Former DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe says he’s thinking about running for governor of Virginia. When I lament the dangers of urban Democrats becoming both powerful and out of touch, this is precisely the sort of candidate who I fear. Tucker Martin got it right when he said to Tim Craig, “Terry McAuliffe doesn’t know Norton from Norfolk. If he runs, remind me to send him a Virginia state map.” (Via RK)
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Nooooo… McAuliffe would be a horrible candidate. And I had no idea he was even from Virginia, or lived there, or whatever his connection is… he comes off as crazy, and totally insincere.
Remember how Ed Gillespie breezed into Virginia and muscled his way into the chairmanship of the Republican Party of Virginia? And remember how he spent a few months trying to find his way around the Commonwealth, before he bailed to take a better job at the White House?
Why do I foresee a prospective Terry McAuliffe candidacy in those same terms? He’s a guy who’s a big-shot in national party politics, who may live in Virginia, but offers no history of being of Virginia. Nothing would motivate me to work hard for the nomination of Creigh Deeds more than if Mr. McAuliffe were to enter the race.
I suggest that he has no real commitment to Virginia, any more than guys like William Weld and Mitt Romney ever had to Massachusetts. No, thanks. Let him run for Delegate or Senator and serve for a few terms to prove that he knows something about how to govern and that he’s willing to invest a significant portion of his life in Virginia, first.
I agree with you Harry. McAuliffe also has a history of shady dealings in finance, and holds the same faux moderate views that only reinforces the stereotypes of subservient Democrats.
Moderation is fine, in some things. Fake moderation is about as useful as anything that’s fake. There is a growing amount of evidence that several of the downfalls and capitulations of the moderate Congressional Democrats (‘Blue Dogs’) led to horrible bills being passed. Think energy bill, FISA bill,etc. You get the idea. Do you hear me Steny Hoyer?
By the way, I am having a lot of fun here in Denver at the Big Tent. It was great to come back here and get the chance to write about the goings-on here during convention week. It was too hot for me to stay there every day this week. Today was the ‘recharge’ day, spent at my brother’s house 25 miles north of Downtown Denver.
Look for a photo thread about Tim Kaine’s party at Marlowe’s on the 16th St. Pedestrian Mall, coming soon.
This is like one of those movie scenes where the doctor punches the guy so the work he’s about to do will feel relatively painless, in comparison. McAuliffe isn’t going to get anywhere near a real candidacy. Someone probably forgot to give him his ADD meds and it dropped the (already unreliable) filter between his brain and mouth.
From what I heard, everyone in Denver thought it was mildly interesting in an academic sort of way. But nearly everyone there has already committed to either Brian Moran or Creigh Deeds.
That is probably the only thing that could get me to vote for Bob McDonnell.
Well, that’s a relief to hear—thanks for the good news.
Creigh Deeds could seal his Governors nomination if he took this opportunity to drag McAuliffe into the center aisle of the “Big Tent”, thrash him bloody, and remind him loudly that he lives in Virginia by the grace of God – and even that is subject to review, not purchase.
I’d vote for Creigh if he did that. I’m probably going to vote for him anyway, but I’d find a way to vote for him twice.
You know, Virginia could get rid of lots of people like McAuliffe (and me, frankly*) if it would like to head up a successful effort to give DC citizens the same rights as every other American.
*I really love Arlington, but I’m none too keen on supporting a state that saw fit to affirmatively make thousands of people second class citizens under its Constitution. That it’s full of Dems who can’t wait to support a Democrat who assisted in that effort is just icing, really.
What is the status of a challenge to that Dog-turd amendment? I saw recently that a Virginia judge had given visitation rights to one of the women in a nasty child custody case, which suggests that he was recognizing the contract rights of a same-sex union. I expected to see a challenge to the entire amendment based on U.S. Constitutional equal rights grounds.
What would a three way nomination race look like? Would McAuliffe cut into Moran’s base in NoVa and make it easier for Deeds? In that case, Run Terry Run!
Bubby, the result was more a question of Federal law than any recognition of private contract rights. I haven’t heard of any challenges to the VA law, and frankly, I’m not sure that we’ll see one any time soon.
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Dan, it would look just like a two way race (you know, the one where one candidate stands for equal rights for all, and the other one supports a regressive and bigoted policy direction for VA).
What’s wrong with McAuliffe? He has lived in Virginia for years, is as well-connected in the National party as anyone and is probably the best fund raiser in the history of the party.
At least a few things, Bill. The first is that he’s got nothing to do with Virginia politics, which isn’t necessarily a deal-breaker (see Jim Webb). The second is that we already have a long-established, already-hot race, and it’s a little presumptuous of him to think that he’d think he can just waltz in and get the nomination, when just about everybody is already committed to Deeds or Moran. The third is that he’s politically way, way left of the state, or at least I (and surely the bulk of the electorate) perceive him to be.
Since he’s a great fundraiser, I think he should raise some funds on behalf of our nominee for governor. If that goes well, maybe he can run in 2013.