Virginia Tomorrow

A day that started with The Washington Post quoting White House officials giving their pre-mortem on the Deeds campaign prior to a single vote being cast ended with another highly unusual moment at the NAACP Forum in Richmond.

The evening began in relatively straightforward fashion with both gubernatorial candidates on their game.

Bob McDonnell went first. The GOP candidate answered questions thoughtfully and thoroughly. He spoke about minority business and minority procurement issues. He provided detailed responses to criminal justice questions that were asked. And he clearly indicated that as Governor he intended to maintain a dialogue with the organization. McDonnell was cordially received by the audience and I felt that he exhibited the presence and attentiveness that Virginians expect their Governor to possess.

Creigh Deeds made an excellent presentation and handled all questions very well also. Deeds did an especially good job linking his own personal biography to his commitment to public service and his determination to enhance opportunities for all Virginans. He connected with the audience on both an emotional and intellectual level and received sustained applause for a number of his responses.  I felt that it was Deeds at his best and he impressed the audience with his tenacity and warmth.

Jody Wagner was the lone Lieutenant Governor candidate in attendance and she also did a very fine job. Wagner noted her commitment to issues such as dropout prevention and job creation. She took a few swipes at her opponent, observing that he had not participated with Democrats in genuinely addressing the challenges that the Commonwealth faced in the last four years.  Wagner commented that she would be a full-time Lieutenant Governor focusing on these matters and being a working partner with Governor Deeds. Wagner was warmly received by the audience who, I think, liked the mix of intelligence and empathy that she exhibited.

Bill Bolling did not attend the event and his absence was explained by the moderator. The audience was informed that Bolling was very late in responding to the invitation and, when he did call, the campaign asked to send a surrogate, a request that was denied by the NAACP.

But things really got interesting with the AG candidates.

Ken Cuccinelli gave the kind of plain-speaking, let me tell what you I think talk that has become his forte on the campaign trail. He began by noting bluntly that “we probably won’t agree on everything,” but then added that “I will look for things on which we can agree.” Cuccinelli spoke with some pride about his tendency to be a maverick even in his own party. He pointed to the fact that when efforts to revise the 21 day rule and allow exculpatory evidence to be presented at a later time were first advanced, he was the only Republican who voted with Henry Marsh. Cuccinelli also implicitly acknowledged that the majority of African-American voters lean Democratic, but made a point to say that he takes no vote for granted and asked for the vote of every member of the audience. Cuccinelli was received respectfully and, on a couple of occasions, with applause.

Steve Shannon was not in attendance and his absence was noted on at least three separate occasions by the moderator. In fact, the moderator not only said that Shannon had called two days ago to say that he would not be able to make the event, but also remarked that Shannon had made comments to the effect that he assumed that his opponent wouldn’t be attending as well. The moderator told the audience that, to the contrary, Cuccinelli had been the first candidate to pick up the phone and respond positively when the invitations had been issued.

Ouch!

The comments made about Shannon in absentia were the talk of the evening among the few members of the media who were present.

The irony was not lost among them.

At a debate yesterday Shannon had raised the issue of race by arguing that Cuccinelli’s legal beliefs about “state’s rights” had been, in the past,  the underpinning of practices such as secession and segregation.

24 hours later, with a beaming Cuccinelli present and accounted for in the front row, the NAACP forum moderator tells the audience that the Democratic candidate who could not make their event simply assumed that his GOP opponent would blow them off.

If there’s a business stranger than politics, please let me know.