The Democratic Party of Virginia today urged Bob McDonnell to focus on his job as governor and less on making tortured and patently absurd efforts to explain the nationwide economic recovery as anything other than a reflection on President Barack Obama’s strong leadership.
On Sunday Bob McDonnell went on CNN’s State of the Union and said: “Look, I’m glad the economy is starting to recover, but I think it’s because of what Republican governors are doing in their states, not because of the president.”
In making that argument, McDonnell failed to acknowledge the reality of a nationwide recovery in which states with governors of both parties are emerging from the national recession, including states like Maryland, which created eight times more private-sector jobs than Virginia did last year under the leadership of Democratic Gov. Martin O’Malley.
McDonnell also conveniently ignored the role the Obama administration played in Virginia’s own economic success, as a huge beneficiary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Virginia has received $6.3 billion dollars in Recovery Act contracts, grants and loans since its passage, much of which helped McDonnell and the General Assembly keep the budget balanced in the face of falling revenues.
“Attempting to attribute 23 straight months of private sector job growth across the country and record stock market gains to governors of just one party sets a new standard for ridiculous, self-serving political spin and Bob McDonnell knows it,” said DPVA Chairman Brian Moran.
“Instead of going on television and making things up, perhaps the Governor can convince Virginia Republicans to drop their divisive right-wing crusades in the General Assembly and get to work creating jobs, improving schools and fixing transportation. Putting people across this country back to work shouldn’t be a partisan issue – it’s a shame the Governor’s more focused on politicizing the economy than working across the aisle to grow it.”
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