Debatable whether we should care or not
Good news for Democrats in the Valley who like to drive – you’ll have eight chances to get in the car for a couple of hours there and a couple of hours back to see Creigh Deeds, Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran together in person.
“We are pleased to announce this debate and joint appearance schedule in the run-up to the June 9th primary to pick our next Democratic Governor of Virginia. Our campaigns worked together to schedule as many joint appearances and debates as possible all across the Commonwealth. Our candidates – Creigh Deeds, Terry McAuliffe, and Brian Moran – look forward to having several spirited debates on the important issues facing Virginians,” read a joint statement issued by Deeds campaign manager Joe Abbey, McAuliffe campaign manager Mike Henry, and Moran general consultant Steve Jarding on the announcement of five debates and three joint appearances.
None are within reasonable distance of the Valley. The debates are set for April 19 in Williamsburg, April 23 in Hampton at the Virginia Education Association Convention, April 28 in Danville sponsored by the Sorensen Institute and the Danville Register and Bee, April 29 in Blacksburg sponsored by the Huffington Post, Not Larry Sabato, Fire Dog Lake and the Collegiate Times, and May 19 in Annandale sponsored by the Washington Post.
The three joint appearances are set for April 3 in Reston at the Northern Virginia Technology Council/Microsoft Forum, April 21 at the Richmond Crusade for Voters Forum and a date to be determined at the Democratic Club of Greensprings Forum.
An effort had been ongoing for several weeks led by the Democratic committees in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County with the support of the Democratic committees in several Valley localities, including Augusta County, Staunton and Waynesboro, to get a joint appearance for the three in Harrisonburg on the schedule.
As it stands, it would appear that a drive to Richmond would be the closest thing for local Democrats to the real thing.
- Story by Chris Graham
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Thanks for the story Chris.
I must say that I am disappointed for the good folks here who put together such a good format for an event which would have represented Ten Valley Democratic committees, JMU College Dems, the University, and several other organizations who were ready to sign on as sponsors.
Too bad…
I’ll have more shortly.
Lowell
And then there’s the matter of Ben Tribbett from Not Larry Sabato being one of the sponsors of the Blacksburg debate. This is a nonstarter for me. If Tribbett is part of this mix, I’ll focus my energies on races other than the gubernatorial.
I’ve talked with one of the campaign managers this evening. A great call. The basic message: “Please don’t hold it against our guy that Tribbett is involved.”
With forked tongue in both cheeks:
I’d love to come to all these events but I’ll be busy – down by the local creek, telling the frogs that the thug McAuliffe is in these debates, and then watch them commit collective suicide. Frogs know “Terry.”
Don’t know who Deeds is; Moran seems like a nice guy; but McAuliffe has a reputation that makes Al Capone jealous (there is always a Chicago connection in politics, whether we want it or not).
The only McAuliffe I like is one named Gen. McAuliffe, who, at the Battle of the Bulge, Bastogne, replied to both the Germans who surrounded his men and to a future Terry McAuliffe, “NUTS.”
You know what happened to the Germans. The rest is going to be very interesting to watch (from a distance, such as Tahiti).
Excuse me while I go watch the DOW take another plunge and wipe out the rest of my retirement fund.
Max
PS: Chris: Congratulations on the awards you won for New Dominion Magazine. You worked very hard to create a good product and your peers agree that you did a good job.
Since Not Larry Sabato seems anti-McAuliffe, that leaves two campaign choices. I enjoy watching the arguments between the blogs that support Moran and McAuliffe. Deeds seems like a nice guy, but McAuliffe’s entrance into the race probably doomed him this time.
I’ll start a Not Chris Graham blog if you’d like.
“Not Chris Graham.” That would be awesome. If you don’t do it, I might.