David Reynolds: Romney’s Lexington Campaign

David Reynolds

The campaign was short. About two hours on a chilled fall morning with the fog rolling in – along with a small army of VIPs and the press. The army was not led by a Civil War general named Hunter, for the barracks across the Virginia Military Institute’s Parade Grounds were left intact. It was led by a very civil civilian who is advocating for more generals, strange as that may sound. His reasoning: “The only way human beings can win a war is to prevent it.” Those words came from VMI alum, General George C. Marshall. (Disclosure: All outside speakers at VMI must refer to Gen. Marshall.)

Schmookler video going viral

AFP

If Andy Schmookler can translate YouTube views into votes, he’s halfway to a monumental upset. A video of a speech given by the Sixth District Democratic congressional nominee is approaching 90,000 views on YouTube. Incumbent Bob Goodlatte won re-election in 2008 with 192,000 votes in the Sixth, garnering 63 percent of the vote in his race with Democrat Sam Rasoul.

Chris Marston: From the Pumpkin Patch

AFP

More than 400 people attended a peace rally at the Islamic Center of the Shenandoah Valley on Sunday. The rally came after someone vandalized the Islamic Center on Friday and the Reedemer Classical School in Keezletown on Saturday. Vulgarities like those painted on both of these buildings should not be considered a healthy example of our American freedoms. We may not share the same beliefs as our neighbor, but our American values should ring clear. It is our American right to freely celebrate and practice whatever religion we might want to.