Kaplan Post Continues Its Out of Touch, Arrogant, Elitist, Clueless Ways

Remember? (0.00 / 0)

I lost all respect for this rag for two reasons. It beat the drum for war in Iraq without pause. Then, in 2009 it "endorsed" Creigh Deeds, leading the way for GOPers in NoVA to cross over and put the weakest Democrat on the ticket for governor.

The rag's publisher knows nothing about journalism, the editorial board is unfathomable, the good reporters there can't overcome the mess the paper has become. I bet subscriptions to the NYT have surged in the DC area in recent years.

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by: Elaine in Roanoke @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 13:19:54 PM UTC

Do you have any evidence that Creigh's 2009 win (0.00 / 0)

was thanks to GOP crossover voters?

I don't doubt that there were some, but Deeds won 50% of that vote in a three-way primary. Democrats elected Creigh, pure and simple.

And the reason was clear enough. Terry McAuliffe carried too much baggage and, fairly or not, seemed to come from nowhere to buy his way into the Governor's mansion. Brian Moran, meanwhile, ran a nasty, mean-spirited campaign that was intolerant of any Democrat who was not 100% lined up behind him.

I'm trying to picture the Netroots rallying around Brian Moran, were he the nominee, in 2009, what after the slanderous crap thrown during the primary regarding Terry's supporters in the Netroots. Take a look at the strong support Brian got from Blue Virginia and NLS (snark) for DPVA Chair, in case you're wondering.

Terry McAuliffe is a tougher case to speculate on how he would have done, except to say that complaints about him from some quarters of the Netroots weren't going to go away either just because he won the primary.

So, sure, Deeds was the weakest Democrat in the primary field, with the exception of the other two guys running.

The fact is that given the way the primary set up in 2009, any candidate we elected would have come out of it leaving a significant portion of Democrats angry and discouraged, and given all the other factors, the results probably would have been the same.

This isn't to defend Creigh. But the idea that the results of the 2009 general election somehow validate the political judgments of those who supported a candidate other than Creigh, or the idea that Creigh became the nominee because the "real Democrats" in the Commonwealth were somehow duped by the corrupt Washington Post or the evil Conservadems, is really beginning to wear thin with me.

I don't really see the purpose of relitigating 2009, but enough is enough.

Democrats had a choice in 2009. We made a choice.It worked out poorly. Those are facts.

I think we chose the best guy at the time, and still think so. That's an opinion, one with which many disagreed at the time, and others, with the benefit of hindsight, will disagree with now.

But the dumping of Creigh for all that ails the Democrats in Virginia is misplaced, and ought not to go unchallenged.

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by: aznew @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 14:04:47 PM UTC

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No Way to Prove... (0.00 / 0)

There's no way to prove that the event happened. I also wasn't putting Creigh down - well, except for the campaign he ran. He was by far the nicest guy running. You are absolutely right about the fact that Brian Moran angered many Democrats (me included) by the type of campaign he ran. While I think Terry would have made the best governor (certainly far better than McMediocre), I still have doubts about whether Virginia voters will ever put him in that office or any other state-wide one. I was hoping that he would put his electric car plant in Virginia, but it's going to Mississippi instead. Maybe if he ends up with that closed plant in Franklin VA and can do something with it that...Otherwise, he will really have a tough time shaking the perception that he's a National Clinton-Democrat, not a Virginia Democrat.

I based what I said on the WP endorsement because it was followed by the very large vote Creigh got in NoVA. That, plus some GOP friends said as much to me...but maybe they were just saying that to make me fume :-).  

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by: Elaine in Roanoke @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 16:02:37 PM UTC

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On the ground (0.00 / 0)

Maybe there was some surge of Republicans across the state who crossed over to vote for Creigh because he was the "weaker" candidate (something I disagree with.)  But that was not the case here in NoVa.   I have never heard a precinct captain here in NoVa say that there was even a trickle of Republican voters who crossed over that day.  Maybe one or two, but most of us know our precincts and our voters, and that rumors to the contrary, I've never seen ANY evidence.  So if there was some surge elsewhere in the state, I honestly don't think that was because of the WashPost endorsement.

What I do know is that there was tremendous excitement that Creigh had not only won Northern Va, but had done so much better than anyone here thought possible.  There was incredible optimism that perhaps we wouldn't be the overwhelming underdog going into the general.  Those hopes were dashed by August, as the Deeds campaign fumbled and bumbled its way into obscurity, but the day after the election?  Anything was still possible.

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by: GretchenLaskas @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 16:17:54 PM UTC

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There was (0.00 / 0)

no crossover here in my little town of Lextropolis (Lexington), either. I know, I've been working at the polls for several years now, and, it being a small town, I know who's who and what their bumperstickers say.

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by: libra @ Fri Feb 11, 2011 at 02:40:56 AM UTC

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Lots of Men being mentioned (0.00 / 0)

We have some very capable women in Virgina - to name a few - Shannon Valentine, Jody Wagner, and Janet Howell.  

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by: SPlatt @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 13:43:19 PM UTC

Of course, there's also Leslie Byrne (0.00 / 0)

While I don't know if she's interested, Leslie's run statewide before and is a favorite of a lot of grassroots activists.

Check out Ballpark Banter

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by: Bryan Scrafford @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 13:53:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Are any of them interested? (0.00 / 0)

n/t

Follow me on Twitter.

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by: lowkell @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 14:34:15 PM UTC

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Jody's name has been mentioned.... (0.00 / 0)

...to me by several people, but I don't know if she's interested.

Check out Ballpark Banter

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by: Bryan Scrafford @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 15:18:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Also, Krystal Ball's name has come up (0.00 / 0)

n/t

Follow me on Twitter.

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by: lowkell @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 15:28:25 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Also (0.00 / 0)

My name was mentioned!

Read more at TheGreenMiles.com and follow me on Twitter

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by: TheGreenMiles @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 15:46:08 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Draft Miles Grant! (0.00 / 0)

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by: Elaine in Roanoke @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 16:03:39 PM UTC

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Leslie? (0.00 / 0)

I doubt that Leslie Byrne wants to run. Plus, she's been out of the limelight and active politicking for a while. I would love to see her run, but I don't think so.

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by: Elaine in Roanoke @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 15:52:04 PM UTC

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How about some new fresh faces - (0.00 / 0)

and that does not necessarily mean young.

We recycle our Democratic politicians in VA - time to get some new blood.

Leslie Byrne - NO
Tim Kaine - NO
Gerry Connolly - NO

Tom Perillo - Maybe

some new vision and faces.

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by: totallynext @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 16:50:11 PM UTC

Well (0.00 / 0)

That certainly would be in the spirit that enabled the "Draft Webb" folks to persuade Jim Webb to run. Anyone know another "Webb" out there?

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by: Elaine in Roanoke @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 17:35:58 PM UTC

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New vision and faces? (4.00 / 1)

Perriello's only been around for less than four years.  That's new enough for me.  I don't see the benefit in picking someone who's never run and is so totally new no one has a clue who he/she is.  

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by: Catzmaw @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 18:22:02 PM UTC

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Agreed. "New" is not inherently good or bad. (0.00 / 0)

In Webb's case, he was "new" to Virginia politics, but certainly NOT "new" to the national scene - as an author, Reagan Administration official, etc. In contrast, Harris Miller was "new" in the sense that most of us had never heard of him, yet he was an utterly horrible option. Anyway, as far as Tom's concerned, he's only been around since 2008, which is pretty "new" as far as I'm concerned. More importantly, Tom's got a fresh "new" approach to politics that you don't see very often - if at all - these days. That's what matters to me.

Follow me on Twitter.

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by: lowkell @ Thu Feb 10, 2011 at 18:32:38 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Perriello is anti-choice (1.00 / 1)

And I'm really tired of seeing him being cast as a perfect progressive hero.  He voted for Stupak-Pitts.  That is unconscionable.  Until there is a reason to believe he won't continue to throw women under the bus in the Senate, we should not be pushing for him.

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by: Desenada @ Fri Feb 11, 2011 at 04:49:36 AM UTC

No, he isn't. (4.00 / 1)

He's personally opposed to abortion. He's Catholic, it's a moral issue for him, as it is to a large number of people across the Commonwealth and the country (yours truly included). But he also has worked harder than anyone to improve the underlying economic and social conditions that lead to higher numbers of unwanted pregnancies and thus abortions.

Furthermore, Stupak was utterly meaningless; the Hyde Amendment has been around since 1976, and Stupak didn't expand or broaden its reach in any way. But without the Stupak vote as cover for people who were wavering on the Affordable Care Act, the health reform bill never would've passed; thousands upon thousands of poor women would be left without any hope of pre-natal care or maternity care, and the children born to them would've been screwed if they had any health conditions from birth onward.

The fact that this issue has hijacked everything else in both parties is pathetic and infuriating. Litmus tests are dumb, and for the most part have been the province of the other guys. Let's not play that game.

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by: Roland the HTG @ Fri Feb 11, 2011 at 14:57:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

He stance on abortion (4.00 / 1)

is something women question.  And as a I stated elsewhere on this blog, Tom's personal belief that abortion is wrong is based on his Catholic faith.  He also recognizes that Roe v. Wade is the law of the land and supports it as such.  I respect his personal beliefs and respect him for openly accepting that everyone doesn't agree with him.  In my opinion, it is refreshing to see someone who tells us what his feelings are and yet is still willing to recognize that his view is not the only one.  Most politicians today believe their way is the only way.  However, that is certainly not Tom Perriello.

Finally, we can all find some issue on which we disagree with a candidate or elected official and can rationalize a reason to not vote for him or her.  When we do that, we end up with folks like George Allen, Bob McDonnell and Ken Cucchinelli in office.  

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by: pontoon @ Sat Feb 12, 2011 at 14:29:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]