August 2008

Going to Connolly’s website, his most recent press release was the release of his internal poll from mid-July. Six weeks ago. Where’s Gerry?

Unlike previous years and other Congressional candidates, Connolly didn’t attend the DNC Convo in Denver. Where’s Gerry?

Fimian has been on TV for a week now, and is increasing his presence when we get into the post-Labor Day sixty-day sprint. Where’s Gerry?

Even looking at Connolly’s campaign calendar, he has four events total for the months of August, September, and October, and two of them are canvassing run by national Democrats in support of Obama and Warner. The others are a convention watching party and fundraiser at a sushi bar. Where’s Gerry?

Fairfax County is facing a $350 million budget shortfall and an increase in crime, yet we’ve heard nothing from the Chairman about either. Where’s Gerry?

With no active campaigning or paid media, two events in the district, no national presence, dodging questions on energy, and no updates on his website, it’s safe to say that Connolly has put his campaign on hold. He’s allowed local bloggers and the DCCC to push the ridiculous “Fimian is a religious nutjob” angle, while he takes a step back. The question is why?

I can only think of two reasons: He thinks he has the election locked up, which is irresponsibly cocky given the fact it’s an open seat and Fimian’s more recent poll shows the race at four points and McCain leading Obama; or he’s out of money and had trouble fundraising. But even that wouldn’t explain the lack of local events.

So where’s Gerry? Any thoughts?

UPDATE: (12:30 a.m.) When I got home tonight a reader had emailed me: “maybe its due to health problems. gerry smokes a pack a day.” I hadn’t even considered this, but it makes more sense than the two options above. Thoughts?

Mark Warner opposes it. Even Brian Moran opposes it. Yet Gerry Connolly, knowing full well his constituents spend countless hours in traffic, fully supports raising the gas tax at a time when working families are facing tough choices due to rising prices.

From the Great Falls Connection, July 2007:

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chairman Gerald Connolly pushed for the tax package, even though he would have preferred an increase in the gas tax, a measure that was rejected by the Virginia General Assembly several times.

From the Mt. Vernon Gazette, July 2008:

Connolly said he is in favor of the Virginia Senate Democrats’ plan, which includes a six-cent increase in the gas tax over six years.

Compare that to Keith Fimian’s position on energy:

Our long term solutions must include a sensible combination of increased domestic energy production from natural gas, clean-burning coal, wind and solar power, as well as advanced nuclear energy.

The choice could not be clearer. Keith Fimian will fight for energy independence and long-term solutions to lower gas prices and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Gerry Connolly will fight to raise the gas tax, over the objections of even members of his own party, to make you pay more at the pump.

Gerry Connolly is in hiding, and he must be scared for his political life if he’s running this sort of campaign.

I just listened to the DCCC’s despicable attack on Keith Fimian, claiming that Fimian is opposed to women because a Catholic organization he belongs to apparently believes (as Ephesians 5:22-33 states) that wives should be submissive to their husbands (and husbands should give themselves up to their wives; this part was cut though, presumably for time constraints). Since this was a robocall with fairly low production value, there’s no source so I can’t verify (nor can I find) any of the claims the calls make; but of course the point of the call wasn’t to educate voters.

It was made to scare people into believing that Keith Fimian is a religious nutjob.

(more…)

Lowell over at Raising Not-VP Kaine is whining that the RPV quoted Larry Sabato’s in-depth analysis of Governor Kaine’s term and places him firmly in the bottom quarter of chief executives in the last forty years (RPV link here; Sabato link here). Its not really an eyebrow raising judgment. Sabato’s piece goes to provide some more context that doesn’t change the meaning of the portions the RPV used, yet Lowell feels that it is unfair for some reason and the RPV should “quote the entire thing”.

Which reminds me of a few weeks ago when Lowell, earning his paycheck propping up the going-nowhere campaign of Judy Feder, quoted a Politico article to claim that Feder was out-working the McCain campaign:

DuHaime holds a conference call with the regional directors, as well as with top RNC aides and the state directors… A month ago, McCain’s campaign made a combined 20,000 phone calls and door-knocks.” (McCain Ground Game Revs Up, Politico, 8/8/08)

Notice the use of elipses then follow this link to find what Lowell and Feder excised from article:

DuHaime holds a conference call with the regional directors, as well as with top RNC aides and the state directors.

As a result, productivity has increased, DuHaime said.

A month ago, McCain’s campaign made a combined 20,000 phone calls and door-knocks. Last week, they made 324,000 — a sixteen-fold increase.

That’s more than just fleshing out a judgment, as Sabato did. That changes the entire meaning of the article. Quote the entire thing, Lowell.

Thoughts?

From a few sources, Obama’s first appearance with his VP will be Satuday in Springfield, Illinois.

This should put to rest rumors/fears that Obama’s appearance in Richmond on Thursday would lead to him picking Kaine. In fact, I would probably bet that Kaine is out of the running (prompting stories such as this), leaving Biden and Sebelius the top two most likely picks.

Meanwhile, McCain will announce his VP August 29, the Friday after the Democratic Convention, to grab up the news cycle heading into the weekend and the RNC Convention the following week. I’m hoping a last minute epiphany hits McCain and he selects Congressional All-Star Mike Pence of Indiana.

According to a source who asked the House Clerk in Richmond, the “long-standing commitment” that Chuck Caputo had that caused him to miss this summer’s special session to find transportation solutions was a European cruise. Apparently, he was tired of sitting in traffic every day and needed to get away…

Fortunately, voters in the 67th will have the chance next year to vote for a community leader like Jim LeMunyon, who pledges a long-standing commitment to represent his constituents in Richmond. Chuck Caputo may find that, once he’s out of elected office, he’ll have a lot more time for vacations without things like “doing his job” getting in the way.

Survey USA, conducted 8/10-12:

Virgil Goode (R): 64%
Tom Perriello (D): 30%

VA-05 is a perfect example of where liberal activism meets reality. Democrats are high on Perriello’s chances for two reasons: 1) Perriello has done an admittedly great job fundraising, and 2) Democrats hate Virgil Goode. Unfortunately for Dems, that doesn’t actually make Virgil Goode vulnerable. Nor do multiple articles on various blogs proclaiming this to be an “emerging race”, which then link to each other creating the impression of a buzz, which some foolishly equate with in-district strength. Here’s a quick lesson for sites like Raising Kaine, Swing State Project, and the organizations like the DCCC: Wishing doesn’t make it so.

Chairman of the Arkansas Democratic Party, shot and killed at the age of 49. Terrible tragedy.