Decision Virginia

On Thursday, the two candidates for governor of Virginia face what could be the biggest stage in the campaign to this point. With at least one poll indicating that the race has tightened up, the forum could play a vital role in the direction of the contest.

The debate won’t be seen by a very large audience. The affair is hosted by the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce. While it won’t have the same type of exposure that prime-time televised statewide debate would have, the event is expected to receive an incredible amount of media coverage.

I will be at the debate and will be moderating a liveblog on NBC12.com. Please feel free to join in to the discussion. The debate begins at 10:30am, we will start our liveblog around 10:20am. I will then have a complete wrap up of the event on NBC12 news starting with First at Four.

Meanwhile..

The Creigh Deeds campaign began an effort to change the tone of the discussion surrounding the campaign. Today, senior Deeds advisers held a press conference call to discuss the state of the race. They said that Virginians are not interested in many of the federal issues that their opponent, Bob McDonnell is touting.

Supporters of Deeds claim that issues like health care reform, card-check and cap and trade are not issues the Governor of Virginia will have to deal with and Virginians, in general want answers about Virginia specific issues.  Here is a clip from my conversation with Mark Warner today where he addresses how Deeds should bring the focus of the campaign back to the Commonwealth.

“This is not a federal election. This is about who is going to be the Governor in Richmond and whether over the last 7 or 8 years we have found that common ground, you know, Democrats, Republicans, business leaders where we have been constantly named best-managed state, best state for business, and continue that or go in the opposite direction.”
-Sen. Mark Warner

But is there more to it than that? While Deeds has fundraised and campaigned with President Barack Obama, there is a sense that Creigh Deeds is hoping to make this election more about Virginia issues in an effort to make it less about the President and his administration. Today on that same conference call Deeds advisers said the President is welcome to come back to Virginia, but he won’t be the deciding factor in this race.

Today on NBC12 First at Four, the upcoming debate’s moderator David Gregory told me that the role of Barack Obama in the Virginia election is a dicey one for the democrats.

“It is a double edge sword of course, because a lot of his strength as a Democrat comes from Northern Virginia and getting that vote out, so Obama can be vital there, but I think this is an important time right now for Creigh Deeds to focus on Virginia as Senator Warner suggested and as you’ve seen him do over the last couple of days, try to link arms with Governor Kaine and Senator Warner, that he wants to be seen very much in that image.”
-David Gregory, Debate Moderator
Meet the Press Host

The entire interview previewing the debate can be seen below:

Virginia Senator Mark Warner, will hold a open town hall on the subject of health care this Thursday.  Warner has held two telephone town halls and has met with health care professionals on the topic, but he has faced some heat over the fact that he has yet to hold a face to face event that is open to the public.

That will all change Thursday. The details are below:

Mark Warner Health Care Town Hall:

When- Thursday, September 3rd

Where- Fredricksburg Expo Center, 1320 Central Park Blvd

Time- Doors open at 6:00pm, event begins at 7pm

For more information: http://warner.senate.gov/townhall

Expect the heat to now turn to Virginia’s senior Senator,  Jim Webb who has also not held a town hall on the subject.

————————————–

**UPDATE**

Central Virginia will be busy with a congressional town halls on health care.  Rep. Bobby Scott who has already held an event in the Norfolk area, will hear from his constituents in Richmond on Thursday as well.

The details are below:
What:     Richmond Health Care Town Hall with Rep. Bobby Scott
Where:   General Assembly Building, Senate Room A
910 Capitol Street
Richmond, VA 23219

Arrival Time: 6:00 p.m.
Start Time: 7:00 p.m.

Ryan Nobles – bio | email

Congressman Tom Perriello (D-5) has held more town hall meetings on health care reform than any representative in the United States. Today, in an exclusive interview, on NBC12 First at Four, he told me that if a bill was presented that reformed the system and reduced cost but did not include a public health care option, he would support it.

“I don’t think that is where the ultimatum is,” said Perriello when referring to the public option. “The big question for me is, are we going to bring down the costs of those premiums?”

But while, he while he left the door open to keeping the public option out of the reform plan, he seemed to indicate that it may be the best path to bringing down costs, which is his ultimate concern. “The debate is whether the public option or co-ops create more competition or not,” said the Congressman.  “I think there is a lot of evidence that they can create the competitive pressure that will bring those costs down for folks.”

Perriello’s stance on health care reform puts him at odds with the liberal wing of the democratic party, many of whom helped to get him elected. Across the country activist groups have begun fundraising drives to support candidates that have said they will only vote for a health care bill that includes the public option. Perriello who has often enjoyed the support of movements such as these is not among the group benefiting from the funding push.

As for the town halls themselves, Perriello also disagrees with the party establishment. While the Democratic National Committee has put out adds calling the health care reform opponents “the mob”, Perriello has found the forums to be instructive and the discourse with even those who disagree with him, polite.

“I have been really impressed with the people, regardless of their views, at these meetings.”  Perriello said. “They’ve been tense, but they have never gone from a simmer to a boil. I think people are there generally of their own free will and wanting to state their mind.”

The full, uncut interview with Congressman Perriello can be seen below.

Freshman Congressman Tom Perriello (D- 5) will join me today for an exclusive, live interview on NBC12 First at Four. You can see the interview streamed live on NBC12.com. Perriello will join me over the phone as he prepares for yet another lively town hall in his district on the subject of health care reform.

Perriello is as perfect an example over the fight over health care reform anywhere in the country. He is a Democrat, who represents a conservative district and is facing angry constituents on a regular basis, unhappy with many or all of the proposals being put forward in the democrat’s plan.

Perriello was swept into congress on the coattails of President Barack Obama and wasn’t declared the winner until several weeks after election day. He has already become the target of Republicans in Washington, hungry to get back seats in conservative leaning districts. How he responds to the health care debate, could play a big role in his re-election chances.

To his credit, Perriello has not shied away from the debate, or his position on many of these issues. He voted with his democratic house members on the controversial cap and trade legislation, much to the delight of liberal bloggers who played a big role in his electoral win. Health care is the next big fight and the idealistic representative seems to welcome the debate. He has not been afraid to hold town hall after town hall. His approach is much different from other Democratic members in conservative leaning districts, or either of the Commonwealth’s two Senators who have yet to hold face to face open town halls on health care.

The last time the Congressman and I spoke the situation was much different. He was with a group of his new colleagues at an event in Williamsburg that featured the very popular new president. Support for democrats and their core issues was very high. At the time, Perriello told me that he was willing to fight for what he believed in. Today we will see if that fortitude still exists, in the face of waning public support.

The interview will be live during our First at Four on NBC12 and it will be streamed live on NBC12.com.

It was a rally that had the potential to inject new life into the campaign of State Senator Creigh Deeds. Thursday night President Barack Obama delivered his trademark enthusiasm, but he also used the opportunity to answer critics of his administration.

At least half of his approximately 30 minute speech, was dedicated to federal issues and the criticism his administration has received during his early days in office. The President passionately defended his stimulus plan, his efforts to provide assistance to people out of work and his plan to give tax cuts for the middle class.

But the President did not stop at touting his own accomplishments, he went right after critics, namely Republicans, who are attacking him, by hammering the previous administration.

“When I walked in we had a one point three trillion dollar deficit, that was gift-wrapped and waiting for me when I walked into the oval office,” said President Obama.

Obama, who is accustom to massive rallies of tens of thousands of people in Virginia, was greeted by a much smaller crowd for this rally. There were just under 1,500 people in attendance, the maximum allowed in the same ballroom at the Hilton McLean that Virginia democrats used to celebrate his victory last November. Before the event, Obama headlined a high dollar fundraiser where tickets reportedly went for $2,300 a pop.

((More on the President’s event can be found after the jump))

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Democratic candidate for Governor Creigh Deeds will welcome President Barack Obama to Virginia tonight, hoping to inject new energy into a campaign that has suffered a series of setbacks. Two separate polls show the State Senator trailing Republican Bob McDonnell by double digit margins and he has been forced to respond to criticism within his own ranks.

While things look bleak for Deeds, astute political watchers will recall that the never-say die politician was in similar straights during his primary run and trailed McDonnell by a healthy margin during their race for Attorney General, before losing by only a few hundred votes.

The Deeds camp, aware that the race is far from over seems poised to respond to a number of these setbacks. Most importantly the perception generated by polling that his campaign is lacking “enthusiasm” amongst Democrats and more importantly supporters of Barack Obama.  According to Public Policy Polling, Virginians who are planning to come to the polls in Virginia voted for John McCain in 2008 by a margin of 52%-41%. That shows, that at this point Deeds has not garnered the same type of excitement for his campaign that Obama did just a year ago.

To combat that problem, Team Deeds launched a new online grassroots initiative to get voters informed about the campaign and compel them to support the Democrat. The effort combines radio ads, text messages, and social networking sites to recruit volunteers and spread the Deeds message.

The new strategy will launch in cooperation with the President’s event Thursday night in McLean. In addition to the public face of the President, one of the radio ads will feature Governor Tim Kaine. While even just a few months ago those brands were considered solid gold in the Old Dominion, new polling indicates the shine on both Obama and Kaine is starting to wear off.  According to PPP, Both President Obama and Governor Kaine have approval ratings is only 42% in Virginia. Furthermore, Mr. Obama has a disapproval rating of 51% percent.

It is only August and the President is currently embroiled in a fierce fight over health care that has hurt his image. By November all of this could swing right back to where it was last year. Right now, Senator Deeds has to find a way to fight through it.

We will have complete coverage of the President’s visit to McLean on NBC12 news at 11. I will also be joined today by NBC12 Political analyst Dan Palazzolo to discuss the state of the race during First at Four.

The full release announcing the new Deeds organizing initiative can be found after the jump..

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First Lady Michelle Obama is expected this afternoon in the sleepy town of Bowling Green, to headline a ribbon cutting ceremony for a small health care practice that was able to expand thanks to the boost from federal Stimulus funds.

As you can tell from the photo above, interest and security is already pretty high. Many people who support and oppose Barack Obama’s health care initiatives are here hoping to catch a glimpse of his wife. Although they are hopeful, it appears that only invited guests will be the only ones who get very close to Mrs. Obama. Those buses you see on the left hand side of the photo are surrounding the perimeter of the facility and are acting like a shield to protect the Obama entourage.

I will keep you updated on her visit throughout the day and we will have a live report tonight on NBC12 news at 5:30 and 6.

After the jump you will find the video from my 6pm live report on the FLOTUS visit to Central Virginia.

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There is no question that Barack Obama’s campaign for president broke new ground in many ways and started a movement that eventually turned into an overwhelming victory. While the process was similar to past presidential campaigns, the way it was executed was different. Utilizing the internet and an overwhelming amount of on the ground paid staffers, the Obama team was able to deliver their message quick and effectively. It was clear, the voters responded.

In fact Obama’s movement was so successful that even Republicans are attempting to use some of it’s tactics. Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell has recently copied Obama’s Facebook style social networking tool to help recruit volunteers for his campaign. It is something Democrat Creigh Deeds (who has the support of Obama) has not even developed yet.

Generally these political organizations, created by candidates, are handed off to their political parties after the candidate heads to the White House.  But once they are no longer shepherded by their creators, the political parties somehow lose the essence of what made the strategy effective. This is something Barack Obama (and in particular, his chief strategist David Axelrod) does not plan to let happen.

While the President has offered many of the same tools he used during the campaign to the DNC and its new Chairman Gov. Tim Kaine, the organizational structure itself still belongs to Obama. That structure is filled donor lists, e-mail addresses and willing volunteers. Volunteers that are committed more to the man and his ideas than any party affiliation.

Obama’s team strongly believes that they can use the momentum built during the campaign to push his agenda and his political brand while he is an office. That is why they transformed “Obama for America” into “Organizing for America”.  (In fact the new “OFA”, as it is referred to, can be found on the internet at www.BarackObama.com) Just like Team Obama put boots on the ground to round up votes and cash in key battleground states, this new version of OFA is on the ground rounding up support for his initiatives. That effort will be front and center tomorrow at an event in Richmond.

Local Del. Jennifer McClellan will lead a press conference at the Fan Free Clinic to discuss the current state of health care and its impact on Richmond. They will also make the case the the President’s proposed health care reform measures be passed. The event looks very similar to an Obama campaign event, with a local dignitary speaking about an important issue and community members impacted by the issue offering their support.

But the comparisons go even further than that.

Just like during the campaign the event will be orchestrated, behind the scenes, by full time paid OFA staffers. These individuals aren’t paid by the White House, but this independent political organization. All around the country, particularly in battleground states, there are similar people who have full time jobs working to convince you that the President is making the right moves. It is an unprecedented political tactic.

Can the Obama team duplicate the excitement of an historic presidential race and apply it to a dry debate over health care reform? Your chance to find out is tomorrow in the Fan. Details on the event are after the jump.

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He put the Obama administration’s critics on notice, raised a bunch of cash for his party’s nominee for Governor of Virginia and only made one, minor but noticeable gaffe. All in a day’s work for the Vice President of the United States of America.

Joe Biden, the charismatic and experienced lawmaker charmed a crowd of close to 100 invited guests today at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College in Henrico. It was clear from the start of his speech that not only was the V.P. here to defend his team’s stimulus plan, but also to specifically target one of it’s chief critics, local congressman Eric Cantor.

During his nearly 40 minute address, Mr. Biden talked at length about specific examples of what he sees as progress that has resulted from the stimulus plan. From the protection of some 7,000 public sector jobs to the potential for local small business owner John Fernandez (pictured above with Biden) to add 25 jobs by the end of the year, Biden attempted to make the case that the expensive investment was worth it.

At one point Biden asked Central Virginians and the stimulus plans critics to step back and “look around” at the progress. Perhaps a tough sell to a community like Richmond that has seen the loss of a number of locally based companies. (Something we explored tonight on NBC12 news at 11.) But that wasn’t enough. Biden specifically went after Cantor by hinting that the Congressman was a hypocrite, for fighting against the stimulus, while at the same time begging for money to develop high speed rail from Richmond to Washington, D.C. (For his part Cantor called the Recovery Act a flop).

((Video from that section of Biden’s speech, plus more on the VP’s trip can be found after the jump)) Read the rest of this entry »

Ryan Nobles – bio | email

The Washington Post is reporting this afternoon, that without mentioning Richmond Congressman Eric Cantor by name, Vice President Joe Biden plans to target the House Minority Whip during his remarks today at J. Sargaent Reynolds.

The Post received an advance copy of the speech and in excerpts released by the paper, Biden challenges opponents of the Recovery act to stop opposing the plan for the sake of opposing it and recognize the results it is already producing. Cantor is one of the chief opponents of the Obama Administration plan and this week delivered the Republican weekly radio address where he hammered the White House’s “pork barrel spending”.

Here is a section of the Post report:
“To those who say that our economic decisions ‘have not produced jobs, have not produced prosperity, and simply have not worked’ I say, take a look around,” Biden will say, according to prepared remarks obtained by The Washington Post.

“I say, ‘Don’t let your opposition to the Recovery Act blind you to its results,’” Biden plans to say in the Richmond speech. “‘Come see what I see everywhere I go: workers rehired, factories reopened, cops on the street, teachers in the classroom, progress toward getting our economy back on the move.’”

Without naming Cantor directly, the rhetorical assault is aimed directly at the Richmond lawmaker, who has helped lead the Republican Party to its most effective message since Obama became president: that Obama’s stimulus bill has not produced jobs.

Meanwhile Cantor, appears to be ready for a fight. He has already held a press conference call in response to the Biden visit and his staff released a video clip of a press conference today where the Congressman addresses the issue. “I have said consistently since the numbers have come out: this stimulus plan has been a flop,” said Cantor. “This is President Obama’s economy, let’s get down to business here and get people back to work in this country.”

You can find that clip after the jump. Don’t forget that we will stream the Vice President’s speech live on NBC12.com. My first live report on television will be during our First at Four program and throughout the early evening newscasts.

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