The Democratic candidates for Governor spent a good portion of the week pounding on each other in a series of debates with an increasingly personal edge.
Interestingly, however, Bob McDonnell didn’t get a free ride while the Democratic aspirants were preoccupied with one another.
Bill Clinton came to town on behalf of Terry McAuliffe and McDonnell’s opposition to the decision by Notre Dame, his alma mater, to give an honorary degree to President Obama became an object of ridicule.
Tim Kaine kept the unemployment insurance issue alive yesterday with a “Dear Bob” letter inviting him to ask the General Assembly to make a few simple changes that would enable Virginia not to forfeit $125 million in stimulus dollars.
And the Democratic Governor’s Association (DGA) just happened to donate $740,000 to a group that will run ads “exposing” Bob McDonnell’s conservative legislative record.
Does anyone see a plan or coordination here?
It’s not rocket science.
The Democrats have looked at McDonnell’s favorability numbers in the early polls and have decided that they can’t wait until the day after the primary to start knocking them down.
So while the gubernatorial Democrats get tougher with one another, the DNC, the DGA and Governor Kaine get rough with McDonnell.
Call it the division of labor.
I’m not sure how successful it will be. But it lets everyone know that the Democrats are not asleep at the switch.
It also says just how important Virginia is becoming to the national dialogue in 2009.
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