this what Democrats said.

The point being: the litany of winning GUV campaigns on education above shows that having a new idea, at least in terms of a marque issue in a GUV race, tends to be the political strategy way to become the “education governor” for purposes of the campaign.

My bottom line: As a political play, Cuccinelli missed a chance for a big win on education, as has McAuliffe in my view, by not embracing the next Big Bipartisan Idea: The Warner-Kaine-Webb-Cantor-McDonnell tax credit proposal that would create 50,000 jobs in Virginia, saves localities billions in construction costs, and is based on private capital. It also reduces the federal government’s reliance on debt!

There are many hundreds and hundreds of aging, obsolete schools that would qualify for a total modernization under the Warner-Kaine-Webb-Cantor-McDonnell plan, from the poorest rural counties to actually the older, poorer areas of Fairfax and all the suburban enclaves and central cities also. The NEA on the left has finally decided to back, so have conservative publications and groups on the right.

They published a joint piece in Politico on the issue, Kaine wrote a piece about his experiences with the issue for Style Weekly in Richmond. It is a NO BRAINER politically.

Thus Cuccinelli’s education plan shows the campaign has a pulse, but there is still minimal brain activity.  Still, the bottom line: If Cuccinelli’s play yesterday indicates he is going to try and “win” the education issue, that should worry Democrats. I believe education is a sleeper issue this year. Terry’s got some solid education stuff in his platform.

If there is going to be a positive discussion on anything this year, education might be it. I have no idea where Cuccinelli is going with his education play. He may go nowhere. But there is enough in his plan and rollout to suggest education might play a bigger role for him in the Fall than it has during the Winter, Spring and Summer.  

The following guest post is from Kip Malinosky, a social studies teacher of 9 years in the Fairfax County public school system and someone who's highly knowledgeable about education policy.  Here, he responds to Ken Cuccinelli's horrendous education plan (see graphic to the far right – appropriately enough – for the craziest part of that plan, basically undoing separation of church and state while defunding public education in Virginia).  Also see Del. Rob Krupicka's demolition of the Cuccinelli plan (he gives it an overall grade of "D").  In sum, this plan is about as extreme and destructive as you'd expect from someone like Ken Cuccinelli….

Ken Cuccinelli's education plan deserves an "A" for the effort of putting together so many failed ideas in one place. Now his plan isn't all bad, it looks like he copied some good ideas from Terry McAuliffe's education plan, namely the commission to study reforming Virginia's Standards of Learning tests (the SOLs). Cuccinelli's proposals are based all around the concepts of competition and choice in and between schools. One of the champions of this educational philosophy, Diane Ravitch, did an abrupt U-turn on these ideas, when she saw them implemented with Bush's No Child Left Behind law. This is no time for Virginia to jump on a failing bandwagon. Let's get to a few of Cuccincelli's specific ideas. 

Here are a few Virginia (and national) news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, August 14. Also, check out the new ad by the McAuliffe campaign, “spotlighting the Inspector General of Virginia’s investigation into Ken Cuccinelli’s office’s role in aiding out-of-state gas companies trying to avoid paying Southwest Virginia landowners millions in gas royalties they are due. One of the companies involved in the lawsuit that Cuccinelli’s office aided donated over $100,000 to Cuccinelli’s gubernatorial campaign, which raises questions as to whose side Cuccinelli is really on.”

*Egyptian security forces storm protesters’ camps (I keep hoping this situation will end well, but I keep thinking it won’t. We’ll see…)

*Obama’s Internet plan would help schools with fees from cellphone bills (“The president’s plan to expand high-speed Internet access in schools would sidestep Congress.” Which, sadly, is the only way to get anything done with the nihilist John Birchers in charge of the House and with enough votes to constantly threaten filibusters in the Senate.)

*Cory Booker’s primary victory sets him on a clear path to the Senate

*Pro-Cuccinelli PAC gets $500,000 donation from New York executive

*Planned Parenthood mailer hits ‘extremely dangerous’ Cuccinelli

*Cuccinelli Warns Tea Party ‘Worn Out or Depressed’ (Gee, that would be a shame wouldn’t it?)

*Dueling ads: McAuliffe highlights cross-aisle support, Cuccinelli hits Democrat on probes

*McDonnell, Cuccinelli respond to suit filed by gay couple

*Educators React to Cuccinelli’s Education Proposals (“‘What he’s proposing is really symbolic of the belief that he has to win with his base. This does not broaden his base one bit,’ said JMU Political Analyst Bob Roberts.”)

*Attorney General Candidate Opposes Cuccinelli’s Education Plan (Mark Herring: “We need a strong education system and the plan Ken Cuccinelli presented today once again puts his radical views ahead of the future of Virginia. Cuccinelli’s plan will deprive our public schools the funding they desperately need. I’m proud of my support from the Virginia Education Association and my career fighting for a better public school system. As Attorney General I will continue working with parents and teachers to improve our public school system.”)

*State investigates with limited power (“But it also lays bare the inadequacies built into the legislation that established the inspector general’s office in 2011.”)

*What do Cuccinelli and Obama have in common? (“But today, they’re on the same side. Cuccinelli has joined Obama’s Justice Department in opposing the merger of U.S. Airways and American Airlines.”)

*Bolling doesn’t embrace write-in possibility, but doesn’t rule it out (“The lieutenant governor said he wishes he had given voters another choice.”)

*Schapiro: Person by person, McDonnell tries to repair his reputation (“Officially, McDonnell is on another of his occasional take-the-governor’s-office-to-the-taxpayers tours. This one runs a week, 22 stops. Unofficially, McDonnell is assessing damage to his reputation.”)

*What role will the Libertarian candidate play in this year’s governor’s race?

*Governor candidates momentarily tone down attacks

*Group plans Virginia Beach mosque; it likely would be city’s first

*McDonnell announces multimillion-dollar soybean deal in Chesapeake

*Terry McAuliffe’s former car company is signaling problems in his Virginia governor’s race (On the other hand, “Many of the accusations Mr. Cuccinelli’s campaign has leveled at Mr. McAuliffe are nonsense, particularly the suggestion that there was something scandalous about locating the venture in Mississippi…”)

*Dolphin die-off hitting Virginia hardest

*D.C. area forecast: Ultra-nice weather dominates next few days

*Tempers flare, but Nationals prevail (“Washington weathers a first-inning shouting match between players and a rain delay to beat the Giants.”)