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Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell in trouble

W

WFFaithful

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http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpoli...NPR&utm_medium=facebook&utm_campaign=20130710

"Over the past 48 hours, the drip, drip, drip of embarrassment and drama — which already included an alleged donor-paid designer gown for the first lady, a pricey Rolex watch for the governor and $15,000 in catering for his daughter's wedding — became a downpour.

— The Washington Post reported late Tuesday that McDonnell and his sister allegedly received $70,000 from a big political donor, a gift that the governor failed to disclose. And that McDonnell's wife, Maureen, allegedly received a "previously unknown $50,000 check" from the same donor, dietary supplement maker Jonnie R. Williams Sr.

— Just a day earlier, news outlets including the Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that the governor reimbursed the state nearly $2,400 for food and toiletries purchased with a state credit card to supplement back-to-college care packages for his children.

— And, adding to the deluge, reports also surfaced Tuesday that McDonnell's 21-year-old son, Sean, had been arrested the previous weekend for public intoxication in Charlottesville, where he and his twin brother attend the University of Virginia."
 
He's been a decent governor, but I'm OK with his political career ending at the end of his term. IMO, he would be absolutely rotten in any DC position.
 
I'd take a corrupt McDonnell over the lunatic the GOP is trotting out there for November.
 
WFU71 said:
He's been a decent governor, but I'm OK with his political career ending at the end of his term. IMO, he would be absolutely rotten in any DC position.
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He's toast for President or VP. Is he subject to any criminal prosecution? Dude should move to Ill or LA, he'd be an instant front runner for Governor.
 
He's not in any serious trouble in that he's in no danger of not finishing his term. But he's getting enough public shame that it's unlikely he'll be getting any serious jobs at the national level, especially with Warner and Kaine likely to continue in the senate for another term or 2 or 3.

But Phillies is correct. As a Dem, I'm extremely disappointed with our selection of McAuliffe for gov. Absolutely hated that guy in the 2008 presidential primary - he and Penn were awful. I would likely have crossed over and voted for Bolling (our current lieut-gov). And Bolling would have defeated McAuliffe easily. But the Pubs nominated 2 complete nut jobs for gov and lieut-gov, our current AG Kookinelli and a guy named EW Jackson, who is currently trying to explain away a prior statement that yoga leads to demonic possession. The Pubs have a solid AG candidate in Obenshein, who now probably rues picking this year to run for AG. The problem the Pubs have is the Christian Right wingnuts control the party at a grass roots level here, and it's going to cost them at least 2 of the 3 statewide positions this Fall. As long as McAuliffe can just keep his mouth shut for the next 4 months. He should stick to doing fundraisers, have other Dems stump for him and continue to allow Kookinelli and Jackson do his heavy lifting by telling the public what they believe.
 
cville deac said:
He's not in any serious trouble in that he's in no danger of not finishing his term. But he's getting enough public shame that it's unlikely he'll be getting any serious jobs at the national level, especially with Warner and Kaine likely to continue in the senate for another term or 2 or 3.

But Phillies is correct. As a Dem, I'm extremely disappointed with our selection of McAuliffe for gov. Absolutely hated that guy in the 2008 presidential primary - he and Penn were awful. I would likely have crossed over and voted for Bolling (our current lieut-gov). And Bolling would have defeated McAuliffe easily. But the Pubs nominated 2 complete nut jobs for gov and lieut-gov, our current AG Kookinelli and a guy named EW Jackson, who is currently trying to explain away a prior statement that yoga leads to demonic possession. The Pubs have a solid AG candidate in Obenshein, who now probably rues picking this year to run for AG. The problem the Pubs have is the Christian Right wingnuts control the party at a grass roots level here, and it's going to cost them at least 2 of the 3 statewide positions this Fall. As long as McAuliffe can just keep his mouth shut for the next 4 months. He should stick to doing fundraisers, have other Dems stump for him and continue to allow Kookinelli and Jackson do his heavy lifting by telling the public what they believe.
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Kooky is likely going win because McAuliffe is such a terrible candidate.
 
This might be the one time I pull for high carpetbagger NOVA turnout. HATE cuccineli. Have to make sure I keep some of the FL stink off me so that I can come back soon and take my place in the mansion.
 
PhilliesDeacs said:
Kooky is likely going win because McAuliffe is such a terrible candidate.
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I agree McAuliffe is a terrible candidate, and personally, I can't stand the guy. That said, the few polls we've seen show McAuliffe in a small lead. Kookinelli is just as bad a candidate, and it would have been much more helpful had the Pubs nominated a moderate for lieut-gov like Bolling to help take some of the extremist edge off of Kookinelli. Instead, they nominated a guy who says things like homosexuality is more destructive than the KKK, yoga can lead to demonic possession, Planned Parenthood is more dangerous to blacks than the KKK, and the Great Society was worse for blacks than slavery. So instead of taking some of the extremist edge off of Kookinelli, Jackson is going to end up putting even more of an extremist edge onto Kookinelli.

I believe McAuliffe will maintain that small lead and prolly win unless he shoots himself in the foot, which he is more than capable of doing. Which is why he needs to stay out of the press and say as little as possible during the campaign. His best move may be to wear duct tape over his mouth at campaign events and wear a t-shirt that says, "I'm not Kookinelli. Or Jackson."
 
cville deac said:
I agree McAuliffe is a terrible candidate, and personally, I can't stand the guy. That said, the few polls we've seen show McAuliffe in a small lead. Kookinelli is just as bad a candidate, and it would have been much more helpful had the Pubs nominated a moderate for lieut-gov like Bolling to help take some of the extremist edge off of Kookinelli. Instead, they nominated a guy who says things like homosexuality is more destructive than the KKK, yoga can lead to demonic possession, Planned Parenthood is more dangerous to blacks than the KKK, and the Great Society was worse for blacks than slavery. So instead of taking some of the extremist edge off of Kookinelli, Jackson is going to end up putting even more of an extremist edge onto Kookinelli.

I believe McAuliffe will maintain that small lead and prolly win unless he shoots himself in the foot, which he is more than capable of doing. Which is why he needs to stay out of the press and say as little as possible during the campaign. His best move may be to wear duct tape over his mouth at campaign events and wear a t-shirt that says, "I'm not Kookinelli. Or Jackson."
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I honestly don't see any way Cuccinelli loses. Polls of likely voters have him with a decent sized lead, and even these polls are likely to underestimate the relative strength in conservative turnout in November. RCP's average of polls in 2009 underestimated McDonnell's margin of victory by five points. Although Cuccinelli has some exceedingly stupid social views, he was a competent attorney general. McAuliffe, on the other hand, could not be a more unappealing candidate. He is a carpetbagger, has no experience with the state legislature or any credentials that qualify him for statewide office, is heavily associated with national Democrats, and comes off as sleazy and amoral, probably because he is. This is a guy who missed the birth of one of his children to go to a Democratic Party fundraiser. Read his memoir. It's hilarious, and not in a good way. This could be one of the lowest turnouts for a statewide election in a long time. I'm actually more concerned that straight ticket voting could propel Jackson to victory.
 
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McAuliffe is a greedy scumbag. Cuccinelli is batshit crazy. He is Ted Cruz level of extremist.

Nice choice VA.
 
Cuccinelli is a smarter Gilmore. Which should scare everyone in VA.
 
TR1982 said:
I honestly don't see any way Cuccinelli loses. Polls of likely voters have him with a decent sized lead, and even these polls are likely to underestimate the relative strength in conservative turnout in November. RCP's average of polls in 2009 underestimated McDonnell's margin of victory by five points. Although Cuccinelli has some exceedingly stupid social views, he was a competent attorney general. McAuliffe, on the other hand, could not be a more unappealing candidate. He is a carpetbagger, has no experience with the state legislature or any credentials that qualify him for statewide office, is heavily associated with national Democrats, and comes off as sleazy and amoral, probably because he is. This is a guy who missed the birth of one of his children to go to a Democratic Party fundraiser. Read his memoir. It's hilarious, and not in a good way. This could be one of the lowest turnouts for a statewide election in a long time. I'm actually more concerned that straight ticket voting could propel Jackson to victory.
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The couple of recent polls I've seen have McAuliffe in the lead, for the little that's worth this early. As for McDonnell, he had a good late surge, at least some of which was because he had more $$ and outspent Creigh Deeds 3 to 1 in the last few weeks. (Big, out of state Dem $$ didn't reach Creigh - word is Hillary cringed when she met him - Creigh is a nice guy and a good state senator but far from a good looking professional politician.)

Look, I agree McAuliffe is an asshole, carpetbagger and clown. And a god awful candidate. Over the last 20 or so years, there was not a Pub candidate he would have beaten. But Kookinelli and Jackson will give him a good shot at winning. And I don't see the turnout being that abnormally low. The Christian Right will turnout to vote for their social conservatives, and Dems will hold their nose and turn out just to vote against Kookinelli and Jackson. If anything, it's the moderate Pub vote that may stay home. It's a referendum on Kookinelli/Jackson. Had Bolling been the nominee, then many Dems would have stayed home - or voted for Bolling.
 
TR1982 said:
I honestly don't see any way Cuccinelli loses. Polls of likely voters have him with a decent sized lead, and even these polls are likely to underestimate the relative strength in conservative turnout in November. RCP's average of polls in 2009 underestimated McDonnell's margin of victory by five points. Although Cuccinelli has some exceedingly stupid social views, he was a competent attorney general. McAuliffe, on the other hand, could not be a more unappealing candidate. He is a carpetbagger, has no experience with the state legislature or any credentials that qualify him for statewide office, is heavily associated with national Democrats, and comes off as sleazy and amoral, probably because he is. This is a guy who missed the birth of one of his children to go to a Democratic Party fundraiser. Read his memoir. It's hilarious, and not in a good way. This could be one of the lowest turnouts for a statewide election in a long time. I'm actually more concerned that straight ticket voting could propel Jackson to victory.
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This is likely the case. I'll hold my nose and vote for McA as a vote against looney tunes, but the maniacs on the extreme right will come out in droves to vote for their boy. If the Dems' GOTV effort is effective, McA has a shot, but it won't be.
 
Got to see the first TV ads from both candidates today - highly negative and fairly persuasive. None of the three ads (two Dem, one Pub) talked about their candidate.

This one might set a new standard for negative advertising.
 
WFU71 said:
Got to see the first TV ads from both candidates today - highly negative and fairly persuasive. None of the three ads (two Dem, one Pub) talked about their candidate.

This one might set a new standard for negative advertising.
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Were the ads actually from the campaigns or from PACs?

I didn't watch the debate, but reading the write-up made it sound like it was two kindergartners having a slap fight.
 
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