UPDATE 1:14 PM: There are currently 55 viewers on the live feed.
UPDATE 1:25 PM: It looks like the debate's going to begin shortly. Go Steve!
UPDATE 1:28 PM: I just received an email from the Shannon campaign entitled "Debate Preview: Know the Facts." It defines a "fact" as "something that actually exists; reality; truth." In contrast, a "KenFact" is defined as "an assertion, sometimes stridently believed, that does not necessarily share a close relationship with something that actually exists; reality; truth." Ha, how true!
UPDATE 1:31 PM: Now 68 viewers watching the live feed. It's really unfortunate that number isn't more like 68,000 or 680,000, because everyone needs to see what a freak Ken Cuccinelli truly is.
UPDATE 1:38 PM: Opening statements. Steve's seemed like his standard one, pretty much. Cooch warns that Steve will run "disturbingly negative" ads with his money advantage. Cooch will protect constitution "as it was written."
UPDATE 1:41 PM: What makes you best qualified? Steve talks about his experience working on public safety, protecting kids, being bipartisan, centrist, pro-business, not pushing a cultural agenda (like Cuccinelli). "I will run that office in an apolitical way" while Cuccinelli will politicize it. Cooch points to juvenile justice work, says he opposes collective bargaining for public employees, will protect "right-to-work" laws. Has done work for veterans pro bono. Says he has more experience that applies to the job than Steve Shannon.
UPDATE 1:46 PM: What three things would you hope to be remember for? Cooch says his focus will be on mental health issues, computer crimes, gangs, looking at regulations to see what works and getting rid of reg's that don't work anymore. Steve emphasizes his experience as a prosecutor, says he prosecuted more people in a week than Cooch did in his career. Steve will focus on fighting gangs, child predators, internet crime, drunk driving.
UPDATE 1:52 PM: The feed is cutting in and out, very annoying and difficult to follow debate...also video quality is awful.
UPDATE 1:54 PM: Cooch talking about special session held late last summer...says Steve "playing politics." Feed cuts out again. I'm getting close to bagging it.
UPDATE 1:58 PM: Signing off from debate...feed is awful.
UPDATE 2:09 PM: Comments from Twitter.
@henry_mike Ken says consumer protection is priority-but he opposes cracking down on predatory lenders He views outrageous loans as legit.
@KathyinBburg Steve now kicking Ken's tail...
@KathyinBburg Steve: Job in AG to provide sound legal counsel for each of our clients in government.
@KathyinBburg Ken stakes claim on being a better "fighter." (which actually makes Steve's point about ken). Ag is the people's lawyer. Ken doesn't get..
@henry_mike Ken says he's stronger than steve on business?! Steve has 7 of 8 biz endorsements.
RT @KathyinBburg: Steve will take on predatory lending Cooch will not.
@KathyinBburg: Ken proud of zero percent support of labor
@GarrenShipley From what I can hear, Shannon is billing Cuccinelli as a "states rights" attorney general, while Cuccinelli hits Shannon as "back bencher."
@KathyinBburg Lost feed again. Before that, Steve said he fight for the right things (to protect Virginians against predators, drug dealers etc.
@KathyinBburg But Steve says culture war and fighting Washington are wrong fights. They are personal agenda.
@KathyinBburg I give up on live-bloggin/tweeitng the debate). Race should not be close. Ken doesn't even understand the job of AG.
UPDATE: The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that "[t]he final debate of the campaign for attorney general took on racial overtones today."
Democrat Steve Shannon said Republican Ken Cuccinelli favors states' rights, likening it to the agenda that resulted in Virginia's fight for segregated schools. Cuccinelli accused Shannon of "race-baiting."
Shannon, a delegate from Fairfax County, said after the hourlong debate that he does not think Cuccinelli is a racist. But he said Cuccinelli, a state senator from Fairfax, is "an ideological crusader" whose agenda reflects some of the worst aspects of Virginia's past.
