Maybe Bob McDonnell’s campaign has decided to run against the Democratic Party writ large. That might explain why his tracker is ever-present when Terry McAuliffe is in town, but was missing yesterday. I told him at the Norfolk Terry Town Hall, we were much more hospitable than the local Republicans. For those of you new to Virginia politics, the Republicans became quite camera shy after former Governor George Allen (R) distinguished himself by referring to S. R. Sidarth, who was tracking Allen for the James Webb campaign, as “Macaca.” (Don’t you love a gift that keeps on giving?) All filming was halted at any Virginia Beach Republican Committee event. When I asked for permission, I was invited by a committee official to present my case at a regular committee meeting. There, I was summarily removed from the meeting on a motion by state Senator Ken Stolle (R-8th) who justified the action by citing the 4th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Of course, using the concept of freedom of assembly to remove an invitee is a novel concept, but I digress. Maybe that is why he wants to be Sheriff rather than work as a lawyer.
So, I told the tracker at Terry’s event that he was welcome whenever there was a Democratic event locally, despite the insular and paranoid behavior by Taliban Bob’s hometown committee. He looked at me in shock, jotted something down and I hoped yesterday to buy him breakfast. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be seen.
This may point to the emerging theme of the Republican Party as we go forward this year and into the mid-term elections: Avoid issues, go to the perceptions of the Democratic Party that stir the base. There are few who are more demonized by the pseudo-right base than Terry McAuliffe. So it really doesn’t matter who is the Democratic nominee in Virginia, he will face criticism of the party and it’s going to include President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, Senator Reid, and others, including the countenance and words of Terry McAuliffe. Or maybe Bob has some numbers that tell him on whom to focus.
Anyhow, if you see the tracker around (that’s him to the left of the camera from the television station), let him know I will be at Senator Deeds’ appearance at the VBDC breakfast on the 23rd. The offer to buy him breakfast is still on the table. And, unlike the Virginia Beach Republican breakfasts, ours are not everyone feeding at the trough buffet style, ours are made to order.
Cross posted at Blue Commonwealth
