SNL just nails it in this skit. My favorite line at 3:21 states “each of your plans to save money involves spending even more money”
[...]edited by: Scott White,
Hampton Roads Editor
SNL just nails it in this skit. My favorite line at 3:21 states “each of your plans to save money involves spending even more money”
[...]In a world of supercomputers and sophisticated programming languages, one would think keeping track of stimulus money going to 435 Congressional districts would be a job for a computer science intern. But for just $18M, the shiny new website, Recovery.gov, which was created to [...]
Bobby Mathieson should accuse McWaters of plagiarism. Hours before the Thanksgiving holiday, mailboxes throughout the 8th Senate district got their holiday cheer, an attack by McWaters on Rosemary Wilson which sounds exactly like Democrat Bobby Mathieson’s recent failed attacks on Delegate-elect Ron Villanueva about City Council [...]
By Congressman Randy Forbes
If you are the lucky family member who is tasked with Thanksgiving dinner grocery shopping, you may have noticed a slightly higher grocery bill this week than years before. And while you may have growing teenagers who are consuming more and more food, [...]
Gov. Tim Kaine, Gov-elect Bob McDonnell and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling all attended the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Revenue Estimates (GACRE) today and received less than stellar news regarding the state budget.
The estimators predicted that “Virginia needs to cut an additional $250 million from the budget [...]
The Virginia election results were certified tonight by the State Board of Elections and there were no particular surprises.
Bob McDonnell still won in a landslide. House Republicans still picked up six seats.
However, one of those House seats is going to take a little longer being finalized [...]
Jeff McWaters fired back at Rosemary Wilson today over what he calls a distortion of his position on healthcare reform.
“I do not, nor have I ever, supported “Obamacare,” a public option, or single-payer healthcare plan. I have been outspoken on this issue not just during my [...]
As the 8th Senate District race between Jeff McWaters and Virginia Beach Councilwoman Rosemary Wilson runs further off the rails of legitimate campaigns and into a mudslinging contest from both sides, the stage is being set for a very similar nomination fight that will come on [...]
Many pre/post mortems have demonized Creigh Deeds, and rightfully so. His campaign was a comedy of errors nearly from start to finish and with the brief exception of two weeks in September, we never had a close race. While much has been said about his disastrous [...]
By Kate Obenshain
Vice President, Young America’s Foundation; Former RPV Chairman
Try as they might, liberal pundits cannot explain away Bob McDonnell’s 18-point election victory over Creigh Deeds by saying that Virginia always elects governors who are not of the president’s party. That’s like saying Republicans [...]
The Bearing Drift policy on advertising and consulting has always been very clear, but just to reiterate:
1 - should we receive advertising money from a candidate, it does not imply endorsement
2 - should a contributor provide consulting to a candidate, that contributor will not write [...]
In this episode of Virginia Politics On-Demand, Rosemary Wilson, candidate seeking the GOP nomination for Virginia’s 8th Senate Seat, explains why she’s the best candidate to help Bob McDonnell take on our most pressing challenges in Richmond.
Drop me an email at vpod@bearingdrift.com with your [...]
Yesterday, bloggers from throughout the Commonwealth gathered at Christopher Newport University to discuss various issues and to network with each other.  Since this was my first Blogs United conference, I definitely learned a lot from the various discussions from the media panel (which featured journalists from [...]
Never thought a Republican primary would turn on who supports Obamacare, but that’s the way it’s going for the 8th Senate district race between Rosemary Wilson and Jeff McWater$.
“Wilson accused McWaters of favoring mandated health insurance for all Americans, a charge he did not deny.
A Wilson [...]
Tomorrow, the U.S. Senate will be voting on Senator Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) health care bill. It appears that both of Virginia’s Senators are on the fence voting on this legislation. Perhaps, Senators Jim Webb and Mark Warner should be on the fence considering that this bill [...]
Jeff McWaters has received the endorsement of Virginia Beach Sheriff-elect and soon-to-be former State Sen. Ken Stolle, who is vacating the seat. In an email today to supporters, Stolle writes:
“In this election there are two Republicans vying for the seat, both have served the community of [...]
Yesterday, the Jeff McWaters’ campaign for State Senate released a very interesting campaign email that seems like they might know something the rest of us don’t.
Chris LaCivita (who recently aided Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli and was the media advisor for Swift Boat Veterans for Truth) appealed [...]
New York Packet
Tuesday, November 20, 1787
[Alexander Hamilton]
To the People of the State of New York:
ASSUMING it therefore as an established truth that the several States, in case of disunion, or such combinations of them as might happen to be formed out of the [...]
We’re in the middle of the worst recession in a generation with unemployment in double digits, and the number one priority for Democrats throughout the entire first quarter of Obama’s Presidency has been a government takeover of health care.
Whatever problems exist in health care, they pale [...]
Coming soon to the 37th State Senate district…Dave Marsden. It appears Marsden has established a web appearance showing that he is running for the Democratic nomination. Is this the best candidate that the Democrats could recruit? He nearly won re-election by 209 votes for his [...]
If you were to listen to the Virginia Education Association on school choice, you would think that it’s the worst thing in the world.
“I really believe there is an underlying bigotry at the bottom of it all,” said VEA President Kitty Boitnott earlier this year.
If [...]
Clark Clifford coined the phrase by calling Ronald Reagan an “amiable dunce.”
Clifford, a former Secretary of Defense for LBJ during the Vietnam era, helped Jimmy Carter deal with Iran’s taking of 52 American hostages while America stood by helpless, and left this world under indictment [...]
Today I have been greatly honored with the nomination of the Republicans of Virginia’s 79th district, and I hereby accept, with all the humility I can manage, your trust in me to run for and, voters willing, represent the 79th district [...]
Listening to my friend JP Godsey’s radio show on 670 AM and my jaw hit the floor.
Jeff McWaters just mentioned that he was regional coordinator for Bob McDonnell, but he was the statewide head Finance person for Jerry Kilgore, and McWaters said ‘We raised 23 million [...]
Politico is reporting that U.S. Senator Jim Webb does not favor the current Kerry-Boxer cap-and-trade bill being drafted in the Senate.
“In its present form I would not vote for it,” he said. “I have some real questions about the real complexities on cap and trade.”
Instead, [...]
In this episode of Virginia Politics On-Demand, we recap this week’s news, including Hamilton’s resignation and Mathieson’s potential congressional run.
We also hear from a triumphant, yet realistic, Governor-elect Bob McDonnell, as he returns home to a victory celebration in Virginia Beach.
Finally, Jeff McWaters, candidate seeking the [...]
Vivian Paige caught Norfolk’s City Council trying to double the signatures required for citizens to put a referendum on the ballot. Currently, you need at least 4,000. The public hearing to change that minimum to 8,000 is Tuesday. Nice, huh?
That’s almost the entire voting population [...]
Effective November 15th, Del. Phil Hamilton has resigned from the House of Delegates.
Hamilton lost his effort for re-election a few weeks ago to Robin Abbott, but continued to be investigated by a House committee and a federal grand jury.
My information is that since Hamilton is now [...]
Retired Roman generals are asked all sorts of questions. Â In between some blogging and some small-scale farming, I get the chance to dabble on my estate by planting a few things now and again.
Today’s question hails from an anonymous source:
So, what do I do with my [...]
The “Mathieson for Congress” idea seems to have some validity when you check out a new Google ad from boldprogressives.org:
There are at least some who seem that they would like to see Nye face a primary challenge.
[...]Independent Journal
Thursday, November 15, 1787
[Alexander Hamilton]
To the People of the State of New York:
IT IS sometimes asked, with an air of seeming triumph, what inducements could the States have, if disunited, to make war upon each other? It would be a full answer [...]
That was the organization name given to the City of Virginia Beach in a Freedom of Information Act request this week, according to multiple trusted sources.
That begs the question. Either the FOIA request was supposed to be for Mathieson for Delegate and someone spelled Delegate “C-o-n-g-r-e-s-s” [...]
The dates to select the GOP nominees in the 8th and 37th Senate Districts have been set.
In the 37th, Marianne Honrniko, Will Nance and Steve Hunt have until Dec. 1 to convince Republicans that they’re the best candidate to succeed Attorney General-elect Ken [...]
Independent Journal
Wednesday, November 14, 1787
[Alexander Hamilton]
To the People of the State of New York:
THE three last numbers of this paper have been dedicated to an enumeration of the dangers to which we should be exposed, in a state of disunion, from the arms [...]
The 60-plus Association, the non-profit organization of more than half-million seniors and is the self-styled conservative, limited government “alternative to AARP”, is releasing two ads this weekend targeting Virginia U.S. Reps. Tom Perriello (D-5) and Gerry Connolly (D-11).
For Perriello:
For Connolly:
“This bill adds hundreds [...]
Today in Glen Allen, Governor-elect Bob McDonnell will address the House Democratic caucus, as reported on WTOP.
A well-placed source has informed Bearing Drift that Democrats did not even include Bobby Mathieson in the invitation to the meeting.
After being defeated by Republican Ron Villanueva, Mathieson contested [...]
Virginia U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8), who as recently as two weeks ago said that we needed to elect State Sen. Creigh Deeds to governor to protect us from the GOP’s “Taliban ticket”, has a challenger: Matthew Berry.
Moran, whose public service in the 111th [...]
The most transparent administration in the history of the United States has received a fourth in a series of unanswered letters from Rep. Frank Wolf - this one about the dangers of sending Guantanamo detainees to Yemen.
“If the administration does not halt these pending releases immediately, [...]
Politico is reporting that two of Virginia’s U.S. Reps. J. Randy Forbes (R-4) and Frank Wolf (R-10) will be targeted by Obama’s Organizing for America and the Democratic National Committee for their votes against the government takeover of health care.
Purportedly this is a quid pro [...]
If you haven’t noticed during the busy campaign, gas prices are going up again:
In the meantime, the public comment period on lease-sales ended, and apparently it is overwhelmingly in favor (2-1) of opening our shores up for exploration and drilling, [...]
It took mere hours for ex-delegate Bobby Mathieson to pledge to spend taxpayer money to try to save his fledgling, insignificant and short-lived legislative career.
It’s been months since his aide had been investigated for embezzling campaign funds, and we haven’t heard a peep.
“Mathieson said he filed [...]
Back in April my friend Steve Bierfeldt was detained at St. Louis airport for carrying $4,700 in cash and insisting on his rights when challenged by the TSA. Six months later, the ACLU lawsuit on behalf of Steve has been dropped since the TSA [...]
Today is a day when we take time to honor the men and women who serve, and have served, this nation in the Armed Forces. Especially in the wake of last week’s shooting at Fort Hood, I urge our readers to take a moment today to [...]
Freshmen congressmen Glenn Nye (D-2) and Tom Perriello (D-5) both defeated incumbent Republicans in 2008, but are high on the national target list by the GOP in 2010.
Both have made themselves vulnerable, but in different ways, for the coming election.
In a nutshell, Nye has nearly cast [...]
No, it wasn’t a recount. Mathieson hasn’t even asked for one yet, and he can’t until likely November 23rd.
But will he? There are three steps here. Step one was completed last night, which was the local Electoral Board’s certification of results. It is NOT a recount [...]
About six hundred happy Virginians packed into the Cavalier Hotel last evening to welcome home Governor-elect Bob McDonnell and his family. It was an opportunity to have, less than a week later, their own victory party for a favorite of this region.
However, while that celebration was [...]
The Mathieson message - We want the votes counted, so stop counting!
Great logic, but then again this was the Democrat who was so “tough on crime” he bucked his own party to let felons work in schools.
And in a great show of bipartisanship and effectiveness, he’s [...]
Independent Journal
Saturday, November 10, 1787
[John Jay ]
To the People of the State of New York:
QUEEN ANNE, in her letter of the 1st July, 1706, to the Scotch Parliament, makes some observations on the importance of the Union then forming between England and Scotland, [...]
In this episode of Virginia Politics On-Demand, Shaun and Jim review the 2009 election.
In part one, we review the statewide campaign and discuss some of the House races:
In part two, we talk “lessons learned”, what to expect in 2010, the role of the new media, [...]
In this episode of Virginia Politics On-Demand, Shaun and Jim review the 2009 election.
In part one, we review the statewide campaign and discuss some of the House races:
In part two, we talk “lessons learned”, what to expect in 2010, the role of the new media, [...]
The line is getting longer and I’m not talking about the one for the Swine Flu vaccine.
After spending an estimated $3,500,000,000,000 on a variety of bailout schemes including TARP and emergency loans from the Fed, the unemployment rate still hit 10.2%, the highest [...]
Registration for the Blogs United conference is open. Once again, Christopher Newport University hosts us at the David Student Union Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. (doors open at 8 a.m. - breakfast and lunch provided).
This year’s conference features Rep. Rob Wittman, political [...]
Creigh Deeds liked the idea of opting out of Obama’s health care plan.
Glenn Nye didn’t want it to get even that far.
Nye announced today he’s a BIG no vote on Obama’s health care takeover, like he was on Obama’s budget and Obama’s cap and trade bills.
Is [...]
Atlas Shrugged – 1,200 pages
War and Peace – 1,296 pages
Les Misérables – 1,488 pages
Health Care Bill – 1,990 pages
How likely any member of Congress has read the bill? My thoughts: Zero
[...]Representative Bob Goodlatte points out the obvious — Pelosi isn’t reducing costs with her rush job, she’s just redirecting cost back on the industry and the taxpayer. Goodlatte also talks up the Republican alternative, which cuts costs and reforms the system rather than merely nationalizing it.
Very [...]
Now not only is this a debut post, but this is also the best breakdown of winners and losers you’re going to read all week. Â Trust me — this’ll be good stuff!
LOSERS:
The Washington Post — Bloggers and the MSM have had a tense relationship from [...]
Democrats are beginning to line-up against Pelosi-care…21 so far, and probably more as we go throughout the day. Here’s Virginia’s U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor this morning on Fox News explaining the current situation:
[...]The White House says Creigh Deeds lost because he didn’t adhere to the Obama agenda. Democratic leaders opine that Deeds’ “I’m a Creigh Deeds Democrat” and his comments to “opt out” of national health care did him in. Democrat voters stayed home, they said.
Lefty bloggers are [...]
DC saw upwards of 15,000 Americans flood the Capitol steps and the House office buildings with one message for Nancy Pelosi and advocates of government health care: “No, you won’t”!
Many members of Congress who spoke were buoyed by Virgina’s election results. The crowd went wild for [...]
Jeff McWaters must love schools. First, he’s ramping up his name ID by latching onto a PTA fundraising letter.
Now he’s breaking school board policy by campaigning at school football games, according to this Letter to the Editor in the Virginian-Pilot.
“I could not believe [...]
Tuesday was not just another day to celebrate a statewide victory, but it was a day to celebrate local victories as well. Residents in Fluvanna County’s Columbia District elected Shaun Kenney as their next supervisor. This also marks the first Jeffersoniad and Bearing Drift member elected [...]
Gov-elect Bob McDonnell should be commended on a solid win, but Republicans shouldn’t get too excited.
Without a doubt, McDonnell and Virginia Republicans have a mandate, a fact to which state Democrats should play close attention. But no one should overestimate exactly what that mandate is. Exit [...]
Media sources are all touting exit polls as if they’re giving useful information, like whether the election was about Obama, and which demographic groups voted for whom.
Vivian Paige and I were reviewing Virginia exit polls, when we discovered they are full of …, well, fertilizer.
The [...]
Last night as many Virginia Beach Republicans were riding an emotional rollercoaster that ending in victory for Ron Villanueva, a few candidates had their signs and literature for the next election ready to go.
See, I have a slight problem with that. Election night is for the [...]
Newly-elected Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and family at the podium Nov. 3, 2009, in Richmond, Virginia.
Possibly the unsung hero of the night, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, who [...]
So, that’s what winning feels like.
It had been a while since Virginia’s Republicans had something to celebrate, but tonight we made up for lost time. Congratulations to the outstanding team of Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli. Congratulations to all of the re-elected Republican Delegates [...]
It was never close.
As the polls indicated throughout the entire campaign, Governor-elect Bob McDonnell maintained his large and comfortable lead until the final votes were counted Tuesday over Democratic State Senator Creigh Deeds.
Up until the very end of the campaign, where the Deeds camp shot-off mundane [...]
Just over an hour to vote. Go vote, Virginia. BD writers, here’s your open thread for the evening. If you see great Tweets from anyone, put ‘em here. Adam Bitely has a good “list’ going, [twitter.com] .
Upon arriving at the Centreville precinct this morning in Fairfax County, there was a noticeable flow of people going into vote at 10 a.m. I was among those voting, and there seemed to be a lot of voters supporting Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling, and Ken Cuccinelli. [...]
Republican poll workers in Northern Virginia report a 4 to 1 advantage over their Democratic counterparts when it comes to voters taking their sample ballots. Polling data showing Republicans with a massive advantage has definitely affected voter and volunteer [...]
Well, it is finally ballot-casting time here in the Old Dominion. For us political junkies, today is like Christmas morning. This time around we are hoping it is the Democrats who will be ending up with coal in their stockings.
Visit here throughout the day to tell [...]
Independent Journal
Saturday, November 3, 1787
[John Jay]
To the People of the State of New York:
IT IS not a new observation that the people of any country (if, like the Americans, intelligent and well-informed) seldom adopt and steadily persevere for many years in an erroneous [...]
If you have read my last two entries in this series, then I suspect you know what’s coming in this third installment. To use a term that I believe I coined, the McBollinelli ticket is quite possibly the strongest statewide ticket ever fielded by the [...]
Tomorrow, Virginians will head to the polls to elect not only the next Governor of Virginia, but also to elect two other statewide officeholders in the Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General of Virginia. I’ll address the former here, and the latter in another post.
The position of [...]
While Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli wrap up the campaign with a 7-stop rally tour ending in Virginia Beach at the Sandler Center, the closest the Democrats are coming to Hampton Roads is Richmond.
Have the Democrats completely written off Hampton Roads and abandoned the [...]
Bobby Mathieson can’t answer a direct question. Joe Bouchard has become a tool for the left. Paula Miller still hasn’t proposed a bill in Richmond. And, Robin Abbott can’t have her law-firm payoff Steve Shannon fast enough.
And that’s just in Hampton Roads. And these were [...]
Continuing our HoD discussions, Part I (cakewalks), Part II (Republicans), Part III (Democrats), here is our final Toss-Up Predictions, and our official races that are Too Close to Call!
Too Close to Call:
44th (open seat)
Scott Surovell (D) vs Jay McConville (R) vs Glenda [...]
Part I & II Breakdown Totals:
Toss Up: 4
Republican: 54
Democrat: 19
Independent: 1
Independent Win:
19th
Lacey Putney* (I) vs Lewis Medlin (D) vs William Smith (C)
Independent Totals: 1 Independent
Democratic Pickups
Uh…..move along
Democrats Retain (includes open seats)
10th
Ward Armstrong* (D) vs [...]
Continuing from Part I (some people may not have realized that Part I was only Cakewalks, no challengers and Toss Ups)
Part I Breakdown Totals:
Toss Up: 4
Republican: 30
Democrat: 21
Independent: 1
Republican Pickups:
3rd
Daniel Bowling* (D) vs Will Morefield* (R)
Morefield hasn’t received much press [...]
In less than 48 hours, Election Day 2009 will be in the books and either Democrat Creigh Deeds or Republican Bob McDonnell will be elected the 71st Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia. While many Virginians have already made up their minds about which candidate will [...]
Bob speaks with passion about the turnout in the Commonwealth.
47% in 2005 here. In Iraq while Jeanine served, over 70% voted despite the challenges.
Get people involved, get Hampton Roads out.
The only thing that matters is the 13 hours on Tuesday.
[...]Cuccinelli with warm introduction, fires up the crowd. Warms up for the next Governor of Virginia…
Bob McDonnell takes the floor with a huge round of cheers and applause. Lots of young people in the crowd, teenagers and young adults, Bob says great to see the next [...]
Standing room only crowd here in Chesapeake! People are fired up, brooms are out, lots of enthusiasm in the room!
Delegate John Cosgrove is the MC
Congressman Randy Forbes to a big round of applause…this crowd is LOUD!
Pictures when I get home or when a contributor emails [...]
jr@bearingdrift.com (J.R. Hoeft)
