Deeds Pushing Divisive Social Issues Once Again
- Jumps on Decades-Old College Paper, Avoids Discussion of Real Issues -
- Attempts to Reframe Race in Effort to Divide, Not Address Jobs, Economy, Roads -
RICHMOND - Trailing badly in every public opinion poll, Democratic candidate for governor Creigh Deeds has once again broken his promise to avoid injecting divisive social issues into the campaign by exploiting an academic paper written decades ago. Deeds has made the centerpiece of his campaign a master's thesis written by Republican Bob McDonnell before the fall of the Berlin Wall and before many of the people who will vote in this election were even born.
"Please take a few minutes to read the article and then forward it to every person you know: friends, family, neighbors, you name it," wrote Deeds senior advisor Mo Elleithee in a blast e-mail Sunday, following the publication of the thesis by the Washington Post.
Broken Promise
Deeds is attempting to re-frame the race in an effort to divide Virginians along emotional social issues, despite an express promise not to do so.
"I've never made social policy a huge part of my campaigns or a huge focus of my agenda," Deeds said in the first gubernatorial debate at the Homestead in July. "We have to be focused not on the politics of division, not of the things that divide us as people, but the things that will allow us to move forward as a Commonwealth. We can't be continually dividing our citizens on social politics."
Watch the video of Deeds making his promise here.
Indeed, once Deeds made his desperate bid to change the subject away from issues important to everyday Virginians, the media noted that his gambit to cast the campaign in light of a social agenda was - at best - precarious.
"Deeds to Wage Risky Attack On Opponent's Abortion Views," read the headline in the Washington Post on August 9, 2009. "Deeds's strategy is a departure from the approach that worked for the state's past two Democratic governors, who generally played down touchy social issues and focused instead on the issues they said voters cared about more: traffic, schools and other quality-of-life issues," reported the Post.
Who's Got the Façade?
"We've said all along that Bob's election year rhetoric about prioritizing jobs and the economy is nothing more than a façade," wrote Mo Elleithee in the Deeds campaign e-mail.
On odd claim, given that Deeds has yet to offer a coherent plan to do much at all, except raise taxes. He also vows not to have a transportation plan, but only has a way to pay for whatever it may be.
Façade of A Transportation Plan
"In response, R. Creigh Deeds, the Democratic candidate for governor, has pledged to come up with a solution in his first year in office but has offered no funding plan. He vows not to, saying that any proposal would be divisive and limit his ability to bring lawmakers together to agree on a solution once he's elected."
"[Deeds'] vaunted transportation policy consists of . . . promising to build consensus, and an admission that he would sign a tax hike if one landed on his desk."
"Republican Robert F. McDonnell has compiled a transportation plan while Democrat Creigh Deeds curiously has declared he won't advance one until after - read, if - he gets elected."
"Deeds, on the essential subject of transportation and so far in this race, is standing at the starting blocks deaf to a starting gun that long since has sounded."
"[A]s McDonnell points out, his opponent's plan is so skimpy that he doesn't even list transportation as a separate menu item on his Web site.
"We, too, have been disappointed in Democratic nominee Creigh Deeds' dodge in presenting solutions to Virginia's most pervasive problem."
"Mr. Deeds, insofar as his published platform is concerned, has barely bothered to float a transportation program. Now, by stating that he'd sign a bill containing higher taxes for roads, he has at least tipped his hand."
Covenant Marriage
In his thesis, McDonnell championed covenant marriage, which would be an option for couples who want to enter matrimony with a firm lifetime commitment to the union.
Included among others who support the idea are Governor Tim Kaine and Del. Albert Pollard (D - 99th District). While lieutenant governor, Kaine proposed covenant marriage as part of his legislative package aimed at strengthening families.
"Marriage is sort of the bedrock of society," [Kaine] said, according to the Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star. "Anything you can do to make marriages stronger is a good thing."
"There's a concept out there that issues of family preservation are the province of one party," Pollard said. "That is wrong. The idea that marriage is a sacred bond is not unique to one party."
McDonnell: Do the Job, Work Hard: You're Hired
McDonnell said he does not consider sexual orientation when hiring employees for his office. "I'm not going to discriminate on any basis other than whether people are hard-working and honest," he said. (Daily Press, February 28, 2006)
Creigh Deeds: Losing, Desperate and Divisive
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