Democrats In Disarray: Obama Keeping Distance, While Deeds Blames
POTUS
- White House Backs Off Virginia Race; Deeds Blames DC for Own Woes -
- Negative Campaign, Sagging Polls Draw Skepticism from POTUS, Moran & Kaine -
RICHMOND - President Barack Obama is strongly hinting at letting Democratic candidate for governor Creigh Deeds sink on his own, while Deeds is blaming the president's unpopular policies for his own campaign troubles. Running an increasingly negative campaign, Deeds is still struggling to make a coherent argument to the voters of Virginia and has apparently frustrated leaders of his own political party: Obama, Rep. Jim Moran and Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine.
White House: Creigh Who?
"The White House is stepping back from lending its heft to a bellwether gubernatorial race in Virginia, party strategists say, seeking to conserve its political capital and avoid close association with a candidate who might lose," reported the Wall Street Journal. "After one appearance earlier this year, Mr. Obama hasn't committed to any further engagements in the state, despite repeated requests by the campaign of Virginia state Senator Creigh Deeds. Mr. Obama will make a second appearance on behalf of New Jersey Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine, on a date yet to be announced."
"‘They're looking at movement in the polls and calculating how far out in this race they want to see the president go,' said a Democratic strategist involved in both races. ‘In New Jersey the path to victory is a little clearer, but I think in both cases they're making the calculation on how much of the win or the loss are they willing to own.'"
Deeds: "It's Not My Fault"
"Virginia gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds, a Democrat, argued Tuesday that the Obama administration's contentious economic agenda has been a drag on his campaign," reported CNN. "With slightly under a month to go until Election Day on November 3, Deeds trails Republican Bob McDonnell in the polls. McDonnell has tried to tie Deeds to some of the more controversial legislative items being debated in Washington, particularly health care reform and the union-friendly Employee Free Choice Act.
"‘Frankly, a lot of what's going on in Washington has made it very tough,' Deeds said in a candidate forum put on by Politico, WJLA television, Google and YouTube. ‘We had a very tough August because people were just uncomfortable with the spending. They were uncomfortable with a lot of the noise that was coming out of Washington, D.C.'"
Kaine & Moran: "Oh, Yes It Is!"
"[I]t's time for Deeds to make his case to Virginia voters, Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said yesterday," according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. ‘... now it is up to Creigh in the late innings to make the simple sell for himself.'"
This advice comes on the heels of similar observations about Deeds' negative campaign by Rep. Jim Moran (8th District) - brother of Brian Moran, who was one of Deeds' opponent in the Democratic gubernatorial primary and was widely thought to have run an excessively negative campaign.
"[Rep. Moran] says he counseled his party's nominee last night that he needs to push back against consultant advice to run negative ads, and run positive spots instead," reported the Washington Post.
"‘We had a conversation last night,' Moran said. ‘I said: ‘All your consultants are going to tell you to go negative, just like they told my brother. And spend all your money on negative because positive ads don't move anything.'"
Editorials Agree: Deeds is "Dirty" Campaigner
Deeds has indeed run one of the most negative campaigns in Virginia history, as evidenced by an unprecedented nine separate editorials excoriating his campaign for its tactics and dishonesty.
The Republican Party of Virginia has even produced a video highlighting the lowlights of the Deeds campaign.
"I don't know how Creigh Deeds can sleep at night knowing what kind of campaign he's been running," said Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins. "It's his own fault that he's sort of a man without a country right now. The president doesn't want to be near him. Deeds blames the president. Tim Kaine and Jim Moran are publicly noting how bad his campaign has been. It's wonder the poor guy can show his face in public anymore."
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