Carter Turner Supporter Confirms Our Post Below About Turner's Poor Voting Record

So one of Turner's supporters, apparently thinking he was helping his guy, attacked me in the comment to our post below about Turner's voting record. The only problem is that he confirmed our post 100%. Maybe reading isn't his strong point. Anyway, here is the relevant portion of the comment.

A quick call to the Montgomery County Registrar revealed that Carter voted in the following elections:

2004 – May 4

2004 – November 2

2005 – November 8

2006 – May 2

2006 – November 7

2008 – February primary in Roanoke County

2003 - He doesn't contest the fact that Turner skipped the 2003 election.

2004 - I said he skipped the Democratic primary and this commenter confirms it. Maybe he doesn't realize 5/04 was a local election. The Presidential Primary was 6/04.

2005 - I said he skipped the Primaries and this commenter confirms it.

2006 - I said he skipped the Senate Primary and once again this commenter confirmed that. Again, the 5/06 election was a local election. The Senate Primary was 6/06.

2007 - You'll see he doesn't even pretend that his guy voted in 2007 confirming what I posted. Still no answer on why Turner moved to Roanoke in approximately July of 2007 but didn't change his registration until December.

Just like when the Turner people made the mistake of coming after me regarding the NRA, they are once again proven to be "not ready for prime time." They've now confirmed for us, by calling another registrar, that Turner did in fact fail to vote in either a Primary or General election (or both) every year from 2003-2007. Just like I said. Thanks for playing.

Update - I'm going to start a "Countdown to Apology" clock. Just as the Turner people never apologized for their press release attacking me over the NRA (when I was ultimately proven 100% right), I'm curious whether they'll ever apologize for accusing me of slander when their own post proved me right. I posted this at 3:57. Let's see how long it takes for them to acknowledge that every single word I posted in my original post was accurate. Clock is ticking boys, let's hear from you.

Elswick vs Goodman

While this race is completely in the county and we do not have a dedicated County blogger, the Elswick and Goodman folks have started their own threads on this race in other posts. I thought I would title a post for them and let the people talk. Having not followed this race due to my focus on the city races I will let the readers drive the conversation.

Have Fun.

Carter Turner Wants To Be Your Delegate But He Can't Even Find The Time To Vote?

The 8th HOD District is currently represented by an incredibly popular Delegate, Morgan Griffith. He is one of the longest serving House Majority Leaders in the history of Virginia and he has lived in the 8th District for all but the first few months of his life. During his time in Richmond he has literally cast tens of thousands of votes and gone on the record on every issue under the sun.

Carter Turner, on the other hand, moved to the 8th District a couple years ago, has never been involved in any civic activities until this year, refuses to take any positions on any major issues and has no record on which to run.

While all of that is bad enough, a review of voting records has revealed something even more damning for this floundering campaign. Carter Turner, the man that wants to be our Delegate, can't even find the time to show up on election day and vote.

Every single year from 2003-2007, Turner failed to vote in either the Primary or General election.

In 2003, Turner failed to vote in the General election for Senate and Delegate.

In 2004, Turner failed to vote in the Democratic Presidential Primary (FWIW, John Kerry won Virginia that year in a hotly contested race with John Edwards, among others).

In 2005, Turner failed to vote in the statewide primary. For those who have forgotten, there were contested primaries for both parties in 2005. Most important for the Democrats was their Lieutenant Governor Primary in which Turner did not vote.

In 2006, Turner failed to vote in the Democratic Senate primary. This was the Jim Webb v. Harris Miller Democratic primary to take on George Allen.

In 2007, Turner failed to vote at all, failing to vote in any Senate or House General or Primary election. This was an interesting year because Turner appears to have moved from Blacksburg to Roanoke in approximately July of 2007. However, it appears he did not change his registration until December of that year. Had he changed it when he moved like most people he could have voted in the very close Ralph Smith v. Mike Breiner Senate race.

On the flip side, Morgan Griffith has voted in every single General and Republican Primary election as far back as we could track. Morgan even takes the time to attend Republican Conventions when that is the Party's nominating method.

What possible excuse could there be for a college professor to not find the time to vote? Maybe the records we've seen are inaccurate but they've been double sourced and confirmed so I doubt it.

Carter Turner has not been a part of this community since he left in the 1980s. He has done nothing for this community prior to this year. He has no record of service or leadership whatsoever. And we now know he cares so little for our Democratic process that he can't find time in his busy schedule as a college professor to vote. His entire campaign seems to built on the fact that he rode the bench for a good Salem High School football team 20+ years ago.

You want to be our Delegate but can't even find time to vote, Carter? Come on.

Bill Cleaveland Event Dates

Come hear Bill Cleaveland talk about solutions for the Roanoke Valley at these events.

10/01/2009
7 PM
Bill and his opponent will be appearing at the Mount Pleasant Civic League Candidates’ Forum at Mount Pleasant Elementary School in Roanoke County.

09/30/2009
Noon
Downtown Rotary
202 Market Street, Roanoke

10/07/2009
11:45 AM
Botetourt Civitan
The Glebe, Dining Room

10/07/2009
7:00 PM
Southeast Action Forum
Jackson Park Library

10/08/2009
6:30 PM
Roanoke Academy of Medicine
22 Kirk Avenue, Roanoke

10/20/2009
7:00 AM
Roanoke Valley Rotary
Hidden Valley Country Club

10/20/2009
11:30 AM
Vinton Chamber of Commerce
TBD

10/26/2009
10:30 AM
Retired Teachers’ Forum
Tanglewood Holiday Inn

10/28/2009
11:45 AM
Kiwanis Luncheon
Metamorphasis, Jefferson St., Roanoke

I Owe Mason Adams, Mike Sluss, Neil Harvey, Etc. An Apology

On Monday, a post of mine noted Bob Goodlatte's fantastic piece in the Roanoke Times. Click here to read the post and Goodlatte's piece. As I said in my post, Goodlatte's piece was a complete repudiation of the typical nonsense we get from the Roanoke Times Editorial Board.

Here's the problem. My post referenced the "journalists" at the Roanoke Times. Frankly, that was just my inartful way of poking the Editorial Board but the implication was that I was talking about the actual "journalists" over there like Mason, Mike, Neil, etc. Of course that was not my intention. While I don't always agree with those guys 100%, I think the reporters over there (including these 3 that cover local political issues), by and large, are good guys and objective reporters. They just have the misfortune of working with morons.

Sorry guys.

BREAKING NEWS - Coming Tomorrow...Stay Tuned...

I'll be posting some interesting news tomorrow. All voters in the 8th District should check back in tomorrow to learn some surprising information about Carter Turner. It'll make you wonder why he's running for office.

Stay tuned...More to Come...

It's been a busy day in the 17th

1st- I finally saw both Bill and Gwen's commercials. I have direct TV so I had to wait for these to hit the net. Bill does a great job in his and you can see this below.

2nd- The Mason campaign added an issues button in response to our blog asking for this. She speaks in broad generalities about the issues without a plan to solve them. I think it is important for voters to ask BOTH candidates where they stand on specific issues and to give them a plan. Ask them about Social Issues, Economic Development, Education, 2nd Amendment, and accomplishments then make your own decision.

3rd- There was a debate in the 17th. This was sponsored by the LOA and AARP so there were a lot of technical questions about senior care that both candidates admitted to having to research further. Both candidates were very cordial and there were no negative shots fired across any bows. A couple of highlights were when Jay Warren asked Gwen if she would raise taxes to pay for transportation she said I think I answered that already (Deedsesq) then when pressed further she said she would raise taxes. At the end Jay asked Bill if he was a McDonnell Republican and after endorsing McDonnell he clearly articulated that he was a Bill Cleaveland delegate and would focus on helping this valley. Mason was asked if she was a Deeds Democrat she answered with only and endorsement of Deeds.

I hear there are more debates coming and once I get that info I will post so you the voter can go out and make your own decisions.

In the end running for office is hard and all candidates should feel honored for the privilege of running, writing blogs is easy so I encourage all voters to get the info they need on the issues that are important to them and make the best decision.

Debate Tonight

Come out tonight to The Holiday Inn Tanglewood and watch Bill Cleaveland debate his opponent for the 17th House of Delegates seat. It starts at 7pm and is moderated by Jay Warren and sponsored by the AARP and LOA.

And before you head out to the Debate tonight, check out Bill Cleaveland's first TV ad of the campaign which is now up and running. Video is below. Please forward this link to all your friends, family and co-workers in the 17th so they can check out the video and get to know Bill better.

Bob Goodlatte Smacks Down The Roanoke Times

It has become cliched to rail against the Roanoke Times' out of touch, liberal, Republican bashing Editorial Board. In fact, most Republicans I know have just given up even trying. Well thankfully, Bob Goodlatte doesn't just sit back and take their crap.

Last week the RT ran a complete nonsense piece attacking Bob's participation in a bipartisan movement to limit the White House's use of "czars." Today, Bob struck back and completely embarrassed the "journalists" over at the Roanoke Times.

I encourage you all to click here and read Bob Goodlatte's commentary. When you're done, email Congressman Goodlatte and thank him for all he's doing and then email the Roanoke Times and tell them Bob Goodlatte is right.

Bill Cleaveland on the issues

I easily found this on Bill Cleaveland's website.


Bill Cleaveland - A MAN OF PRINCIPLES

The FAMILY is the foundation of our society.
Marriage should be between one man and one woman.
Individual rights and property rights should be protected.
We must safeguard human life from conception to the grave.
Our Second Amendment rights, as well as all of our Constitutional rights, must be preserved.


COMMON SENSE SOLUTIONS TO SOME OF OUR IMPORTANT CHALLENGES
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Initiate and support public/private partnerships to bring new jobs to our region while working to retain the ones we already have.
Work with localities to promote our region and its people as we compete nationally and internationally for new businesses.

EDUCATION
Support parents as they select the best educational setting for their children, including public, private and home schooling.
Support co-operative ventures between schools and businesses to insure that our students are prepared for the “World of Work.” These opportunities will give our students hands-on experience as they explore their future job possibilities.

TRANSPORTATION
Improve our infrastructure (roads, rail and air)
Fund our transportation improvements with revenue generated by new gas and oil drilling off Virginia’s coast. This new revenue source will keep from placing additional tax burdens on our families.

Carter Turner Admits Campaign Law Violations. Will He Self Report To SBE?

Last week was a really bad week for the Turner campaign. First, Carter Turner was destroyed by the NRA with a D- rating and an email essentially calling him a liar. Then, word of campaign law violations by his campaign began circulating. It got so bad that he even lost the puppy and kitten vote.

Finally, on Friday, (while still hiding from the NRA story) Carter admitted to breaking Virginia law. Check out Star City Harbinger for more specifics. Not only did he admit breaking it, he said "I have, and will likely continue, to make some mistakes." By "some mistakes," Carter means BREAKING THE LAW.

Folks, this is stunning. Carter Turner's defense for breaking the law is, "oops, was that against the law?" Even more stunning is his statement up front that we should expect some more illegal activity from Carter. The audacity of this guy to admit he has broken the law and acknowledge he plans to "make some more mistakes."

So what is his defense for breaking the law? "Hey, I'm a new guy, I shouldn't be expected to know the law." This raises several things.

First, it proves that Carter Turner is simply not up to the task of being a Delegate. How can he think he can write our laws when he's proven he can't even read our laws?

Second, there are serious problems at the Turner campaign. We already know his campaign manager quit and his unbelievably overpriced "volunteer" consultant is apparently unfamiliar with basic Virginia campaign laws. What is going on over there?

Finally, now that Carter has admitted breaking the law, will he self report his violations to the State Board of Education? What would Carter expect from one of his religion students who "accidentally" cheated? We'll wait anxiously to see if Carter does the right thing.

To make matters worse, there is some more VERY bad news coming out this week for the Turner campaign. Stay tuned...

38 Days till the Election and Mason still has not talked about the issues

I checked Roanoke City Councilwoman Gwen Mason's website today and she has still not taken a position on anything. There are 38 days till the election.

Why is it taking so long for her to get something out to the voters? What could she possibly be telling people when she knocks on their door?

Jay Warren is moderating the debate on Tuesday. I have seen him moderate and he does not let people get away with vauge answers, so it should be very entertaining.

Bob Goodlatte - Ensuring Transparency In Our Government

Guest Post from Congressman Bob Goodlatte

In the early morning hours of June 26th an over three hundred page amendment was approved by the House Rules Committee and included in the infamous Cap and Trade legislation. Just hours later, the Democratic Leadership rammed this controversial legislation, which I voted against, through the House of Representatives, passing it by just seven votes. Given the significant impact this legislation could have on daily life, many Members of Congress wanted a chance to improve the bill. Not only were most Members’ amendments not made in order but Members did not even have sufficient time to review the 1,200 page legislation, including the 300 pages of secret changes, before it was voted on.

While this disturbing trend seems to have reached new heights, it is unfortunately not unique to the current House Leadership. Both parties have abused this process and this abuse must be stopped. For this reason, I recently joined with 110 bipartisan Members of Congress in supporting legislation which would strengthen our House Rules and ensure that Members of Congress have ample time to read legislation before a vote. This legislation, which was introduced by Congressman Brian Baird, a Democrat from Washington State, would require all major bills to be posted online publicly for at least 72 hours before they are brought to the House floor for a vote. This would give Members of Congress and the American people time to review the legislation before it comes up for a vote.

The legislation does include exceptions to the “three day rule,” including declarations of war or national emergency and the resolution also specifies that it should not be interpreted to permit the declassification or posting on the Internet of classified information.

This past week, over 140 Members of Congress signed a discharge petition which would immediately bring this critical legislation to the House floor for a vote. If this bipartisan discharge petition receives the signatures of 218 House members, the Democratic Leadership will be required to schedule an up or down vote on the legislation which will empower the American people and weaken the ability of the leadership of the majority party to manipulate legislation and cut last minute deals, thus improving bipartisanship and making the process more transparent.

Refusing to allow Members of Congress to review legislation before it’s voted on seriously jeopardizes the integrity of the democratic process. Unfortunately, those who stand to lose the most from a secretive, dubious process are the American people. Our constituents demand accountability and they should be able to examine any legislation that has the potential to significantly impact their lives. I will continue to work to ensure that debate in Congress is transparent and open to help build the trust so vital in a democracy.

Humane Society Endorses McDonnell; Names Morgan Griffith Legislator Of The Year

Next time you hear Democrats like Carter Turner saying nasty things about Republicans, you let them know that even Virginia's puppies and kittens support Bob McDonnell and Morgan Griffith.

For the release on the Humane Society's endorsement of Bob McDonnell, click here.

For more on Morgan Griffith being named Humane Society Legislator of the Year, click here.

(h/t Virginia Virtucon)

Huge Day For The McDonnell Campaign

The day started off with Bob being endorsed by the Fraternal of Police. Now we have Doug Wilder (former Democratic Governor of Virginia) officially refusing to endorse Creigh Deeds. Remember, both Barack Obama and part-time Governor Tim Kaine personally implored Wilder to support Deeds. The fact that he is refusing to do so shows once again that Deeds simply isn't the man for the job.

8th HOD Campaign Finance Reports (Part 2)

As you know from Part 1 of my look at the fundraising numbers in the 8th HOD District, Morgan Griffith has enormous support locally and statewide whereas Carter Turner has a grand total 9 individual donors in the district. In total, Morgan Griffith has 4x the number of donors and 4x the amount of money.

Because he's embarrassed by his pitiful numbers, Carter Turner has tried to turn this incredible support for Morgan into a bad thing. Starting with this post and continuing on from here we're going to look closer at Morgan's numbers and show that Carter is simply full of it.

Today we're going to look at the associations that are supporting Morgan. These aren't big nasty corporate donors that Carter's seems to despise (easy to despise corporations when your salary comes from taxpayers). These are the grassroots organizations working hard for their combined hundreds of thousands of members. Here's a list.

Virginia Sheriffs Association
Virginia State Police Association
Virginia Education Association
National Rifle Association
Virginia Hunting Dog Association
National Federation of Independent Business
Medical Society of Virginia
Virginia Dental Association
Virginia Health Care Association
Virginia College of Emergency Physicians
Virginia Society of Eye Physicians & Surgeons
Virginia Nurses Association
Virginia Association of Realtors
Virginia Bankers Association
Virginia Trial Lawyers
Virginia Cable Telecommunications Association
American Insurance Association
Virginia Coal Association
Virginia Natural Gas
Virginia Oil & Gas Association
Virginia Wine Wholesalers Association
Virginia Association of Community Managers
Virginia Auto Dealers Association
Virginia Beverage Association
Virginia Retail Federation
Virginia Taxicab Association
American Council of Engineering Companies
Association of Electric Cooperatives
Entertainment Software Association
Home Builders Association of Virginia
Old Dominion Highway Contractors Association
Professional Insurance Agents of Virginia
Virginia Chamber of Commerce
Virginia Credit Union League
Virginia Maritime Association
Virginia Land Title Association
Virginia Trucking Association

As you can see, from law enforcement, to medicine, to education, to retail, to small business, to manufacturing, to energy and the list goes on - everyone supports Morgan.

Why? Does he agree with every single thing they stand for? NO. Do they get to tell him how to vote? NO. The reason they support him is because they know he's good for this District, for this state and for the hundreds of thousands of Virginia citizens they represent.

And who thinks Carter Turner should replace him? From his financial report, it looks like just about no one.

NRAGate Part 5 - Sounds Of Silence From Carter Turner Campaign

It's now been almost 2 days since the NRA smacked down Carter Turner over his factually inaccurate press release and also awarded him a D- rating. I am shocked that Carter's nonsense press release is still up on his Facebook page. Of course, I still have not gotten an apology for his misguided attack on me (when I was proven right all along).

So does anyone want to place a bet on when we'll get our apology from Carter or when he'll take his nonsense press release down? I'm betting never but I'll accept all comers. Time to man up Carter. And by the way, we know you're reading this blog so don't pretend like you don't know you've been schooled.

BREAKING NEWS - Deeds Finally Releases Transportation Plan

He has a plan to appoint a commission to come up with a plan to raise taxes which he'll sign. Confused? Me too.

17th House of Delegates Debate

Bill Cleaveland will be talking about the issues while his opponent dodges them at a debate on September 29th. It will take place at the Holiday Inn Tanglewood and it will start at 7:00pm. Please come out to the debate and bring your friends that live in the 17th district. I think they will see Bill clearly lay a plan out while his opponent tries to avoid taking any clear position. Should be fun.

Carter Turner's NRAGate Part 4 - Time For Carter To Apologize (UPDATED)

Folks, we told you yesterday that Carter Turner had completely stepped in it with the NRA and then made matters worse by sending out a press release attacking me. Now, it's getting really bad for him. Here's the email that went out yesterday to all NRA members.

Important NRA-PVF Grading Information for House District 8!

Attention VirginiaNRA Members: It's Your Freedom -- It's Your Vote!

The National Rifle Association-Political Victory Fund gives all filed candidates for office equal opportunity and the same deadline to respond to our candidate questionnaires, as we have for decades.

Morgan Griffith's questionnaire was returned on time, and was flawless, serving as a reflection of his record in the House of Delegates, and thus, rightly earning our A+ rating and NRA-PVF endorsement. At the time we communicated this endorsement in a flyer to Virginia gun owners, Carter Turner, had not returned his questionnaire, which as we note, is often an indication of indifference, if not outright hostility to the Second Amendment rights of Virginia gun owners and sportsmen.

We have since received Mr. Turner's questionnaire, and he has earned a grade of D-, which clearly shows his opposition to Virginia's gun owners and sportsmen. (empahsis added)

Here's the important stuff (all of which is exactly what I said in my original post).

1) Morgan Griffith received an A+ from the NRA as well as the NRA's endorsement.

2) Carter Turner, who claims to be a 2nd Amendment supporter and sportsman, got a D- from the NRA. Go back and look at the grades I posted yesterday. D- is stunningly bad.

3) Just as I said yesterday, Turner had NOT even returned his questionairre at the time the original endorsement was made. Frankly, Turner would have been better off not returning it and simply getting a "?" rather than a D-.

If you're a gun owner, sportsman, 2nd Amendment supporter or just someone who believes in our Constitution, Morgan Griffith's A+ and Carter Turner's D- should tell you all you need to know about these 2 candidates.

On a personal note Carter, I'll be in the office all day and you can call to apologize whenever you get a chance.

Update - Click here to read the VSSA (NRA) blog post regarding the endorsement of Morgan Griffith.

Octavia Johnson achieves re-accreditation for the Roanoke City Jail

From the Roanoke Tribune:

Roanoke City Jail, Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office has received re-accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Corrections (CAC).

The award was presented to Sheriff Octavia Johnson and her accreditation team on August 10 in conjunction with the American Correctional Association (ACA) Congress of Correction Conference in Nashville, TN. Lannette Linthicum, Chairperson of the CAC, and Harold Clarke, President of the ACA, complimented Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office on their professional level of operation and their success in completing the accreditation process.

The accreditation award represents completion of a rigorous self-evaluation, followed by an outside review by a team of independent auditors. Sgt. John Williams, accreditation manager; Captain David Bell, Support Services Division; and Sgt. Nicole Butterworth, training officer worked diligently with the staff in preparation for the audit.

On April 9-11, 2009, the ACA executed a three day on-site assessment of the Roanoke City Jail to determine compliance with national standards. Members of the visiting committee were Marvin Wilson, chairperson; James Bailey and Robin White RN. They inspected the Roanoke City Jail and reviewed hundreds of compliance files; observed daily operations and conducted random interviews with deputies, inmates, and administrative staff.

The visiting committee, at the exit interview, informed Sheriff Johnson that they found the employees of the Roanoke City Jail to be very professional, knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. The chairperson expressed appreciation for the cooperation of everyone concerned and congratulated the accreditation team for the excellent accreditation program they manage.
At the American Correctional Association Congress of Correction Conference in Nashville, TN, the Sheriff’s Office underwent a hearing before a Commission on Accreditation panel. Sheriff Johnson, Major Brubaker, Sgt. Williams, Captain Bell and Sgt. Butterworth presented an accomplished defense of the audit and visiting committee’s report. The hearing resulted in the commission granting all waivers and deeming all youthful offender standards non-applicable. The final report for the Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office: 100% compliance with mandatory standards and 97.4% compliance with non-mandatory standards. Lack of compliance with the non-mandatory standards is due to the physical plant which would be cost prohibitive to correct.
Through accreditation, an agency is able to maintain a balance between protecting the public and providing an environment that safeguards the life, health, and safety of staff and offenders.
Sheriff Johnson and the staff of the Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office are committed and strive to provide a high quality of professional service.

Carter Turner Campaign Breaks The Law?

Stay tuned. More to come...

Carter Turner's NRA-Gate - Part 3

I think we're up to Part 3 now on Carter Turner's complete implosion over the NRA endorsement. Sadly, I have a feeling we have a lot more "parts" to come.

Carter Turner clearly thinks the NRA endorsement is a huge deal or else he wouldn't be responding to obscure blog posts. From a political standpoint, he's just put himself in a terrible position.

Anyway, here's what I'm allowed to say. The NRA has endorsed Morgan Griffith and given him an A+ rating. Not only that, but their blog is encouraging everyone to support Morgan and literature trumpeting the endorsement is already on the ground in the 8th District.

Since Carter believes the NRA to be a very big deal and he now says he submitted the questionairre, then the grade he receives should be very important in this election. For those who don't follow it closely, here are the grades.

A+ An incumbent with not only an excellent voting record on critical NRA issues, but who has also made a vigorous effort to promote the Second Amendment.

A Solidly pro-gun candidate. An “A” incumbent who has supported NRA positions on key votes. May also describe a non-incumbent “A” candidate (one not represented with an *) who has previously held other office and cast consistent pro-gun votes, or an “A” candidate who hasn’t held office but has expressed strong support for NRA positions on Second Amendment issues. It should be noted that a “non-incumbent” candidate may have been awarded the “A” rating due solely to their responses on the NRA-PVF candidate survey.

B A generally pro-gun candidate, but a “B” incumbent may have voted for some restrictive legislation in the past. A “B” candidate who hasn’t held office may have made some statements or taken positions against the NRA on some issues.

C Not necessarily a passing grade. A “C” candidate may have cast some pro-gun votes in the past but has also recently cast key votes or made some statements contrary to NRA positions on key issues.

D An anti-gun candidate who has frequently voted for restrictive gun control legislation or made strong statements in opposition to Second Amendment rights, and regardless of public statements can definitely not be counted on in key votes.

F True enemy of gun owners’ rights. A vehement anti-gun candidate who always opposes gun owners’ rights and/or actively leads anti-gun legislative efforts, or sponsors anti-gun legislation.

? Failed to answer NRA-PVF candidate questionnaire, often an indication of indifference, if not outright hostility, to gun owners’ and sportsmen’s rights.

* Indicates an incumbent running for re-election.

Can't wait to see what grade Carter gets.

More On Carter Turner's NRA-Gate

So the Turner campaign just sent out a press release responding to my earlier post about Turner and the NRA. As a side note, it is stunningly amateur for a campaign to be responding to this blog. That said, I'm going to respond to him.

Here are the facts.

1) On Wednesday of last week (9/16/09), the NRA contacted the Griffith campaign and informed it that the NRA was endorsing Morgan Griffith.

2) As of the call on Wednesday, the NRA had not received the questionairre from Carter Turner.

3) At the time of the call, according to the NRA, the deadline for Turner to submit his questionairre was "way past."

4) We have just been informed that the NRA received the questionairre "late last week." Again, they say it is "way past" the deadline.

5) The NRA has endorsed Morgan Griffith and the press release from the Turner campaign is not helping his situation.

6) Click here to read a post from the Virginia Shooting Sports Association (Official State Association of the NRA) showing their support of Morgan Griffith in this race as far back as 8/18.

Here's the punchline, the NRA has endorsed Morgan Griffith, Carter Turner missed his deadline to submit his questionairre, and Carter Turner (apparently in response to the endorsements that came out last week) filed his questionairre "way past" the deadline.

Thanks for reading though Carter.

ESPN Game Day Producers Are Morons

This Saturday, Blacksburg will host its second straight top-25 matchup when Miami comes to town. Last Saturday's game was the best matchup of ranked teams in the entire country. Where did ESPN Game Day go? To Austin, TX for the UT-TT rematch. Okay, bad choice but I kind of get it since it was a huge game last year.

Since Blacksburg was snubbed last week, ESPN Game Day will obviously be coming to town this Saturday for VT-Miami, right? I mean, once again, the top matchup in the country of ranked teams will be right here in Blacksburg.

Sorry, but the answer is no. The morons at ESPN have decided that Penn State v. Iowa is a better location. That's right, I said PSU-Iowa.

No. 9 Miami v. No. 11 VT, a game that will likely decide the ACC Coastal championship gets beaten out by a Big10 game that no one cares about? Two things. 1) ESPN producers are morons. 2) The national perception of the ACC is REALLY bad.

Oh well.

8th HOD Campaign Finance Reports (Part 1)

While I've posted a couple comments on the finance reports filed last week in the 8th HOD District, I haven't done much breakdown. I thought I'd take a closer look and break the numbers down a little.

We already know that Turner's report is pretty much nonsense and exhibits "grade inflation" on an epic level.

We also know that Morgan Griffith raised 4x as much money from 4x as many contributors as Turner.

Because he's getting destroyed in fundraising, Turner has taken the classic approach, attempted by Sam Rasoul last year, to say "yeah, but I don't want corporate money and my opponent is bought and sold." It's still a mystery to me why Turner is modeling his campaign after a guy who couldn't get 40% in the district. Anyway, I digress.

So here's just a quick initial look at Turner's report. For a guy who is trying to proclaim support in the district, this is pretty pitiful. Of those contributions he itemized, Turner received a whopping 9 contributions from individuals living in the 8th.

To quote a great movie of my youth - "9 TIMES, HE ONLY RECEIVED DONATIONS 9 TIMES." (Ferris Bueller for those too young or old to get it) The total amount of those receipts was a meager $3,947. Of that amount, 25% came from one person (our favorite partisan Steve McGraw).

This means Turner received a total of 12% of his receipts from individuals in the District. Personally, I don't care where you get your money. But if your entire campaign is going to be about who gives and where the money comes from, you'd better get more than 12% from donors in your district.

More to come.

Carter Turner Disrespects Gun Owners, Sportsmen And The 2nd Amendment

As you may have heard by now, Morgan Griffith has received the endorsement of the NRA. This is a big endorsement as there are thousands of NRA members, gun owners and sportsmen living in the 8th District. Having said that, it shouldn't come as a big surprise that Morgan got the endorsement.

So what's the point of this post?

The point is that Carter Turner REFUSED TO EVEN FILL OUT THE QUESTIONNAIRE. You see, prior to making its endorsements the NRA, like all similar groups, sends each campaign a questionnaire. In all but the most unique circumstances, candidates fill these out even if they know they're not getting the endorsement. Well, Carter was sent the questionnaire and he simply refused to return it. One of several things is going on here.

1) Carter Turner so disrespects the NRA and what it stands for that he took a philosophical stand and refuses to play. Frankly, while this would be a terrible move politically, I could respect it if he comes out and admits it.

2) His campaign is in such disarray that they just forgot. Remember, his campaign manager quit, his treasurer is inflating his financials, and his "consultant" is really just a volunteer with almost no political experience.

3) Turner doesn't believe in the right to bear arms, the protections of the 2nd Amendment, hunting, etc.

4) His dog ate it. We know he has a dog so that's always possible.

Anyway, I don't know why he didn't fill it out but refusing to even acknowledge the NRA in the 8th District shows a level of disrespect and detachment from the District that we could only expect from a university Professor in an ivory tower outside the District. What? That's what Carter is? Oh, maybe that explains it.

There is going to be a debate in the 17th HOD district

On September 29, 2009 Conservative Republican Bill Cleaveland will debate his Liberal Democrat opponent Gwen Mason.

Some of you may be saying right now...Gwen is liberal? I assure you she is but I understand why you have the question. If you visit her website there is no mention of issues nor has she talked about issues publicly. Some of my good friends are liberal and I am fine with people being liberal, I would not vote for them but I appreciate someone with a position. What I think all Americans cannot stand is a politician who will not stand up for what they believe in just to win an election.

Why is Gwen not talking about the issues? Here is the answer. The district voted 58% for John McCain over Obama, and William Fralin never lost a precinct. This means her strategy is to not talk about where she stands on the issues so she does not expose her liberal views. Which is a good strategy given that it is an up hill battle to win the 17th, John Edwards Senate seat is much more liberal, and Edwards is always looking for another job.

I for one am very interested in how she will handle this debate against a straight shooter like Bill Cleaveland. Bill is talking about the issues everywhere he goes and has a plan. 17th voters ask both candidates where they stand on key issues like:

1- The economy- How will you bring more jobs to VA? Where do you stand on Card Check?- Where do you stand on Cap and Trade? Where do you stand on Right to work?

2- Where do you stand on social issues- Abortion, Death Penalty, etc.

3- Will you support raising taxes like Creigh Deeds?

All candidates should be forced to take positions so we the voters know what we are getting. Do not let Gwen or any candidate get away with not talking about the issues and putting them in writing on their website.

Carter Turner Campaign Implosion Continues

Folks, it's just getting spooky how similar the 2009 Turner campaign is to the 2009 Rasoul campaign. Remember last year when Rasoul's staff kept deserting him? Well, now it's happening to Carter as his campaign manager has quit.

Of course, this was a guy that had only worked on losing campaigns in the past so maybe he was worried about another 20-30 point loss on his record. Guess the rats don't want to go down with the sinking ship.

Business Owners Support Morgan Griffith - Big Labor Supports Carter Turner

We'll have a lot more to say about the different groups supporting the candidates in the 8th District but here's a quick one.

The National Federation of Independent Business, with 5,300 members representing 43% of the registered voters in Virginia, has given its endorsement to Morgan Griffith.

The AFL-CIO, whose stated goal is to repeal Virginia's Right to Work Law, has given a donation to the campaign of Carter Turner.

I'll leave it at that for now. More to come.

Roanoke Times Calls Creigh Deeds A Liar

The fact that Creigh Deeds would lie is no surprise (in fact it's expected). But the fact that it would be the Roanoke Times of all people to call him on it is stunning. As the Roanoke Times said:

Deeds should be ashamed.

Click here to read the entire editorial. We all know the RT will still endorse Deeds but keep this in mind when they do so, they'll be endorsing someone that they themselves called a liar.

Stunning Meltdown By Creigh Deeds

After being embarrassed in the Fairfax debate today, Creigh Deeds faced reporters and tried to justify his nonsense position on taxes. Just watch the video.

Deeds' answer to what should have been an easy question? "I think I've made myself clear young lady." Wow.



How can a guy who responds to a veteran female reporter with "I think I've made myself clear young lady" have the audicity to base his entire campaign around a 20 year old thesis?

Bill Cleaveland receives NRA Endorsement

Roanoke, VA—Bill Cleaveland, Republican candidate for the 17th House of Delegates seat has received the endorsement of the National Rifle Association’s Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF). The endorsement by the gun rights group was highly coveted by both 17th District candidates, but ultimately went to Bill Cleaveland, the same candidate Delegate William Fralin has endorsed. Cleaveland received an “A” rating from the organization based on their candidates’ questionnaire.

Bill Cleaveland issued this statement regarding the endorsement: “It is an honor to receive this important endorsement from the NRA-PVF. For more than 125 years the NRA has defended an individual’s right to keep and bear arms and has helped protect those rights granted by our Constitution. I’ve spent the last twenty-five years as an attorney and fourteen years as a substitute judge fighting to defend individual rights and freedom. The only thing that will change for me in Richmond is the setting. With the NRA’s defense of our Second Amendment rights, coupled with my own legal work defending an individual’s personal and property rights--I believe we make a good team.”

Gun rights are expected to continue as a hotly debated topic in the next General Assembly. Richmond Democrats have been pushing efforts to ban private sales of firearms and maintain gun control restrictions that passed in the early 1990s.

The NRA and its 120,000 dues paying members in Virginia hope to play a major role in determining who will be deciding these issues.

Cleaveland, a gun owner himself, enjoys shooting and hunting. He is a strong believer in keeping the sport’s legacy alive. Cleaveland welcomes the support and active participation of gun owners and sportsmen in this campaign as they work to send him and his “Common Sense Leadership” to Richmond.

If Professor Turner Inflates Grades Like Candidate Turner Inflates Financials...

then I advise every RU student to sign up for Professor Carter Turner's religion classes ASAP. What do I mean? Take a look at Carter's financial report.

Carter reports total receipts of $32,428. Not bad for a first time candidate. The problem? More than half of that comes from BS "in-kind contributions." I don't think I've ever seen a candidate with more "in-kind" contributions than actual contributions.

For those of you who don't know what in-kind contributions are, they're non-monetary contributions. They include food donated for events, free use of space, etc. Most campaigns report a tiny fraction of their total receipts as in-kind contributions. Not Carter.

What Carter has done is "hired" a "consultant," who is "donating" her time as an in-kind contribution. She actually claims 2 months of her time is worth $14,500. This is RIDICULOUS. Even the best consultants don't make that kind of money from a single race, let alone one who appears to have almost no experience.

Anyway, the punchline is that Carter actually raised a little over $14,000 from 59 contributors. Not embarrassing but not good either. To put that in context, Morgan Griffith raised about $68,000 from from a whopping 262 individual contributors (4x the money and contributors).

Heck, Morgan Griffith gave away $30,000, twice what Carter raised. So, if you hear any noise from Carter about his $32k+ fundraising haul, just know he's practicing "financial inflation" on a grand scale. If Professor Carter does the same with grades, he must be every RU student's favorite professor.

Tom Bondurant - Welcome To Gentry Locke

As the Roanoke Times reported this morning, Assistant US Attorney Tom Bondurant is joining us at Gentry Locke. Tom has had a remarkable 30 year career as a federal prosecutor. Former US Attorney John Brownlee told me that Tom is the single best trial lawyer he has ever seen.

This is a great move for Tom and for Gentry Locke. It'll allow us to expand our white collar criminal division with a special emphasis on corporate investigations. These are where corporations suspect internal fraud, embezzelment, etc. and investigate the matter before turning over to prosecutors. This is a booming area of the law and Tom is custom made to become the leader in the state.

Welcome to Gentry Locke Tom.

Time For Carter Turner To Admit He's Wrong On Federal Stimulus Money

Carter Turner seems to be basing his entire candidacy on the fact that the Virginia House of Delegates rejected $125 million in federal stimulus money to expand unemployment benefits to part time workers. Today we learned what a great move that was by the HOD and how wrong Carter was.

According to the Roanoke Times, Tim Kaine has asked the federal government for a $252 million loan to cover a shortfall in the unemployment fund. Here's why that's important.

First, this shortfall kicks in a new tax for small businesses, exactly what the Rs in the HOD said would happen. This is only going to get worse in the next few years.

Second, we clearly can't even afford to fund the pool as currently constituted. Think how disastrous it would have been to expand the pool by tens of thousands of workers with a one time payment in federal money. How in the world would we have met that obligation going forward?

This is why people like Carter Turner should be careful of jumping on an issue they think makes political sense when they don't really understand it. Republicans said all along that we simply couldn't afford to expand the pool to cover these folks. Ds, like Carter Turner, said they were beholden to corporate interests. Today's news shows unequivocally that Rs, like Morgan Griffith, were right, and Ds, like Carter Turner were wrong.

What's your campaign gonna be based on now Carter?

Where Are All The Democratic Donors? (Updated)

As everyone knows by now, today is financial report filing day. Let's be honest, people can spin these numbers however they'd like and I'm sure some will accuse this post of being nothing but spin. Nonetheless, here goes.

For me, there are 2 numbers at which you should look. 1) Cash on Hand. This will determine what type of fight you can put up going forward. 2) Number of Donors. This tells us how deep your support goes and how many people are passionate enough about your campaign to put their money where their mouth is. Based on this, today's numbers are an unqualified landslide victory for the R team. Here's what we know as of this moment.

Governor
Bob McDonnell - $5.8 million COH; 6239 donors
Creigh Deeds - $4.3 million COH; 2,284 donors

These numbers are stunningly lopsided, especially the number of donors.

Lieutenant Governor
Bill Bolling - ?
Jody Wagner - $593k COH; ?

All we know so far is that Wagner slightly outraised Bolling this period but he has a huge COH advantage. Don't know about donors yet but you can be sure there'll be a big R lead. We'll post more when we know.

Attorney General
Ken Cuccinelli - $750k COH; 2,196 donors
Steve Shannon - $1.6 million COH; ?

Clearly, Shannon's COH advantage is the one glaring weak spot for the Rs. Otherwise, Rs are dominating every relevant category. For example, Ken Cuccinelli running at the bottom of the ticket has essentially the same number of donors as Creigh Deeds. That's unbelievable. We'll update as more information comes in. We'll also post/discuss the local Delegate races once the information is out.

Update - The numbers are even worse for the Ds than I thought now that I've seen Bolling's. Bolling has a 2 to 1 COH advantage and had 3,225 individual donors.

So Much For Deeds Country

What A Weekend In Salem!

Most of you know by now that Olde Salem Days was this weekend. Things couldn't have gone any better.

Saturday morning started off with our annual Olde Salem Days breakfast. We set a record for attendance last year with 175. That number was smashed this year as 252 people showed up. They were treated to great speeches by Morgan Griffith, Ken Cuccinelli, Bob Goodlatte, Eric Cantor, Bill Bolling and Bob McDonnell.

After breakfast we hit Main Street where more than 100 people spent the day volunteering and campaigning for our team. I'm not sure which was better, the crush of supporters around McDonnell, Cuccinelli, et al or the complete lack of support for Creigh Deeds when he showed up at 2:30 (he should fire whichever staffer thought showing up at 2:30 was a good idea). Either way, it was a huge day for Salem Republicans.

In addition to Olde Salem Days, this weekend saw us working the Glenvar game, Northside/Cave Spring game, attending the Glenvar chicken BBQ, Back Creek back to school, putting up hundreds of signs and knocking on hundreds of doors. Just a great weekend, start to finish.

No Class Carter Turner Tries To Use 9/11 For Political Gain

Folks this is just stunning. Earlier this week, Carter Turner got an endorsement from a local union. Good for him. What does he do? Does he announce it then? No, he waits until 9/11, announces today and actually uses 9/11 in his press release. Over the last few years politicians of both parties have shamelessly crossed this line but most people have now gotten the message - don't try to use 9/11 for partisan gain. Apparently Carter "I'm still for sale if anyone's buying" Turner didn't get the message.

Oh, congratulations on the endorsement. Now get some class.

Carter Turner Is For Sale...But No One Is Buying

It's becoming clear that the Carter Turner campaign is heading for a "Sam Rasoul like" crash and burn in November. I suppose I should give them credit for trying but this is just getting sad.

Earlier this week, we noted the emerging similarities between Carter Turner in 2009 and Sam Rasoul in 2008. Apparently to prove my point, the Turner campaign goes out and releases a bizarre 5 minute video that rivals Sam Rasoul's commercial from last year as the worst produced political video we've ever seen in these parts.

What you learn from the video, and from Carter's new bumperstickers, is that his entire campaign is built around his "Not For Sale" line. This should of course sound familiar to anyone who followed Rasoul's pledge from last year to take no PAC or party money, an easy pledge to take when no one is offering the money.

That brings us back to Mr. Turner. Here are the problems with his position.

First, Turner has his "big" fundraiser this week. Wanna know how big it was? So big that not all of the "hosts" even bothered to show up. Guess that's why he should have gotten their permission to use their names before he called them "hosts."

Second, the point of Turner's new slogan is that Morgan Griffith is somehow bought and sold by corporations. Too bad that's just stupid on its face. As an example, I'm hearing that Griffith's fundraising numbers will show hundreds of donors, most of whom are small donors from right here in the Roanoke Valley. Let's see next week what Turner shows on his report. I have a feeling the comparison is going to be telling.

Third, Carter can't even get the support of far left "Partisan Hack Groups."

Finally, we already know that Turner has tried to sell himself. We've heard that he's gone to the Democratic Caucus and been rebuffed. That he's gone to other local Democrats and been rebuffed. The truth is, Carter is for sale but the only people buying are Steve McGraw, Cabell Brand, a few other hard core partisans.

So next time you see Carter Turner, remind him that his slash and burn, no-issue style of campaigning simply won't fly in the 8th District. He can sling all the mud at Morgan he wants and level accusations and innuendos til he's blue in the face. We know the truth and Carter will learn the truth this November.

Come Welcome Creigh Deeds To Morgan Griffith/Bob McDonnell Country

As everyone knows by now, Olde Salem Days is this weekend. We've learned that Creigh Deeds plans to attend although he apparently doesn't want people to know and is keeping his precise agenda a secret. Guess he's worried about the reception he'll receive.

Not to worry. The "Welcome to Salem" Committee is set. It'll include Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling, Ken Cuccinelli, Eric Cantor, Bob Goodlatte, Morgan Griffith, Ralph Smith and thousands of thousands of our closest friends. Come on out and join us as we welcome Creigh and his new best friend Carter Turner to Olde Salem Days. Should be a lot of fun.

We're gonna send a message loud and clear that Salem is Morgan Griffith/Bob McDonnell Country!

Congressman Goodlatte responds to Obama

President Obama has just concluded his speech to a joint session of Congress about his plan for a federal takeover of our healthcare system. I am walking back to my office right now to talk to reporters, but I wanted to quickly let you know my reaction to his speech.

While I agree that reforms to our system must be made, the plan President Obama presented tonight is not the answer. In recent weeks I have held several town meetings on healthcare reform both in person and by teleconference. Many thousands of people have participated with the overwhelming majority being opposed to a federal takeover. Despite the President's rhetoric tonight I am still opposed to this takeover.

If we are going to prevent the federal takeover, I need your help. Many of you have already signed my petition at www.NoFedMed.com to let Senators Webb and Warner know you are opposed to this legislation. However, I need you to ask your friends, family members, and co-workers to sign the petition and keep the pressure on our Senators to vote No.

I will continue to be a vocal opponent to this federal takeover and I am counting on you to keep up the pressure in your community. After you ask your friends to sign the petition at www.NoFedMed.com, write a letter to the Editor of your local newspaper voicing your opposition to a federal healthcare takeover, call talk radio and share your opinion, talk to your neighbors about why you oppose this legislation, and do everything you can to spread the word that our nation does not support a federal takeover of our healthcare system.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Bob Goodlatte


---
Congressman Bob Goodlatte
Virginia’s 6th Congressional District

Is Anyone Supporting Carter Turner?

So the Virginia League of Conservation Voters is out with its list of 2009 endorsements. Keep in mind, this is such a far left partisan group that the biggest Democratic blogger in the entire state is now referring to it as a Partisan Hack Group.

So I'm looking down the list and I see Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, Democrat, etc. You get the picture.

Anyway, who didn't I see? That's right, no endorsement of Carter Turner. How bad and unelectable does a partisan Democrat have to be when a Partisan Democratic Hack Group doesn't even endorse you?

Breakfast With McDonnell, Bolling, Cuccinelli, Cantor, Goodlatte, Griffith And More

The final lineup for THIS SATURDAY's Olde Salem Days Breakfast is set and it is UNBELIEVABLE. Confirmed attendees include Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling, Ken Cuccinelli, Eric Cantor, Bob Goodlatte, Morgan Griffith, Ralph Smith, Charles Poindexter, Adnan Barqawi and more.

We have a couple (and I literally mean a couple) seats remaining. If you want in, please email or call (815-8028) ASAP.

WHAT: OLDE SALEM DAYS BREAKFAST
WHEN: SEPTEMBER 12, 2009 from 8:00-9:30 a.m.
WHERE: SALEM CIVIC CENTER
COST: $20 per person (under 5 free)

Bill Cleaveland Addresses Jobs and Economic Development for the Region

Bill Cleaveland, Republican candidate for the 17th House of Delegates seat, and Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling co-hosted a meeting today with local elected officials, business leaders, and economic development personnel. The site for the meeting was ADMMicro in Roanoke.

ADMMicro is a local company that was founded in 2002 and is now staffed by 50 employees. Its primary products include energy saving controllers, thermostats and load controllers. The company’s principal markets are government, retail, fast food, industrial, education, and healthcare facilities. ADMMicro was a 2009 winner of the NCTC Rising Star Award. Cleaveland and Bolling showcased the company as a model of entrepreneurial success in the Roanoke Valley.

Cleaveland called jobs one of the most important issues facing the region, state, and nation today. He said that “attracting and retaining jobs are both critical to providing for our families and for insuring economic development in our communities.” Noting that Virginia has been identified as the most business-friendly state, Cleaveland called on government to “walk the talk” when it comes to promoting start up businesses and retaining businesses already here. He stated, “Government must do its part to encourage and attract businesses and then, get out of the way and let the entrepreneurs do what they do best—create jobs!”

Bill Cleaveland also praised Lt. Governor Bill Bolling’s economic development initiative and his “Jobs for Virginians” tour as evidence of the type of state leadership necessary to compete for businesses in today’s markets. Cleaveland noted that he is proud to team with Bolling and Bob McDonnell as together they seek to support jobs’ creation in Southwest Virginia.

In a roundtable discussion, the candidates heard first-hand from local business leaders about the challenges they are facing in the current economic climate. They also listened to the business leaders’ ideas about how state government might assist with jobs’ creation.

A brief tour of the ADMMicro facility preceded the roundtable discussion.

Bill Cleaveland will continue to share his plans and strategies for economic development in the region as the campaign progresses.

Thank You Carter Turner - 2009's Sam Rasoul

After an unbelievable weekend in the 8th District, I have to thank Carter Turner for getting into this race. I should also thank him for running a completely negative campaign without focusing a minute of his time on the issues.

Why?

Because he's now the Sam Rasoul of 2009. By that I mean he has lit a fire under local Republicans. On one day's notice on a holiday weekend, we had dozens of volunteers show up to distribute Morgan Griffith yard signs. The result is that we put out hundreds of yard signs, several dozen 4x4 and 4x8 signs and have generated a list of several hundred more that we'll be distributing shortly.

As a local Committee Chair, people like Carter Turner are a huge boost to us as they drive up our membership, inspire our volunteers and help us create the infrastructure that will support our candidates for years to come.

On a side note, anyone who thought Carter had a chance in this race should read Mason Adams' article in the Roanoke Times this morning about COMPETITIVE local races. Guess which Democratic challenger isn't even mentioned. Even more disastrous for Turner is the fact that Mason interviewed Ward Armstrong (House Minority Leader) to get the list of target races. Hmmm, maybe Ward isn't supporting Carter because he heard about Carter's attacks on tenured Delegates?

Where does Gwen Mason stand?

I invite you to visit Gwen Mason's website and ask yourself...Where can I find out where she stands on the issues?

I am glad Bill Cleaveland is telling people where he stands on the issues.

Voters in the 17th make sure you know where the candidates stand. I know Bill will display his leadership and talk about the issues.

Bill Cleaveland Press Release

Tuesday, September 8, 2009, Republican House of Delegates (17th District) candidate William "Bill" Cleaveland and Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling will host a visit to showcase positive entrepreneurial success in the Roanoke Valley.

The host site for this event will be ADMMicro, a recognized leader in the field of energy management. ADMMicro, a local company with a national and international client base, serves an impressive list of Fortune 500 companies and governmental agencies.

Virginia's Lieutenant Governor, Bill Bolling, will be in attendance as part of his "Jobs for Virginians" Tour. Together, Lt. Gov. Bolling and Bill Cleaveland will join other elected and civic leaders to discuss economic development and job creation issues.

DATE: Tuesday, September 8, 2009
TIME: 10:00 a.m. - 11:15 a.m.
LOCATION: ADMMicro 2797 Frontage Road, NW Roanoke, VA 24017

Directions: From Downtown: Take I-581 North toExit 3W (Hershberger Road) Exit at 3W (Hershberger Road) RIGHT on Ordway Dr. RIGHT on Frontage Road to 2797

Contact: Steve Mabry 540-529-9329

Bob Goodlatte - Commonsense Changes that Should Be Included in Health Care Reform

Guest Post from Congressman Bob Goodlatte

While we can all agree that our current health care system is flawed there are many different ideas about how to fix it. Democratic Leaders in Congress have introduced and rushed through committee, the “America’s Affordable Health Choices Act”. This one-size fits all proposal would steer the country toward a government-run health care system likely marked by little choice and long lines. I oppose this bill and the Democrat Leadership’s mad rush to ram the bill through with no opportunity for alternative ideas. Even commonsense amendments to this bill offered by House Republicans during the committee consideration were rejected by the Democratic Chairmen of the three committees with jurisdiction over the health care reform legislation.

For instance, Congressman Dean Heller offered an amendment during the Ways and Means Committee mark-up that would have required Members of Congress to enroll immediately in the government-run health plan that would be established by this legislation. After all, if Members of Congress are convinced that the public, government-run option will deliver the same quality of care as their current health insurance plans, then they should be willing to enroll in the public option automatically. Congress should not ask the American people to make sacrifices they are not willing to make themselves. But that is exactly what is happening … Congressman Heller’s amendment was defeated.

Congressman Heller also offered another commonsense amendment. This one would have prevented taxpayer-funded health benefits from going to illegal immigrants. Any health care reform legislation that Congress considers must ensure that taxpayers are not responsible for paying for health care provided to individuals who are residing in the United States illegally but apparently the Democrats disagree. This sensible amendment was also defeated in the Ways and Means Committee.

Congressman Buck McKeon offered an amendment in the Education and Labor Committee that would modify the current Democratic bill to allow for the creation of Association Health Plans, known as AHPs. AHPs are an effective mechanism to extend coverage among the working uninsured by reducing the barriers that small employers currently face in providing coverage for their employees. AHPs are intended to increase incentives for employers to band together to purchase insurance coverage at lower rates for their employees. The way to revitalize our struggling American economy is by ensuring the stability of America’s small businesses and reducing the burden of increasing health care costs is a big part of that. Once again, this reasonable amendment was defeated.

These are just a few of the commonsense changes that House Republicans offered to improve the current health care reform bill, which is defined by federal regulation, mandates, a myriad of new big government programs, and a significant increase in federal spending. For Congress to accomplish meaningful health care reform we must work in a bipartisan fashion. I believe if House Republicans are not shut out of the legislative process and are instead allowed to offer our ideas we can craft a health care reform bill that the American people want – one that would make health care more affordable, reduce the number of uninsured, increase quality, and preserve consumer choices.

So Now The Deeds Campaign Can't Even Spell?

Click here to read the story. The lack of professionalism and basic campaign management skills in the Deeds camp are stunning. TMac has to be feeling really stupid right about now for losing that primary to this crew.

I'll ask again, worst statewide campaign in recent memory?

Football Is Here - VT v. Alabama - What A Way To Start

Another Example Of How Bad A Campaign Creigh Deeds Is Running

Let me say up front, this is not a post about substance or issues. It is about the nuts and bolts of campaigning. I've spent a good amount of time outlining the "me too" nature of the Deeds campaign, the radical far left groups supporting Deeds and the complete lack of substance from that crew (here, here, here, here, here, here and here).

This is different. This is about oppo research and its importance in a campaign.

Like it or not, dirt, of many different types, is significant in a campaign. It's why campaigns have highly skilled researchers turning over every rock.

This brings us to McDonnell's thesis. Whether it has any long term impact on this race isn't yet known but I think it's fair to assume that it will at least halt McDonnell's momentum and get him off message for some period of time. Frankly, it's an oppo researchers dream.

So the question must be asked, how in the world did the Deeds campaign miss the thesis in 2 separate statewide battles with McDonnell? As the Shad Plank points out, this thesis could have very well changed the entire election in 2005 and Virginia political history would have literally been turned upside down.

Just think if this had been dropped in October of 2005. Or maybe even more significantly, what if the Deeds folks had been the ones to find it and, rather than dropping it the week before Labor Day, it was dropped in October of this year? Can you imagine the impact this "October surprise" would have had?

Instead, the Deeds folks have missed this for literally years and years and they've allowed Bob McDonnell to control the narrative of who he is. Now, when it finally drops, it drops before Labor Day (when no one is paying attention), during a holiday week and well in advance of the election giving McDonnell ample time to recover.

As I said the other day, I think the thesis story has largely played out and only a completely desperate Deeds will try to ride this into November. However, regardless of how he handles it going forward, he should fire his entire campaign staff and demand a return of their paychecks. I'm starting to agree with the developing conventional wisdom that this is the worst run statewide campaign we've ever seen.

Rampant Bipartisan Hypocrisy

Earlier this year, Obama appointed Judge Sotomayor to the position of Associate Justice on the United States Supreme Court. As part of the vetting process, some pretty controversial former old writings/speeches came to light.

Republicans cried "how can you support someone who is so radical and out of the mainstream? Her writings/speeches are what she truly believes."

Democrats responded "you have to look at what she says in her hearings and how she has ruled from the bench during her career."

Now Bob McDonnell is running for Governor. As part of the election process, a pretty controversial old writing comes to light.

Democrats cry "how can you support someone who is so radical and out of the mainstream? His thesis is what he truly believes."

Republicans respond "you have to look at what he says during this election and how he has governed as a Delegate for 14 years and Attorney General for almost 4."

Listen, I know there are nuances to everything and you can theorectically make an honest defense of one while attacking the other but don't you feel even a little hypocrital doing so.

The End Of The Thesis Story?

You've all heard about the McDonnell thesis by now. Couple quick points. First, I think the WaPo did the right thing in tracking it down once they became aware of it. Whether it's Justice Sotomayor, Michelle Obama or Bob McDonnell, past writings are a PART of the picture. Second, the Democrats have made a huge calculated, but risky, move to go "all in" on this thesis. To the extent Deeds ever had a campaign strategy (something that is surely debatable) he has abandoned it in favor of this line of attack and there's now no going back.

Having said all of that, I think the story has essentially peaked and the Democrats run a huge risk by continuing to hammer it to the exclusion of all other "issues." The problem the Dems have is summed up in these 2 paragraphs from today's WaPo story.

But McDonnell's public record and his reputation among colleagues paint a more complex portrait. He appears as a man with deeply conservative views that spring from a strong Catholic faith but also as reasonable, open-minded and increasingly focused on such issues as jobs and transportation.

"What I found in him is exactly what I found in Tim Kaine: A man with a considerable intellect, who is prepared to think and rethink constantly," said Randal J. Kirk, who was Kaine's biggest individual donor in 2005. Kirk said he is considering a donation to McDonnell.

The truth is, and I think voters get this, we're all very complex. Our core beliefs are based on life, experience, religion, morality, etc. etc. Also, very few of us are the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

The problem for Dems is that voters are likely to look at McDonnell's thesis and his reputation as a "reasonable, open-minded" elected official who "focused on such issues as jobs and transportation" and see some of themselves. They're going to see a man that has lived a full life and whose beliefs have been shaped, and reshaped, by that life.

At the end of the day, when the Randall Kirks of the world accept McDonnell for who he is, the Dems will suffer a huge backlash. Since they will have completely abandoned every other argument for the Deeds candidacy they will have nothing to fall back on and I'll be proud to call Bob McDonnell our next Governor.

Of course, my crystal ball is broken this morning so we'll talk in November and see if I'm right.