GOP Candidates for Statewide Virginia Offices Should Be Ashamed.

Revised Version. Here are Democrats with the most qualified candidates for statewide office, candidates who'll track centrist and balance the competing interests of Virginians of all persuasions. They'll continue the positive direction of Mark Warner, who by the way gets 75% approval ratings. The Democratic team is led by a wonderful individual, a model for all. He knows selfless devotion to community, to the poor. He measures success by the difference he makes in other's lives. He's fought for civil rights, which all Virginians should applaud. He believes in the Constitution. He and Mark Warner have shown their business-sense. They've engaged economic development to the benefit of Virginians across the state. They've run a positive campaign. (PS it's not negative to defend one's record from guys makin' stuff up.) But here we are, with a fantastical tale being spun by the other side. If ads were to be believed, the Kilgore-Scott-Howell machine has turned night into day and day into night.

Meanwhile, the no-plan empty-headed Republican candidates can only say they are from here (as Kilgore has in his newest SW Virginia ad). Jerry thinks that half of Virginia will vote for him just because he's from this side of the state. But supporting Jerry Kilgore would simply mean voters are rubber stamping the same irresponsible dunderhead policies that have broken this country. George W. Bush appears with Jerry tonight and it couldn't be more fitting. Bush is the President of Broken: Broken presidency; broken White House; broken health care system; broken promises on education; broken foreign policy; broken security; broken economy; broken jobs--forever off-shored; broken Homeland Security; broken priorities; broken ethics; and broken civility.

Jerry thinks Virginians will vote against their own best interests by voting for him. Jerry Kilgore will cut taxes, but promises new programs, conveniently only superficially "planned." He won't need complex plans 'cause the "plans" will never be funded. He'll hand an empty treasury and deficits to Virginians in unfunded decaying infrastructure, but would have us believe he can "improve" health care. He can give a pass to King Pharmaceuticals, which bilked Medicare and, most likely bilked Virginia's Medicaid program. Jerry doesn't mind projects like Star Solutions' plans for toll roads on the I81 or the Coalfield Expressway (ie a new tax just to drive). You've gotta give Jerry his due in the subterfuge department. He falsely claims Tim Kaine will raise gas taxes, but he's got his own driver's tax gift-wrapped for us. And it doesn't bother him that he was a lobbyist for KBR, parent company to Star Solutions. Most folks would think this means conflict of interest. All the same Halliburton subsidiaries coming soon to bilk people near you.

Additionally, Jerry Kilgore makes stuff up. His ads repeatedly lie about Tim Kaine's record. He claims Tim Kaine enables and permits illegal immigration. This is particularly amazing when it was Warner-Kaine who cleaned up the nightmare driver's license program which permitted some of the 9-11 hijackers to obtain licenses. What Allen-Gilmore wrought, they blame Tim Kaine for. And he doesn't get that immigration law is federal. State police can cooperate with the federal government, and should. The biggest irony is that KBR, the firm Jerry lobbied for, hired illegal immigrants. However, any quibble with immigration law Kilgore should take up with George W. Bush. Jerry knows this is true, but wants to fan the flames of anti-immigration sentiment. Tim Kaine believes in enforcing the law. Too bad Jerry doesn't, not on behalf of King, Republican wiretappers, or environmental polluters.

Jerry and his clones for the LG and AG races use the now-meaningless tag "liberal" (it's certainly meaningless when anyone to the left of George W. Bush or Dick Cheney is called "liberal." Leslie Byrne wants to limit outsourcing of American jobs. But that's too "liberal" for the anti-worker Kilgore, Boling, and McDonnell campaigns. It's "too liberal" to get trucks to cover their loads so we aren't hurt by falling debris from trucks. Good roads are "too liberal." Funding for children's health is "too liberal." Providing necessary services is "too liberal." Allowing the uninsured to buy into the state health insurance program is "too liberal." And real support (as opposed to imaginary support) for public education is "too liberal." Seems to me there's so much good in the things Kilgore and his clones oppose that it must be a good thing to be "liberal." Here is a guy, Bill Boling, whose one claim to fame is his association with an evildoer among insurance companies. (Two of its execs are in prison.) Yes, and Bill has helped pass deregulation of insurance companies so they can refuse medical claims more easily. If it's "liberal" to think that denying health care obligations is downright evil, then bring the "liberal" label on. Leslie Byrne is about looking out for Virginians, not special interests. If it's "liberal" to be the nation's consumer advocate, then bring it on. She's got a resume to be proud of. She's the most qualified, best candidate for Lt. Governor in Virginia in decades. And we'd be lucky to have someone who has dedicated her life to serve Virginians.

In the AG race, we have a man running with about $1,000,000 in masked contributions. The Washington Post has chronicled the complex web of transactions involving McDonnell's campaign manager and former campaign manager, among others. Now Bob claims bloggers are engaged in "conspiracy" if we prefer someone who actually believes in the Constitution and the law (HINT: It's not Taliban Bob).

That's pretty funny because bloggers, by definition, are pretty independent. We want to say what we think. And we spend a fair amount of time doing it. This sometimes doesn't sit well with the party closest to our own leanings. In short, they not only don't control us, but couldn't if they tried. Meanwhile, the Democratic candidate is one who actually has worked to prevent child abuse and other crimes against children. He wrote Meagan's Law and the Amber alert program for Virginia. But what McDonnell is really afraid of is that Creigh Deeds won't give a pass to environmental polluters, insurance companies, or others who break state laws. Creigh Deeds has actually done something about law enforcement for the benefit of all Virginians. So, Bob misrepresents Creigh's record instead.

It's a good thing this election cycle is coming to an end. There are only so many lying Republicans, vicious attack ads, or malicious robo-calls a person can stand. It's been a watershed year for the muck-rakers and fabricators. Jerry, Bill and Bob: You ought to be ashamed. And you owe the voters of Virginia an apology. I don't think we'll be getting one, though. For Bush, Dick, Jerry, Taliban Bob and Bill, their contempt for citizens means never having to say you're sorry.


--------------