We’re just smarter in Charlottesville.

Jefferson-Madison Regional Library Director John Halliday mailed me a copy of the library’s new Five Year Plan last week, since I used to be a member of the Board of Trustees. There’s a lot to be excited about, but the best bit is to be found right up front, on page two of the 27-page …

George Allen hires hatchet man.

Writes the Times-Dispatch: A Republican star who managed the campaign that unseated Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle is preparing to become Sen. George Allen’s new chief of staff. Dick Wadhams, who was campaign manager for Republican John Thune of South Dakota, will take over running the Virginia Republican’s Senate offices in January, Allen said yesterday. …

VA Republicans’ eavesdropping story doesn’t add up.

It was just four days ago that Virginia Republicans settled the eavesdropping lawsuit for a whopping $750,000, and already the Kilgore campaign is trying to define the case as old news, accusing Democrats of “dredging up something that happened in the past”. (How they’d bring up something that happened in the future, I can’t say.) …

Kilgore “a little French.”

The Hampton Roads Daily Press — which has an editorial board with which I’ve become quite enamored recently — has a great editorial today on the matter of Wednesday evening’s Kaine/Kilgore AP debate. Like so many other papers, they’re just not willing to say that Kilgore is extremely effeminate, but they do a wonderful job …

Virginia Republicans settle eavesdropping lawsuit.

In a huge last-minute settlement, averting an embarrassing trial, the Republican Party of Virginia has settled the eavesdropping lawsuit brought against them by 33 Democratic plaintiffs. A two-day federal trial was set to begin on Thursday that would have seen Attorney General (and gubernatorial candidate) Jerry Kilgore having to take the witness stand. The case …

Kilgore attacks Kaine. Kaine whines.

From yesterday’s Richmond Times-Dispatch, on the Virginia governor’s race: Republican Attorney General Jerry W. Kilgore yesterday labeled Democratic Lt. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, his likely opponent for governor in 2005, as “John Kerry with a Richmond address.” Outlining what may be a major attack theme of his campaign for governor, Kilgore said Kaine, like Kerry, …

Del. Marshall running for God?

Bob Marshall really scares me: Mona Shaw told Republican Delegate Robert G. Marshall, who represents her in the 13th District, to stop pushing his religious views on residents, especially those who have different views. “I’m terrified to have a delegate that’s going to decide my life,” she said. “You’re not a pharmacist, you’re not my …

Virginia SBE wants to make voting more secretive.

From the Richmond Times-Dispatch: The State Board of Elections wants to prevent the public from seeing documents describing voting security assessments or audits by local electoral boards in Virginia. Security of voting machines was a major issue across the nation during last month’s presidential election. Yesterday at a meeting of the Freedom of Information Advisory …