The Washington Post's lead editorial today is fascinating. While I don't agree with some of what they have to say, particularly lumping Tim Kaine in with Jerry Kilgore as a promise-the-moon-with-no-way-to-pay-for-it candidate, I DO find the Posts' observations on Russ Potts and Jerry Kilgore to be dead-on accurate in many ways. For instance, take this slam at Kilgore for his terror at "fellow Republican" Russ Potts:
On the insistence of Mr. Kilgore, who quakes at the prospect of a fellow Republican drawing off moderate votes, Mr. Potts was excluded from the campaign's first formal debate, in July, sponsored by the Virginia Bar Association....unless support for Mr. Potts reaches 15 percent in a pair of statewide polls (he's now around 9 percent), he will also be excluded from the third and probably final debate in October -- the only one slated for statewide television broadcast. That arbitrary condition was set by the Kilgore camp and agreed to by the debate's sponsor, the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia.
I agree wholeheartedly with the Post on all this. First, it's been obvious for months now that Jerry Kilgore is petrified -- of Tim Kaine, of Russ Potts, of letting the people of Virginia compare him side-by-side with his opponents. At this point, after 8 months of campaigning, one can't just write this off as a clever campaign strategy by Scott Howell. To be blunt, it's obvious at this point that Jerry Kilgore is simply running a cowardly and craven contest for Governor, and that he doesn't "trust the people" as he claims. Never has. Never will. The question is, why would anyone -- Democrat, Independent, or Republican -- even consider voting for someone like that?
As far as the debates are concerned, the sponsors of these things have a duty NOT to Jerry Kilgore, but to the people of Virginia. And Virginians overwhelmingly (58%-18% according to a recent Mason-Dixon poll) want to see ALL THREE gubernatorial candidates on stage, debating, televised live, as many times as possible. Unfortunately, Jerry Kilgore has refused on all counts. Here's what the Post has to say on THAT subject:
The Kilgore camp's attempt to shut Mr. Potts out of the debates is outrageous; so is the acquiescence of the debates' sponsors. Whether he would make a capable governor is an open question, but Virginians will not be able to assess his candidacy without an opportunity to see him at close range.
For starters, how about we all contact the sponsor of the debate and urge them to include Russ Potts? Second, how about we also contact the Kilgore campaign and tell them what we think of their "outrageous" strategy?
Finally, here's what the Post has to say about Jerry Kilgore's heavy-handed attempts to portray Russ Potts - a moderate Republican his entire life - as a heretic and traitor:
Mr. Potts is hardly a fringe figure: A four-term state senator, he chairs the Senate's Education and Health Committee and sits on the powerful Finance Committee. He deserves to be heard, as does his message.
As someone who supports Tim Kaine 100%, has spent hundreds of hours doing so, and is well aware that Russ Potts' candidacy could help or hurt him, I nonetheless also STRONGLY back Russ Potts' inclusion in the debates. And I do say "debates," plural, because I hope there are a lot more than 1 or 2 televised debates this campaign season, preferably to take place in Virginia, not WEST Virginia like the last one Simply stated, the voters of Virginia need to see and hear the people who would like to succeed Mark Warner as governor. Should it be Warner's able and effective Lieutenant, Tim Kaine? Should it be a moderate Republican state senator like Russ Potts? Or should it be a Pat Robertson Republican like Jerry Kilgore?
That's the decision we all have to make this November, with or without the help of debates including all three candidates. I say, let's urge the debate sponsors and the candidates to open this process up and let Potts in, and let's do it now. Or would we rather have an out-of-state right-wing political consultant, Scott "Black Hands Ad" Howell, telling Virginians how we should run our affairs?