McAuliffe For Governor

McAuliffe for Governor (Richmond Free Press)

Richmond Free Press
May 28, 2009

In considering our endorsement for governor in the June 9 Democratic primary, our foremost objective is this: To keep up the Virginia momentum for President Obama’s audacious program of hope and change. In order to achieve that goal, we believe we must elect the strongest Democratic candidate with the ability to defeat the Republican candidate in the Nov. 3 General Election.

In the presidential election, Virginia took a huge progressive step when it voted for Barack Obama and contributed to his historic win for the presidency. The president’s win in Virginia marked a phenomenal break with the past. It marked the first time in 44 years that a Democrat had won over a conservative Republican candidate. A more noteworthy fact: Virginia, with an indisputable awful history of pervasive racism voted for President Obama, signaling a convincing break with the past. That break sent an unbelievably welcome message – that all Virginians can be treated as equals.

We must keep up this momentum of hope and change: not only for Virginia, but for the future of the nation.

The General Election will be a referendum on the progressive policies of a president who, in just four months, has made awesome strides to clean up the mess created by former President Gorge W. Bush, with the fanatical support of the likes of Virginia Republicans Eric Cantor, Bob McDonnell and Bill Bolling. These are old Harry Byrd-type politicians who can see no good in the enlightened, effective performance of President Obama. They are servants of the rich. They are the cold, heartless opponents of the poor and average citizen.

One measure of how far Virginia has come is the quality of the field of the three candidates for Governor in the June 9 Democratic Primary. That quality is reflected in the fact that black elected officials are divided in their support among former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe, State Senator Creigh Deeds and former Delegate Brian Moran. Any one if this trio would be a better Governor than the Republican conservative candidate, Bob McDonnell, who, in a symbolic position, opposed the Commonwealth receiving $125 million in federal funds to aid the unemployed. Now, how outrageously Byrd-like can a candidate get?

We have met with all three Democratic candidates. We asked them all important questions related to keeping up the Obama momentum for a better Virginia free of racism and economic exploitation.

In interviews with Sen. Deeds and former Delegate Moran, we sensed a degree of discomfort in some of their answers-particularly the one related to what they would do to correct Virginia’s disgraceful procurement record, which shows the commonwealth spends less than 1 percent of taxpayers’ dollars on black owned businesses. Further, they gave us no solid impression that they were inclined to work necessarily hard to win the Democratic Party’s most loyal constituency.

Our reaction to this disposition: If a candidate is not responsive when he is seeking your support, what kind of attention can you expect from that candidate if he is elected?

In our interview with Terry McAuliffe, we got a totally different impression. He welcomed questions-and seemingly, the harder the better. “I’m going to shake up Virginia” for what’s right for all people, he passionately vowed. Further, he demonstrated his concern for the black community, showing up at events in our community as he did in other communities-and following up to assure that he means what he says.

We also were impressed with Mr. McAuliffe’s overwhelming passion for his winning in the interest of the people in November. We admire Mr. McAuliffe’s passion for doing the right thing. As a matter of fact, we see passion, along with a sound program, as a vital ingredient for accomplishing a mission.

We think Mr. McAuliffe is the best candidate in the Democratic primary. We see Terry McAuliffe as the one who can win, keep up the momentum for hope and change and continue the tradition of the smart, fair-minded, resourceful leadership best exemplified by President Obama.

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