Terry McAuliffe, former Hillary Clinton campaign manager and former DNC chair from 2001-2005, has sent out a very savvy email, perhaps the most sophisticated I have seen to date, announcing his candidacy for Virginia Governor. Sorry I can’t attach it.
He will formally announce on Jan 8. He will be in our area Saturday, Jan. 10.
Terry is out of the gate running. He will be a very difficult candidate to stop.
Breaking News: Kaine to Become DNC Chairman.
Va. governor Timothy M. Kaine will operate in part-time capacity until 2010, when he’ll take over the job full-time after his term as Virginia Governor is up.
He’s the Caroline Kennedy of Virginia…big name, all politically connected and lots of cash behind him.
Has he ever made the buses run on time? Has he ever balanced a budget? Running the DNC and raising money is not akin to being on a City Council, or a Mayor, State Legislator or Elected State Offical with budgetary duties and not nearly the stepping stone for being a Governor that the other candidates, both Democratic and Republican have shown themselves to possess.
Hey, I think that’s not fair to Caroline. She can name a few foreign leaders, actually been to a few foreign countries and I am almost positive she could cite a Supreme Court case or two with which she disagrees. We are pretty certain, she won’t bribe contracors, be bribed, sleep with a call-boy from an escort service, tap her heels under the restroom door or try to start a war to increase her investments. She likely won’t leave her husband without health insurance should he develop cancer, be convicted of espionage, extortion, mail fraud or sell arms to foreign nations.
For all we are pretty sure she won’t do, I think she’s a better chance than most.
McAuliffe will have plenty of money, But the grassroots edge belongs to McDonnell. This election will be dcided by who can build the strongest coalition.
If Kaine goes to the DNC, can’t we appoint a Governor and join the rest of the country??? Can we appoint Corey??? Will they take him??? We could hang a pork chop around his neck – maybe they would take him????!!!!!
I’ve never seen what, evidently, many others see in this guy. Slick backslapper, super salesman, no personality (at least not on TV). Wouldn’t want to have a beer with this guy.
The ability to raise money shouldn’t be a requisite for holding an important office, but it seems that’s the way it’s going in every election.
I think that is so, but how the money is raised is also just as important.
PW, I can sleep easy knowing that you Republicans will devour your own and won’t be able to build a coalition. I have watched the dark side. Good cross section.
Juturna, that was actually brilliant about Caroline Kennedy. I am very impressed.
What you are surprised that I can be brilliant?????? Sheesh….. 🙁
I’d prefer Deeds or Moran. I get the Corey Carpetbagger feeling about this guy.
Whoever runs against McDonnell, he will have a financial edge. It seems like ever since the put a limit on the dollar amount allowable for big corporations buying influence, the edge has gone to Democrats.
ShellyB, 17 6years in Virginia is not real carpetbagger. I just see unbeatable, but perhaps I am wrong.
How can we allow our rights to continue to be violated by egomaniacal thugs like this? Don’t, one day, the chickens always come home to roost?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDLlEh0x2XA&feature=channel_page
Agreed M-H, Juturna that was brilliant and I never doubted for a moment you had it in you 🙂
Heard on the radio (WTOP) this morning that it will be interesting for Kaine to assume such a partisan role while still being governor. One part of the state legistature is still controlled by Republicans and it will be interesting to see how he balances cooperating with Republicans to achieve his legislative goals along with the role of DNC Chairman. Just reporting what I heard – I have no real opinion on this – will wait and see what happens.
Not to be a whiner, but I sort of feel like I am being cheated of a full time governor for a year. On the other hand, if I lived somewhere else, I would be cheated because he would be running for re-election.
Gainesville, you got that right. Chairman of the DNC is definitely partisan.
We should have all seen this coming when Kaine was chosen to respond to the State of the Union address right after he took office as new governor.
I agree with you Moon-howler – Governor of any state is a full-time job. You also are right that having him respond to the State of the Union address foreshadowed this… I guess it will be interesting to see how it all pans out. Although, there seems to be enough gridlock in the state legislature without this adding to it.
Hi Moon-howler. Why do you think Terry McAuliffe seems unbeatable? I’m part of the Democratic base, the kind who votes and volunteers in every local, state, and national election, and I’m wondering why the heck this dude is running for governor. I only know him as a name, but he’s coming across as a rich guy in a midlife crisis, who has decided to buy his way to the governor’s job. We know nothing about his character or ethics or ability to be a public servant.
Thanks for posting the video. I got a vague sense of unease, shades of Blagojevich, and the feeling that he is employing every trick he’s learned in his years as a political operative, such as not even mentioning his Democratic opponents’ names, speaking as if he’s already the candidate, and striving for those $5.00 donations to build a list of grassroots donors.
I’ve never seen the guy, never heard him speak until this video, so I’ll listen to what he has to say. But Brian Moran and Creigh Deeds have long histories as public servants, and they deserve to be given fair consideration. McAuliffe might have millions to spend in his pursuit of this new desire of his, but he actually has to get the votes and many of us activists who actually vote in primaries are uncomfortable with the feeling of being “bought”.
Hi Firedancer, I think McAuliffe is clean. I don’t know if I support him or not, but I find his candidacy very interesting. He is a big national figure and Moran and Deeds are state politicians. He sent out an email yesterday that had all the bells and whistles.
I think maybe he is just looking for a place to roost. To my knowledge, he has never held elected office but if experience is gained by osmosis, he should have plenty.
I guess this is a stay tuned situation!
Do we need a national figure for a governor, or do we need someone who actually has experience working within the state? It just bugs me that someone thinks that just because they have money, and know how to play the political game, that they expect to become a governor. I agree with Lucky Duck’s first post on this thread.
I fully expect to help get out the vote for the Democratic candidates next fall, but at this point I don’t see myself working on behalf of a guy who is in the process of purchasing his next “business”, i.e. the governorship. His campaign needs to convince voters like myself, not his wealthy friends who feel obligated to contribute to this campaign. And we won’t be convinced by slick emails, videos and phone surveys…because we can see through those tactics.
Many people feel as you do. And I think the people of Virginia will ultimately decide.
I don’t know anything about Mr. Deeds. I probably know more about McAuliffe than I do Brian Moran but not as much as Jim Moran. And I like that fighting Virginia spirit.
I am jaded. I always expect those who earn the most money to win the war. That is why I hate politics so much.