The Top Story: The new new McCain

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Two weeks ago, the ’08 presidential election was essentially a referendum on whether Democratic Party nominee Barack Obama was fit to be commander-in-chief, even as Obama had been efforting for months to convince voters that it was really about change. Last night, John McCain, a political maverick to…

Winners and Losers: McCain-Palin, NV-Jim Gilmore, reporters arrested at RNC

Chris Graham

Compiled by Chris Graham [email protected] THE PALIN CALL STILL BOTHERS ME: But what do I know? If they’d vetted her as well as they had the others, and then the ethics investigation and the Bridge to Nowhere line that doesn’t make sense given that she took the money and ran anyway and the, ahem, family…

The Top Story: Democrats taking up mantle of fiscal responsibility

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Democrats have been doing well in Virginia in recent years, and it’s no secret why. They’ve been balancing budgets and building the economy. And while national Democrats are using a “more of the same” theme to link GOP presidential nominee John McCain to the failed presidency of George…

Special Commentary: Palin-haters?

Chris Graham

Special Commentary by Chris Graham [email protected] “Sarah Palin represents everything they hate,” conservative radio host Laura Ingraham told an audience at the Republican National Convention this week. Which piqued my interest, because I’m guessing that I’m one of those they that she was referring to – a Democrat, a member of the news media. Come…

’08 Senate: Gilmore goes on attack against Warner

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham [email protected] Jim Gilmore standing at the podium in Glen Maury Park in Buena Vista at the foot of the Blue Ridge pulled a piece of paper from his pocket. A burly, hirsute man wearing a form-fitting Gilmore T-shirt handed the news reporter standing next to me a similarly-sized paper…

Virginia Politics: ’08 fall campaign gets into gear in Buena Vista

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham [email protected] I had a hard time transcribing the recordings of my interviews, it was so loud. I’ve been to the past 12 Buena Vista Labor Day events, and this was by far the most energetic one I’ve ever been a part of. “In my life, I’ve never seen anything like this…

Looking back: AFP publisher visits Gulf Coast after Katrina

Crystal Graham

Three years ago, I visited Long Beach, Miss., to learn more about what Valley volunteers were doing to help in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. A local group, The Valley Responds, was regularly sending volunteers to rebuild the region. I will never forget what I saw, both in terms of the devastation and the will…