Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

The Washington Post Borks Virginia gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell

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October 18, 2009 by Kevin Dayhoff People Deeds Creigh, People McDonnell Bob, US st Virginia, US st Virginia 2009 elections

The November 3, 2009 Virginia gubernatorial election pits former Virginia Attorney General Bob McDonnell pictured above on the left, against Democrat Virginia Commonwealth Senator Creigh Deeds on the right. (Image credit: http://hamptonroads.com/pilotonline) See also: Articles on PilotOnline about Deeds McDonnell contest in Virginia

Also see my The Tentacle column for this week: “Virginia’s Dirty Deeds.”

For another point of view – for balance, see Marc Korman’s article in Maryland Politics Watch: “Why Deeds Matters to Maryland,” published Thursday, September 24, 2009
______

In less than two weeks, on November 3, our neighbor to the south, Virginia, will have a gubernatorial election that may very well give us our first insights as just how the nation really feels about the jumbled mess our great nation finds itself after about nine months of rule by President Barack Obama and the Democrat-controlled Congress.

The contest pits Democrat Virginia commonwealth senator Creigh Deeds against former Virginia attorney general Bob McDonnell The current governor, Democrat Tim Kaine is ineligible to run due to term limitations.

It should also be noted that the commonwealth voters will also choose the next lieutenant governor and attorney general. However, it has been the gubernatorial contest that has attracted national – and actually, international attention.

All too often, “nationalizing” a local state election is risky business and frequently the frontier of amateur political pundits. However, as much as one may waffle back-and-forth as to whether or not the Virginia contest gives us insight as to the political future of the nation; I have determined that this time around, the contest really does matter.

On October 9, Michael Gerson wrote in Townhall, “The Virginia race does not merely reflect national trends; it will help determine those trends.

“The November election may come at a key moment in the health care debate, just as conservative Democrats are being asked to take a political risk in support of Obama and reform. A Democratic loss in Virginia would send a message: The risk is greater than you think.”

Actually, that is an understatement. In many ways, Senator Deeds is “carrying the burden of a Democratic Congress -- and the increasingly heavy burden of Obama,” notes Mr. Gerson; who also calls to our attention that currently “Congress has an approval rating of 21 percent -- 10 points lower than the approval rating of Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina.”

Mr. Gerson goes on to say that both “Deeds and Obama are now in a difficult political position. At a recent forum, Deeds refused to identify himself as an Obama Democrat -- hardly flattering to the president. And Obama seems reluctant to be identified as a Deeds Democrat, having campaigned in the state only once, two months ago.…

“Either Obama realizes that his high-profile involvement would undermine Deeds, or the president doesn't want to squander his credibility on a losing campaign. Neither explanation is good for Democrats.”

As recently as October 13, the polling firm Rasmussen Reports, observed: “Fifty-five percent (55%) of Virginia voters say Obama’s performance is at least somewhat important in determining how they will vote, with 36% who say it is very important.”

In the October 13 report, Rasmussen noted that “McDonnell also has been trying to link Deeds’ fortunes to those of President Obama. Deeds last month seemed to distance himself somewhat from the president but now says he hopes Obama will come to the state to campaign for him.”

Well, last Friday, The Virginian-Pilot reported that Senator Deeds will getting his wish. “President Barack Obama will campaign in Virginia with Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds on Oct. 27…”

Of course, the McDonnell campaign is also delighted that President Obama is coming to the commonwealth as many pundits believe that the president’s visit will swing more votes in their direction.

It may be suggested that both Senator Deeds and Mr. McDonnell are in a bit of a pickle. In many ways the candidates are equally matched – and equally flawed.

As is often the case, neither candidate is a stereotypical representation of their respective parties; however, in other ways, both are products of their parties.

One of my favorite lines in Mr. Gerson’s column explained Senator Deeds’ campaign well: “Deeds has made plenty of mistakes that can't be attributed to the national political environment, including a tendency to make policy proposals that would leave blank space on a note card.”

The complexities, complications, paradoxes, and enigmas present in this election contest could fill a textbook.

I’ve avoided all the complicated reasons this contest is important to Maryland. However, simplistically, it could be easily said that a victory for Senator Deeds would be great for our state. In particular, Frederick County would benefit because a Deeds administration would raise taxes in Virginia so precipitously that many Maryland citizen and business refugees who have fled to Virginia, along with their tax dollars would have to consider moving back.

So one must wonder - why all the fear and hysteria from the Democrats?

Perhaps that can answered by how important it is to liberals to expand their tax and spend, income and wealth redistribution public policies to the states in the face of a continuing nationwide rebellion against this disastrous approach.

And how offended the ruling party has felt that anyone would dare to disagree or express dissent.

One of the best reasons I’ve seen yet to vote for the Republican Party candidate for governor, former attorney general Robert F. McDonnell, in the Virginia gubernatorial election that is now just weeks away… The Washington Post has endorsed his opponent - Mr. Deeds for Governor.

We’ll leave my rant as to why in the world newspapers endorse political candidates for another time. However, it has been called to my attention over and over again, that the Washington Post has served as a peripheral web site, public relations advocate, and shill for the Democrat Party candidate, state Senator Deeds… So the endorsement has come as no surprise.

What was somewhat a surprise, during this campaign to determine who will be the next Virginia governor, was Senator Deeds taking a page from the playbook from our nation’s ruling party and running some of the most dreadful negative ads against Mr. McDonnell, usually in concert with a coordinated attack by the Washington Post.

If a textbook could be written on this fabulous political campaign, an entire chapter could be devoted to just the Washington Post endorsement alone. Besides personally maligning the character of Mr. McDonnell, the Post explains the crux of its endorsement by saying: “Mr. Deeds has run an enormous and possibly fatal political risk by saying bluntly that he would support legislation to raise new taxes dedicated to transportation.”

However, as much as there is to disagree with in the Washington Post endorsement, perhaps first among equals is the Post’s own “Bork” moment:

“based on his 14-year record as a lawmaker -- a record dominated by his focus on incendiary wedge issues -- we worry that Mr. McDonnell's Virginia would be one where abortion rights would be curtailed; where homosexuals would be treated as second-class citizens; where information about birth control would be hidden; and where the line between church and state could get awfully porous. That is a prescription for yesterday's Virginia, not tomorrow's.”

If you will recall, in 1987 President Ronald Reagan nominated Judge Bork to serve as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. The U.S. Senate ultimately rejected his nomination, in part as a result of the nationally televised ruthless character assassination executed by Senator Kennedy.

In a July 5, 1987 New York Times article by James Reston, "WASHINGTON; Kennedy And Bork” Mr. Reston introduced the matter by writing: “Senator Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts “is urging the Democratic majority in the Senate to mount a major ideological attack on President Reagan's nomination of Robert H. Bork to the Supreme Court. But if they're wise they won't follow him down this stormy path…”

[…]

“… the President had every right to choose a candidate of his own persuasion, Mr. Kennedy has the same ideological right to oppose him, but the Senator has stated his case in such vehement terms that he's scaring the Democrats more than the Republicans.

“Mr. Kennedy asserted that ‘Bork's rigid ideology will tip the scales of justice against the kind of country America is and ought to be.’”

[…]

Mr. Reston is referring to what Senator Kennedy said on July 1, 1987, 45 minutes after Judge Bork was nominated:

“Robert Bork's America is a land in which women would be forced into back-alley abortions, blacks would sit at segregated lunch counters, rogue police could break down citizens' doors in midnight raids, schoolchildren could not be taught about evolution, writers and artists could be censored at the whim of the Government, and the doors of the Federal courts would be shut on the fingers of millions of citizens.”

Nice.

Mr. Reston went on to note: “Judge Bork's views are clearly controversial, but nobody questions his reputation as a legal scholar or forgets that he was confirmed unanimously to his present seat on the Federal Appeals Court in Washington just five years ago….”

[…]

Mr. Reston concluded: “Senator Kennedy cannot beat Judge Bork on the ideological issue alone. Even his own brother insisted on an ideological appointment to the Court when he chose Arthur Goldberg, a distinguished lawyer and darling of the unions.”

Candidly, Mr. McConnell’s graduate dissertation from 1989 was hard to read and unfortunate at best. To his credit, he has addressed it by saying that his views have evolved since then. Let’s hope. To be certain, may the first person who has not written something for which they have later regretted please step forward.

Whatever shortcomings Mr. McDonnell may possess, they have all been overcome by his thoughtful personable approach which is refreshing to even those who do not agree with all his positions.

His careful understanding and subsequent articulate discussion of the issues has been a ray of hope in an otherwise bleak national political landscape.

Mr. McDonnell talks about ideas, fiscal responsibility, jobs, transportation challenges, drilling for oil off of the coast of Virginia, and public safety.

In contrast with Senator “Dirty” Deeds who has no vision, no ideas, and campaigned “below-the-belt and beyond-the-pale,” maligned his opponent’s character, talked about wealth redistribution and raising taxes, attempted to silence his critics and attacked his opponent’s social views as he has so purposely and inarticulately mischaracterized.

Senator Deeds and the Washington Post cannot beat Mr. McDonnell on merit, so they have endeavored to beat him by character assassination.

It will not work. Count on Mr. McDonnell’s title on November 4th to be Virginia governor-elect.

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