VA Women, Don't Let Obama and Kaine Reduce you to Birth Control Voters

Throughout this election cycle, Barack Obama and his friend Tim Kaine have made it clear that women only care about birth control. Tim Kaine is running a series of ads entitled Virginia featuring different women upset that George Allen will reduce their access to birth control.



Barack Obama made headlines releasing an ad for women, reminiscent of one by Vladimir Putin, which compares voting for Obama to a woman losing her virginity.


Adding insult to injury, the President's campaign memorably encouraged women to "Vote like your ladyparts depend on it. Because they kinda do."



These are only the highlights of the ongoing Democrat effort this election cycle to define women purely by their ability and desire to have sex.  If you believe it is wrong to stereotype women as people whose primary desires are free birth control and unrestricted abortions, then you should speak out this election cycle. If issues like the economy, unemployment, and the national debt matter to you, then tell Barack Obama and Tim Kaine this election.  Don't let them distract you from their failed record on this issue.  If you are a woman who believes in the sanctity of life and that people who have religious objections to birth control shouldn't be forced to pay for it, Obama's stance on these issues gives you even more reason to make your voice heard this election.  Make sure Obama and Kaine realize that not all women are the same, and tell them to stop insulting women. Watch this entertaining TV ad.  Let's stand together for our future.

Chuck Colgan Unlikely to Seek Relection

Breaking news: Senator Chuck Colgan, president pro tempor of the VA State Senate [also the longest serving senator in the state], is saying he mostlikely will not seek reelection in 2011. "I'll probably not run. I'm not Strom Thurmond."

Some are skeptical of this announcement, given that he has said he "will not seek reelection" twice in the past, only to be convinced otherwise by Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.

If Colgan DOES retire, who would be the best candidate in the district to run for the seat other than rising star Jackson Miller, currently a VA delegate. Bob Fitzsimmonds has also expressed his eagerness in taking on this seat again, and with both Miller and Fitzsimmonds in the running, it should make for a very competitive primary. BVBL has a complete list of possible candidates on both sides of the isle.

With nothing for Colgan to lose, and no Democrat Governor to convince him to stay, it should prove to be an interesting race for the 29th district.

First Campaign Promise - Fulfilled

... and not costing us much either!!

One of Governor Bob McDonnell's early campaign pledges was to reopen the closed Interstate rest stops and he has now taken the necessary steps to do so. The Commonwealth Transportation Board unanimously voted yesterday to reopen all 19 stops by April 15th.

Democrat Tim Kaine closed the rest stops last year to cut $9 million from the state budget, but Governor McDonnell is ensuring that we make this a fiscally responsible addition to our highways. The state transferred $3 million from other areas and is talking about using inmates to do maintenance work in and around the rest stops.

President Obama should take some lessons from Gov. McDonnell about keeping campaign promises.

Ken Cuccinelli Successful During Special Session

Last month I described how Ken Cuccinelli called for a special session of the General Assembly to deal with a recent Supreme Court decision. After being accused of making political stunts, Tim Kaine eventually sided with Ken over Steve Shannon and called the special session. The session occurred yesterday, and in one day the solution bill that Ken introduced was passed through both houses of the general assembly.

Special Session

Successful;

Legislature Follows

Cuccinelli's Lead

RICHMOND - Today, Virginia's General Assembly passed legislation requested by Senator Ken Cuccinelli to address the problems created by the ruling of the United States Supreme Court in Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts.

Sen. Cuccinelli remarked, "I would like to thank my colleagues in the General Assembly and Governor Kaine for working together to solve this issue quickly." Sen. Cuccinelli added, "Across the Commonwealth, drunk drivers were getting off scott free - this was a public safety issue, and we were able to address it with today's legislation."

On June 25th, the Supreme Court ruled in Melendez that prosecutors could not require defendants to call lab technicians to testify in drug and DUI prosecutions, as this shifted the burden from the prosecution to the defense to produce witnesses in a criminal case. This decision resulted in an explosion of defense subpoenas for lab technicians - threatening to overwhelm the department of forensic sciences and prosecutors across Virginia, thereby causing the dismissal of drug and DUI cases. This decision forced prosecutors to suspend drug and drunk driver cases and caused a bottleneck in Virginia's criminal justice system.

Commonwealth's Attorneys from all over Virginia were severely concerned over the situation and were scrambling for a fix to the problem.

After consulting with Virginia prosecutors and law enforcement, Sen. Cuccinelli was the first to pose a solution to the Melendez problem, and in a letter to Governor Kaine, called for a Special Session on July 9th, just two weeks after the ruling. On July 22nd, Governor Kaine announced during a press conference that a legislative fix would be needed and called the legislature into session.

On July 10th, Democrat Candidate for Attorney General and House of Delegates Member, Steve Shannon called Sen. Cuccinelli's request for a legislative fix a "political stunt," and said an administrative fix was all that was needed. Shannon was rebuked by Commonwealth's Attorneys and even by the Governor.

Governor Kaine endorsed Cuccinelli's approach, noting that "legislative action" was necessary to solve the problems posed by Melendez.

Shannon voted for Cuccinelli's legislation, despite his early and loud opposition to resolving this issue through legislation.

"I'd like to thank Steve for voting for my 'legislative fix'," said Sen. Cuccinelli. "I'm glad Steve and others changed their mind and recognized that my urgent request over a month ago was indeed not a political stunt." Sen. Cuccinelli added, "I will continue working alongside law enforcement and Commonwealth's Attorneys to make sure that this fix has the intended effect - to stop drunk drivers, and drug offenders, from going free due to Melendez."

Sen. Cuccinelli also noted that he looked forward to addressing other approaches to alleviate the Melendez problem, such as live video transmissions from lab technicians. "I just hoping I'm doing it as Attorney General, not as a State Senator," Sen. Cuccinelli concluded.

Senator Cuccinelli was one of five members on the Courts of Justice Sub-Committee which crafted this legi

Tim Kaine Agrees With Ken Cuccinelli, Decides to Call Special Session

One of the biggest stories in the Attorney General's race is Ken Cuccinelli's call for a special session to deal with the Melendez-Diaz v. Massacheusetts decision. While Shannon thought Cuccinelli was going to far, and wanted Kaine to find an administrative solution, it now appears that Tim Kaine agrees with Ken Cuccinelli.

The AP is reporting that a Virginia lawmaker says Kaine will call a special session to deal with the issue later today.

RICHMOND, Va. - A Virginia lawmaker says Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine will call a special session to deal with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that's having repercussions in the state's courts.

The legislator spoke on the condition of anonymity Tuesday night because he was not authorized to pre-empt the governor's announcement. Kaine has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday, but his office says only that he will make two public safety announcements.

A second legislator, House Democratic Leader Ward Armstrong of Henry County, said Kaine has told him he's leaning toward calling a special session.

The announcement is expected to take place sometime later today.

Cuccinelli was the person who realized how important this issue. He accurately predicted DUI cases would be dismissed, and made the difficult but correct decision. Once again he has stood up for what is best for Virginians, even if it may be politically difficult. Kaine's decision to side with a candidate from the opposite party over his own candidate for Attorney General means that he realized administrative solutions were impossible, and the special session is what is necessary to fix this problem. His actions will validate Cuccinelli's foresight, and accurate understanding of the law.

(Cross posted at Off the Trunk, and Bloggers for Ken Cuccinelli.)

Ken Cuccinelli Calls for Special Session of the General Assembly

Ken Cuccinelli Calls for Special Session:

"We need to Protect Virginians from Drug Dealers and Drunk Drivers."

FAIRFAX -- Today, State Senator Ken Cuccinelli, (R-Fairfax), and Republican Candidate for Attorney General, called on Governor Tim Kaine to bring the Legislature back to Richmond immediately to address the problems created by the ruling of the United States Supreme Court in Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts. This decision has begun forcing prosecutors to suspend drug and drunk driver prosecutions, "which is a situation that is bad and will likely get worse if we don't act quickly," said Cuccinelli. "The first priority of Government is public safety. It is with this in mind that I call on Governor Kaine to convene the General Assembly as soon as possible to fix the problem with our notice waiver statute in the Virginia Code. While Virginia's law was ruled constitutional by our Virginia Supreme Court, that ruling was a close 4-3 decision, and it is on appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. While I share our Attorney General's opinion that Virginia should prevail under the current statute, the U.S. Supreme Court will not reconvene to hear this case until at least October, and the case is clearly a close call at best," said Cuccinelli. "Commonwealth's Attorneys are on the front lines in the war on crime, they need to be secure in knowing that all Virginia's statutes are constitutional and that their prosecutions will not be undone because of Melendez. And of course the state has an obligation to the defense, to ensure protection under the 6th Amendment. I believe the only way to ensure constitutionality is to conform Virginia's notice waiver statute to Georgia's, which the U.S. Supreme Court said is constitutional in theMelendez case. Anything less I believe would be a disservice to Virginia's Commonwealth's Attorneys and its law enforcement community," concluded Cuccinelli. Until the ruling in Melendez-Diaz, the Virginia state forensic lab was able to submit a certificate of analysis of their findings for use in court in drug and D.U.I. cases. Virginia law allows the certificate of analysis as proof of the drugs involved in the case or blood alcohol content. "With the volume of cases analyzed, requiring court appearances by the scientist in every case has the potential to cripple the criminal justice system," noted Cuccinelli. Local prosecutors across the Commonwealth are also asking for a special session to fix the problem. Louisa County Commonwealth's Attorney Tom Garrett said, "Across the Commonwealth drunk drivers and drug dealers are going free in cases that would have been certain convictions two weeks ago." Senator Cuccinelli said, "A legislative fix would be much better than hiring 100-200 new scientists, which we couldn't do now even if we tried." Senator Cuccinelli noted that under the Virginia Constitution, if the Governor does not act, the legislature can call itself into session if 2/3 of the Senators and 2/3 of the Delegates write to the Governor making such a request. "We can call the special session now, before too much damage has been done, or we'll end up doing it later, after hundreds or thousands of drug defendants and drunk drivers have gotten off spot-free. I think we should act right now."

Does Creigh Deeds Care if his Constituents Lose Their Jobs?

One of the biggest debates going on in Washington D.C. right now is on the Cap and Trade bill. The House of Representatives recently passed this totalitarian bill, and now we are waiting on the senate to vote on it. Throughout this debate Bob McDonnell has voiced strong opposition to the job that will kill jobs, raise taxes, increase government control, and do nothing about the environment. Ever since the vote in the House of Representatives Republicans have been calling on Deeds to take a position on this bill. So far Creigh Deeds has taken no stance on the bill. Deeds' silence on this bill is even more curious because according to a recent RPV press release,

"One of the MeadWestvaco plants in his own Senate district stands to be directly affected by this bill. Many of the workers at the plant may lose their jobs because of the increased costs that will be imposed on the plant if the bill is passed in the Senate."

Assuming this statement is correct (we already know this bill will hit rural areas hardest) Deeds silence begs the question, does he care if his constituents lose their jobs? If he really cared about his constituents wouldn't he fight tooth and nail against this bill? Deeds refusal to oppose cap and trade tells Virginians he prefers partisan politics and standing with the national Democratic party over fighting for Virginians best interests. The Warner/Kaine administration was marked by partisanship. This is the tradition Creigh Deeds has pledged to follow, and sadly he is taking it to a new low by allowing Virginia to lose jobs in his support for partisan politics.

Jody Wagner: I failed, Can I have a Promotion?

This is essentially what the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor is doing. She regularly gave innaccurate budget projections, and now wants to become Lieutenant Governor. While Wagner was giving innacurate predictions, Bolling was telling the state these were bad predictions and trying to put the state on a solid financial state inspite of Jody Wagner.

A recent e-mail from Mark Obenshain really makes this clear.

Dear William,

Congratulations to Jody Wagner, who won the nod to be the Democrat's candidate for Lieutenant Governor. You can be sure that she is hoping that Virginians will not notice a certain small blemish on her resume. Ms. Wagner, you see, was Governor Kaine's first Finance Secretary, and under her leadership, the Kaine Administration began to amass a dismal record of projecting the state's revenues. Ms. Wagner left the Administration after so badly missing the revenue projections for the Kaine Administration's first budget that we were running deficits within 3 months of the beginning of the budget cycle. Sadly, the Kaine administration has never recovered and has continued to deliver deeply flawed and politically motivated budget projections. Ms. Wagner, meanwhile, is looking for a promotion.

May revenue reports, out today, show that Virginia is once again in the hole, this time by $288 million, with a month to go in FY 2009. Revenue collection from January through May is down over 15% over the same period the previous year, with no sign of abatement, and the year to date decline is already at 9.3% – worse than the Kaine Administration's revised forecast of 7.3% delivered in February – with a month left to go. In fact, closing the books on a balanced budget will require an 8.1% increase over June 2008 receipts. FY 2010 is rapidly approaching; it begins on July 1, 2009. The budget for FY 2010 relies upon projections of 4.4% annual revenue growth. Sadly, it is all too apparent that rosy revenue projections have failed us yet again, and that the FY 2010 budget is on advanced life support before it even gets out of the gate.

Mark Obenshain
Virginia State Senator

Bill Bolling for Lieutenant Governor

Recently Patrick McSweeney made the headlines by sending out an e-mail urging delegates to support Patrick Muldoon for Lieutenant Governor at the RPV State Convention. So far the entire "case" for Patrick Muldoon has been comprised of nothing but criticisms of Bill Bolling. I have repeatedly asked Muldoon supporters to tell me the reason I should vote FOR Muldoon as opposed to just why I should just vote against Bolling. The only response I have heard is a deafening silence.

There are two things I like to find in an ideal candidate: a commitment to conservative principles, and an ability to get elected. No case can be made that Muldoon has a better chance of being elected than Bill Bolling. Bolling has already shown he can win the Lieutenant Governorship, and has posted solid fundraising numbers (especially when compared to Muldoon). Muldoon has yet to win a single election. He lost bis bid for VA's 9th Congressional seat, lost in a race for Commonwealth Attorney, and his highest elected office is alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention.

Since Muldoon can not try to win on electability all he can try to win on is ideological purity. I am definitely an conservative who believes people should be true conservatives not just suddenly conservative during election season. That is why I have worked hard for Cuccinelli, Jeff Frederick, and Mike Huckabee among others. However Muldoon is just as ideologically impure as he claims Bolling is and does not have the long record of accomplishments that Bolling has. Earlier his connections to Barr Labs and the gambling industry were brought to light. Now Bearing Drift is reporting that Muldoon received over $10,000 from a group that has Barr Labs as a client, and has made donations to Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and others pro-choice Democrats. If Patrick Muldoon wants to have the audacity to criticize Bill Bolling for not being ideologically pure, he needs to make sure his own house is in order first.

Bolling has a record of voting pro-life. He opposed the Warner tax increase when most Republican senators supported it. He actively opposed Tim Kaine's tax hikes and has actively supported Republicans across the commonwealth. He also had the wisdom to not step into the Jeff Frederick fight. Bolling has a proven record on the issues. He has proven his conservative credentials time and again and as a result I am proud to support him. If you are a conservative then please support one of your own, over a political unknown with huge question marks. This is our opportunity to create a strong ticket, sweep the executive offices, and increase our majority in the House of Delegates along the way.

Cuccinelli on the Issue of Taxes

The first in a series of issue positions

from the Cuccinelli for Attorney General Campaign

Now that delegates from across the Commonwealth have been elected to represent their county/city committees at the 2009 Republican State Convention, the Cuccinelli for Attorney General campaign is starting a series of emails that spell out Ken's positions - and his voting record - on these issues.

As Ken is the ONLY candidate for Attorney General with an actual voting record on important matters he may face as Attorney General, we want Delegates to know the facts behind Ken's positions. Unfortunately, we expect Ken's vast voting record to be attacked, grossly distorted and taken out of context. As the front runner, Ken expects it.

We ask you to keep these emails as your reference and your backup when discussing important issues, and dismissing the inevitable distortions which sometimes plague our political system.

We felt it appropriate to start this discussion on TAX day, a/k/a, Democrats' Day. Not because we believe we shouldn't pay ANY taxes - that's not realistic. But because we pay too much, and all to feed an ever-expanding and out of control government - local, state and federal.

As a member of the Virginia State Senate representing Fairfax County, Ken is the only candidate for Attorney General with a voting record OPPOSING TAX INCREASES, opposing government intrusion and protecting our property rights.

Perhaps Grover Norquist, the renowned national conservative and President of Americans for Tax Reform summed it up best:

"Senator Cuccinelli is the strongest and sometimes the only voice in opposing tax increases of all kinds in the legislature. He is working behind the scenes to try and bring his colleagues back into the anti-tax camp."

As a State Senator, Ken has:

• Led the fight against former Governor Mark Warner's 2004 tax increase, the largest in Virginia history;
• Led the successful defeat in the Virginia Senate of Governor Kaine's proposed tax increases in 2006 and 2008;
• Proposed measures to shift money within the current budget to transportation WITHOUT raising taxes;
• Led the successful fight against the 2002 sales tax increase in Northern Virginia;
• A 100% voting record as rated by the National Federation of Independent Business;
• Been named a "Hero of the Taxpayer" by Americans for Tax Reform.

As your next Attorney General, Ken has pledged to continue to support a favorable environment for starting and growing business in the Commonwealth, including using his political influence to fight tax increases. And while protecting Virginia consumers, Ken will direct the Attorney General's office in a manner that is as minimally burdensome on our businesses and economy as possible.

Action Alert: Ask Governor Kaine to Sign Choose Life License Plate Bill

Victoria Cobb, President Monday, March 9, 2009   Action Alert: Ask Governor Kaine to Sign Choose Life License Plate Bill See Our Latest Blog Posts @ www.familyfoundationblog.com Sign Up for Twitter Updates @ www.twitter.com/TFFVA Join Us On Facebook @ www.facebook.com See Our Video Center On YouTube @ www.youtube.com/user/TheFamilyFoundation   Two weeks ago, you heard from us about the Choose Life license plate bill victory (SB 817).  A portion of revenue raised by the purchase of these plates would be sent to pregnancy resource centers.  You may have seen our YouTube video in which Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R-37, Centreville) added the Choose Life amendment on the Senate floor or maybe you sent an email to your legislators encouraging them to vote for this pro-life legislation.    Today, I am asking you to participate in the next step of the legislative process.    The hard work and determination of Senator Cuccinelli and those legislators who voted for this legislation could all be void if Governor Tim Kaine chooses to listen to Planned Parenthood and amend the bill to remove the Choose Life plate or veto the entire bill outright.    I am asking you to contact Governor Kaine today to urge him to sign the Choose Life license plate bill.  Your urgent action is necessary!    The Governor is now in the process of deciding what his action will be concerning the bills recently placed on his desk.  Hearing from you and other concerned citizens has a profound impact on this process.  Please take just a few minutes to write a letter to Governor Kaine expressing your strong support of the Choose Life plate in SB 817, the omnibus license plate bill.  Governor Kaine’s contact information is below:   The Honorable Tim Kaine P.O. Box 1475 Richmond, VA 23218   It is preferable that you write a letter since this has the greatest impact; however, if that is not possible for you, please consider a phone call, fax, or email:   Phone:  (804) 786-2211 Fax:  (804) 371-6351   To send an email, click the link below.   While is it our hope that Governor Kaine does sign this Choose Life plate into law, The Family Foundation is prepared to mount an overwhelming grassroots advocacy campaign to put pressure on swing legislators and gather enough votes to override a gubernatorial veto.  However, your letter today can help insure that this effort is not necessary.  Please do your part and send a letter to the Governor today!  Thank you in advance for your advocacy!    ACTION: Urge Governor Kaine to sign SB 817 with no amendments, including the Choose Life License Plate.

The Death of Federalism

Last year's bailouts, supported by the Republican House and Senate leadership and signed into law by President Bush, spelled the death of capitalism.  The more I think about it, it appears that this bailout is the death of federalism, or the idea that there should be separate levels of government.  One of the major part of the Obama bailout is the bailout of the state governments.  Now instead of being forced to face the tough decisions of how to balance their budgets, the states can now depend on the federal government.  

In Virginia we were facing the need for across the board budget cuts.  When the bailout was passed, we decided we didn't have to cut back on any spending.  This is the inverse of losing your job, your parents letting you move in, and then not getting a job above minimum wage since your expenses were minimal.  

A couple recent quotes help illustrate how bad this problem has become.  The first comes from the governor's revenue figures.

“In sum, the combination of the downward and upward adjustments to biennial revenues should produce a positive benefit to the Virginia budget, avoiding the need for additional budgetary cuts in the near term.”

The second is from a recent e-mail from Sen. Obenshain concerning the budget process.

As the Senate debated Virginia’s budget on Wednesday, several senators thanked certain of their colleagues and staff for their hard work and cooperation. One of my Democratic colleagues, however, stood and extended her thanks to thank President Barack Obama and to Congressional Democrats. She thanked them for the passage of the “stimulus bill,” asserting that it was only through their generosity that we were able to balance the budget without deeper cuts.

If the states are essentially on federal welfare now, I wonder how long it will be till the federal government will be on welfare...

(Sen. Obenshain's response to this unnamed colleague was definitely worth reading.)

Cuccinelli's Response to Brownlee's Criticism of his Support for the Triggerman Rule

In recent weeks Brownlee has been using a line accusing Cuccinelli of siding with Tim Kaine on the death penalty in opposing the overturn of the triggerman law. Today, on the same day this rule was once again overturned by the House of Delegates, Cuccinelli issued a response to this charge in the Cuccinelli Compass.

February 8, 2009 Dear Fellow Virginians, As we continue to travel the Commonwealth to participate in forums and debates, I welcome the opportunity to discuss directly with you my positions on the issues we face in Virginia. Unfortunately, in campaigns, sometimes our positions on important issues are deliberately distorted by others. For some time now, John Brownlee has deliberately distorted my position on the death penalty. As a candidate for Attorney General, I do not take distortions and misrepresentations lightly, and neither should you. Virginians have grown weary of distortions and half truths in politics, and unfortunately, this is not the first time this has happened in this race. The last time he did something like this, I called him on the phone and discussed it with him personally. But when these sorts of distortions continue, my response is not to distort things myself, but to point out my competitor's distortions. That let's you, the voters of Virginia, factor this information into your decision about who to support for AG. Let's face it, when you vote for someone for office, you get more than a package of positions, you get that person too. So you have the information yourself, I have always been a supporter of Virginia's death penalty law. In the Senate, I have consistently fought against Democrats' efforts to impose a death penalty moratorium - and I have opposed efforts to allow endless appeals in death penalty cases. As a State Senator, I have voted to extend the death penalty to people who murder trial witnesses, judges and law enforcement officers. And as your Attorney General, I am committed to upholding the death penalty verdicts of our juries and will work to defend and strengthen our capital punishment law from intrusions and attempts by the left to derail it. I also have supported and will continue to support the death penalty under the current exceptions to the "triggerman rule" for (1) terrorism (including the beltway sniper case), (2) murder for hire, and (3) criminal enterprises/gangs. However, there have been legislative attempts to completely eliminate the triggerman rule, which I believe would be too broad an expansion. That's the only expansion of the death penalty that I have ever opposed, while supporting other expansions and always defending our current death penalty statute. So the next time you hear John Brownlee or one of his surrogates giving a distorted rendition of my position supporting capital punishment, print this out and hand it to Mr. Brownlee.

Senator Cuccinelli's Response to the State of the Commonwealth Address

Tonight Governor Tim Kaine gave his final State of the Commonwealth Address.  The speech focussed on the economic crisis facing the nation, and the resulting budget crisis facing the state.

The following is Senator Cuccinelli's response to the speech.

(Richmond, VA) – State Senator Ken Cuccinelli’s statement on Governor Tim Kaine’s “State of the Commonwealth” address tonight:

Governor Kaine’s speech about the budget shortfalls facing Virginia was heavy on specific problems, but light on workable solutions.  Effectively bringing back parole and raising taxes will only hurt Virginia businesses, employees and taxpayers.  

The size of Virginia’s government has doubled in the last ten years, and yet I haven’t met many Virginia families whose income has doubled in that time.  I hope that the legislature will see fit to roll back the last few years spending increases, preserving transportation and not releasing criminals early.

Tim Kaine for DNC Chair

As we prepare for today's debate between the Republican candidates for party chair, the media is buzzing with the news that Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has been nominated by Barack Obama to be the new Democratic Party Chair.  This should be very interesting.  

When you think of Governor Tim Kaine, what do you think of as his accomplishments?  Honestly it seems to be the national media attention he has received.  It began with the Democratic rebuttal to the State of the Union Address in 2006, and then this year has been round the clock media coverage with Kaine's support for Obama.  

It appears this is simply a pay back by Obama for political support during the presidential race.  Governor Kaine has accomplished very little as governor.  One of the biggest issues of his campaign was solving the transportation issue.  Governor Kaine has failed on that front, and spent this year campaigning instead of solving that issues, and now he faces a multi million budget shortfall and will be only a part time governor now.  

Even on the political front Kaine has failed.  He has failed to defeat some of his top targets in the general assembly: Ken Cuccinelli, and Jeff Frederick.  He has failed to unite his party heading into this year's executive elections in Virginia, and even with the nationwide destruction of the Republican brand he was only able to take a slim lead in the senate, and failed to take control in the house.  Honestly most of the Democrats recent success in Virginia is due to Mark Warner and not Tim Kaine.  If Kaine brings that kind of success to the DNC, the Republicans might really have a chance in 2010.

The other interesting thing with Tim Kaine as Democratic Chair is his arched left eyebrow.  Tim Kaine's arched left eyebrow has earned him such nicknames as "Tim Eyebrow Kaine" and "Unibrow."  

Seriously, how does a picture like that not make you laugh?  

On a more substantive note Governor Kaine can also be something of a loose cannon.  When he was basically campaigning for the vice presidential nod, Governor Kaine received a lot of flack over comments he made during the Georgia/Russian conflict over the summer while talking about Barack Obama's diplomatic abilities.

“It was a bad crisis for the world. It required tough words but also a smart approach to call on the international community to step in. And I’m very, very happy that the Senator's request for a ceasefire has been complied with by President Medvedev.”

The problem with this quote was that the Russians did not agree to a ceasefire at that time, McCain had called for one earlier, and it reveals a certain sense of pompous arrogance to think that just because Obama called for it, it happened.  I was going to post a You Tube video of the comment so you could see the eyebrow in action, but all the videos of it I could find said "This video has been moved due to terms of use violation."  I wonder why You Tube really removed that video...

After the election, Kaine also made another revealing statement.  It didn't receive anywhere near as much flack since it wasn't said till after the election.

“Let’s be realistic,” Kaine said, using the words “challenging times” several times in his remarks to VSU officials, faculty and students. “You don’t run for governor to make budget cuts.”

If only this statement was made before the election it might have been interesting.

I have also noticed a general inability for Kaine to accurately use historical references in major speeches including his inaugural address, the Tech shooting speech, and his state of the commonwealth addresses.  I wonder if the national media will pick up on that as Governor Kaine receives more national attention.

It should be very interesting and a lot of fun having Governor Kaine as Democratic Party Chair, hopefully we can win big in Virginia in 2009, and then in the midterms.  Meanwhile, for the good of the commonwealth, I hope we can fix the financial state of the commonwealth and the transportation issue in the upcoming session.

Is it really inevitable?

WSLS and Jay Warren once again proved they were very balance journalists. For someone who was thinking that it is almost inevitable that Mark Warner will become sentaor, this stry realy made me smile.

Warner to Announce Decision on Senate Run Thursday

Jay Warren

WSLS NewsChannel 10

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Will he or won't he? Mark Warner can stop sweating it, as he will announce his decision about his future political career Thursday morning in an e-mail to supporters.

And, what a tough decision Mark Warner has! On the one hand he can run in 2008 to replace John Warner in the US Senate. On the other hand he can run in 2009 for another term as governor. Either option is viable because Warner left the governor’s mansion with some of the highest approval ratings in Virginia history.

And, that’s a rating that appears to have stuck with him. A recent poll by Rasmussen Research shows Warner’s favorability rating at 68%. The same poll has Warner beating the two most likely Republican senate challengers by 20 and 27 points.

Governor Tim Kaine, the Democrat who succeeded Warner, gave no hint on his friend’s decision other than to say, “Virginia will be lucky either way.”

WSLS Political Analyst Dr.Bob Denton says it is likely Warner will pick the Senate and calls him the favorite.

“He's one of the most popular politicians in the commonwealth of Virginia. He has some campaign experience now,” Denton said.

But not so fast. Do you remember the last guy we thought had a lock an election: Senator George Allen. At one point he was 30 points ahead in his 2006 re-election bid. He went on to lose to Democrat Jim Webb.

Allen was in Moneta Wednesday campaigning for a local Republican running for the House of Delegates. He said he won’t run for the Senate in ’08, but said, “I think Mark's going to run for the US Senate.”

Allen was brought down in part thanks to a campaign misstep that ended up on YouTube. The Internet has changed the game for politicians, meaning Warner shouldn't take anything for granted.

“He does have to campaign and campaign hard,” Dr. Denton said. “He has to earn the position. But, at the same time I would say it's as much his to lose and his to win.”

Poor Tim Kaine

So right now Tim Kaine (VA's lousy governor) is doing an easy listening tour. He is going to select audiences around the state and trying to explain why he won't sign the transportation bill the general assembly finally passed. So right now he's finishing up speaking to a bunch of elementary students, democratic politicians, and the press. These are not town hall events. i.e. the audience can't ask questions. About seven republicans showed up to peaceably demonstrate, and no democrats came out to support the governor. Our ultra left state senator drove by us, and the minority leader and the governor drove by in a state trooper motorcade. The two of them just smiled but you could see a tad bit of worry in their eyes. Roanoke City is one of the few democrat strongholds in South West VA, and we figure the big wigs wer eall on their black berries wondering why they didn't have any supporters. At 3:30 the governor is supposed to be at UVA for a similar closed door event. Maybe he'll get a similar response. No support.

Boy, it was fun getting back into the political swing of things. Can't wait to move to Richmond and really get working as we work to solidify the majority in the General Assembly.