McDonnell's female supporters fire back...

Republican Bob McDonnellis trotting out a laundry list of female supporters and campaign staffers to testify that the GOP nominee and former attorney general's attitude toward working women bears little resemblance to the views expressed in his 1989 thesis at Regent University.

In the paper that McDonnell wrote as a 34-year-old graduate student, he argued that working women can be "detrimental" to the family. McDonnell was quick to point out that his wife has been working on and off for the past 37 years, and that he encouraged his two eldest daughters to pursue graduate degrees. McDonnell also repeatedly noted that one of his daughters serves in Iraq.

McDonnell also noted that half of his senior staff at the attorney general's office was female and that his 2005 campaign manager was a women. McDonnell said said that he wants to "absolutely and fully repudiate" any comments that appear derogatory to working women.  

Democrat Creigh Deeds'senior advisor Mo Elleithee pointed out the stakes surrounding this flap when he said that 54% of Virginia voters are women - a crucial chunk of the state electorate.

The Republicans are hoping to quickly douse this story before it becomes uncontrollable, and what better way then to put forward the opinions of women who have worked closely with McDonnell? So here's the roster of folks vouching for hims along with their comments:

Judy Ford Wason, Williamsburg

"I know and have confidence in Bob McDonnell. He respects and surrounds himself with strong working women. His daughter served our nation in Iraq. His campaign manager in 2005 was a working mom. As Attorney General he appointed women to run the public safety, opinions, civil litigation and transportation/real estate/environment and technology sections of Virginia's Attorney General's office. As the former head of "Virginians for Mark Warner", and a pro-choice woman, I look for candidates who seek to bring people together and Bob McDonnell is doing this in his campaign. Bob has always respected and supported working women and will continue to do so. Virginians are worried about the future, not a decades-old academic paper. They are concerned about their jobs, the economy, public safety, education and transportation. These are the important issues that matter to men and women and these are the issues Bob will provide strong leadership to address as Governor."

Judy Ford Wason is the former Head of "Virginians for Mark Warner". She lives in Williamsburg. 

 

Lisa Caruso, Commonwealth's Attorney, Dinwiddie County:

"As a former Democrat, and current elected official, I have seen Bob McDonnell lead on numerous initiatives to safeguard Virginia's women and children. His work to combat child pornography, sexual predators, and online criminals makes me proud as a Commonwealth's Attorney, and as a working mother. The women of Virginia know they have a friend in Bob McDonnell. His record proves it."

Lisa Caruso is the first woman to be elected as Commonwealth's Attorney for Dinwiddie County. She is the mother of two girls Mackenna, 4, and Delaney, 2.  She is married to active duty army officer, Lt Col Anthony Caruso.

 

Janet Polarek, Richmond

"I ran Bob McDonnell's 2005 campaign. I did it while raising my beautiful daughter Reagan, who was two at the time. After Bob won the 2005 campaign he appointed me to serve as his Director of Administration in the Office of the Attorney General. It was not a novel occurrence to find Bob McDonnell in my office discussing the running of Virginia's law firm while Reagan colored on the floor. Today I serve on the senior staff of Bob's gubernatorial campaign. In every senior level position in which I have served, Bob McDonnell has been an exemplary, respectful, and understanding boss. Bob McDonnell has consistently and always gone the extra mile in every way possible to make sure I can balance work and family. I speak with direct experience when I say unequivocally that Bob McDonnell supports and champions working moms. He is a true friend to the working mothers of Virginia."

Janet Polarek is Chief Operations Officer of McDonnell for Governor. She formerly served as Director of Administration in the Virginia Office of the Attorney General and as Campaign Manager for "McDonnell for Attorney General" in 2005. She is the mother of Reagan Polarek, age 6.

Va. Gov: Kaine calls McDonnell thesis "accurate reflection"....

Gov. Timothy M. Kaine says that the 20-year-old thesis penned by Republican Bob McDonnellis an "accurate reflection" of the GOP nominee for governor. 

McDonnell is working to explain the 93-page paper he wrote in 1989 as a 34-year-old graduate student at Regent University in Virginia Beach. McDonnell spent about 90 minutes on a conference call with reporters trying to explain why the paper should be viewed as an "academic exercise" and not reflective of his current views or platform.  

But Kaine, who is supporting Democrat Creigh Deeds against McDonnell, does not think McDonnell can explain the paper away so effortlessly. Instead he's sending out e-mails through his political action committee saying that the thesis should be a "grave concern."

Here's the meat or the note from Kaine:

Focused on Bob's Master's thesis, the story details his blueprint for government - and raises serious questions about his plan for Virginia if elected. As you will see, this political blueprint contains unflattering references to working women, gays and lesbians, and many others. It also contains references to policy positions - such as opposition to contraception and child care availability - that most Virginians would find quite troubling.

All people are entitled to their personal beliefs. After years of working with Bob, I believe this article is an accurate reflection of his sincere and long-standing views. But I do not believe that this philosophy, which Bob has worked strenuously to implement as an elected official, is the right direction for Virginia. In fact, I think it would take us backwards and jeopardize much of the success we have achieved in the Commonwealth in recent years.

br>

Breaking down McDonnell's Regent University thesis....

Republican Bob McDonnell's 1989 thesis is all over the Internet, so what can you find in the 93-page document?

Following the traditional "the more eyes the better" mantra, we're posting the thesis online and asking readers to sift through the Republican's social viewpoints and arguments to find interesting tidbits of information. We're still reading the academic paper that McDonnell wrote as a 34-year-old student at Regent University in Virginia Beach. 

The Pat Robertson-founded college was known then as CBN University. Democrat Creigh Deeds campaign clearly believes that the document pulls back the veil on McDonnell and one of the Democrat's seniors advisors has called the paper "devastating to the McDonnell campaign." 

McDonnell's team is backing away and downplaying the impact of the paper calling it an academic exercise that shouldn't be used 20-years after it was written. But Deeds advisor Mo Elleithee is quick to point out that the paper is "not the ruminations of some college kid. This is someone on the cusp of public life." 

So here's a link to McDonnell's thesis.... 

Read as much as you want and see what you can find in the paper and cut and paste the details into the comments section.   

McDonnell's '89 thesis stirs the pot, recalls Verbena Askew firing...

Republican Bob McDonnell's 1989 thesis from Regent University in Virginia Beach is the latest hot button in the race for the governor mansion between McDonnell and Democrat Creigh Deeds.

McDonnell brought up the thesis while talking with the Washington Post, and the 93-page document available on the Regent website has immediately stirred controversy because some of the staunchly conservative viewpoints don't match McDonnell current campaign image.

Just take a look at the lead from Amy Gardner:

At age 34, two years before his first election and two decades before he would run for governor of Virginia, Robert F. McDonnell submitted a master's thesis to the evangelical school he was attending in Virginia Beach in which he described working women and feminists as "detrimental" to the family. He said government policy should favor married couples over "cohabitators, homosexuals or fornicators." He described as "illogical" a 1972 Supreme Court decision legalizing the use of contraception by unmarried couples.

Here's the full Washington Post report...

And here's a link to the full 93-page thesis...  

Deeds senior adviser Mo Elleithee just called the thesis "devastating to the McDonnell campaign."

For the past few weeks, Republicans have accused Deeds of focusing on divisive social issues, because the Bath County Democrat started highlighting McDonnell's effort in the House of Delegates to restrict and more tightly control abortion. Deeds' campaign staff said they are trying to make sure the voters have a full and clear picture of the Republican nominee.

Republicans said Deeds was simply worried about McDonnell getting to far ahead in the campaign and was cynically relying on hot button issues to go negative on McDonnell.

Now this thesis, penned while McDonnell was working to get a degree at Pat Robertson's evangelical college in Virginia Beach, gives the Democrats plenty to ammunition to show to Northern Virginia voters. 

McDonnell is referring to the thesis as an "academic exercise" and the folks over at the Republicas Party of Virginia are pointing out that Sen. Jim Webb wrote an article about how women can't fight in the military - long before he took up the Democratic mantle. And President Barack Obama also downplayed the importance of his own dated writing. 

Here's a quote from Obama.

"This is an example of what happens when you look at things backwards,'' Mr. Obama said when asked whether he had his political future in mind when he first began to write. ''Then everything looks like, 'Ah! Of course this was part of some well-calibrated consideration.' But frankly, no. It would have been very hard for me to anticipate that I'd be where I am today, where a book that I wrote almost 20 years ago now would even be read.'' (New York Times, May 12, 2008)

The story in the Washington Post also recalls the heated controversy over Newport News Circuit Court Judge Verbena Askew. Here's the full excerpt.

One controversy that drew wide attention was an effort in the General Assembly in 2003 to end the judicial career of Verbena M. Askew, a Circuit Court judge from Newport News who had been accused of sexual harassment by a woman who worked for her. As chairman of the Courts of Justice Committee, McDonnell led the effort in the House. He said he was opposed to Askew's reappointment because she didn't disclose, as required, that she was a party to a legal proceeding.

McDonnell was widely quoted at the time as saying that homosexual activity raised questions about a person's qualifications to be a judge. Spokesman Tucker Martin said McDonnell was misquoted and does not consider homosexuality a disqualifying factor for judgeships or other jobs.

Askew, who was not reappointed, denied any wrongdoing and was never found by a court to have harassed the employee.

That is not going to sit well with a lot of folks on the Peninsula who still remember the Askew controversy, which took place nearly 15 years after he wrote the thesis.

Phil Hamilton rises from the virtual ashes

First he was gone. Now he's back.

The Republican Party of Virginia had removed the name of Del. Phil Hamilton from its official list of candidates who are seeking election or reelection in November.

This came in the wake of Hamilton's embarrassing job scandal with Old Dominion University which prompted calls for his resignation from top Republicans, including RPV Chairman Pat Mullins.

But after blog posts Thursday noted the absence, Hamilton's name and photo reappeared on the website today.

RPV spokesman Tim Murtaugh said: "We stand by our previous statement. However, as of now, Phil Hamilton is, in fact, an incumbent Delegate running as a Republican."

Kennedy candle light vigil in Buckroe Friday night...

Peninsula Democrats are gathering in Buckroe Beach Friday evening to commemorate the life and service of Sen. Ted Kennedy, the last link to to Camelot.

The Hampton Democratic Committee is hosting the event honoring the "Liberal Lion", which will start on the Buckroe Beach stage at about 7 p.m. The organizers are asking mourners to bring a chair and an extra candle if they have some because of a limited supply.

Jeff Shapiro on Phil Hamilton...

Yet another political heavyweight has jumped into the fracas surrounding Del. Phil Hamilton. 

Jeff Shapiro of the Richmond Times Dispatch launched this video analysis today, digging deeper into the Hamilton - Old Dominion University flap. Watch out for the zingers.  

Phil Hamilton's name removed from RPV website

Want to find out which Republicans are running for the House of Delegates? The Republican Party of Virginia has a list.

And Del. Phil Hamilton, R-Newport News, isn't on it.

The name of Hamilton, one of Virginia's most influential lawmakers, has been stricken from the party's official candidate list in the wake of his job scandal at Old Dominion University.

GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell said Hamilton should quit, although he should be allowed to try and clear his name through an investigation. Joining in the calls for resignation were Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and RPV Chairman Pat Mullins.

When it comes to Hamilton, the cold shoulder appears to be mutual.

Hamilton said he doubted if Mullins would be welcome in the 93rd District, and that his supporters are taking down their McDonnell/Bolling signs.

Hamilton said he's still hearing good things from rank-and-file voters as he campaigns door to door. This morning, we spoke with Democrat Alan Diamonstein, the former Newport News delegate who supports Hamilton.

Diamonstein, who for years was the go-to guy in the General Assembly for the area, says Hamilton should be considered innocent until proven guilty.

The ODU jobs scandal shows that Hamilton was angling for employment at a proposed teaching center before he filed legislation that led to its creation. Once the center became a reality, he was hired there.

Hamilton resigned his ODU job when e-mails showed details of job-seeking but said he never intentionally did anything wrong. Speaker Bill Howell has called for an ethics investigation.

Diamonstein allows that what Hamilton did "was certainly not the brightest thing to do." But Hamilton has gone to bat time and time again for people in Newport News seeking legislation of one sort or another, the Democrat said.

"I think the community owes him an obligation" to hear from the investigation," Diamonsten said Thursday. "Everyone feels he's entitled to his presumption" of innocence.

Health Care Townhall in Newport News with U.S. Rep. Wittman next week...

U.S. Rep. Rob Wittmanis hosting a health care townhall meeting in Newport News on Monday to gather feedback from the public on President Barack Obama's push for reform.

Across the country, health care townhalls have taken center stage over the past month as congress members have returned home for the August recess and been greeted by some angry citizens. Health care reform backers have worked to quell some of the outrage, showing up to pledge their support for reform, but it's unclear how the meeting will go. So far, the shouting and yelling has grabbed the headlines but even that angle has lost it's luster in recent days. 

It ought to be interesting to see how this town hall compares to a similar event being hosted by U.S. Rep. Robert C. "Bobby" Scott, R-Newport News. Scott's probably going to get more than his fair share of feedback.

But maybe some birthers will show up. Here are the details.

Wittman will take questions from constituents on issues of concern, but will focus primarily on the ongoing debate over healthcare reform.

Date: Monday, August 31, 2009

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Location: Christopher Newport University, Ferguson Center for the Arts, Music & Theatre Hall

1 University Place, Newport News, VA

Date: Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Time: 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Location: University of Mary Washington, Dodd Auditorium

1301 College Avenue, Fredericksburg, VA 22401

  

Sen. Webb making a low-profile visit to Norfolk

Update: We now hear that Sen. Webb's chat with the Chamber of Commerce will be open to the media.

...

This is really going to make people happy: Sen. Jim Webb is going to be in Norfolk tomorrow and Friday ... and is not going to take time to chat with voters about, say, health care reform.

He'll be behind closed doors -- closed even to the press -- at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk tomorrow afternoon to talk to about 75 members of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce. There's a "media availability" afterward so, presumably, reporters can ask if anyone asked about, say, health care reform.

On Friday (no time is even listed on the release), he's going to tour the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The tour is closed to the press, but the senator's office will provide pictures afterward.

Also Friday -- 12:30 p.m.-- he will present the "2009 Distinguished Community Health Center Super Hero Award at the Portsmouth Community Health Center.

Sen. Webb wrote an op-ed piece that just appeared in The New York Times about his trip to Asia and, in particularly, his visit with Myanmar's reclusive and isolated leader, Senior Gen. Than Shwe.

Hmmm.