Back in July Delegate Todd Gilbert, former chairman of this very committee, caught alot of flack for suggesting that Barack Obama was a “borderline communist” and that he held “Marxist views.” Putting aside for a moment the complex arguments that could be held about whether or not Obama’s views fit into Marxist thinking (and the far simpler and petty argument that this is simply race or red baiting), the comments indicated how many conservatives view Obama as a radical, even dangerous, departure from the norm of American politics and conversely just how fiercely the left will defend their guy after losing many elections over these sorts of issues.
So it came as no surprise when Joe Biden chose to simply laugh off a serious question from a Florida reporter about how Obama’s views might be viewed by some as fitting into the mold of Marxist thinking:
What was the campaign’s response? From the Orlando Sentinel:
Biden so disliked West’s line of questioning that the Obama campaign canceled a WFTV interview with Jill Biden, the candidate’s wife.
“This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election,” wrote Laura K. McGinnis, Central Florida communications director for the Obama campaign.
McGinnis said the Biden cancellation was “a result of her husband’s experience yesterday during the satellite interview with Barbara West.”
And yet, as a State Senator in 2001, Barack Obama didn’t seem to want to shy away at all from questions about the redistribution of wealth. Or rather, just what the best way to do it is:
That’s the Democratic nominee for President agreeing, in principle, that the redistribution of wealth needs to occur in this country and that the civil rights movement didn’t go far enough towards that ends.
Come meet Congressman Goodlatte tonight at the final Debate Party at the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Republican Headquarters on Neff Avenue. Food starts at 7 p.m.
Newt came to rally the troops today as House Republicans to occupy the floor to bring attention to Speaker Pelosi’s inaction on this pivotal issue:
Meanwhile, Gingrich’s American Solutions points out that even MoveOn.org is conceding that the right has all the momentum on this issue.
H/T Suzzanne Curran and American Solutions
Filed under: Election 2008, Multimedia, Strategy and Tactics, Technology and Politics
Two new ads out:
If you have dial-up and need to kill some time, check on the Washington Post’s latest article on Virginia’s new status as a battleground state. Yes, the MSM is running this story into the ground, and yes, you’ve probably already caught it, but if you read it on dead tree, you probably didn’t see all the fancy maps and graphs!
Seriously though, this will be a great resource as the race continues to develop.
Republicans are continuing their occupation of the “people’s house” as the lights and mics stay off in what Democrats must think is “Pelosi’s house.”
Meanwhile, veepstakes contender Eric Cantor has launched a new effort to “Call Congress Back.”
Click here to sign Congressman Cantor’s petition.
And yes, in case you were worried, this is a diversionary post until I get my new power cable. Morning Update should return tomorrow morning, albeit in an abrreviated form, and will return to normal on Wednesday. (Rumor mill says I may have Obama’s veep pick to talk about then)
It began with this.….
….and ended with this.
I have a feeling that the actions of House Republicans yesterday, after the House decided to adjourn without tackling the important issues of the day, will go down in congressional lore. Does it ultimately mean anything? No. But I think that this is further proof that the House is starting to regain some of that “spirit of ’94” that they lost somewhere between 2000 and 2006. However, the focus is on pragmatic solutions now, with guess who? noneother than Newt GIngrich leading the way once more.
Fun stuff.
Catch the play by play here, here, here and here.
Filed under: Election 2008, Multimedia, Party Politics, Technology and Politics, Youth and Politics
There’s been alot of talk these days about how Democrats are winning both the youth vote and the technology battle. I will grant that Obama is generating alot of energy amongst youth voters and are using blogs and other tech tools in a manner that Republicans had an edge with in 2004, but Republicans are starting to re-think their internet and messaging strategies. Here in the Commonwealth, Jeff Frederick’s election as state chair was seen as a call to not only refocus efforts to rebuild our technology efforts but also to find pragmatic solutions to Virginia’s issues that don’t betray our core conservative principles.
Here are some ways that Republican groups and candidates nationwide are harnessing Web 2.0 to reach out to young, professional, technologically oriented voters:
-John McCain’s campaign has launched McCain Nation, a set of tools to help McCain supporters meet and organizing locally
-The RNC has launched a toolbar that integrates directly into your web browser that will not only keep you up to date on the latest GOP news, but it will also let you raise money simply through searching the web. Very interesting.
-The CRNC has launched an effort tracking four College Republicans as they travel coast to coast traveling only through Republican Districts (although they make a few detours to neighboring competitive districts). They are tracking their journey through blog posts and twittering (a technology through which you can keep a group of friends up-to-date via cell phone texts and web posts).
Tertium Quids, a center-right economic think tank free-market, conservative issue advocacy organization focused on state policies, sat down with recently elected RPV Chairman Delegate Jeff Frederick. Frederick spoke with TQ not just about his reorganization efforts but what the transportation battles in the General Assembly could mean for the party’s direction over the next year. Interesting listen.
UPDATE: I changed the description of TQ, lest anyone should think they rest in the “mushy middle” of the political sphere. Just a quick glance at the Freedom and Prosperity Agenda on their website shows that they are not the sort to barter their principles away for political gain.
Shenandoah County GOP 