Clinton comes to town: Bill Clinton to fundraise in Hampton Roads...

Former President Bill Clinton is apparently Hampton Roads to campaign and fundraise for his longtime friend and confidant Terry McAuliffe.

This week Clinton made a campaign swing through Virginia hitting Richmond and Roanoke for rallies to back McAuliffe run for the governor's mansion against Democrats Brian Moran and Sen. Creigh Deeds. McAuliffe was Clinton's moneyman for years, spearheading the former presidents fundraising efforts and collecting millions in donations for his campaigns and initiatives.

Clinton is a major wildcard in this race because the former president can still draw a serious crowd - and he tugs are familir strings with Democrats. Clinton is still the same charming speaker who connects well with people in large groups and especially one-on-one.

In the final weeks before the June 9 primary, don't be surprised if Clinton pops up in television ads too. if McAuliffe is willing to make an "I'm on a boat" ad he'll probably make a "Look who is standing with Bill Clinton" ad too.

Virginia Democrats aren't used to getting so much love, affection and attention - Clinton barely campaigned in the state during his two presidential victories - and Clinton's megawatt start power is a boon for McAuliffe. Last February, a last second stop by Clinton in Hampton Roads the run up to the Virginia primary drew about 1,400 people to a crowded high school auditorium.

But Clinton's work for Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail and his relationship with President Barack Obama - and by osmosis McAuliffe's relationship with Obama - is another matter that could irk urban voters enough to keep them away from McAuliffe at the polls. 

At this point the details are a bit foggy, but the date appears to by May 14 - exactly two-weeks from today. We're going to see if we can track down any more information to see if it's a closed fundraiser or if their are public events too.  

  

Governor's race: McAuliffe to hold Norfolk forum on Friday...

Terry McAuliffe's coming to town Friday and he'll be at the Scope Arena taking questions and talking about his business plan for Virginia.

McAuliffe's event starts at 10:45 a.m. on Friday in meeting room four at the arena - located at 201 E. Brambleton Avenue. McAuliffe is also busy on the fundraising trail using his Washington connections to get Bill Clinton and James Carville to send out money pleas for McAuliffe's team. 

Today is another important deadline in the race between Democrats McAuliffe, Brian Moran and Sen. Creigh Deeds. The April 30 campaign finance deadline will help indicate how well campaign coffers are stocked for the final month of the race.    

Democratic Debate: McAuliffe, Moran and Deeds square off and get personal.

Brian Moran, Sen. Creigh Deeds and Terry McAuliffe took the stage in Blacksburg to debate last night in an event hosted by a handful of prominent national and Virginia liberal bloggers. 

Once again there was plenty of agreement on central issues including closing the gun show loophole, growing the economy and creating green jobs.

But it was the personal shots between Moran and McAuliffe that raised the most eyebrows. Moran went after McAuliffe for the ad Hillary Clinton ran questioning if Barack Obama was prepared to answer the red phone at 3 a.m. McAuliffe said that he wasn't in charge of the approving every ad. 

Moran also questioned McAuliffe's record running the Democratic National Committee - especially because Democrats lost seats in both chambers of Congress and also the White House to George W. Bush.  

"You continue a tradition of running a negative campaign," McAuliffe replied.

(Fast forward to the 54 minute mark to see one tough exchange or skip ahead to the 1 hour 36 minute mark for another back-and-forth.) 

As the Democrats stressed the importance of winning the House of Delegates - Deeds related a story that the very first time he met McAuliffe was when Deeds was chairman of the House Democratic Caucus and asking McAuliffe for money for House campaigns.

"And you said no," Deeds said." "That was the first time I met you until last fall...you didn't help them and we lost 13 seats that cycle." 

McAuliffe countered that he didn't give money to individual states opting instead to give lots of money through the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee - which doled out money to the states. 

"My record stands intact," McAuliffe said.  

Here's the video - what do you think.  

$125 million turned down for unemployed: The long slog to Election Day...

Republican and Democrats are filling the void these days fighting for the upper hand on the $125 million in federal stimulus money that House Republicans refused because it was tied to potentially hirer business taxes down the road. 

Democrats clearly feel that they have a winning issue here. They've been hammering the GOP since the vote, lining up Democrats and unemployed Virginians to lament the move and blasting Republican gubernatorial hopeful Bob McDonnell for siding with the GOP. They've started a petition - called Stand Up for Va - and they're barnstorming around the state - starting in unemployment-heavy Martinsville.  

Sen. Creigh Deeds, Brian Moran and Terry McAuliffe have played the partisan version of Whack-a-Mole - graciously allowing each other to take turns nailing McDonnell. McDonnell clearly wants to diffuse the issue - this week he sent a letter to the state's congressional delegation asking them to allow states to let the new benefits run out when the federal money does.

The Republicans haven't taken the issue lightly, House Speaker William J. Howell and other members of the GOP have trotted out small-business owners and other members of the Virginia Chamber of Commerce to talk about what expanded benefits might have done to their bottom lines.

Just this week, Howell's office touted a letter signed by 25 members of the state chamber supporting the vote by the GOP. If you want to see video of Howell and other business leaders talking about the problem with expanding benefits click here.  

Right now this back-and-forth is about laying the groundwork but the major question is how does this play on the campaign trail with all 100 seats in the House of Delegates up for grabs in November?

Democrats have the head start here, because they can make their case for taking the $125 million in one short sentence - perhaps even a single phrase. Meanwhile, Republicans are going to need a serious handle on the issue and a little bit of patience because their case is a bit more complex and difficult to explain.

This kind of debate probably isn't going to do in a lawmaker like Del. Phil Hamilton, who has been out ahead on this and has no problem taking a little bit of time and justifying his vote on the unemployment benefits. Shortly after the vote, Hamilton quickly fired off a editorial laying out his view of the pros and cons. 

But the GOP problem isn't candidates like Hamilton. The Republican problem is with House lawmakers further down the totem poll who are going to have to run their own fall campaigns. Every Republican who voted against the $125 million is going to have to re-live that vote in nearly every debate and candidate forum on the trail.

Even the most novice Democratic challengers are going to make sure this issue is front-and-center on the campaign trail - and an economic tailspin doesn't simply go away so don't expect unemployment numbers to suddenly plummet off the political radar.

You're going to keep hearing about that $125 million in federal stimulus money until November. 

On the campaign trail "explanation time" can be deadly. A discussion can quickly become an uphill battle. When your opponent debates with words and you need full paragraphs - the reality is that you are probably in trouble.

  

Torture memos: Rep. Scott and other Dems call for investigation

U.S. Rep Robert C. "Bobby" Scott and other members of the House Judiciary Committee have penned a letter to Attorney General Eric Holder asking for a special counsel to start an investigation in and possible prosecution  "of any violations of federal criminal laws related to the interrogations of detainees."

The torture debate continues to swirl - despite the wave of pig flu coverage - and Scott clearly wants to make sure that the federal government doesn't simply look away from mistakes of the past.

Take a look at Jon Stewart talking with Cliff May - a think tank expert and president of The Foundations for Defense of Democracies. The debate goes on for more than 20 minutes, but here's the first leg of the discussion. 

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Cliff May Unedited Interview Pt. 1
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis First 100 Days

If you want more of the Daily Show torture deabte with Cliff May click here.

Scott makes a pretty detailed case for the need for an investigation. 

Obama's 100 days: Local Dems rally to watch Obama's speech tonight...

Hampton Democrats - inlcuding former Del. Mary Christian and Del. Jeion Ward - are rallying together tonight to watch Barack Obama's speech regarding his first 100 day in the White House.

The 100 day benchmark is generally and odd time to guage the effectiveness of a chief executive - but it has become some sort of media milestone marked by grades, discussion and debate over the first steps of America's new leader.

"How has he done?" - over the past three months or so is a tough question to answer - and it probably depends heavily on your partisan lense. Shoot, how have you done over the past 100 days? (I give myself a solid C- for the record.)

But if you want to get some ideas of what Peninsula Democrats think of Obama, then you'll want to be a Twist Restaurant on 25 Wythe Creek Road in Hampton tonight.

Christian and Ward are going to help lead a roundtable discussion and speech watching party between 6 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. 

It is election season - so every good event comes with some sort of partisan angle - and this one comes courtesy of the race for governor.

The event includes input from Students for Moran, a group backing Brian Moran's run for the governor's mansion. Moran. Terry McAuliffe and Sen. Creigh Deeds won't be attending the event - they're in their own series of debates out west this week.   

GOP infighting: Another Frederick drops out...

Jeff Frederick got dumped by the Republican leadership and his wife Amy Frederick isn't going to give them the chance.

Amy Frederick sent an email to supporters this morning officially withdrawing from the race to fill her husband's seat in the House of Delegates. And on her way out the door, Amy had some choice words to the head of the GOP in the House - Speaker William J. Howell. 

 "Unfortunately, some in the leadership of the Republican Party have demonstrated a greater interest in playing politics than in advancing our conservative principles and making life better for the families and the citizens of Virginia. I'm not interested in running for office to serve under broken leadership, where the Speaker compromises principle for what he perceives as immediate political gain. What so many entrusted with leadership in our party fail to recognize is that ignoring our core principles in pursuit of titles and power without purpose is exactly the behavior that severely reduced our ranks in the House, handed the Senate to the Democrats, and has resulted in one statewide loss after another. "

Ouch.

The letter doesn't mention anything about Jeff Frederick potentially running for the chairman of the GOP again when then get together for their convention in late May. But that is a very real and open wound that would be probed during the most watched Republican campaign in the country - Bob McDonnell's run for governor. You know Brian Moran, Sen. Creigh Deeds and Terry McAuliffe are all rooting for the Fredericks right now.

But there is this interesting line near the end - cliff hanger anyone?  

"I'm confident that in years to come, our party will have new leadership and a new direction, which will bode well for fresh, new ideas"

Education forum triggers the rise of Global Crossing...

The Virginia Education Association debate wasn't exactly the place for hot-button controversies - who is going to stand up in front of a crowded room full of teachers and go negative on an opponent?

But that didn't keep keep things from getting a little nasty between the Democrats running for governor. Brian Moran was launching into a short stump speech about the excesses on Wall Street and what that could mean to teachers retirement accounts. 

Moran was rattling off familiar scapegoats when the list got interesting - Enron - AIG - Global Crossing. Enron is obvious - employees investments ravaged, company implodes on fudged accounting, close relationship between Ken Lay and George W. Bush. AIG is the villain of the day - the insurance giant that gambled on dangerous stocks and continues to need billions in federal bailouts to stay afloat. 

So wait - who's Global Crossing? 

Well most political insiders ave been waiting for this name to get out into the open - because of Terry McAuliffe's links to the company. And in what is becoming his "less-then-subtle" campaign technique - Moran pushed the company to the forefront. 

Global Crossing was a telecommunicatons company that rose and fell on the Internet boom - eventually filling for bankruptcy that revealed major problems behind closed doors. Along for the early rise was McAuliffe, who reportedly invested $100,000 and checked out with $18 million - UPDATE - that's an inflated figure - according to McAuliffe's campaign the correct number is $8.1 million. McAuliffe played no management role and was apparently long gone - about three years - when the place started to crumble and was cleared of any wrongdoing during his time running the Democratic National Committee. 

But injecting the name Global Crossing into the debate was a calculated move. A move likely designed to send voters to Global Crossing's wikipedia page which mentions McAuliffe. Or to McAuliffe's page that gets into Global Crossing too.

That page includes snippets like this:

One New York Times reporter categorized the accusations against Global Crossing as "many of the same accusations that have made Enron into one of the largest corporate scandals in history."[22] McAuliffe played no management role in Global Crossing[15] and had no ties to Enron. Howard Kurtz of CNN reported that McAuliffe was free of any wrongdoing, having sold his shares years before there was "any hint of trouble with the company."[23] On July 20, 2002, Marc Racicot, the chairman of the Republican National Committee told Fox News reporter Rita Cosby, "I haven't seen anything that was done that was wrong by Terry McAuliffe."

 Just go to google and type in Global Crossing scandal - and you'll get plenty to chew on.

McAuliffe has addressed this situation before - and in much more unfriendly territory when he was running the DNC. But in this climate of populist pitchforks aimed at corporate folks - you wonder whether this could become a distraction.   

Up and running and waiting for McDonnell, Deeds, Moran and McAuliffe..

We're running live from the Virginia Education Association's forum featuring all four candidates running for governor.

Republican Bob McDonnell is set to go on stage first, and then the three Democrats - Terry McAuliffe, Sen. Creigh Deeds and Brian Moran - are set to share the stage later on this evening. The organization of teachers, administrators and other educators are a powerful voting block with a consistent record of getting folks out to the polls. That dedication could prove vital come June 9 - when the Democratc will decide who pushes McDonnell during the General Election. 

Most folks aren't expecting too many sparks tonight - because of the forum format will not allow them to get into the back-and-forths that usually produce friction. Plus with education on the agenda - it seems unlikely that anyone is going to say anything very controversial - but you never know. 

The candidates are also fighting against a tide of crowds - including folks looking to spend an evening with Cal Ripken Jr. - who is hosting a cocktail hour down the hall and the circus - which is drawing loads of families to the coliseum. 

We'll check-in in a few minutes.     

$125 for Unemployment: GOP House Speaker hits back against Democrats...

Democrats have been relentlessly hounding Republican for voting to reject $125 million in federal stimulus money to upgrade the state's unemployment benefits.

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and Democratic Chairman Richard Cranwell have been touring the state talking about how the state turned away $125 million fo workers because they woould have been forced to open up benefits to part-time workers searching for jobs and workers in re-training programs. Republicans and business leaders warned that increasing benefits would actually keep small businesses from creating new jobs because they would have to pay higher taxes.

The issue has already become a major part of the gubernatorial race with all three Democratic candidates - Brian Moran, Terry McAuliffe and Sen. Creigh Deeds - taking shots at Republican Bob McDonnell for agreeing with the vote.  

Now House Speaker William J. Howell is hitting back. On Thursday, Howell held a press conference in Richmond with a handful of business leaders to explain what the increased benefits could have meant to their bottom lines.

The GOP is going to need surrogates like this on the campaign trail, because the sour economy is hitting people all over the state - and Democrats can make a powerful and succinct case that the GOP vote was a mistake. But explaining the deeper reasons behind voting against the money take a little more time - and that difference could be damning on the campaign trail for Republicans. 

But Howell and the three business leaders do a good job making the case. 

To hear Speaker Howell and watch video from the business leaders against the unemployment program click here.