Press Releases

Demo Memo: 4/18/08

Posted by Greg on Friday, April 18

April 11, 2008 - April 18, 2008
www.vademocrats.org

--------------------

INTRODUCTION

The 2008 campaign season unofficially kicked off this week, at the 60th Annual Shad Planking in Wakefield. Thanks to all those who came out to support Mark Warner for U.S. Senate! Be sure to check out the great pictures on the Warner campaign website.

Last Friday also marked the filing deadline for candidates running in the June 10 primaries. Congratulations to everyone who made it on the ballot! (If your candidate isn't listed on our site, don't worry - you'll be electing your nominee in a convention, not a primary.)

In State Convention news, don't forget that local caucuses will be held this weekend and Monday. You can find a full listing of meeting times and locations on our State Convention page.

Finally, kudos to our Virginia Young Democrats, who were featured in a great article (and video) in the Richmond Times-Dispatch last weekend. Check it out here.

Best,

Levar Stoney
Executive Director

--------------------

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"I never thought I'd see the day when either Jim Gilmore or Bob Marshall would be accused of not being far enough to the right."
- Gov. Mark Warner, at Shad Planking [Washington Post, 4/17/08]

"This is someone who is bluffing at poker because he doesn't have a good hand."
- Del. Bob Marshall (R-Prince William), on Gov. Jim Gilmore's claim that he has secured the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate [Washington Post, 4/12/08]

"The first priority is to fix the problem. I've never approached this primarily as a political matter."
- Gov. Tim Kaine, on transportation [Virginian-Pilot, 4/13/08]

"I think we can beat him. I'm in this to win. I'm not a sacrificial lamb."
- 7^th District nominee Anita Hartke, on Rep. Eric Cantor [Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, 4/13/08]

--------------------

HEADLINES

Gov. Tim Kaine

Kaine Touts Legislative Reforms for Mentally Ill [Washington Post, 4/13/08]
Kaine tinkers with the budget, new legislation [Associated Press, 4/15/08]
Kaine urges limit on crab harvest [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4/16/08]
Kaine ends death penalty moratorium after Supreme Court ruling [Virginian-Pilot, 4/17/08]
Local volunteers honored today by governor [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4/17/08]

Sen. Jim Webb

Sen. Webb sees growing concern in nation [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4/12/08]
Webb legislation encourages colleges to share misgivings on students [Virginian-Pilot, 4/15/08]

Congressional Delegation

Scott pushing anti-crime bills [Daily Press, 4/17/08]
Boucher Honored for Shield Law Work [Media General News Service, 4/15/08]

General Assembly

Lawmakers Craft Bond Package for Education, Parks [Washington Post, 4/16/08]
Staunton Council blasts Assembly for funding cuts [News Leader, 4/16/08]
Lack of transportation plan curbs road spending 44 percent [Virginia Business, 4/17/08]
Del. Bobby Mathieson Town Hall Meeting Saturday [Vivian Paige, 4/18/08]

Election 2008

State GOP leaders to investigate local group [The News Virginian, 4/11/08]
Gilmore's Aides Confident He's Ahead [Washington Post, 4/12/08]
Warner submits plenty of signatures to get on ballot [Daily Press, 4/12/08]
Culpeper candidate grew up on politics: Cantor's opponent comes from a family with political history [Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, 4/13/08]
Gilmore rejects call for series of debates [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4/15/08]
Warner dominates Senate money race [Associated Press, 4/15/08]
Warner talks unity; Gilmore rips Warner [Associated Press, 4/16/08]
Thelma's not #408 for Nothing! [Raising Kaine, 4/18/08]

--------------------

EDITORIAL HIGHLIGHTS

"Statewide Republican candidates have, of late, been challenged to establish themselves as acceptable to an increasingly diverse and increasingly moderate Virginia electorate, as they often get tripped up by an assortment of high-octane causes involving religion, sexual orientation, illegal immigration and the like. Moreover, they have a hard time resisting that big button on the dashboard labeled 'emotion.'" [Daily Press, 4/12/08]

"Given the federal government's inability to agree on appropriate immigration reforms, it's understandable that Prince William residents are looking for leaders willing to fill that void. Unfortunately, county leaders responded with mean-spirited ordinances that require residency checks on children who sign up for sports leagues and elderly people seeking in-home support services." [Virginian-Pilot, 4/16/08]

"House Republicans oppose abortions except, alas, in the form of transportation plans... Sometimes, of course, we stumble. Did we do so when we endorsed Mr. Howell and other GOP delegates before the last election? The answer to that lies partly in how the Republican House caucus acts during the special session ahead. Virginia rates good and new roads reliably and fairly funded. If Mr. Howell & Co. obstruct that--stealing our lives by stealing our time--voters should reduce their power in future General Assemblies to zero percent." [Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, 4/17/08]

"Boucher and Pence truly earned the sunshine award. Boucher -- who represents Southwest Virginia's 9th District -- is stalwart in his defense of a free press. Freedom of information belongs to everyone. Sunshine benefits all. The commonwealth joins the press corps in giving Boucher and Pence a salute." [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4/18/08]

"Republicans reacted to Kaine's stay with scorn. They accused him of breaking his 2005 campaign promise not to interfere with the state's death penalty laws despite his personal opposition to the ultimate sanction. Critics targeted Kaine's integrity. On Wednesday the Supreme Court upheld the Kentucky procedure. Kaine responded by lifting his suspension of lethal injections in Virginia. He did what he said he would do. His original stay did not violate his pledge, either. The naysayers were wrong. The story teaches a political lesson: Virginia Republicans need to behave. A reputation as Grumpy Ornery Partisans could prove lethal to their electoral prospects." [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4/18/08]

"Gilmore, for those who have forgotten, brooked little dissent while state chief executive, merrily excommunicating those who disagreed with him. You didn't have to be from the other party. You didn't have to hold a different philosophy. You just had to disagree with the big guy." [Daily Press, 4/18/08]

--------------------

DPVA PRESS RELEASES

Democrats Meet Filing Deadline for U.S. Senate and Congressional Races (4/11/08)

Unhappy Gilmore's Tone-deaf Shad Planking Antics (4/17/08)

--------------------

UPCOMING EVENTS

Local Caucuses

Congressional District Conventions

Primary Elections (U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, state offices)
June 10, 2008

Democratic State Convention
Hampton Roads Convention Center
Hampton, VA
June 14, 2008

General Election
November 4, 2008

You can also find more events on our web site by entering your zip code here.

--------------------