Bad decision by Kaine. Now he and Potts are on stage together A) making it even clearer that Kilgore is the frontrunner B) fighting over the same liberal base. Kaine is going to give Potts the opportunity to let people who thought Kaine was their man see that there is another candidate in the race with the same liberal views, and the same commmittment to tax increases. Big Mistake. By the way Lowell, I like the redesign. Site looks good.

I think more natural, Mimi.

Tim Kaine is a leader, and it's what true leaders do - they do what is best even when the most obvious route fails, in this case the best plan would be for all 3 candidates to debate at one time.

Leaders are always prepared for Plan B.

Tim Kaine said he would debate Potts, and Tim Kaine will not let Jerry the Duck stop that from happening. 

Jerry will be there too, he can join in. But, I bet he will "Duck-out" early.

Leaders lead.  Tim Kaine is a Leader. 

Ducks Quack - but that's pretty much about it -  oh and crap all over your porch if you live close to where they live - I think that could apply here too.

If Jerry bails on this will the fifth weasel come out?

pssst...
tseigsvung!

YES!

Ron,

Great points.  I was going to reply to Dorsett, but you have already taken care of that.

I also am looking forward to the Kaine-Potts debate, if it actually happens.  Kilgore could just agree to let Potts in to prevent the double exposure for Kaine.  Ideally, Potts will realize after the debate with Kaine that they are not that different.  Maybe Potts will just endorse Kaine and drop out?  :)

Dorsett:
Core American values have been betrayed by war- profiteering monopolists and powergrabbing theocrats within the national GOP.  The promise of the American Conservative movement has been squandered by incompetent radicals like Jerry Kilgore who dominate and subjugate the reasonable voices and true values of the GOP.

There are great ideals in American conservatism:  social responsibility, fiscal sanity.  You cannot claim that either of these have been fulfilled by the current childish White House and it's rubber-stamp congress. 

Americans are looking for a rational alternative to radical fear-based, greed-based, politics. 

The majority of Republican voters nationwide are now distancing themselves from the kind of bizarre ideology and irresponsible guidance that Jerry Kilgore represents.  Moderate Republicans want to hear a voice of reason in their party and Russel Potts is trying to give them that voice in Virginia.

Oh my Gosh, what a brilliant campaign move!

For the Spanish impaired, ?Qu? movimiento mas astuto y elegante de la campa?a!

We need to organize a protest against Food City, shop at different chain for a few weeks, make a few calls to their offices and voice our opinions. I would like to see some of these reporters check on the records of these non-profit organizations that the Kilgore?s have their hands in.

We always get our produce from the Farmers Market down on State Street in Bristol (when the season permits);  Otherwise, we get them at the JR's Market (again, when weather permits).

We used to have a really good (seemingly non-partisan) store called Food Country, but after Food City opened up...seems to me like 4 stores in town...Food Country closed.

Food City? The store in Grundy was terrible, but sadly, it was the only grocery store in town. Now that I am back on the coast, I can gladly tear up my "Value Card."

In Clintwood, we have the choice of either Food City, Edwards Food Center (small and limited variety), or driving to Wise.  Needless to say, most people go to Food City.

The bad part is, I actually like Food City a lot.  Its been a great employer for Southwest Virginia.  They are good friend to Nascar and BMS.  Also, when I was at E&H and doing a fundraiser for APO they donated us some gift certificates.

Yeah, Deeds' speech was awesome.  He is a sure win in November.  I thought everyone did great.  The HoD candidates, standing in some long shadows, did very well too.  Rex and Eric really blew me away. 

In fact, your blog was a topic of discussion.  I was chatting with some fellows from Tazewell and Joe Puckett (son of Phillip).  One of the Tazewell guys mentioned your suggestion that Puckett run against Allen.  Joe said, jokingly, that he doubted Mrs. Puckett would be up for that. 

Mrs. Puckett is a really great lady.  I've met her a couple times, once in Big Stone Gap, once in Bristol.

Yeah, Rex McCarty really did a great job, as did Eric Ferguson.  I had heard folks say Mr McCarty was an energetic speaker, and they sure weren't kidding.

As completely non-scientific as it is (especially with just 12 votes thus far) the poll on my site suggests Jackie Stump would be an acceptable US Senate candidate, but I think Senator Pukcett would have a much better statewide chance than Delegate Stump.

Great job, Brian, I wish I could have joined you there!!

I was there Brian.  Didn't see you (but of course I wouldn't know you if I did..)
I really like Creigh Deeds's little speech.  It was incredibly quick but incredibly energizing too.
And I'm sure you can attest Mark Warner's entrance was pretty nifty too.

more weasels!
more weasels!

more weasels!

more weasels!

more weasels!

more weasels!

That was quite a smackdown from Tim Russert!

Does the Weasel Meter [tm] go higher than 5????

Coverage in Roanoke (WDBJ7) was excellent for Tim Kaine.  And they had Sabbato on saying it wasn't even close!!!!!  Tim Rocks!

"Female speech pattersn?" Okay, this isn't Japanese, where women almost speak (or used to speak) a different language from the men, and you could always tell which GI's learned Japanese from girlfriends. Can you tell me something more specific? Is there a speech expert out there who can help us here? It raises the old questions about Kilgore's other, ah, preferences, and I have to admit I wonder now, too, after watching the debate at Neighbors.

No wonder Jerry in Northern Virginia is like a stealth campaign. There were almost no Kilgore signs or reps at the entrance to the McLean Hilton, he kind of snuck in.

SWEET!

CROOKS AND LIARS POSTED KILGORE'S MISERABLE "HYPOTHETICAL" MOMENT:

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/09/14.html#a4947

That's gotta expand the exposure a tiny bit.

We need to get these debate clips out to our friends and family members in Virginia. This was a pretty poorly publicized debate. Everyone I've talked to here in Norfolk said they didn't even know it was taking place.

If we can get 100 people sending it to 10 friends each, that's 1000 people. Will that make any difference? Probably not, but we have to start somewhere.

At the very least, let's all send this to 10 people, then figure out how to get it out to more.

It was even funnier when Kaine threw the same tag line back in his face.

So much for multi-tasking.  Kinda botched the post above.  You get the drift, though.

Oh how low the standards must be low in GOP-land for this guy to have made it this far.  But then, he's got good company over in the White House.  And, yes, the help of the same folks that brought us the nastiness, most immoral, untruthful campaign tactics in the entire country.  I guess since he has nothing to say he'll stoop to subterranean depths to win.

Looks like Jerry needs to go to "answer the question" camp.

Lowell, you posted the opening remarks.  The smackdown comes here.

Wait wait, let me get this straight.  Jerry Kilgore has been campaigning on the fact that the tax increases weren't needed because of the suprplus...but in that first video, flat out says (in a very nervous voice) that he will "target those surplus dollars" for the transportation trust fund?

So he's proud to be against the budget reforms, but he'll proudly invest the money they brought in?

WHICH IS IT JERRY?

Pathetic.

Steve Nelson:  I sent it to 200! Actually the e-mail from RK!  Great idea!

Doh! My brain is warped and I wrote Tim instead of Jerry!  Neither speaks like our SW VA relatives, but it's peculiar in the case of Jerry, since he's the one who apparently comes from there.

Argh. 

hmmm...makes me think that Russert just scored a Duck Duck GOOOSE!  I've met Tim Russert--he's a very nice guy, but when he asks a question, he wants it anwered, not diverted.

Jonathan, now that I see him on the video, you do have a point.  Coming from a SW VA (Wise/Scott CO) family, none of our relatives speaks with any the talking mannerisms Jerry has.  His whole manner on the video is odd--kind of fey. Makes me kind of reconsider what all the earlier defensiveness over accent was really all about, since he's hardly reflective of what's typical out there...

Kilgore has the right to speak with whatever intonations he wishes.

But why doesn't he hire a speech therapist?  Kilgore uses female speech patterns and sounds really strange.

Ah, dang, that was beautiful there at the end.  Boy, Russert definitely got sick of listening to Kilgore dance around and not answer the question.  Kudos to him!

Makes you wonder if this is what he reall yis like (Russert), and he just has to pretend to be nicer on TV or something.

Is Dorsett sick?  I was so looking forward to his company this evening!  Damn! 

I am with Josh. 

I have been saying it for weeks - this is Jerry we need more weasels.

He answered that.  But I think he better answered the question of abortion: "I will veto any bill that criminalizes the decisions made between a woman and her doctor."

The difference between Kaine and Kilgore is that where Kilgore is way too stupid to understand conflicting issues and is therefore forced to arbitrate by dogma, in effect trying to speak for God, Kaine understands and can balance conflicting interests.