Something's Missing Here

By: Lowell
Published On: 1/31/2008 8:54:10 AM

I read Tim Craig's article on possible candidate for Virginia Attorney General in 2009, and kept thinking, "something's missing here."  Let's review:

REPUBLICANS
*Del. Robert B. Bell: "a pragmatic conservative"
*Sen. Ken Cuccinelli: "one of the most conservative members of the Senate"
*Del. Terry G. Kilgore: "the conservative brother of former attorney general Jerry W. Kilgore (R)"
*Sen. Ryan T. McDougle: "In the Senate, McDougle has a conservative voting record"
*Sen. Mark D. Obenshain: "In the Senate, Obenshain often teams with Cuccinelli and other conservatives to battle moderate GOP leaders behind the scenes on social and economic issues."

DEMOCRATS
*Del. Stephen C. Shannon: "Shannon has developed a reputation for being a moderate"
*Jody M. Wagner: "Well liked," no mention of political ideology.
*Brian Moran and Creigh Deeds: No mention of political ideology.

So, what's missing here?  I'm sure you've guessed by now: that's right, the words "progressive" or "liberal" (or any synonym thereof) are nowhere to be found in this list.  What's striking to me is that, on the Republican side, EVERY SINGLE POTENTIAL CANDIDATE has the word "conservative" in their description.  Yet, on the Democratic side, not ONE candidate has the Democratic counterparts -- "progressive" or "liberal."  

Why is that?  Are Republicans proud of their conservatives but Democrats afraid of touting their progressives?  Or is this all simple coincidence, that for whatever reason, no progressives have yet managed to get their names in the mix for 2009 Attorney General?  
Whatever the case may be, I've got to say that I'm disappointed in the absence of the word "progressive" from Tim Craig's Attorney General's list.  Quick reminder: RK's #1 goal is to promote progressive -- in my case, "Teddy Roosevelt Progressive" -- values and candidates. We are also, for the most part, strong Democrats.  But lists like this make me scratch my head.  Frankly, they make me wonder whether leading Virginia Democrats are a lot less enthused about touting THEIR core ideology (progressivism) than Republicans are of touting theirs (conservatism).

If Democrats run from their progressive (and populist) roots, then aren't we going to simply end up running as pro-corporate "Republicans lite?"  Are we going to get another campaign like in 2005, where leading Democrats talked about "AAA bond ratings" and being "business friendly," but not about health care for all Virginians, doing something about global warming, making sure that all Virginians (including -- gasp! -- gay people) are treated equally, or -- god forbid -- reining in the excesses of business like Dominion Power ("global warming starts here") and Smithfield Foods (union busting, illegal immigrant abusing, environment polluting...), etc?  

Put another way: what are Virginia Democrats all about?  If Republicans are proud conservatives but Democrats are not proud progressives, then where does that leave us?  And by "us," I mean everyone who wasn't born with a silver spoon in his or her mouth.  Any answers about what's missing here?

Comments



The word is toxic. (MikeSizemore - 1/31/2008 11:01:13 AM)
Virginia is a moderate-to-conservative state on the whole, and while it may be trending purple-to-blue, we still have to avoid that toxic "L" word, or party labels all together and just show we're the party of the people.


Mark Warner also developed a reputation as a moderate (Silence Dogood - 1/31/2008 12:39:31 PM)
And I'm not going to begrudge him for it.   Jim Webb's basically a populist.  Tim Kaine is probably the Democratic candidate who was most identifiable as a "liberal" of the three Democrats who most recently won statewide election, and he's still incredibly moderate--I don't know if you remember, but his first campaign commercials all used slogans about things he learned from the Bible.

If Mike Huckabee did that, we would scream in terror.  I'm just saying.

But while I agree in part with Mike, I think more to the point, Virginia Democrats are interested in representing EVERYONE in the Commonwealth, not just the people who happen to agree with us or identify with us liberal litmus tests.  And thank God.



. (MikeSizemore - 1/31/2008 3:07:30 PM)
Agreed.


The degree of being progressive (elevandoski - 1/31/2008 12:40:47 PM)
will be what separates Brian Moran and Creigh Deeds, IMHO.  But then that label will be an internal one to Democrats as we decide between the two.  

I don't think it is a matter of running from it, rather than it being one that is new, and institutions like the DPVA as we all know are very, very slow to come around to new ideas, new trends.  The term needs branding. And as we are building that brand, we can also destruct on what it really means to be a "conservative" in Virginia.  



"branding"??? (Alter of Freedom - 1/31/2008 5:45:12 PM)
To the point, "branding" is exactly what is wrong with the establishment. If people and candidates are not prous of the ideology, ie progressivism, then any kind of branding as you say will fall short in any marketing campaign. If they are not passionate enough about themselves or thier candidates how can the masses get behind them. They need to take a stand for what they believe in as core pillars of its ideology and speak to those. "Branding" in my view is what has made our politics nothing more than an extension of Corporate America and results in the continuation of the "establishment" belief. Branding comes also with the baggage of a negative conotations in that not all candidates are alike even within the same Party and they must run and campaign as individuals and be identified by voters who can align themselves with the candidate not the Party. Look right now in the Party divisions over Clinton/Obama and Mccain/Romney it will be the individual candidates connection with the voters that will beat out any so called "branding" by the Party elite. To be sure many people vote the Party line which of course it amplified by major marketing campaigns but to "brand" candidates within the context say of the DCCC means to imply it does not really matter which candidate comes out of the pack because they in the end are all the same and to me that defeats the whole intent of the primary process ala McCain/Romney "I am more conservative than you" so much for the pillars of "branding" with their Party.


Larry Roberts (Arlington Dem - 1/31/2008 12:47:11 PM)
Tim Kaine's Chief Counsel Larry Roberts from Arlington would make an excellent Attorney General and has a lot of contacts statewide.  He should be on this list.  

Brian Moran and Creigh Deeds should not.  They are running for Governor.  I really don't think they can run for both at once.  



What is not missing are the campaign contributions... (HerbE - 1/31/2008 1:37:34 PM)
Go to vpap.org and check into the campaign contributions from Dominion Power, Smithfield Foods...or pick your entity/pick your politician. Hard to be a progressive, or even a "liberal", when Dems seriously court the money.