“It’s the president and Harry Reid who don’t necessarily share our view that have to change things,” he said.  ”They want to keep going like we’ve always done.”

Cantor employed the use of one word numerous times in our interview and in various other interviews prior to the speech: “bold”.  The Henrico Congressman believes that best describes the difference between the House Republican agenda and the White House.

“We believe that we have some bold ideas for growth and for removing the onerous sort of red tape that strangles small business people,” he said. “We believe we have bold ideas to get the fiscal situation straight here in Washington, so we can see economic growth.”

Cantor is open to compromise on things like the tax code and reducing regulatory burdens on small business owners. But he made it clear, its time for the president to come to them.

“We should try to and deliever on some results for the American people and not just be about the election.”

Here is an extended clip from our interview:

Speaking of the presidential election, despite some reports, Cantor told me that he has not considered endorsing yet in the republican primary. But he did outline some of the characteristics he is looking for in a candidate. 

“There are and there is a need for bold ideas right now,” he said. “People want to believe in America again.”

While Cantor did not even open the door to putting his support behind one specific candidate, he was not afraid to say (not surprisngly) that it is time for President Obama to go.

“It’s time I think, for America to try something new,” he said. “And that is what this election is about.”

An clip from his answer on the presidential election is below:

Perhaps that is one of the many reasons that Warner isn’t easily led into squabbles over campaigns and slogans. No matter what you ask him, he brings the conversation back to the one thing that concerns him the most, the debt crisis and country’s increasing deficit.

“Until, and unless we can make that grand bargain around the major issues (debt, deficit, entitlement reform)” said Warner. “I’m not sure that we are going to get to a lot of the other issues because until you get your balance sheet in order, how do you take on anything else?”

Warner who, normally speaks in reserved tones and is not prone to exaggeration, gets a bit of fire under him when talking about the debt crisis. The centrist democrat has said in the past that the problem forces him to lose sleep. On Tuesday he told me that if the Federal Government can’t fix the problem, every single elected leader should lose their jobs.

“If we don’t make progress, and I say this for me and everyone else up here, if we don’t make progress, on being able to get our deficit under control, to be able to take on the big issues surrounding entitlement reform and tax reform and get our nation’s balance sheet right, then we should all be fired,” he said.

The former Virginia governor who prided himself on finding areas of compromise between both parties said the fact that this in an election year is no excuse. He said a continued lack of progress will speak to a bigger problem.

“I unfortunately think this deficit issue ends up being almost a proxy to whether or not congress can operate in the 21st century.”

An extended clip from my conversation with Senator Warner can be found below.

Also tonight at the State of the Union, Senator Warner invited Reverend Curtis Harris, 87, a legendary civil rights figure in Virginia and the first African-American mayor of Hopewell, was Sen. Warner’s invited guest for President Obama’s State of the Union address to Congress.

Senator Warner visited with Reverend Harris prior to the president’s speech.

(Photo by Beth Adelson/Senator Warner’s Office)

The Keystone XL pipeline project is a hot topic in Washington. A debate filled with claims of enormous promise, scary consequences and just about everything in between. Candidates have lined up on either side of the debate and even though the proposed project would take place hundreds of miles away from Virginia, it is becoming a big issue here. 

Senate candidate George Allen is using Keystone and President Barack Obama‘s decision to turn down the project, as a way to corner his likely opponent Tim Kaine. Allen accuses Kaine of supporting Obama’s decision and claims it is an example of Kaine putting his tight relationship with President Obama ahead of the job concerns of his would-be constituents. 

Allen’s campaign emphasised that point by releasing this devastating web video:

Allen fully supports the Keystone XL project and has worked hard to highlight Kaine’s uncertainty on the issue. Their goal is to make it appear that Kaine won’t make a move without making sure it is okay first with the president.

But Kaine forcefully defended his Keystone position and accused Allen of taking an hypocritical approach to the project.  The Kaine team pointed out that while Allen has pushed for approval of the Keystone project, he has taken a rather tepid approach to the issue of expanding uranium mining in Virginia. Allen has said that Virginia needs to be certain of enviornmental and health concerns before moving forward on uranium.

The Kaine team pointed to a critical Richmond Times-Dispatch editorial that compares the approach of Virginia republicans to uranium to the president’s approach to Keystone. Just as Allen has tied Kaine to Obama, Kaine is working to tie his potential opponent to the massive oil companies that could benefit from a project like Keystone.

“George Allen had the chance to prove that he’d be an independent voice for the Commonwealth and the nation,” said Kaine communications director Brandi Hoffine. ”Instead he’s proven that, if reelected to the U.S. Senate, he’ll continue to be a rubber stamp for oil companies who do not need his help to turn a profit.”   

While the Keystone project has now become nothing more than a political talking point, Senator Mark Warner, a democrat and an ally of Kaine believes the White House should consider revisiting the concept.

“I think it should come up again,” Warner said in an interview on First at 4.

Warner believes that the cautious approach to Keystone was the right one and if handled correctly, it could solve a major U.S. problem.

“I think we very much need an ‘all of the above’ approach to energy,” he said.  ”Use our natural resources, promote renewables, use nuclear, but we have to make sure we get off of that mideast oil, and this would’ve taken us in that direction.”

But much like Kaine who chided republicans in Washington from turning the deliberative process of Keystone into a political issue, Warner believed the president was put in a difficult position. “I do think it was a bit of a ‘gotcha’ by forcing the president to decide very quickly,” Warner said.

Kaine has also encouraged the Obama adminstration to revisit the project.

Meanwhile the project is dead in the water, but the political fight  is just beginning.

It won’t be long before you see it on often on your TV, but you can check it out now below:

The Republican National Committee responded to the Obama ad with this statement:

“If there was any doubt whatsoever that this President is solely focused on saving his job, the fact that Barack Obama is now running television ads in four battleground states should put that to rest.  Barack Obama’s unprecedented move indicates that he and his campaign team in Chicago are worried that voters have lost faith in his ability to lead.  Whether it is Barack Obama’s poor polling numbers or his broken promises and failed economic policies, Democrats, Republicans and Independents have come to realize that they cannot afford another four years of Barack Obama.” – Ryan Tronovitch, RNC Spokesman

Governor Bob McDonnell always uses his State of the Commonwealth to push an ambitious agenda. This year was no different. But while the theme and the reach of his ideas were on par, what could happen after is much different. There are far more members of the Governor’s party in the General Assembly this year and McDonnell seems poised to take advantage of that fact.

More from my story on NBC12.com

RICHMOND (WWBT) – Governor Bob McDonnell laid out his agenda for 2012 tonight in his annual State of the Commonwealth. This will be the first session where the Republican Party has control of both houses of the General Assembly.

Control of the Senate is still doubt, but Governor McDonnell should have a lot more support in the G.A. this year. Wednesday night he said he will go after some controversial policy goals. They are goals that might be out of the question if democrats still held a senate majority.

The governor only mentioned the ongoing drama in the State Senate once.

“To the members in the majority I say: Don’t be arrogant. Don’t overreach. To the members in the minority: Don’t be angry. Don’t obstruct,” he said.

After that he launched into a long list of priorities, ones that would be difficult with a divided General Assembly and may still be tough given the 20-20 senate split. A challenge he asked they approach as professionals.

“Let’s be civil and productive,” he requested.

You can read and see the full story on NBC12.com

The Governor’s entire State of the Commonwealth can be seen here.

The entire transcript from his speech is below:

—————————————————————

State of the Commonwealth Address
Governor Robert F. McDonnell
January 11, 2012 – 7:00pm
Richmond

Mr. Speaker, Mr. President.

Justices of the Supreme Court and Judges of the State Corporation Commission.

Ladies and Gentlemen of the General Assembly, my fellow Virginians.

My fellow Virginians.

Good evening.

It is both my duty and my privilege to join you on the set of Steven Spielberg’s epic feature film “Lincoln”, for the annual State of the Commonwealth Address.

And I hope it’s alright with everyone that I invited your neighbors over. The First Lady, and four of the McDonnell children are here with us tonight.

This is always a very special night, when the leaders of all three branches of government are gathered in a building designed by Thomas Jefferson, from which, for centuries, ideas promoting liberty and opportunity have sprung.

I want to congratulate all of the newly elected members of the General Assembly and the new leaders of each caucus. Thank you for your service to Virginia and her people.

Over these past two years we have shown that while we hail from diverse regions, align with different political parties and subscribe to competing philosophies, we can still come together to make progress on the issues important to our eight million people.

That has always been, and must always remain, the Virginia Way because it works.

This session we must remember that while seating charts and committee assignments may have changed, the Virginia Way cannot.

To the members in the majority I say: Don’t be arrogant. Don’t overreach.

To the members in the minority: Don’t be angry. Don’t obstruct.

To all of us: let’s be civil and productive.

We are blessed to live in a Commonwealth with an unemployment rate that is the lowest in the Southeast.

We are the best state in America for business.

We have the nation’s best public university system.

We have weathered rough seas far better than most other states.

We owe this success to many factors.

We have kept taxes low, regulation and litigation to a minimum, and invested wisely for the future in economic development, education, transportation, and in our people.

But, perhaps more importantly, we have risen above the daily sniping of partisan politics to solve problems and get results.

Our representative democracy has stood the test of time as the most effective and fair form of government on the planet.

America was born on the banks of the James River.

From Virginia came four of the first five Presidents; eight in all.

The author of the Declaration of Independence.

The fathers of the Constitution.

Governor Patrick Henry attended the laying of the cornerstone of this building in 1785, and 205 years later this same Capitol welcomed L. Douglas Wilder, the nation’s first African-American governor.

The early leaders who guided the young American Republic through its infancy and into the mature, global power we are today were from here.

Now, it is our duty to lead this Republic into a prosperous future.

Virginians are ready. Every day they show their exceptional character.

A few are here tonight.

On December 8th we were reminded of the daily peril faced by our public safety officers.
On that day Virginia Tech police officer Deriek Crouse was at work protecting students and faculty.

During a routine traffic stop on campus, he was shot and killed.

Deriek was an Iraq war veteran; a husband; a brother; a son; and a father of five.

Deriek was a hero.

Deriek’s wife Tina is here with us tonight.

Tina, on behalf of a grateful Commonwealth, we pledge to you that Deriek’s great sacrifice will never be forgotten.

At almost the exact same time of the Blacksburg tragedy, another military veteran turned law enforcement officer was facing a similar situation in Caroline County.

After detaining a suspect found along I-95, Senior Virginia State Trooper Michael Hamer had placed the individual in his vehicle, when, suddenly, the suspect grabbed for Trooper Hamer’s weapon, forcing it to discharge into Trooper Hamer’s upper leg.

Bleeding profusely, in the midst of a violent struggle, Trooper Hamer was able to reach for a second weapon that he kept nearby and subdue the suspect.

Trooper Hamer was rushed to Mary Washington University hospital where he underwent emergency surgery.

Tonight, Trooper Michael Hamer, along with his wife Erika, is here with us in the gallery. Trooper Hamer we salute you for your bravery and commitment to the safety of the citizens of Virginia.
The heroism of Officer Crouse and Trooper Hamer is why I am supporting a review of, and necessary amendments to, the Line of Duty Act, so that all qualified first responders and their families receive key benefits in their time of need, not later.

That same spirit of service has also been displayed by Virginians on the field of battle.
Since September 11th, 2001, nearly 14,000 members of the Virginia National Guard have left their families and jobs to defend our freedom. Over 230 Virginians have given their lives in the Global War on Terror.

On December 18th, the last convoy of American soldiers left Iraq for Kuwait, ending our nearly 9 years in that nation.

Eight days before that I welcomed home to Sandston over 200 Virginia Army National Guard soldiers from the 2nd Assault Battalion, 224th Aviation Regiment, who had been serving in Iraq since April.

With us tonight are the battalion’s executive officer, Major Carl Engstrom and a father and son who deployed together, First Sergeant Kelvin Franklin and his son, Private First Class Quinton Franklin.

Gentlemen, thank you for your deep commitment to freedom.

The brave men and women who volunteer for the Virginia National Guard are great patriots.
That’s why I propose that we provide in-state tuition for all members of the Virginia National Guard, regardless of how long they’ve lived here.

We will continue to make this the most veteran-friendly state in America. You serve Virginia, we serve you.

We serve all Virginians well when we run a wise and frugal government, defend individual rights and the rule of law and care more about enacting good policy than making a good quote.

Simply put: our people want results, not rhetoric; they want solutions, not sound bites.

Over the past two years, that is how we have governed together.

Working across party lines last year we put the most new funding into transportation in a generation, and I want to thank Speaker Bill Howell for his leadership in this effort.

As a result, over $4 billion in new funding was provided in our six-year plan to support highway and rail projects.

This funding has supported hundreds of projects across the state and the advertisement and award of nearly $2 billion in new contracts in 2011.

It has also made possible public-private partnerships including the Midtown/Downtown Tunnel in Hampton Roads, the Coalfields Expressway, Route 58 between Hillsville and Stuart and the I-95 HOV/HOT Lanes Project in Northern Virginia.

We created a path to award 100,000 more degrees in the next 15 years in job creating disciplines. Thanks to leaders in this effort like Delegates Kirk Cox and Rosalyn Dance, and Senator Tommy Norment, Virginia colleges were able to admit 5,800 additional in-state students last fall.

We’ve created nearly $100 million in new economic development incentives to promote job creation. Acentia, Bechtel, Amazon, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and Albany Industries are all coming to Virginia. I want to thank Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, Senator Chuck Colgan and Delegate Terry Kilgore for their leadership in this effort. Over 56,000 more jobs have been created in Virginia since our first full month in office.

Overseas visitors spent a record-breaking $321 million here in 2011, and I was on hand to open trade and agricultural offices in London, Shanghai, New Delhi and Mumbai to sell Virginia products around the world and create more good jobs here at home.

Our trade missions are getting results. Last month alone one ship left Chesapeake and delivered $25 million worth of Virginia soybeans to China. Two weeks ago, another vessel began the same journey, with another 25 million worth of Virginia soybeans.

From Brunswick to Beijing. That’s how we grow our economy in the global marketplace. I want to thank Delegate Steve Landes for his leadership in getting new funds to grow our agricultural exports and create more Virginia jobs.

Working together we eliminated $6 billion in budget shortfalls not by raising taxes, but by reforming government and reducing spending.

We turned two massive budget shortfalls into nearly $1 billion in surpluses.

These are collective, bipartisan accomplishments. Virginia is charting a fiscally responsible course to a brighter future.

But this is no time for victory laps.

Our global economy is still uncertain.

The actions of our federal government are still unpredictable.

The unemployment rate is still unacceptable.

This is not a status quo period in the life of Virginians and Americans, therefore this cannot be a status quo session.

Now, I can’t ask you to fix every problem in the short time we have together this session….but I can ask you to fix some big ones.

We must do more now to spur private-sector job creation.

We must reform our pension system now, so that it will be there for the hundreds of thousands of Virginians depending on it.

We must make our K-12 education system more accountable and innovative now, so all our students get a world-class education.

We must complete higher education reform and reinvestment now, so that more Virginia students can access and afford college.

We must improve our transportation maintenance system now, so that our citizens can get to their jobs and families without delay.

And we must pass a fiscally responsible, structurally balanced budget on time that provides the stability and liquidity we need to navigate the uncertain years ahead. I applaud Delegate Putney and Senator Stosch and the leaders in both parties for proposing much needed reforms to the budget conference process to facilitate timely decision making, and reduce drama. Well done.

*****

Our work starts with finding work for the 260,000 Virginians who are currently unemployed. It is the most pressing issue facing our Commonwealth: Virginians need good paying private-sector jobs.

This session, I am asking you to put $38 million more into targeted programs that spur job creation.

I have proposed state incentives and initiatives for tourism, film, agricultural and forestry products, technology, modeling and simulation, cyber security, international marketing, workforce development, advanced manufacturing, and life sciences. These are proven job and revenue generators.

I am also proposing a new investor tax credit to provide working capital to small businesses which create 70 percent of the new jobs in America, and the extension of time during which the major business facility job tax credit may be taken.

*****

States are competing against each other, and the world, for job-creating businesses.

When deciding where to move or expand, businesses look for a well-educated and well-trained workforce. We owe every student the opportunity to be career-ready or college-ready when they graduate from high school. A good education means a good job.

I have proposed an increase in funding for K-12 education of $438 million over this biennium to strengthen the Virginia Retirement System for teachers and school employees, increase dollars going to the classroom, hire more teachers in science, technology and math, improve financial literacy, and strengthen Virginia’s diploma requirements.

We will also provide new funding for the successful Communities in Schools program, as well as funding for all 10th graders to take the PSAT, and for the start up of new health science academies.

However, while we will put more funding into K-12 in this budget, more funding alone does not guarantee greater results.

Over the past decade, total funding for public education increased 41 percent, while enrollment only went up 6 percent. This budget will provide new funding, but we will also seek more accountability, choice, rigor and innovation.

Providing flexibility to local school divisions is important. It is time to repeal the state mandate that school divisions begin their school term after Labor Day unless they receive a waiver. Already, 77 of the 132 school divisions have these waivers, so that the exceptions have become the rule.

Local communities can best balance their teaching and calendar needs with the important concerns of local tourism and business. They know their situations far better than Richmond.
Our teachers are well educated and motivated professionals who deserve to be treated as such.
Just like workers in most other jobs get reviewed every year, and are therefore able to be more accurately promoted and rewarded for their success, so too should our teachers.

I am asking that we remove the continuing contract status from teachers and principals and provide an annual contract in its place. This will allow us to implement an improved evaluation system that really works and give principals a new tool to utilize in managing their schools. Along with the merit pay pilot program we approved last year, we will provide more incentives and accountability to attract and retain the best and brightest teachers.

We’ve got so many great teachers in Virginia, teachers like Stacy Hoeflich, a fourth grade teacher at John Adams Elementary School in Alexandria, who was recently named the National History Teacher of the Year.

I happen to think my sister Nancy, a public school teacher in Amherst County, is a great teacher.

Your House Majority Leader, Kirk Cox, is a great teacher.

We all know strong teachers who deserve to be better recognized for the invaluable roles they play in the development and learning of our students.

We will also fund policies to ensure all young people can read proficiently by third grade, so they are ready to become lifelong learners. Social promotions are not acceptable. When we pass a student who cannot read well and is not ready for the next grade, we have failed them.

Our public education system must also embrace multiple learning venues and opportunities.

I agree with President Obama that we need to expand charter schools in our nation. I am proposing that we make our laws stronger by requiring a portion of the state and local share of SOQ student funding to follow the child to an approved charter school, and to make it easier for new charters to be approved and acquire property.

We need a fair funding formula for the fast growing virtual school sector. I will propose that a portion of the state and local share of SOQ student funding should follow the student in this area as well, and that we implement new regulations for accrediting virtual schools and teachers.

We should also create effective choices for low-income students, so I’m asking you to provide a tax credit for companies that contribute to an educational scholarship fund to help more of our young people, and I thank Delegates Jimmie Massie and Algie Howell, and Senators Walter Stosch and Mark Obenshain for their leadership on this issue. A child’s educational opportunities should be determined by her intellect and work ethic, not by her neighborhood or zip code.

We will also propose innovations to promote greater dual enrollment in high school and community college, so motivated students can get a head start on their college educations.

The goal of all of these proposals is simple: at high school graduation, every student who receives a diploma must be college- or career-ready.

*****

When our students are ready for college, our colleges must be ready for them. The American dream becomes more attainable when a college degree is more accessible and affordable.

Our sweeping Top Jobs higher education legislation that passed unanimously last year set a visionary blueprint for reform and reinvestment in higher education. Now, we have to put our money where our policy is.

I am asking you to invest over $200 million in new funding for our colleges and universities.

Additionally, I am proposing a dynamic new funding model for higher education that ties new general funds to achieving our statutory goals. Institutions will be rewarded for increasing the number of degrees, especially in STEM-H fields; improving graduation rates, and expanding practical research. It will also require colleges to be more accountable and efficient, by reprioritizing 5 percent of their current general fund dollars by 2014 to meet the key policy goals we enacted last year, including year round use of facilities and greater use of technology to leverage more programs and courses.

Taken together, these actions cement the direct nexus between higher education and job creation, and begin to reverse the unacceptable trend over the last ten years during which the average college tuition for our constituents has doubled. Parents and students can’t afford it. Those days are over!

*****

Our economy cannot grow if people and products cannot move. Last year’s major new transportation construction funding bill was significant. But more must be done.

We all know that increased fuel efficiency and the emerging use of alternative fuel vehicles have caused gas tax revenues to decline, a trend that is likely to continue. Our growing deficit in maintenance funding is the result, and it must be addressed.

Transportation is a core function of government. We must treat it like one.

I am asking you to increase transportation’s share of the year-end undesignated surplus to 75 percent, and dedicate the first one percent in revenue growth over 5 percent to transportation.

To seriously address the maintenance deficit, I am also requesting that you increase the dedicated transportation allocation of the state sales tax from .5 percent to .75 percent over the next 8 years.

The introduced budget starts that process by increasing the dedicated sales tax percentage to .55 percent, generating over $110 million in new transportation maintenance dollars.

To put it in perspective: $110 million is one-eighth of one percent of the total $85 billion budget.

If we can’t find the resolve to use just one-eighth of one percent of our budget for additional transportation maintenance funding, then we just aren’t serious about maintaining our infrastructure.

We will also propose numerous measures to further reform VDOT, and reduce timelines for construction projects. We will also reform, promote and greatly expand both the Port of Virginia, a great asset that must be a global leader in international shipping, and the growing commercial space industry at Wallops Island on the Eastern Shore.

*****

It is also time that we address, head on, the hard realities of our woefully underfunded state pension system.

As of the June valuation, the funding status of the system was 70 percent for state employees and 66 percent for teachers. According to JLARC, the plans could reach lows of 63 percent and 61 percent, respectively, in 2013. That is unsustainable. I will not pass this problem on to another governor. You cannot pass this problem on to another General Assembly.

Our responsibility is clear. That is why I have proposed the largest employer contribution to the Virginia Retirement System in history, recommending $2.21 billion in total funding to the systems for state employees and teachers, including $876 million in state general fund dollars. This more than doubles the employer contributions from the last budget.

The state is doing its part. Localities will have to fund their share of teacher’s retirement, since teachers are local employees, and local governments have the duty to fund VRS. Doing the right thing at the state level is not an unfunded mandate on localities. The rates have been set, the bills are now due.

This new state cash infusion will not, by itself, fix the system. To ensure a stable retirement system in the decades ahead, state employees, who do tremendous work for us every day, will be asked to accept some plan adjustments. In the days ahead, I will announce a number of specific VRS reform proposals to ensure long term solvency, and I look forward to working with you to enact them this session.

I also want to continue the success we found in bringing private-sector management incentives to state government.

In 2010, we provided a 3 percent performance bonus for state employees contingent on their saving a specific amount of taxpayer dollars by the end of the fiscal year. It worked. Their great efforts saved taxpayers over $90 million, after the bonus payment. That is good government. And we should do it again this year.

In this budget, I have proposed another 3 percent one-time bonus for our employees, again contingent upon a specific amount of savings being achieved, and employees meeting specific performance measures. We will again save money and reward good performance. That is effective government.

*****

Last summer, we all collectively held our breaths as we watched the debt limit fight in Washington. Today we face a volatile Euro and international unrest.

Uncertainty is the new certainty.

While we cannot control what Congress or Europe do, we must prepare as well as possible for the future changes that are certain to come.

That is what I have tried to do in the introduced budget.

The budget does not raise taxes.

Rather, it forces state government to set priorities, live within its means and plan for the future, something I wish our federal government would do.

I am asking you to put $50 million into a newly created Federal Action Contingency Trust (FACT) Fund. This fund will help us to handle impacts from the necessary and likely future federal spending cuts, and to take prudent action to help diversify our economy. I am also proposing we enhance our cash reserves by doubling the Rainy Day Fund to over $600 million by the end of FY 2014.

We will also eliminate the accelerated sales tax policy for 96 percent of merchants, by allocating $50 million in FY 2012. My goal is to get rid of this unfair policy by the time I leave office.

Together, these budget strategies provide structural balance, reduce unfunded liabilities and invest in job creation, transportation and higher education; ideas well received during our visit to the three bond rating agencies in New York last Friday with your money committee leaders.

*****

To continue building “A Commonwealth of Opportunity”, I will be asking for your partnership in other critically important areas.

Our budget provides $5 million for additional land conservation to continue our bipartisan effort to conserve more open space and protect the environment. We have already been able to add 100,000 acres of lands to protected status in the last two years.

We are also making progress in restoring the jewel that is the Chesapeake Bay.

Striped bass production was at an all-time record high in 2011, the blue crab population is at its second highest level since 1997 and eagle populations are up.

The recent budget surpluses have allowed us to contribute over $85 million more to improving water quality. This means more assistance to Virginia’s farmers and a significant contribution to the Water Quality Improvement Fund.

*****

Providing for public safety is one of the top duties of government at every level. If people aren’t safe and secure in their neighborhoods, businesses will not locate there, and our communities will not prosper. Thanks to the smart public policies we have approved, and the selfless service of first responders and law enforcement officers like Deriek Crouse and Trooper Mike Hamer, crime and recidivism are down in Virginia. But we still face challenges.

Repeat drug dealers are a major, perpetual cause of crime in our state. This year, I am proposing tough new laws to put away repeat drug dealers for longer periods of time. If these dealers are behind bars, they can’t sell drugs to our kids, steal from their neighbors or contribute to the tragic cycle of addiction that has stolen the lives of too many Virginians.

We can break that cycle when we combine tough sentences with other effective policies.

In this year’s budget I have provided localities with a mechanism for obtaining authorization for new drug courts, at their expense, as long as they meet certain requirements and provide data necessary to evaluate their success.

For those released from prison, who have learned from their mistakes, we will provide them with positive opportunities for change through effective prisoner re-entry policies. We are a remarkable nation of second chances. Over 90 percent of offenders get out of prison, and we don’t want them going back. We want more good citizens and fewer victims.

This year’s budget maintains critical “599” funding for local law enforcement, fully funds our sheriffs, and adds 40 slots in our state trooper schools.

A more secure society is a more prosperous society.

*****

We will step up our efforts to make Virginia “The Energy Capital of the East Coast.”

That starts with pursuing an “all of the above; red, white and blue” approach to energy production by utilizing all of our resources. More domestic energy production equals more American job creation and greater energy security.

An important part of our nation’s energy solution is here in Virginia.

Fifty miles off our shores are oil and gas deposits that can be accessed in a responsible manner. We passed legislation in 2010, with strong bipartisan support, approving offshore drilling. America needs the energy and Virginians need the jobs.

I urge the Obama Administration to end the delays and act now to include Virginia in the 2012-17 Outer Continental Shelf Plan. If they won’t, then Congress must.

I thank Senators Warner and Webb and Congressmen Goodlatte and Rigell for leading our fight in that body.

And we must continue to demand that the federal government stop the overreach and overregulation of our important job-creating coal and natural gas industries.

Congress must also revitalize the nuclear industry by setting reasonable policies on the storage and disposal of spent fuel rods after thirty years of inaction.

We will also continue to pursue the development of alternative sources of energy like solar, wind and biomass, as long as they are cost-competitive for consumers. In October we announced that the nation’s first facility for the testing and certification of large offshore and land-based electricity-producing wind turbines will be developed on the Eastern Shore. Wind energy is a developing industry, and Virginia is at the forefront of it. That is why I have included $500,000 in the FY13 budget for research and development to accelerate and assist private development of the Virginia Wind Energy Area.

We are also currently evaluating private sector proposals to move the Commonwealth’s substantial vehicle fleet to alternative domestic fuels to reduce our reliance on foreign oil.
Making Virginia “The Energy Capital of the East Coast” will create more jobs and revenues for our citizens.

*****

We must also continue to reform state government to make it more efficient and effective, or as Mr. Jefferson said, more “wise and frugal.” Over the past decade, state spending has grown 23 percent faster than the rate of growth in population and inflation. We have significant room for improvement.

I am proposing that we close a prison; cut ineffective programs; abolish unnecessary boards and commissions; eliminate and consolidate agencies; end memberships in dozens of outside organizations and make government work smarter.

And we should honor our Virginia founders by putting into our state Constitution a strong property rights amendment that protects the private property of every Virginian.

*****

We will continue our recent work to dramatically improve mental health funding. Last year we invested $60 million in new funds to strengthen community care capacity. I have already authorized 60 new home and community based waiver slots, specifically for individuals ready to transition from institutions back to the community.

Now, in this new budget, I am asking you to put another $30 million into mental health. We must transition more individuals from institutions to community based care. It’s the right thing to do.
Medicaid spending has increased by 1600 percent over the last 29 years. During the 2011 session, substantial ways to improve the quality, cost effectiveness, and program integrity of the Medicaid program were enacted. We are now moving forward with the statewide adoption of care coordination. This will allow state government to better manage Medicaid expenditures, while ensuring Virginians receive the high quality health care they need.

*****

You arrive here today at a particularly pivotal moment in the life of our Commonwealth and our country.

The world around us is changing rapidly.

Gone are old regimes in Iraq, Libya, Egypt and Afghanistan. China and India are on the rise. Facebook and Twitter replace texts, which replaced emails, which replaced phone calls. iPhones rule. Products and procedures get obsolete quickly…..even one-term governors…but, I promise you, not too quickly!

In the midst of all this uncertainty and structural change Virginians want government to provide some measure of stability by providing its core services well.

They want good jobs, safe neighborhoods, successful schools, a modern transportation system, a clean environment, strong families, and an equal opportunity to achieve the American dream. We are a nation that rightly guarantees opportunities, not outcomes.

That’s the kind of government enshrined in law by Virginians over two centuries ago. It has made this the freest and most prosperous nation the world has ever known.

In the mid 1840s and 50s, during the Irish Potato Famine, millions of my Irish heritage fled for the United States, having little idea what to expect on the other side of the ocean, but hoping to find survival here. In the galleys of the ships that sailed from ports like Dublin and Cork, the Irish government posted bulletins with the heading “Advice to Irish Emigrants.”

The posters read in part: “In the United States, …Wealth is not idolized; but there is no degradation connected with labor;…an industrious youth may follow any occupation without being looked down upon…and he may rationally expect to raise himself in the world by his labor.”

One hundred years ago this May, that same promise of America led my own grandfather from Ireland to Ellis Island, in search of his own dreams and opportunities.

That’s the Virginia we all believe in. That’s the America we are so blessed to call home.
Our job over the next 60 days is to enact policies that will help ensure that this remains a Commonwealth where any man and any woman, of any race and any creed, from any beginning and any place, will always have the opportunity to raise themselves in the world by their God given talents and their labor.

Together, I know we will.

Thank you all, and may God continue to shower his blessings on the Commonwealth of Virginia!

###

Mrs. Obama is one of her husband’s most effective spokespeople and her visit to an imporant swing state was carefully calculated with an eye toward the 2012 election.

Here is my story for NBC12:

RICHMOND (WWBT) - It seems like when it comes to politics, the candidates for the republican nomination for president are the ones getting all the attention. But in Central Virginia today it was all about Team Obama.

First Lady Michelle Obama was in town to unveil a new plan to help veterans return home and help her husband’s re-election.

Polls show the First Lady is very popular, in some respects more popular than her husband.  During his administration she has latched on to an issue that is easy to get behind regardless of party- military families. Today in the swing state of Virginia, she never came right out and said it. but it was clear that re-electing her husband will allow her work to continue.

At an event at VCU, a quiet and respectful crowd heard Mrs. Obama lay out the case for better care for soldiers returning home from war.

“But it will mean real work,” Mrs. Obama said of the initiative. “It will mean every single one of us doing our part.”

The venue and the backdrop showed the First Lady at her best. Even though she never once mentioned the president’s re-election, and only specifically mentioned his policies briefly, the setting in a swing state in a re-election year spoke volumes. She passionately made the case that she would do everything she could to help America’s military families.

read and see the full story on NBC12.com.

You can read the First Lady’s entire remarks from today’s Richmond fundraiser below.

THE WHITE HOUSE

 Office of the First Lady

__________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release                     January 11, 2012

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY

AT A CAMPAIGN EVENT

Richmond Marriott

Richmond, Virginia

12:19 P.M. EST

 MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you all so much.  Richmond, it’s good to be here!  (Applause.)  You all, thank you.  You all rest yourselves because I want you all ready to work.  So I don’t want you to run your energy out clapping and standing up.  (Laughter.)  But thank you all so much.  It is such a pleasure to be here.  This is my first official event campaigning of the year.  (Applause.)  Yes!  It’s a great way to kick it off.

And I want to start by thanking your former governor, Tim Kaine, for that very kind introduction, but more importantly for his outstanding leadership.  One of my favorite people.  He’s got good judgment, too, because his wife Anne is amazing.  Love her to death.  So let’s give them both another round of applause.  (Applause.)

I also want to thank Congressman Scott, who is here, Mayor Jones, also, for their dedicated service.  (Applause.)  Thank you all for joining us here today. And I want to recognize all of the Richmond Women for Obama who are here — (applause) — along with the Host Committee that I know have worked very hard to make this event such a success. 

And finally, I want to thank all of you for joining us here today, this afternoon.  It is afternoon, right?  See, when I do this — is it morning, it’s afternoon?

And I know that all you are here for a couple of reasons.  And it’s not just because there’s a good luncheon, and you’re not just here to see me.  Right?  (Laughter.)  There’s a reason why all of us are here, why all of you are here today. 

 You’re here because you know that we stand at a fundamental crossroads for our country.  You’re here because you know that in less than a year from now, we’re going to make a choice that will impact our lives for decades to come.  And you’re here because you know that that choice won’t just affect all of us, but it’s going to affect our children and our grandchildren and the world that we leave for them long after we’re gone.

And that is why I’m here today as well.  You see, as First Lady, I have the privilege of traveling all across the country, meeting folks from all different backgrounds and hearing what’s going on in their lives.  And every day, I hear about folks’ struggles -– the bills they’re trying to pay, the businesses they’re trying to keep afloat. 

I hear about how they’re taking the extra shift, or working the extra job.  How so many people are saving and sacrificing, never spending a dime on themselves because they desperately want something better for their kids. 

And make no mistake about it, these struggles are not new.  For decades now, middle-class folks have been squeezed from all sides.  The cost for things like gas and groceries, tuition, have been steadily rising, but people’s paychecks just haven’t kept up.

So when this economy fell apart, the crisis hit, for far too many families, the bottom just fell out.

Now, fortunately, over the past three years, we’ve worked very hard to dig ourselves out of this mess.  Your President has worked very hard.  And there’s been a lot of wonderful progress made.  (Applause.)  

We have had 22 straight months of private sector job growth — (applause) — and unemployment is now the lowest it’s been in nearly three years.  (Applause.)  So there’s a lot of work happening, but we know that we still have a very long way to go.  But your President has been working hard to rebuild our economy based on a vision that we all share — the belief, as my husband says, that hard work should pay off, that responsibility should be rewarded, and that everyone should get a fair shot, and everyone should do their fair share and play by the same rules. 

     See, these are basic American values.  They’re the values that so many of us were raised with, including myself.

     As you know, my father was a blue-collar worker at the city water plant.  My family lived in a little bitty apartment on the South Side of Chicago.  And my parents, neither of them were able to go to school — to college, that is.  But they worked very hard, and they saved, and they sacrificed, because they wanted something better for me and my brother. 

And more than anything else, that is what’s at stake — that fundamental promise that no matter who you are or how you started out, that if you work hard, you can build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids.

And on just about every issue — from health care to education to the economy — that is the choice we face.

For example, when you hear talk about tax cuts for middle-class families, or unemployment insurance for folks out of work, understand that that’s about whether people can heat their homes.  That’s about whether folks can put a hot meal on their table or put gas in their car so that they can look for work.  It’s about whether folks can afford to own a home, send their kids to college, retire with dignity and security.

This talk about whether people will have more money in their pockets, which means more money in the economy, which means more jobs.  That’s what’s at stake here.  That is the choice that we face.

And just think for a minute about what this administration has done to stand up for American consumers.  I’m talking about families getting hit with those hidden credit card fees.  I’m talking about our students drowning in debt, our seniors losing their home and their savings because they’ve been tricked into loans they couldn’t afford.

That’s why my husband created a new consumer watchdog with just one simple mission — and that is to protect folks from exactly these kinds of abuses.  (Applause.)  Because he believes that when you’ve worked hard and you’ve saved and you’ve followed the rules, you shouldn’t lose it all to someone who’s looking to make some easy money.  That’s not right.  That’s not fair.  (Applause.)  And your President, all of us, we are working hard to do something about that.

And what about all that we’ve done together for our small businesses?  These are the companies that create two-thirds of all new jobs each year.  That’s two-thirds.  I’m talking about that mom who opens up the dry-cleaning store on the corner to provide for her kids, or that family that’s been running the neighborhood diner for generations, or the veteran who launches a startup and pursues that American Dream he fought so hard for.

See, these are the folks who work themselves to the bone during the day, then they head home, pore over the books late into the night, determined to make the numbers add up.

For these folks, the small business tax cuts this administration has passed, for these folks it means the difference between hiring new employees in those businesses or handing out pink slips; between keeping the doors open or closing up shop for good.  That is the choice that we face.

And how about the very first bill my husband signed into law, the very first bill, the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for equal work?  (Applause.)

He did this because he knows what it means when women aren’t treated fairly in the workplace.  He watched his own grandmother — woman with a high school education — work her way up from being a vice president at a little community bank.  She worked hard and she was good at her job.  But like so many women, she hit a glass ceiling, and she watched men no more qualified than she, men she had actually trained, be promoted up that ladder ahead of her.

So believe me, for Barack, this issue isn’t abstract.  This isn’t some hypothetical situation.  And he signed this bill because he knows that closing that pay gap can mean the difference between women losing $50, $100, $500 for each paycheck, or having that money in their pockets for gas or groceries, school clothes for their kids.

He did it because when nearly two-thirds of women are breadwinners or co-breadwinners, your President knows that women’s success in this economy is the key to families’ success in this economy.  (Applause.)

And he did it because, as he put it, we believe that here in America, there should be no second-class citizens in our workplaces.  That is what’s at stake.

And let’s just talk for a minute about health care.  Last year, we made history together by finally passing health reform.  (Applause.)  It’s wonderful.  But now, there are some folks actually talking about repealing this reform — repealing it.  And today, we need to ask ourselves, are we going to stand by and let that happen? 

 Are we going to let insurance companies refuse to cover things like cancer screenings and prenatal care that don’t just save money, but save lives?  Or will we stand up for our lives and for the lives of the people that we love?  

 Are we going to go back to the days when insurance companies could deny our children coverage because they have preexisting conditions like cancer or diabetes, even asthma?  Or will we stand up and say that in this country, no one — no one should ever have to choose between going bankrupt or watching their child suffer because they can’t afford a doctor.  (Applause.)  

 And when our children get older and graduate from school, we know how hard it is for them to find jobs, and jobs that provide insurance.  That’s why, as part of health reform, our children can now stay on their parents’ insurance until they’re 26 years old.  (Applause.)  And so today, that’s how about 2.5 million of our young people are getting their coverage.  So will we take that insurance away from those kids?  Or will we say that we don’t want our sons and daughters going without health care when they’re just starting out, just trying to build their own families and build their own careers?  Because that is the choice that we face.  That is the choice.

 And think again for a moment about what’s been done on education.  Think about all those investments to raise standards and reform our public schools.  We all know this is about improving the circumstances for millions of children in this country — kids we know who are sitting in crumbling classrooms, kids with so much promise, kids who could be anything they wanted if we just gave them the chance.  That’s what this is about.

And think about how this President has tripled investments for job training at community colleges.  This is about hundreds of thousands of hardworking folks who are determined to get the skills they need for a better job and for better wages.  I mean, these are the folks who are doing it all.  They’re doing what they’re supposed to do.  They’re working full-time, they’re raising their kids, but they’re still finding time to go to night classes and study late into the evening because they desperately want to do something better for their families.

Make no mistake — this investment in our students and our workers will determine nothing less than the future of our economy.  I mean, this kind of stuff will determine whether we’re prepared to make the discoveries and to build the industries that will let us compete with any country anywhere in the world.  And that’s what’s at stake. 

  And let’s not forget what it meant when my husband appointed those two brilliant Supreme Court justices, and for the first time in history, our daughters –- and our sons –- (applause) — watched three women take their seat on our nation’s highest court.  Let’s not forget the impact their decisions will have on our lives for decades to come — on our privacy and security, on whether we can speak freely, worship openly, and love whomever we choose.  That’s what’s at stake.  That is the choice we’re facing.  (Applause.)

 And finally, let’s not forget all this administration has done to keep our country safe and restore our standing in the world.  Thanks to our brave men and women in uniform, we finally brought to justice the man behind the 9/11 attacks and so many other horrific acts of terror.  (Applause.)  Yes, my husband ended the war in Iraq and brought our troops home for the holidays.  (Applause.)

And as Tim said, we are working hard to give our veterans and their families the education, the employment and the benefits they’ve earned.  (Applause.)  And because my husband ended “don’t ask, don’t tell,” our troops will never again have to lie about who they are to serve the country they love.  (Applause.)  That is what’s at stake.  That is what’s at stake.

So Richmond, make no mistake about it.  Whether it’s health care or the economy, whether it’s education or foreign policy, the choice we make will determine nothing less than who we are as a country, but, more importantly, who do we want to be.  Who are we?

Will we be a country where opportunity is limited to the few at the top?  Or will we be a place where if you work hard, you can get ahead, no matter who you are or how you started out?  Who are we?

Will we tell folks who’ve done everything right, but are still struggling just a little to get by, tough luck, you’re on your own?   Who are we?  Or will we honor the fundamental American belief that this country is strongest when we’re all better off?  Who are we?  (Applause.)  

Will we continue all the change we’ve begun and the progress we’ve made?  Or will we allow everything we’ve fought for to just slip away?  That is the choice we face.  Those are the stakes. 

And believe me, Barack knows this.  He understands these issues, because he’s lived them.  He was raised by a single mother who struggled to put herself through school, pay the bills.  And when she needed help his grandmother stepped up — getting up every morning, getting on that bus, going to that job at the bank, even though she was passed over for all those promotions.  She never complained.  She just kept showing up and doing her best.  Sounds familiar, right?

So Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.  He knows what it means when someone doesn’t have a chance to fulfill their potential.  Those are the experiences that have made him the man — but more importantly, the President — he is today.  And we are blessed to have him.  (Applause.)   

And that is what I hear in his voice when he returns home after a long day traveling around the country and he tells me about the people he’s met.  That’s what I see in those quiet moments late at night after the girls have gone to bed and he’s poring over the letters people have sent him — the letter from the woman dying of cancer whose insurance company won’t cover her care; the letter from the father struggling to pay the bills for his family; the letter from the young person, too many young people with so much promise but so few opportunities. 

And I hear the passion and determination in his voice.  You won’t believe what folks are going through — that’s what he tells me.  He says, Michelle, it’s not right.  And we’ve got to fix it.  We have way too much work to do.

See, what I’m trying to remind people about my husband is that when it comes to the people he meets, Barack has a memory like a steel trap.  He might not remember your name, but if he has had just a few minutes and a decent conversation with you, he will never forget your story.  It becomes imprinted on his heart. 

And that is what he carries with him every single day.  It is our collection of struggles and hopes and dreams.  And that is where your President gets his passion.  That is where your President gets his toughness and his fight. 

And that’s why even in some of the hardest moments, when it seems like all is lost and we’re sweating it and we’re sweating him, Barack Obama never loses sight of the end goal.  (Applause.)  He never — never lets himself get distracted by the chatter and the noise. 

See, your President just keeps moving forward, because so importantly he has a vision for this country.  And it’s a vision that we all share.  This is our vision.  This is the country we want to live in.  But I have said this before and I will say it again:  He cannot do this alone.  Never could.  He needs your help. 

He needs you to make those phone calls.  He needs you to get up, be ready to work, get those voters registered.  He needs you to take those “I’m in” cards, which I hope you have.  Use them.  Sign yourself up.  Sign your friends, sign your neighbors, your colleagues up.  Convince them to join in giving just a little part of your life and their lives each week to this campaign, because we all know that this isn’t just about one extraordinary man — never was.  Though I’ll admit, I’m a little biased.  (Laughter.)  I think he’s wonderful.

But this is really about us — about all of us — about all of us coming together for the values we believe in and for the country that we want to be.  Now, again, I’m not going to kid you, this journey is going to be long and it is going to be hard.  And there will be plenty of twists and turns along the way — always love drama. 

But the truth is, that is how change always happens in this country.  The reality is that change is slow, real change, and it never happens all at once.  But if we keep showing up, if we keep fighting the good fight doing what we know is right, then we eventually get there.  We always do.  We always do — maybe not in our lifetimes, but maybe in our children’s lifetimes, our grandchildren’s lifetimes, because in the end, that’s what this is all about. 

In the end, we’re not fighting these battles for ourselves.  We’re fighting these battles for our sons and our daughters.  We’re fighting these battles for our grandsons and our granddaughters.  We’re fighting for the world we want to leave for them.  It’s about our children.  (Applause.) 

And I’m in this fight not just as a mother who wants to leave a legacy for my children.  I’m in this as a citizen who knows what we can do together to change this country for the better.  See, because if I’m honest, the truth is no matter what happens, my girls will be okay.  See, my girls are blessed.  They will still have plenty of advantages and opportunities in their lives, and that’s probably true for many of your kids as well, right?

But I think the last few years have shown us the truth of what Barack has always said, that if any child in this country is left behind, then that matters to all of us, even if she is not our daughter, even if he is not our son.  If any family in this country struggles, then we cannot be fully content with our own family’s good fortune.  That is not who we are.  (Applause.)  

In the end, we cannot separate our own story from the broader American story, because we know that in the end this country, in this country of America we rise and fall together.  And we know that if we make the right choices, if we have the right priorities, we can ensure that everyone gets a fair shake and everyone has a chance to get ahead.  That’s what’s at stake.  So Richmond, it is time for us to get moving.  It is time for us to get to work. 

So I have one last question to ask you all — you’ve been listening so politely.  (Laughter.)  Are you in?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA:  See, because I’m in.  I am in.  I need to hear that.  Are you in? 

AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA:  Tell me:  I am in!

AUDIENCE:  I am in!  (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA:  So I hope you all are fired up.  I hope you all are ready to go.  We need each and every one of you.  You need to reach out.  You need to talk to people.  You can influence your neighbors, get this done.  There’s a lot at stake. 

God bless you all.  I will be working right alongside of you.  Thank you all.  God bless.  (Applause.) 

                        END                12:45 P.M. EST

—–

McDonnell will be the guest of Rep. Tim Scott. Scott has invited every single major republican candidates for president to his district to discuss the presidential race and in particular South Carolina’s role in the process. His last guest, was the race’s current front runner, Mitt Romney.

 (Photo courtesy of VoteTimScott1)

This is a high profile slot for McDonnell, who is still waiting to endorse and is considered a prime candidate for Vice President. In a release, Scott eludes to those possibilites.

“While Governor McDonnell is not currently a candidate for President, he will play a key role in the 2012 election and beyond.” Scott said. “He has a proven record of job creation and keeping taxes low in Virginia – a state the GOP must win in 2012.  Our voters are eager to hear his views on the Presidential field, and on how we will defeat President Obama.”

McDonnell meanwhile heaped praise on Scott, a rising GOP star.

“Tim is a leading voice in the new wave of bold and innovative conservative leaders who are committed to getting our nation’s economy back on track and our fiscal house in order,” he said.

If you happen to be making a winter jaunt to the beach this weekend and would like to check out McDonnell on the stump, the details are below:

Rep. Tim Scott Presidential Town Hall:
5:30 pm at Celebrity Square at Broadway on the Beach
1325 Celebrity Circle in Myrtle Beach, SC.  
Seating will begin at 4:30 pm, on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more info: www.timstownhalls.com

Today the press offices from both lawmakers gave us an idea of what their bosses were up to.

In Qatar, Cantor made a trip to VCU’s branch campus in the Arab country.  The VCU facility was the first of a series of American collegiate branch campuses to make a home in Qatar’s “Education City.” Cantor toured the facility and met with Dean Allyson Vanstone.

Cantor also visited with the men and women serving in Qatar at the Al Udeid Air Force Base. You can read more about Rep. Cantor’s trip on his legislative blog. You can see more pictures of his visit here.

Meanhile on the other side of Asia, Sen. Mark Warner was involved in a unique event. He and a group of Senators toured an NBA camp in New Deli, India designed to encourge Indian young people to get active and fit. Warner who is well over 6 feet tall, even participated in a jump ball with a former NBA star. Of course that star was the shortest player in the history of the NBA. 5′ 3″ Muggsy Bogues.

You can see more photos from Senator Warner’s trip here.

First Lady Michelle Obama will appear at two events in Richmond next Wednesday. Mrs. Obama will headline a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee in the afternoon and then speak at an event at VCU Medical Center.

According to the White House, The First Lady will announce a major committment by the country’s top medical colleges and universities to help create a specialized medical care for U.S. Military Members returning from service.

Among the specialty areas of focus, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

VCU is recognized as a national leader in TBI research and is considered to be a strong partner with the local VA hospital.  Mrs. Obama will also conduct a private tour of the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center’s Polytrauma Unit to visit wounded warriors and veterans receiving in-patient treatment.

Following the event at VCU, the First Lady will travel to Charlottesville  for another fundraiser for the DNC.

This visit from the First Lady once again indicates the White House’s focus on Virginia ahead of the 2012 election. President Obama has made several trips to Virginia including three separate visits to the Richmond metro area, since he became president.

NBC12 will have complete coverage of First Lady Michelle Obama’s visit next Wednesday. We will update you on any potential road closures and other information when we receive updated information from the White House.

Key point of information, no behind-the-scenes deal between Republicans and Democrats appears to be in the works:
(Hits at 3:03)

Nobles: Are you talking though? We see the press releases going back and forth from both sides that are out in the public, but are there actually any negotiations actually taking place that could get us to that position?

McEachin: Not yet. Now in fairness, everybody is out of town and sort of coming back to Richmond right now. But we said back in December at the Senate Finance Retreat that we would meet with the Republicans, any time, any place. To discuss this very important issue of power sharing.

Context: Liberal blogger Ben Tribbett offers a reason why both sides should be interested in settling this dispute together on Not Larry Sabato.