Crazy Cooch One-on-One With Cathy Lewis

Yesterday, Sen. Ken Cucinnelli (aka "Cooch") was interviewed for nearly 1/2 hour by Cathy Lewis of WHRO-TV in Norfolk. I actually listened to the entire thing, not a particularly fun experience (ha - kinda kidding), but you benefit by getting a synopsis and not having to listen to it yourself (unless you really want to, of course).

*At around 3:00, Cooch talks about his view of the Attorney General's office and notes that the AG's office is "participating in every major decision of state government." Given how extreme Cooch is, that's a frightening thought.
*At around 3:50, Cooch won't answer Cathy Lewis' question about what specific regulations he would eliminate, since he says he wants to get rid of regulations. Again, at around 4:50, Cooch dodges Lewis' followup question on specifically which regulations he would eliminate. Again, that's kind of scary considering Cooch's extreme views on slashing government. For instance, would Cooch support getting rid of important environmental or worker safety regulations, just to take two? In this interview, he won't say, but based on his far-right-wing political philosophy, we can only imagine...
*At 5:30, he talks about what issues he cares passionately about. Cooch mentions "mental health issues," "delinquency prevention," "juvenile justice issues," and "trying to suppress gangs."
*At 7:40, in response to a claim by Steve Shannon that he was "tougher on the repeat offender than you are" (with regard to drunk driving), Cooch says that Shannon "makes these things up as he goes along" and that there's "no basis for that kind of a claim." For his part, Shannon says that Cuccinelli " has voted against legislation to crack down on drunk drivers including a 2004 bill that have required law enforcement to seize cars owned by felon drunk drivers (HB 1130, 3/9/04)."
*At around 8:20, Cooch talks about the Melendez-Diaz decision (on DNA evidence in court) and its impact on drunk driving cases. Cooch says he called for a special session of the General Assembly to address the decision, while "my opponent called that a political stunt." Cooch also says he played a "key role in crafting the legislation to try and attempt to solve that problem and to stop drunk drivers from walking right out of court." For more on that, please click here. In reality, Cuccinelli called for a special session in order to score political points without actually proposing any real solution while Shannon worked carefully behind the scenes to solve the problem without posing for the cameras and acting erratically.
*At around 10:15, the discussion turns to Phil Hamilton and why Cooch hasn't called for him to resign. Cooch says he trusts the voters of Virginia and that, as Attorney General, he'll make "clean, clear honest objective decision[s]" when cases come before him. He claims Steve Shannon has "already taken himself out of the position where he can do that." Of course, Cooch ignores the fact that his own ticketmates, Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling, have also called for Hamilton to step down. He also ignores the fact that Steve Shannon and he are not running for a judgeship where they might need to recuse themselves, and also that Virginians deserve to know which candidate for AG would more forcefully prosecute public corruption, as in the case of Phil Hamilton
*At about 14:00, Cooch is asked about consumer issues. Cooch says he wants to "bring all consumer protection under the auspices of the Attorney General." Cooch says he is particularly concerned about mortgages/loans that people "can't possibly afford."
*At around 17:15, Cooch is asked about immigration. He says that Prince William has probably been "the most aggressive county in Virginia in addressing illegal immigration, particularly in the form of 'criminal illegals.'" He claims that Prince William County saved $6 million in the school system "in the first year" because "a bunch of folks who didn't want to live with the threat of being caught for illegal immigration if they committed a crime moved out of Prince William County." He says he thinks that's "very legitimate," "very appropriate" and he supports it. He also brags about the legislation he's introduced in the Senate to address illegal immigration ("more than any other state senator"). In short, Cuccinelli favors an approach which makes the climate intolerable for undocumented immigrants and their families so they move out of Virginia, and will work to make it that way as Attorney General.
*At about 20:45, Cooch is asked about particular "social issues" that are important to him. He mentions "partial birth abortion" and says he would defend Virginia's ban on that procedure when it comes to the Supreme Court. Says he was one of the "veto breaking votes to get the partial birth abortion ban." Also points to the "marriage amendment," says we're "sure to see a lawsuit" on it in coming years. Says Steve Shannon was against the marriage amendment, he was for it and will "defend it vigorously, unlike my opponent." Cooch also points to "property rights" and says he intends to provide leadership in that area. That sounds innocuous, until you consider what even conservative blogs like Too Conservative say about Cooch, that he is "paranoid" and a "black helicopter conspiracy theorist" who "doesn’t want to get his son a Social Security number because 'it is being used to track you.'" Ee gads.

For Steve Shannon's interview with WHRO-TV, please click here.