Bill Clinton Richmond Rally Details Announced

The details have been announced for the Bill Clinton event in Richmond on Sunday. Clinton will start his swing at an event in Roanoke at 6:15pm. He will then headline an event at VCU that begins at 9:30pm. The doors open for the event at 8.

**UPDATE**

Full details on the Bill Clinton visit are after the jump.

Kaine’s Cuts

In case you missed it, Governor Tim Kaine has announced major cuts to keep up with the Commonwealth’s revenue problem. Our Rob Richardson is all over the story for our early evening newscasts. I am picking the story up for our late news. I am taking a closer look at the cuts, including where they are coming from and what could happen to the employees impacted.

You can get a complete look at Governor Kaine’s plan here.

Not to completely make this post devoid of politics. One wonders if Governor Kaine is happy he isn’t on the campaign trail now, so he can be here in Richmond dealing with this problem.  Or would he rather be on the ticket clearly in the driver’s seat in a position to take him far away from the problems of the state’s fiscal mess?

VA Polls Continue to Trend Toward Obama

A new group of polls are out in Virginia and they continue to be good news for Barack Obama. The latest comes from Public Policy Polling group, which is a democratic leaning organization. It shows Obama with an 8 point lead. This just after a FOX News/Rasmussen Poll that showed Obama leading John McCain by 2 points. It brings the overall Real Clear Politics average to a clear 5.1% lead for Obama. His largest lead ever in Virginia under this average. 

Here is the breakdown:
Virginia: McCain vs. Obama
(Starting October 11 partisan affiliated polls will not be added to the RCP Poll Averages.)

Polling Data

Poll	Date	Sample	Obama (D)	McCain (R)	Spread
RCP Average	09/27 – 10/07	–	50.0	44.9	Obama +5.1
PPP (D)	10/06 – 10/07	917 LV	51	43	Obama +8
FOX News/Rasmussen	10/05 – 10/05	1000 LV	50	48	Obama +2
SurveyUSA	10/04 – 10/05	666 LV	53	43	Obama +10
Suffolk	10/03 – 10/05	600 LV	51	39	Obama +12
Mason-Dixon	09/29 – 10/01	625 LV	45	48	McCain +3
CNN/Time	09/28 – 09/30	684 LV	53	44	Obama +9
InAdv/PollPosition	09/29 – 09/29	436 LV	51	45	Obama +6
ARG	09/27 – 09/29	600 LV	46	49	McCain +3

See All Virginia: McCain vs. Obama Polling Data

Now as you can see, RCP will no longer use partisan polling as part of their data come October 11th, which would remove this latest poll from the average. But it is clear that polls from non-partisan firms are showing the same result. McCain is bleeding badly in a state he must have. It is an indication of where the race for president is overall. 

The McCain/Palin ticket comes to Virginia next week. Will it be enough to reverse this trend? 

Gilmore Wants Another Televised Debate

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In a move that isn’t all that surprising, but can be put into the category of very much unlikely, Gov. Jim Gilmore is asking Gov. Mark Warner to take part in another televised debate, saying that his opposition to the Wall Street bailout package and Warner’s support for it, deserve another another vetting in the public square. 

There was some back and forth between the two camps regarding debates early on during the campaign season, before Warner relented and agreed to three debate opportunities, the last of which was televised statewide (and on NBC12). Gilmore attacked Warner pretty hard accusing him of dodging debates, the televised one in particular. But now that attack seems to have lost some of its luster, because Warner did agree to the debate.  

I have a dispatch out to the Warner camp on their feelings about another debate and I will let you know what I hear. You can see Gilmore’s complete statement after the jump. 

**UPDATE**

Here is the response from Kevin Hall, communications director for Mark Warner:

“We have participated in three debates — which is the traditional number of debates conducted in statewide election years in Virginia. We now are on the road every day, making our case directly to Virginians, asking for the privilege of representing them in the U.S. Senate.”