Press Releases

Demo Memo: 4/4/08

Posted by Greg on Friday, April 04

March 28, 2008 - April 4, 2008
www.vademocrats.org

--------------------

INTRODUCTION

Have you reserved your hotel for the 2008 State Convention yet? Don't delay, rooms will fill quickly! You can find all the details on our convention page, www.vademocrats.org/2008stateconvention.

And as Raising Kaine pointed out earlier in the week, you'll be able to catch a rematch between Sen. Webb and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) this Sunday morning on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." Check it out!

Best,

Levar Stoney
Executive Director

--------------------

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

"The controlling elements today are the group that -- like the House of Delegates leadership right now -- is not anybody's source of pride."
- Former Gov. Linwood Holton, on the state of the Republican Party [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 3/30/08]

"You have created hate across our county, our region, our state, and we're a laughing stock across the country."
- Former Prince William County Board Supervisor Hilda Barg, to Board Chair Corey Stewart [Raising Kaine, 4/2/08]

"That doesn't cause me any great heartburn. He's erring on the side of caution."
- Del. Phil Hamilton (R-Newport News), on Gov. Kaine's temporary delay of state executions [Daily Press, 4/3/08]

"John McCain needs to be on this bill. I have said to him several times that this is not a political issue -- this is about providing a fair, deserved benefit to our troops. Based on his own military history and how strongly he speaks about the positive contributions of the people who have served, I hope that he will get on board and support this new GI bill."
- Sen. Jim Webb, on his 21^st Century GI Bill [Huffington Post, 4/3/08]

--------------------

HEADLINES

Gov. Tim Kaine

Kaine's roads proposal to address shortage in maintenance money [Daily Press, 3/30/08]
Kaine stays executions pending ruling on lethal injection [Virginian-Pilot, 4/2/08]
Kaine Joins LCDS Celebration [Leesburg Today, 4/1/08]
Kaine says Dulles rail could be back on track [Loudoun Times, 4/1/08]
Kaine creates Office of Early Childhood Development [Associated Press, 4/3/08]

Sen. Jim Webb

McCain is AWOL on New GI Bill [Huffington Post, 4/3/08]
Jim Webb vs. Lindsey Graham: The Rematch! [Raising Kaine, 4/3/08]

Congressional Delegation

History lesson - Boucher triumphs for education [Bluefield Daily Telegraph, 4/4/08]

General Assembly

Budget reduces local transportation funds [Martinsville Bulletin, 3/30/08]
Budget choices focus of dispute [Daily Press, 3/30/08]
Virginia judge-selection process linked to politics [Bristol Herald Courier, 3/31/08]
Wedding bells to chime today for Virginia's senior senator [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4/4/08]
Road Money to Run Out, House GOP Says 'Tough Luck' [Raising Kaine, 4/3/08]

Election 2008

Abortion seen failing as GOP Senate issue [Washington Times, 3/30/08]
Perriello Campaign's Fundraising Feels so Goode! [Raising Kaine, 4/1/08]
Drake, Dominion, and Pollution [VB Dems, 3/30/08]
Warner 55%-Gilmore 39% [Raising Kaine, 4/2/08]
4 have set sights on 1 House seat [Winchester Star, 4/3/08]
Former Va. Governor Brings Senate Campaign To Bristol [Bristol Herald Courier, 4/3/08]

--------------------

EDITORIAL HIGHLIGHTS

"Once again, Gov. Tim Kaine has shown he understands the ordeal area residents have experienced with job losses and he has done something about it." [Martinsville Bulletin, 3/30/08]

"The debate over construction should be about common-sense investments and protecting them for the future. Instead, it's a reminder that the definition of a Virginia conservative is someone who repairs the roof only when it leaks." [Jeff Schapiro, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 3/30/08]

"The Republican solution is to look at the revenue shortfall and say it isn't so... Despite the GOP's wishful thinking, though, the statewide transportation program, too, is in desperate need. Maintenance sopped up $388 million of the state's road construction budget this year, and each year it will soak up more." [Roanoke Times, 4/4/08]

"As the two most important Republican Party leaders in Virginia, Robert McDonnell and Bill Bolling have some tremendous challenges ahead of them." [Washington Times, 3/30/08]

"Here's what [Del. Phil] Hamilton himself said on the day in January when arts, history and other cultural groups made their appeal for state funding at the Capitol: 'I don't hold out a whole lot of hope for nonstate agency funding,' he said. 'It's going to be a very, very tough year for them.' That is, unless he's on the board." [Daily Press, 4/2/08]

"Concerns about illegal immigration are well- founded, and we can only hope that a reasonable solution to our nation's border problems can be found. What our state does not need are poorly thought-out, xenophobic, knee-jerk reactions that could cause long-term harm." [Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star, 4/2/08]

"Gov. Tim Kaine's decision to stop executions until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of lethal injection was a prudent move, not a political one." [Virginian-Pilot, 4/3/08]

"Although we continue to support the ultimate sanction, Kaine's decision regarding Bell does not offend." [Richmond Times-Dispatch, 4/3/08]

"We prefer to think the governor merely exercised judicial prudence. Mr. Bell is scheduled to die by lethal injection, the Supreme Court's review deals with lethal injection, so why not delay the date of execution until the court has ruled?" [Winchester Star, 4/4/08]

"Even Texas suspended executions until the Supreme Court rules. To do less is inhumane. Gov. Kaine is right to grant reprieves." [Roanoke Times, 4/3/08]

"But that didn't stop Republican Attorney General Bob McDonnell, who is gearing up for his own run for governor, from making political hay of it. A McDonnell press release accuses Kaine of unnecessarily delaying justice - noting that Virginia's condemned prisoners can opt for the electric chair, which isn't part of the constitutional challenge. We doubt that McDonnell believes any of the state's 20 or so death row inmates will opt for Old Sparky. He simply wants to score a quick political point. He might ask Jerry Kilgore, who made his gung-ho support for capital punishment a cornerstone of his gubernatorial bid, about the success of such a strategy." [Bristol Herald Courier, 4/3/08]

--------------------

DPVA PRESS RELEASES

McCain Tries to Reinvent Himself, But Virginians Aren't Buying It (4/1/08)

--------------------

UPCOMING EVENTS

Local Caucuses

Congressional District Conventions

60^th Annual Shad Planking
Wakefield Sportsmen's Club
Wakefield, VA
April 16, 2008

Primary Elections (U.S. Senate, House of Representatives, state offices)
June 10, 2008

Democratic State Convention
Hampton Roads Convention Center
Hampton, VA
June 14, 2008

General Election
November 4, 2008

You can also find more events on our web site by entering your zip code here.

--------------------

Democratic Party of Virginia
1710 E. Franklin Street
Richmond, VA 23223
(804) 644-1966

www.vademocrats.org

View all Press Releases posts.