No bones about it – it was Ian’s day

Chris Graham

Golf Things Considered column by John Rogers [email protected]   In a subtle, pleated-pants way, golf has potential for those transcendent moments when we feel larger than life, when we go beyond our personal limits. It’s very rare, though, that achievements on the golf course rise to heroic. In my mind there was only Ben Hogan…

The battle for the heart and soul of the GOP

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   For a brief moment or two after the 2006 midterm elections, it had seemed that the Republican Party was perhaps going off its ideological moorings. The talk was reaching the level of near-clamor regarding how the GOP was going to have to consider retreating from the right-wing conservative…

Right to left? In what direction will Dems take national politics?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   It hasn’t been that long since some in the punditry and the blogosphere were speculating aloud about how Republican victories in the race for the White House and in Congress in 2004 might be signaling the dawn of a GOP century. And it seems that now, instead of…

What the heck just happened?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   You listen to Bob Goodlatte, Republican congressman from the Sixth District of Red State Virginia, heading into his eighth term, finishing out his second two-year term as chairman of the powerful House Agriculture Committee, talk about life on Capitol Hill, and you realize pretty quickly that a sea…

Can we all just get along?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   The Shenandoah Valley is usually pretty tame as far as its politics goes – but even the solid Republican Mountain Valley has seen its share of contentiousness this political season. To wit … – One of the highlights of the Augusta County Fair this summer was an episode…

Warner rallies Dems in Staunton

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham Mark Warner has been down this road before – lending his name and expending his political capital to aid political protege Tim Kaine’s run at the governor’s job last fall. The businessman-turned-Virginia political favorite son knows that there is risk involved to engaging in such efforts. “If you feel like you…

Marriage amendment – a lose-lose-lose situation?

Chris Graham

The Top Story by Chris Graham   It’s politics to some people – the debate over a proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution that would prohibit gays and lesbians from being able to enter into a state-recognized marriage or civil union. For those whose lives would be impacted directly by the much-talked-about change to the…

Marriage amendment rally draws supporters, foes

Chris Graham

Story by Chris Graham It began to get out of hand when the group of people carrying a banner proclaiming that “Love Is Not Wrong” came face to face with another group carrying signs advocating that Virginians “Vote Yes 4 Marriage.” Or was it when the self-avowed atheist started chanting satirical anti-gay slurs and jabbing…