1. Looks like Mudcat had Hunter Pickles Arrested. I didn't know that!
VA SEN: COMMONWEALTH CRIMINALS The drama of the VA Senate primary isn+óGé¼Gäót over yet. Virginia bloggers have been reporting that James Webb advisor Dave +óGé¼+ôMudcat+óGé¼-¥ Saunders (of Mark Warner 2001 election fame) had a young George Allen staffer arrested for trespassing after the young staffer had stalked Webb across the state, filming his kickoff tour and private conversations. Apparently the young filmmaker followed Webb onto Mudcat+óGé¼Gäós private property and did not immediately heed instructions to leave. Liberal bloggers have been chuckling over the arrest, but Allen+óGé¼Gäós camp seems to be none too pleased. [snip]
2. Webb's status: "frontrunner in the primary". Well, that I knew!
Mainstream coverage of this little melodrama appears to only solidify Webb+óGé¼Gäós status as the frontrunner in the primary. His opponent, IT lobbyist Harris Miller, claimed in the Winchester article that he too has been tracked at times. The claim was more than a little whiney from a campaign that has been foundering as of late. Rumors have been circulating the Virginia political gossip mill that Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid will be endorsing Webb soon. Webb will be holding a press conference at the DSCC this week to announce endorsements from several retired military generals. If things weren+óGé¼Gäót looking grim enough for Miller, former governor Mark Warner announced this week that he+óGé¼Gäóll hold a fundraiser for Webb (a good omen for Webb, who+óGé¼Gäós fundraising has been a little anemic thus far). Warner raised money for Miller back in March, a fundraiser he had committed to before Webb jumped into the race. Warner+óGé¼Gäós attempt to remain neutral may be a signal that while he and Miller are old friends, Warner doesn+óGé¼Gäót want to be tied to Miller+óGé¼Gäós political fortunes.
3. Blogs are all about Webb, duh!
Interestingly, the Virginia blogosphere is solidly behind Webb+óGé¼Gäós candidacy. The +óGé¼+ôDraft James Webb+óGé¼-¥ movement was primarily an online effort and bloggers have played a large role in promoting Webb+óGé¼Gäós campaign. It+óGé¼Gäós more than a little unusual to see national Democratic kingmakers and liberal bloggers lining up behind the same candidate. The strong online support for Webb is even more interesting considering Miller has such stronger liberal credentials. Webb, a former Republican, doesn+óGé¼Gäót exactly fit the liberal label. That record will be a boon for him in a general election match-up, but it would be interesting to get inside the Virginia blogosphere+óGé¼Gäós collective head and see if the strong Webb support is really a pro-Webb movement or just anti-Allen reactionaries.
Either way, with a month to go before the primary, Miller+óGé¼Gäós credentials and support appear to be crumbling. As always, the primary will depend heavily on which regions turn out, but as Webb+óGé¼Gäós campaign gains support, that will matter less and less as Miller+óGé¼Gäós strongholds slip away.--Anna Scholl
Head over and tell Anna why this isn't just an Anti-Allen movement, but rather a uprising in favor of Jim Webb! Oh, and also, don't forget to ask: "What liberal credentials?"
Represent!
To see a college republican behind bars...oh, how great!