Remember the Arlington Sun Gazette? The same brilliant mind(s)* that endorsed George Allen over Jim Webb, told citizens to suck it up over the Marshall-Newman amendment, and helped distribute this hateful bullshit? Yeah, well, they’re still at it. This time, it’s Bob McDonnell for governor.  Shocker.
*Still can’t figure out whether it’s just Scott McCaffrey all by his lonesome, or not.
Amit
will you be surprised if Deeds doesn’t get the WaPo endorsement? is Doug Wilder also a clown for not endorsing Deeds?
granted I know you disagree with most of McDonnell’s stances, but can you honestly say Deeds has run a better and more effective campaign?
personally I think Deeds assumed after winning the primary he would stroll into the governor’s mansion riding the Obama-Warner wave. but with VA’s huge budget deficit and focusing more on a thesis written 2 decades ago versus jobs and transportation, I think Deeds is mostly behind in the polls because of himself. but who knows, an endorsement from the Richmond Times-Dispatch could change all that!
MB
No, I will not be terribly surprised (WaPo ed board is conservative-friendly, and certainly likes to pick winners). And Doug Wilder’s a clown for lots of reasons, with his Deeds antics well back in line.
Deeds has run a piss-poor campaign. That doesn’t mean that McDonnell’s any more acceptable.
You think Deeds thought he’d “stroll into the governor’s mansion”? Seriously? This is Virginia. All a Republican has to do to win a statewide race here is repeat the word “taxes” ad nauseum, blow the family values trumpet, and throw in a few New York liberal associations for good measure. It’s the Republican’s to lose. Every time.
(And just as with every other time, it’ll be a Republican who screws this state for the next four years. You’re going to get all of VA in GOP hands in this next cycle, and we’ll see what that “plan” for transportation results in. Guaranteed: nothing.)
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In any event, this was more about the ridiculousness of the Arlington Sun Gazette, and it’s ongoing petty antagonism, than anything else. Managerial acumen like keeping Scott McCaffrey at the helm probably had a lot to do with their bankruptcy this year. A shame it didn’t go into liquidation (like they asked over the summer), actually. Someone might have been able to give Arlington a decent local paper.
Amit
if you agree that Deeds has run a piss-poor campaign then why do you think he would do a better job at running the entire state? and is Obama a clown for coming to Fairfax and not doing an event with Deeds?
I think its safe to say the pundits had declared VA at least a purple if not blue state given the growing influence of NoVA and Tidewater. so I in fact believe it was Deeds’ election to lose.
and I hardly think you can blame VA’s current budget deficit on a Republican governor from 8 years ago.
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as far as the local paper, I don’t think any in the country are doing too well regardless of who is at the helm
MB
There is, in my view, at best a loose correlation between competence in governing and campaigning. Rove and Bush ran damn good campaigns. McDonnell’s running an okay campaign, and I expect he’ll be a terrible governor.
I have no idea what you’re talking about with Obama and Deeds. I’m talking about the vast gulf between the Sun Gazette’s editorial positions (which, by the way, line up pretty well with McCaffrey’s position with the Arlington Chamber of Commerce Board. Nah, no issues there) and the community itself. That’s the clowning.
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I don’t even know where to start with the idea that this was Deeds to lose. Try that out on a few VA-based people and let me know how that goes.
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No one blamed Gilmore for Virginia’s current budget woes. I blame the incumbent GOP legislature and their Dem enablers. And since that’s going to remain the same, the blame will stick with them. They put – and have put – ideology over governance, and we’re suffering the consequences. And will continue to, so long as Virginia’s voters (and redistricting practices) reward that.
Amit
I think you inverted my statement. while running a good campaign is not necessarily indicative of being a good politician, running a bad campaign is more likely indicative of being a bad one.
Obama came to Fairfax to talk about jobs the other day but no sign of Deeds at the event: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g-JjHou3r7yaM5OB2eFAsyERFjtwD9BB4MCO3
Julie
Check out the Arlington Yupette blog about Scott McCaffrey and his wonderful newspaper organization, American Community Newspapers.