VA GOV: The Return Of Terry McAuliffe
Ex-DNC chair Terry McAuliffe is back. And he's not happy.
McAuliffe sent an email today to his supporter list, urging them to demand ex-AG Bob McDonnell (R) apologize for a statement made last week by VA GOP chair Pat Mullins about VAins, welfare and work ethic. Deeds and VA Dems say Mullins offended them -- and all VAins -- and Deeds has launched an online petition calling on McDonnell to take responsibility.
The backstory: At an event in Monterey on 7/30 -- a tiny town in rural Highland Co. -- Mullins was addressing a local GOP group when he, according to the Washington Post, "told a story about insurance office forced to close in Wise, not because of the economy but because they couldn't recruit needed employees, even at a local college." Mullins, on the pool of recruits: "They preferred to be on welfare."
Deeds and state Dems lept on Mullins' comments, calling a conference call with reporters 8/3 on which both Deeds and state Dem Chair Richard Cranwell demanded an apology from McDonnell.
Deeds, on the call: "When Bob McDonnell says people in this part of the state would rather have welfare than jobs, it's not only offensive, it shows he just doesn't get Virginia."
In his email today, McAuliffe backed Deeds up. "It's clear that Bob McDonnell has totally lost touch with what Virginians are going through, and we need to put the pressure on him," he wrote.
That McAuliffe would jump into the fray isn't a huge surprise. McAuliffe devoted half of his concession speech to a stump speech for Deeds, and his camp's website has featured a giant "Contribute Now To Creigh Deeds" button front and center for months.
But the timing of the email suggests the Deeds camp feels that Mullins quote really has some legs. Deeds happens to be on a week-long swing through rural VA, so the timing and location -- Monterey has a pop. of 158 -- of the "welfare" comment fits perfectly into the Deeds agenda. Deeds, himself a rural son of VA, has used his lineage to try and build a base of support in some of VA's more conservative areas, hoping that blood runs thicker than politics.
The Deeds camp told On Call that it had coordinated with McAuliffe on the sending to today's email message. "We talked with [McAuliffe] about it," Deeds spokesperson Jared Leopold said in an email. "Happy to have his support on this issue."
In a campaign still tightly focused on the economy, both cands are eager to paint one another as out of touch when it comes to economic concerns of so-called "real" VAians. It may not be this year's "Macaca," quite yet, but if Deeds clearly thinks it can pick up steam. And, don't forget, all this is happening the night before Pres. Obama's scheduled arrival in McClean for an appearance at a Deeds fundraiser and rally. If Obama mentions the quote tomorrow, you can be sure Deeds is banking on it to do some serious damage to McDonnell down the line.
(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)
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