Democracy for Virginia

It Stops in Virginia

Now that's what I'm talkin' about, baby!   http://www.itstopsinvirginia.com/

and Tom Daschle steps in, too:  http://www.itstopsinvirginia.com/daschle.html  Nice. 

(Hat tip to Alice at GOTV, and check out Lowell's related story at RaisingKaine about John McCain slamming the lowest of the low, the people who created the so-called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads against John Kerry.)

Further on the 45th: Fun Format Firehouse Forum Today

Okay, sorry.  I got carried away with alliteration in the title there.  But for voters and activists still deciding whom to support in the 45th, there is one unique opportunity this afternoon to see all 6 candidates for the 45th district race together:

ALEXANDRIA DEMOCRATIC COMMITTEE
FIREHOUSE 109 & LADREY 101 PRECINCTS PRESENT

45th District, Virginia House of Delegates Candidates Forum
Introduced by Mayor Bill Euille

Sunday, May 22, 2005
3 – 5 PM

Charles Houston Recreation Center Gymnasium
901 Wythe Street, Alexandria

Moderated by Lavern Chatman, CEO, Northern Virginia Urban League

Now, before you call me crazy for calling this a "unique" opportunity (since these candidates have participated together in more forums than I can count, to their credit!) hear me out.  Like the Democratic Presidential primary debates in late 2003 and early 2004, candidate forums with 6 candidates from the same party can get pretty tedious, especially if the format calls for all candidates to answer every question and the candidates by and large agree on most major issues.

But I've been told that the format for today's candidate forum will shake things up quite a bit.  Not every question will be answered by every single candidate (thank goodness for small mercies!) and, last I heard, participants will be able to ask unmoderated questions from the floor.  In the world of the usually staid candidate forum, this is the equivalent of Extreme Sports.  Bring your helmet and kneepads, folks.

And if you want to prepare an informed question or two, don't forget to review the candidates' responses to the Arlington/Alexandria for Democracy Candidate Questionnaire as well as their Web sites.  (I know, I know, the rest of us in other districts in Virginia are just in awe at the embarrassment of Democratic riches over in the 45th.  My Democratic relocation package idea ain't sounding so crazy, now, is it, when you consider that only one of these great candidates can go on to the general?)

AAfD Endorses David Englin in the 45th

Arlington/Alexandria for Democracy made an important decision this week regarding the open seat for the 45th House of Delegates District:

Arlington, VA – Based on a membership vote, Arlington/Alexandria for Democracy (AAfD) enthusiastically endorses David Englin for the 45th District House of Delegates seat. A clear majority of members voted for Englin as their first choice, citing his progressive values and energizing campaign. AAfD urges 45th District residents to cast their votes for Englin in the June 14 Democratic primary.

Englin has distinguished himself from his five competitors for the nomination with a vigorous grassroots campaign that is breathing fresh life into the movement to fight for our socially progressive, fiscally responsible values in Richmond. Co-host Matthew Munsey of Arlington explained: "The strong consensus among our members is that David Englin embodies our mission by reaching out to everyone in our community, including many who have been disengaged from the political process. He has demonstrated strong leadership in fighting unabashedly for progressive values, even as an Air Force officer stationed in George Bush's Pentagon."

The full press release is here and discussion after the jump!

DFV Leader Publishes Op Ed in Roanoke Times

Kathy Welch, a Democracy for Virginia leader from Blacksburg (and host of the Blacksburg DFA Meetup) published a great op ed piece in today's Roanoke Times on the "so-called liberal media", here in Virginia and nationally.  An excerpt:

Until May 13, the news pages of The Roanoke Times failed to report what's circulated the globe for weeks: notes from a July 2002 meeting among high-ranking British officials, revealing that the Bush administration knowingly cooked the intelligence on WMDs and more.

But lying about sex, now that's worth front-page coverage, years of media time and more than $50 million.

Even conservative William Kristol has admitted there's no such thing as a "liberal media" (according to Joe Conason in his book, "Big Lies").

But bullies shout that well-worn myth to manipulate, stifle and discount balanced reporting. They try to silence Tommy Denton and staff, whose op-ed section is the only place in The Times where moderate and progressive views appear. These same bullies also try to intimidate letter writers.

So, you've got to hand it to Denton and staff, small-town heroes, trying to create some degree of balance and open discussion in a hostile environment.

Some question whether those of us who care about media issues are wasting our time. What choice do we have? It's our duty to care what happens to our country and our communities. And an honest, open and reflective press is everyone's concern.

Kathy has been leading grassroots "rapid response" efforts for Democrats in Montgomery County and beyond, encouraging more ordinary Virginians to become active questioners and responders to media reporting, not just passive consumers.  Kudos to Kathy for getting published today!

And on a side note, my good friend Teri Mills, a leader with Democracy for Oregon, yesterday captured the "holy grail" for op ed writers - a spot on the New York Times Op Ed page - with a great piece proposing her idea for a National Nurse.  I fondly remember reading Teri's thoughts on the National Nurse idea in the comments section of Blog for America during the early, heady days of the Dean campaign in 2003.  With other BFA regulars, I vicariously shared in her delight when she first got very positive feedback from Gov. Dean about the concept.  Since then, she's branched out from her career as a nurse educator to become a weekly contributor to BFA on health care policy.  It's amazing to see her graduate to the "big time" at the NYT!

Kathy and Teri remind us all that we don't have to be entirely passive consumers of the news and that ordinary citizens can make an impact.  Thanks for the inspiration!

Lt Gov: 3 Dems Debate, 2 Republican No-Shows

Political news stories often claim the GOP is investing in outreach to minority voters and attempting to appeal to African-American voters.  There wasn't much evidence of that last night, however, as both Republican candidates for Lieutenant Governor were no-shows at a candidates forum in Alexandria hosted by an alliance of fraternal and civic organizations for people of color.

Approximately 100 people attended the forum, organized by the Northern Virginia Legislative Coalition, non profit group of minority fraternal and civic organizations that aims to encourage increased citizen involvement in legislative issues.  Member organizations include the Northern Virginia Urban League, Alexandria/Arlington Latino Democrats, Asian-American Pacific Network, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, and other organizations.  In 2003 and 2004, the Coalition sponsored monthly voter empowerment events and other activities to educate the community on the importance of voting.  The Coalition plans to sponsor a future debate for candidates for Governor as well.    All six candidates for Lieutenant Governor were invited to last night's event, and I was eager to see them all on one stage together.

After passing the beautiful and abundant refreshments tables organized by Coalition member groups, I walked into the auditorium at Minnie Howard School and saw immediately that something was amiss. There were four women and two men at the speakers' table, but there are only two women running.  I recognized Sen. Leslie Byrne, Del. Viola Baskerville, and Del. Chap Petersen right away, but who were the two other women and one man?

Turns out that both Republican candidates, Sen. Bill Bolling and Sen. Sean Connaughton, didn't participate.  Democratic Senator Phil Puckett was also unable to attend.  They all sent surrogates in their stead to make opening and closing statements, though the surrogates did not participate in the audience Q&A.  (Which was a bummer, since I was really hoping someone would confront Connaughton about his obnoxiously hideously obscenely huge campaign eyesore just off 395 in Springfield, declaring it a risk to public safety as drivers crane their necks while navigating the "Mixing Bowl" to read around the corner of the building.)

I have to confess I was most disappointed that I missed a chance to see the Republicans spar with one another since that particular fight has gotten quite negative and ugly lately.  In contrast, though the four Democrats are running spirited campaigns, they candidates are staying away from really negative attacks. 

Alas, no deliciously wicked Republican "race for the most regressive" cat-fights were to be seen.  And aside from one dig at a fellow Democrat, the Dems were quite cordial.  Extremely longwinded event overview after the jump.

Virginians [Heart] Mark Warner

I've seen even more positive polls than this one, but thought it was still worth mentioning the SurveyUSA poll of approval ratings for Democratic Virginia Governor Mark Warner released today.  The poll was taken from May 6 - May 8.

Short story:  Virginians [Heart] Mark Warner.

Here are the results of 600 Virginians who were asked the question, "Do you approve or disapprove of the job Mark Warner is doing as governor?"

55% Approve
31% Disapprove
15% Not Sure

And here are a few demographic breakdowns:

By Gender
Male  (48%)          Female (52%)
53% Approve       56% Approve
37% Disapprove    25% Disapprove
10% Not Sure        19% Not Sure

By Age
18-34 (32%)            35-54 (41%)            55+ (27%)
48% Approve         56% Approve      61% Approve
34% Disapprove    32% Disapprove     21% Disapprove
18% Not Sure        13% Not Sure         13% Not Sure

The great news is that Gov. Warner's approval numbers are higher than his disapproval numbers among not only both men and women, among both white and black respondents, among respondents in ALL age ranges, but also among Democrats, Indpendents, AND Republicans!

Breakouts by race and party affiliation available here, and discussion below the jump.

Daily Progress Covers Political Blogs, Democrat in the 50th

Bob Gibson from the Charlottesville Daily Progress devoted his "Political Notebook" yesterday to political blogs in Virginia.

I'm also delighted to point out that I was incorrect in writing that there is currently no Democrat running in the 50th district against either incumbent Delegate Harry Parrish or "Pimp My Ride" Steve Chapman.  Donald Shuemaker, Chair of the Manassas Park Democratic Committee, will face either Parrish or Chapman in November.  Thanks to an astute reader for sending me this information.  Kudos to Shuemaker for stepping up to run for this seat!

Dave Marsden in the 41st

On Saturday, I had the opportunity to speak with Stacy Berger, Field Director for the Dave Marsden for Delegate campaign in the 41st District in Fairfax County.  For those of you who are fresh out of campaign training, as well as other eager volunteers, here's a great opportunity to jump right in.  Dave is a great candidate, and this is an excellent chance to pick up an open seat from a retiring Republican. 

Marsden has a long and distinguished career in juvenile justice, and had worked for a time as a legislative aide to the the retiring delegate.  His Republican opponent quotes approvingly from his Club for Growth endorsement which speaks of the previous Republican's "extreme liberal bias--some would say socialist agenda".

Click below the jump for a message from Stacy about how you can get involved with the campaign.

"Pimp My Ride" Chapman May Get New Crib...With Bars

It's fun to watch Republicans spend money fighting each other, especially in these House primary races to see who's the most regressive, anti-tax extremist.  It's even more fun when one of those candidates is charged with felony election fraud:

The Manassas businessman challenging longtime state Del. Harry J. Parrish in the June Republican primary said he expects to be charged today with lying about where he lives, his campaign announced yesterday.

Candidate Steve H. Chapman will hold a news conference at the county courthouse this afternoon after he is formally charged with election fraud, said Thomas Kopko, communications director for his campaign. [...]

At the Manassas condominium on Richmond Avenue, Chapman said, "Welcome to 'Pimp My Ride,' " as he opened the door -- referring to an MTV show where skilled mechanics transform dilapidated vehicles into luxury cars.

The cluttered, one-story condominium was filled with dirty furniture. The walls were not painted. The kitchen had no refrigerator and a broken stove. The bathroom, he said, was "under renovation."

In a bedroom, two old mattresses were stacked on top of each other and had no sheets. "It's luxurious," Chapman said sarcastically. "I have an ergonomic pillow so I get a good night's sleep."

Chapman is one of the ultra-conservative anti-tax extremists, funded largely by VA Conservative Action PAC, taking on moderate Republican leaders who supported Governor Warner's fiscally responsible budget last year.  Though Chapman's campaign blames these charges on "desperate opponents", VPAP shows that Del. Parrish, the incumbent, has around 7 times more cash on hand than Chapman - hardly a "desperate" position at this point in the race.

This afternoon's Manassas Journal Messenger has more details on the charges, saying that Chapman has been charged with both felony election fraud and misdemeanor illegal voting.  (Interestingly, Gil Davis, who failed to make the Republican Lt. Gov. primary ballot because he fell slightly short in petition signatures in April, is Chapman's defense lawyer.)

Unfortunately, as of yet, there's no Democrat running in the 50th district.  Still, this will be interesting to watch, especially if this "Pimp My Ride" jokester ends up in a different kind of "Crib" altogether.

Why Don't You Speak For Yourself, Jerry?

The following guest post was written by the Honorable Clifton A. "Chip" Woodrum of Roanoke, who served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1990 until his retirement in 2004.  Chip Woodrum wrote a previous post reflecting on Gov. Gilmore's interference in the tragic Hugh Finn case in Virginia.

My, my, the governor’s race seems to be heating up quite nicely—and quite early, too.

The latest incident was an ad taken out by Republican Jerry Kilgore’s campaign which accused Democrat Timothy Kaine of mocking Kilgore’s Southwest Virginia accent.  The ad contains a headline addressed to Kaine that literally shouts “SHAME ON YOU!”  It  doesn’t feature Kilgore’s own words but utilizes “quotes” from others. 

Now what is this all about?  A little context might clarify for those of us who have not been paying close attention.  It seems to have started a few weeks ago when the Kilgore Campaign began to run a radio ad that belittled Tim Kaine’s Catholic faith and implied that he was using his religion for political purposes.  The ad was slickly produced and featured the customary golden-throated oily voice trying to sound sincere but dramatic.  Kilgore himself did not use his own voice to make the allegations.

Kaine responded with an ad criticizing Kilgore and saying that Kilgore should “speak for himself” when attacking and not rely on “slick radio announcers to do his dirty work.”  Kaine’s ad made no mention of Kilgore’s accent or his rather high-pitched voice.

This obviously set the Kilgore campaign all atwitter.  After U. Va. professor Larry Sabato opined that Kaine might be trying to gain some advantage with the state’s suburban voters by emphasizing Kilgore’s accent, they began to accuse Kaine of demeaning all of southwest Virginia.

Seriously folks, I think they might want to be taken…um-- seriously.

Well—as FDR used to say—let’s take a look at the record.

First, this theory ignores the fact that Kilgore was elected Attorney General in 2001 and has been running for governor ever since.  I mean the guy has been everywhere—Accomac, Fairfax, Norfolk, Newport News—you name it.  As a matter of fact there are some who claim that Kilgore has spent more time running for governor in the last four years than he has in doing the job he was elected to do.  There is hardly a nook or cranny of the state that hasn’t heard his dulcet tones.

The Kilgore claims also ignore the fact that Kaine has married into (married up-we say) a prominent southwest Virginia family.  Yes, he married the daughter of former Governor A. Linwood Holton.  Holton was born and raised in Big Stone Gap and practiced law in Roanoke before he became governor.  They still have scads of in laws hereabouts.  I don’t believe we will find him making fun of his wife or father in law’s accent or anything near to it!

No what Kaine obviously meant was that Kilgore was being what we used to call a “sissy” but now call a “wimp” for letting others do his dirty work for him in demeaning Kaine’s religious beliefs. Kaine was doing what we all used to do in the school yard and told Kilgore, in effect, “Say that to my face.”

And even in his response, Kilgore wouldn’t say it to his face.  No, he got others to do his work—Wimp!

Editor's Note:  An editorial in today's Staunton News-Leader concurs with Chip Woodrum's assessment, saying of this kerfuffle, "[A]ll that Kilgore is accomplishing is to make himself look like a thin-skinned crybaby."