McAuliffe Campaign Releases New Ad Highlighting Business Plan and Big Ideas

Today, gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe released a new television advertisement highlighting some of the main tenets of his business plan and his commitment to big ideas for Virginia's future.

"With Virginia families hurting, we need new ideas in Richmond. As Governor, I'll make Virginia a leader in renewable energy and create good jobs," McAuliffe says in the ad. "Some are afraid to think big, but President Kennedy didn't say we're going half way to the moon, he said we're going all the way. On June 9th I'd be honored to have your vote because are challenges our too big to think small."

The ad "Moon" will run on stations in the Tri-Cities, Richmond, Roanoke and Norfolk media markets. This is the campaign's 7th ad. It can be viewed here: http://www.terrymcauliffe.com/articles/moon.

Tags: business, business plan, ideas, macker, mcauliffe, norfolk, richmond, roanoke, t-mac, terry, terry mcauliffe, va-gov, virginia

McAuliffe Campaign Releases New Radio Ad Featuring President Clinton

Today, gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe released a new radio ad highlighting his experience and widespread support from Virginia organizations and Democratic leaders, including President Bill Clinton.

"It makes a difference who the Governor is. It makes a difference what the policies are and I am telling you Terry McAuliffe was made for this moment in history," President Clinton says in the ad. "He's got more energy than anybody I've ever met, he's relentlessly positive and he really cares about people like you.

The radio ad will run on adult urban contemporary, gospel, and religious radio stations in the Norfolk and Richmond media markets. It was produced by Potomac Waves, a minority-owned and operated media consulting firm based in Washington, DC.

The ad can be heard here.

Tags: ads, bill clinton, clinton, democratic leaders, democrats, macker, mcauliffe, norfolk, president clinton, radio ad, richmond, t-mac, terry, terry mcauliffe, va-gov, virginia

McAuliffe Releases Response Ad Highlighting his Campaign Work on Behalf of President Obama

Today, gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe released a new ad highlighting his record as an advocate for President Obama during last year's General Election campaign.

"I campaigned hard for Hillary Clinton," says McAuliffe in the ad. "But when the primaries ended I campaigned just as hard to help elect Barack Obama. My opponents know that. Brian Moran is a good democrat; so it's sad to see him use the same kind of attack politics against me that the Republicans used against President Obama."

The ad comes as a reponse to negative and misleading radio advertisements aired by the Moran campaign.

The radio ad will run on adult urban contemporary, gospel, and religious radio stations in the Norfolk and Richmond media markets. It was produced by Potomac Waves, a minority-owned and operated media consulting firm based in Washington, DC.

The ad can be heard at http://www.terrymcauliffe.com/articles/terry-mcauliffe-responds-to-morans-attack.

Tags: macker, mcauliffe, norfolk, obama, radio, radio ad, richmond, t-mac, terry, terry mcauliffe, virginia

Weekly Blog Roundup 5/15/09

Welcome to this week's installment of the Weekly Blog Roundup. Bloggers have been talking about Terry's recent endorsements, events, and reasons why it's not too late to become a Terry supporter.

As we head down the home stretch, we've seen some people switch their support from Brian Moran to Terry. Neal Osborne explained at Blue Commonwealth why Terry’s positive campaign has affected his decison.

Terry will be a happy warrior going into the fall campaign against Bob McDonnell and that is what we need. He can convey his plans to the voters in an enthusiastic way that will guarantee him independent (and yes, even Republican) votes. Some belittle Terry by saying he'll be a "cheerleader." Well, in these grave economic times, Virginia could use a cheerleader, especially one with progressive plans and ideas to fix Virginia's economy and get people back to work. Mark Warner brought fresh ideas to the governor's mansion. So did Tim Kaine. Now it's time to do it again and send Terry McAuliffe to Richmond.

And at Blue Virginia, Lowell provided a statement from Norfolk Young Democrats Vice President, Alexander Palmer, on why he recently decided to endorse Terry.

…After finally considering Terry, I realized he was in fact the most likely candidate to realize his agenda…Terry's relationships with political and business leaders around the nation can ensure that he can realize his agenda of improving Virginia and providing jobs. …Terry is also very well versed in the situation here in Virginia. Having attended a handful of events sponsored by his campaign and having seen him speak personally on three occasions, I can attest that Terry knows a great deal about the problems facing the Commonwealth….Terry is best suited for the job of Virginia's next governor. His enthusiasm and commitment to the party are something to be valued, as well as his numerous bold initiates. As a result of this, he has won my endorsement.

At Blue Commonwealth, teacherken reported on Terry’s endorsement from the 32BJ chapter of SEIU.

SEIU is well-noted for the ability to put boots on the ground. It is also a union with a high percentage of minority members…In a primary situation, the additional votes they can turn out could be critical.

Also writing on the endorsement, Josh Chernelia adds:

Macker momentum continues to build. Go Terry!

President Bill Clinton has been campaigning with Terry again this week, and Lowell at Blue Virginia has been tracking each stop. In Herndon, he shares a report from Mary Lee Cerillo who was there to support Terry.

The event today was fabulous. Weather was picture perfect. Crowd was lined up to get into the event as far as the eye could see. President Clinton spoke about what it was like when he was a Governor and the abilities that it takes to govern a state. He praised Terry McAuliffe and felt that he would be a fabulous governor for Virginia. Delegate Ken Plum spoke to the crowd about why he is endorsing Terry McAuliffe and feels that he has the best chance of winning in November. Terry expressed the importance of bringing jobs to Virginia and stated that he would work hard everyday to achieve that goal. I was glad I was able to attend and was pleased with the turnout and enthusiasm with the crowd and union members.

Sora Dina also attended a Bill Clinton and Terry McAuliffe rally in Annandale, and wrote about it in a diary at Blue Commowealth.

President Clinton also told the crowd something that I didn't know before. He said that Terry McAuliffe's father came from a working class background and never made more than $30,000 a year in his lifetime. It's amazing how far his intelligent son has come from that humble background. ...Terry McAuliffe, the gubernatorial candidate, spoke next. He told how proud he was to receive the recent endorsements from the League of Conservation Voters, the police union, SEIU and other endorsements. He spoke of his big ideas to bring jobs through alternative energy to Virginia, his education, transportation and other policies outlined in his "Business Plan for Virginia" posted at his website www.terrymcauliffe.com. ...I was excited and encouraged to see both of these very intelligent men lead the fight for Democratic victory both in the primary on June 9th and again in November.

Rachel, a Virginia mother who writes her own blog called If It Takes A Whole Life, wrote about visiting Terry and will.i.am at The Camel in Richmond on Monday, along with her son who shared a snack with the two.

We gave Gabriel the bag of goldfish on the way into the bar, slapped a campaign sticker on his shirt and made our way toward the crowd of folks waiting to meet the two headliners. Since Gabriel was the only kid in the joint, he stuck out. It wasn't long before he was in McAuliffe's arms. Our child, of course, remained completely unphased in the spotlight. In fact, he continued munching his goldfish as his mama (and a whole buncha journalists) paparazzied him with photos. Now, I can't remember whether McAuliffe asked for a fish (Gabriel's a very good sharer!) or Gabriel offered, but next thing I know, Gabriel's hand is in McAuliffe's mouth and he's feeding the former chair of the DNC lots of little fishies. Everyone ate it up (pun intended).

At Daily Kos, alankrishnan wrote about a good night out at the Clarendon Ballroom to see will.i.am and Biz Markie supporting Terry McAuliffe.

The music was preceded by a very inspiring speech. …will.i.am was profuse in his words, acknowledging what he has learned over the years from McAuliffe and why he now supports the candidature of McAuliffe to be the next Governor of Virginia. …Towards the end of his speech, McAuliffe appealed to every one to unite on June 10th and help the Democratic nominee fight Bob McDonnell. McAuliffe should surely win the award for "playing cricket" in Virginia Democratic nominee politics - maintaining the highest possible standards and not just not saying negative things about his candidates, but actually saying positive things about them, almost to the point of campaigning for his opponents!

At his blog The Daily Dogwood, Josh Chernila wrote about Tery’s well-organized, on-message campaign and his strong leadership skills that are essential for Virginia’s next governor.

The total of the McAuliffe campaign's success can be seen in the growing consensus. It ranges from national and local media down to just plain regular folks. It's the consensus that the Virginia Democratic primary has a leader named Terry McAuliffe, and chances are, he'll be Virginia's next Governor. You can buy staff. You can buy great communications. But an emerging sense of leadership excellence can't be bought, that's something you have to earn.

Tags: bill clinton, bloggers, blog roundup, blogs, business, economy, herndon, macker, mcauliffe, norfolk, seiu, t-mac, terry, terry mcauliffe, va-gov, virginia, weekly blog roundup, will.i.am

Weekly Blog Roundup 5/8/09

This week in the blogosphere, there were reports on Terry's many recent endorsements, including local leaders, unions, organizations, and a famous hip-hop artist. Bloggers also talked about Terry's events and determination to improve Virginia's economy.

Lowell at Blue Virginia reported on Terry’s endorsement from the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, saying:

As of today, Terry is THE environmentalist candidate in this race. Rock and roll!

Others agreed, like commenter Tom Counts...

Now, the folks at LCV have endorsed the person who not only BELIEVES in Conservation and protection of the environemnt, but has a real plan to make it happen.

...and commenter Kyle Blankenship.

I don't think one can downplay the significance of this endorsement. Coming after strong polling data yesterday, this will be another boost for the McAuliffe campaign. With the environment a steadily growing concern, indicated by the strong turnout for events like "Blue Planet Forum" I attended tonight, this will only improve upon the McAuliffe's lead statewide. We're just shy of a month out, and the timing of this could not be better for McAuliffe.

Meanwhile, the blog Not Larry Sabato simply said:

League of Conservation Voters Endorse T-Mac... The momentum continues...

Lowell also wrote about other endorsements including the Arlington Coalition of Police Union and Loudon Democratic leaders.

I'm very happy to see some of the best grasssroots Democrats in Virginia on the following list (see comments section), such as my friend and former Webb compadre Mary Lee Cerillo. It looks to me like momentum is really building for Terry McAuliffe. Great stuff!

At Blue Commonwealth, Dan Sullivan reported on the town hall event that Terry held last week in Norfolk.

Terry McAuliffe held a Town Hall in Norfolk on Friday that attracted a wide range of the citizenry, from teachers to union members including the firefighters, to just plain folks…The bottom line and the big argument, according to Terry, is that we have got to think big and bold here and we have got to create jobs by changing the dynamic here in Virginia. With unemployment rising and places like Martinsville suffering 20.8%, we are less than 5% away from depression era figures. We are facing huge economic issues. He believes, “…our focus has to be: grow the economy.” We need a governor who gets out of bed every day and asks, “how do we bring more jobs in, how do we bring in more high tech jobs, how do we bring in more alternative energy jobs?” … The audience and he connected and asked too many questions for him to be able to fully field in the limited time, though he kept answering despite his schedule.

Arjun Jaikumar reported in a diary on Daily Kos on performing artist, actor, and Democratic activist will.i.am campaigning with Terry.

Well, will.i.am - a prominent Obama surrogate and Democratic activist, in addition to being a famous hip-hop artist and actor - will now campaigning with former DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe, one of the most prominent surrogates for Obama's former rival, now Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton….McAuliffe and will.i.am apparently go back several years. The artist's support, along with that of former President Clinton, certainly gives McAuliffe a considerable degree of star power as the campaign rolls into its final weeks.

At Blue Virginia, Dan Sullivan discussed Terry’s appearance on the Fairfax political discussion show, “The Road To,” in which he argued that our next governor needs to be one who focuses on job creation and new revenue.

McAuliffe argues that if we don’t change the dynamic in Virginia, in two years time all we will have done is cut the budget or raise the taxes. We need a governor who is fiscally responsible, who knows how to create economic activity, and hasn’t been part of this partisan battling down in Richmond. That way, according to McAuliffe, we don’t have to have the budget battle because the revenue will be coming in.

JC White at What is right for Virginia wrote of another endorsement, that of Martinsville Vice Mayor Kimble Reynolds Jr.

I know Kimble to be a very thoughtful man and not given to rash decisions. Congressman Tom Perriello chose Reynolds to be a part of his transition team, and he has served as Mayor in the past. Vice Mayor Kimble Reynolds Jr. today endorsed Terry McAuliffe for Governor, citing his decades of experience creating jobs and turning businesses around. As Vice Mayor, Reynolds has helped to lead a city with one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, today a daunting 20.2 percent, and has served in the city government since 2004… McAuliffe's Business Plan for Virginia includes sections devoted to creating jobs in hard-hit areas. His ideas include specialized tax incentives aimed at creating good jobs with benefits in high-need areas by rewarding businesses for locating high-growth industry jobs in Virginia.

Tags: arlington coalition of police union, arlington police, bloggers, blogs, economy, endorsements, jobs, kimble reyn, lcv, league of conservation voters, loudon, loudon democrats, macker, mcauliffe, norfolk, reynolds, t-mac, terry, terry mcauliffe, weekly blog roundup, will.i.am

McAuliffe Campaign On The Air With New Ad in Richmond, Hampton Roads

Emphasizing his work to promote the inclusion of every Virginia community in the electoral process, gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe today released a new radio advertisement. Entitled "Leadership," the 60-second spot highlights his continued commitment to fighting for Virginians.

"I'm Terry McAuliffe and as Chairman of the Democratic National Committee I worked hard to protect voting rights and as your Governor I will work even harder for you and your family." McAuliffe says in the ads. "I'll bring big ideas and a fresh approach to Richmond, but we've got to get started right now. My business plan will create thousands of jobs. It will take wind energy off our coast to power our homes, invest in technology that can convert waste into energy, and fund Pre-K programs and increase teacher pay."

The radio ad is running on adult urban contemporary, gospel, and religious radio stations in the Norfolk and Richmond media markets. It was produced by Potomac Waves, a minority-owned and operated media consulting firm based in Washington, DC.

The ad can be heard here.

Tags: ad, jobs, leadership, macker, mcauliffe, norfolk, radio, richmond, t-mac, terry, terry mcauliffe, virginia

McAuliffe Wraps Up Economic Roundtables, Prepares to Unveil Business Plan for Virginia

After weeks of listening to Virginians' ideas on how to get our economy back on track, gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe yesterday held his final roundtable in Roanoke. The event was the final in a series of eight roundtables held across the Commonwealth on topics ranging from job creation and support for small businesses to education and workforce training. Ideas for converting agricultural waste to energy, improving infrastructure, and encouraging university research were also discussed throughout the course of the roundtable series.

"When I started this campaign, I said that the best ideas don't always come from Richmond," said McAuliffe. "These roundtables have shown that Virginians are full of good ideas and I plan on bringing these good ideas with me to the governor's office. Together, we're going to get our economy back on track."

Throughout the roundtables, no issue generated more discussion than McAuliffe's call for job creation ideas. University of Virginia Professor Jim Durand outlined how the next Governor could create jobs by helping to partner university researchers with private investors, citing his involvement with RideForward, a project that converts gas-powered vehicles into electric cars. With the governor's help, projects like RideForward could develop into profitable businesses that will help expand Virginia's economy and create jobs.

In Roanoke, Anthony Smith, a developer with LRE Development Corporation, also highlighted the need for job creation, emphasizing that Virginia already had the resources to do so. Smith highlighted the busy trucking corridors in Southwest Virginia and said that he would like "his resources to be married to a Governor's plan that has a strong focus on using what we already have to create jobs."

Attendees also focused on the need to improve educational opportunities, which will aid Virginia's next generation of workers. In Norfolk, Brenda Andrews suggested setting up a "teacher mentor corps" in which retired teachers could be called upon to mentor young teachers, helping to enhance the quality of the classroom.

Throughout the economic roundtable series, McAuliffe received innovative ideas from participants at every event and from engaged Virginians online. In the coming weeks, McAuliffe will unveil a series of policy initiatives which will incorporate many of the ideas from Virginians like Jim, Anthony, and Brenda that he has heard during his conversations across Virginia.

Tags: 2009, economic growth, economic roundtable, economy, energy, macker, mcauliffe, norfolk, roanoke, t-mac, terry, terry mcauliffe, university of virginia, va-gov, virginia

Women offer McAuliffe views on the issues

February 27th, 2009
The Daily Press
Ashley Kelly

PHOEBUS — A group of 25 women sat tucked inside the Phoebus Coffee House chatting and sipping coffee on Thursday afternoon.

To an onlooker some seemed like old friends.

But this wasn't a social outing, girls' day out, or an organization meeting.

These women meant business.

Most were community leaders who came to voice their concerns about education, health care, and job creation with gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe, during an economic round-table.

This was McAuliffe's sixth round-table discussion in the state.

"I would like to see education reform that meets the needs of our young people," said Flora D. Crittenden, a retired educator from Newport News.

Crittenden said simply teaching students to take a test is not working.

"We don't need charter schools or vouchers. We need to make our schools flexible," she said.

McAuliffe spoke about job creation, improving health care and education.

"I need help to get this done," he told the women. "You are the community leaders here; you know what's going on. You get to be governor for a day."

D. Yvonne Rivers, a social entrepreneur, said women should be educated to start their own businesses.

"They need to be trained to get better jobs," she said. "I'd like to see every woman in Virginia off welfare and able to go back in her neighborhood and bring other sisters out."

Other issues were affordable child care, health care and restoration of rights for former prisoners.

The bulk of the hourlong summit was controlled by the women. While they spoke, McAuliffe jotted their suggestions down in a notebook.

Previous round-table discussions throughout the state included attracting new jobs to Virginia, education and work force training and investing in renewable energy technologies as a key way to create more green jobs.

After the round-tables, McAuliffe is slated to release his policy initiatives.

McAuliffe, the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, will run against state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds and former Del. Brian Moran for the Democratic nomination.

The winner of the June primary will face off with Attorney General Robert McDonnell, the GOP candidate for governor, in November.

Tags: 2009, daily press, economic growth, economy, governor, jobs, macker, mcauliffe, newport news, norfolk, t-mac, terry, terry mcauliffe, tmac, va-gov, women for mcauliffe

How the stimulus bill can realize a vision for Virginia

February 15, 2009
The Daily Press
Terry McAuliffe

No issue is more pressing this year, either in Virginia or nationwide, than creating jobs and getting our economy back on track.

To generate economic growth and ensure that we provide opportunities for all Virginians, we need to invest in high- value, high-growth industries for the future, building the infrastructure and work force we need to attract them.

While growing the economy is a long-term project, we have a unique opportunity to start moving forward right now, thanks to the economic stimulus program that President Barack Obama has proposed. The president’s plan is projected to create or save nearly 3 million jobs nationwide — almost 100,000 jobs in Virginia — with one-quarter of those jobs coming in energy and infrastructure. Virginia is well-positioned to put federal stimulus dollars to good use in both areas, creating new, high-paying, high-growth jobs throughout our state, not just in the urban centers. But we need to make sure that we are directing our investments with an eye toward the future.

Today, the nation’s future rests on finding cleaner, cheaper and U.S.-based energy alternatives. Obama has made new energy alternatives a focus for his stimulus program — there’s no better place to start than Virginia.

New technologies mean new jobs. Virginia has a chance to be on the leading edge in a new green energy revolution, and we should grab it. New factories building the latest in wind and solar equipment can put thousands of Virginians to work in high-paying, high-tech manufacturing jobs. New, clean biofuels create new markets for Virginia crops and livestock waste. We can even generate energy from our gas-producing landfills. And retrofitting existing buildings also creates immediate jobs for carpenters, electricians, installers and other contractors.

Better conservation technologies also mean more money in Virginians’ pockets. Any opportunities to save money on heating and electric bills in this economy will benefit everyone. And all of these approaches mean we’re taking better care of our environment, leaving a cleaner, healthier planet for our children and grandchildren.

Virginia’s transportation infrastructure also desperately needs an infusion of funding with a healthy dose of innovation. Virginia operates the nation’s third-largest road network. According to one estimate, Virginia has more than $100 billion in unmet transportation infrastructure needs — which we try to meet with a state transportation budget of only about $3 billion.

As a vital part of the nation’s capital region, site of many important military installations, and home to what should soon be the largest port on the East Coast, Virginia’s infrastructure — and its connections to the rest of the country — should be of central concern to the Congress and the president. And we can’t just keep doing things the same old way.

We need to focus our infrastructure investments on getting more cars off the roads in our worst traffic-clogged areas, utilizing rail and even our ports, instead of trucks. This means securing a federal commitment to high-speed rail and to improving existing rail lines across the commonwealth to move people and goods. Central Virginia has the capacity to retrofit its rail corridor to double-stack and expand it, which is the future of intermodal and global shipping. We also need additional federal funding to upgrade existing road infrastructure in areas where better transportation is vital for economic growth — like making improvements to Interstate 81 and the Coalfields Expressway in Southwest Virginia.

But our investments shouldn’t focus on infrastructure alone — we also need to build up a well-trained work force. In addition to educating the next-generation work force, we need to invest in worker retraining programs to help the thousands of Virginians who have lost their jobs. Virginians have the drive and dedication to succeed. We just need to arm them with the scientific, technological and innovative know-how to lead the world in the 21st century.

I see a Virginia that is a national and world leader in such industries of the future as alternative energy, new transportation technologies like high-speed rail, smart roads and smart cars, while maintaining our pre-eminence in IT and becoming the East Coast’s leading port and transshipment center. All this is possible with vision, business acumen and creativity — all of which I hope to bring to Richmond, as Mark Warner and Tim Kaine did before me. But, in the short term, properly directed federal stimulus would be a great first step.

McAuliffe is a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination for governor of Virginia. For information about his positions, go to terrymcauliffe.com.

Tags: 2009, daily press, economic, economic growth, economy, governor, growth, hampton road, jobs, macker, mcauliffe, newport news, norfolk, recovery, stimulus, t-mac, terry, terry mcauliffe, va-gov, virginia

Small Business Economic Roundtable in Norfolk

Yesterday, Terry held a Small Business Economic Roundtable discussion in Norfolk. Terry knows that great ideas can come from all over Virginia, not just from Richmond. And over the next few weeks, he's going to travel to every region of the Commonwealth to solicit ideas from Virginians who work hard every day and fuel our economy. These conversations will ultimately serve as an integral part of his business plan to put Virginia's economy back on track.

Norfolk's Vivian Paige covered yesterday's event. Here's what she took away:

The conversation on Monday centered around the needs of small businesses, in particular minority and women-owned small businesses, but also included a discussion of education and the role it plays, the Dillon Rule, and the prison population. McAuliffe asked the attendees what they would do if they were governor. Among the ideas floated were the need for minority business set asides, better access to capital, having those within government who manage the various departments that deal with business actually have some business experience themselves and the mentoring of young teachers. Some of the conversation dealt with local issues, such as the lack of recreational facilities for youth. A number of speakers spoke about their own efforts to help those in the community - giving convicted felons jobs, teaching young ladies, and so forth.

In between speakers, McAuliffe spoke about his own plans to increase teacher salaries to the national average, to pursue quality teachers, to do something about the Dillon Rule. He also talked about people having access to him as governor: he wants people to be able to pick up the phone and call him if you have an issue. He certainly got an earful of ideas from this group.

[Vivian Paige, 02/10/09]

Yesterday was also Terry's 52nd birthday, and the attendees thanked Terry with a birthday cake to cap off a really interesting conversation about the future of Virginia's economy.

Today, Terry's holding another economic summit in Martinsville, so please stay tuned for more information about his conversations with Virginians.

Tags: 2009, economic, governor, macker, mcauliffe, norfolk, roundtable, small business, t-mac, terry, terry mcauliffe, va-gov, virginia

McAuliffe Announces "Economic Roundtables" to Be Held Across Virginia

For Immediate Release: February 6, 2009

Ensuring input from all parts of the Commonwealth is included in his business plan for Virginia, gubernatorial candidate Terry McAuliffe announced today that he will hold a series of Economic Roundtables in every region of Virginia in the coming months. Meeting with business and community leaders, McAuliffe will discuss his vision for the future economic vitality of the Commonwealth and also hear from them about how to get our economy back on track.

With Virginia facing unprecedented economic challenges, the roundtables will focus on a wide range of issues affecting the economy, including attracting new jobs to the commonwealth, education and workforce training, improving infrastructure, supporting small businesses, and investing in renewable energy technologies to create green jobs. When the economic policy roundtables conclude, McAuliffe will unveil a series of policy initiatives, including ideas collected from his discussions across Virginia.

“Over the coming months, I look forward to continuing my conversation with Virginians about the direction they want the Commonwealth to move in,” McAuliffe said. “I believe the best ideas don’t always come out of Richmond. The next governor of Virginia must look to every corner of the Commonwealth when it comes to solving the problems that face us.”

Prior to announcing his candidacy for Governor, McAuliffe traveled across the Commonwealth, talking with and listening to Virginians about the direction they want the state to move in. Later, when he kicked off his candidacy, he held 25 town halls, where he discussed the need to have a “business plan” for Virginia and continued to listen to what Virginians had on their minds.

McAuliffe’s Economic Roundtable series will kick off with a Small Business Economic Roundtable in Norfolk and a Job Creation Economic Roundtable in Martinsville.

Monday, February 9
11:45 AM
McAuliffe Holds Small Business Economic Roundtable
The Garden Room
The Murray Center
455 East Brambleton Ave.
Norfolk, VA 23510

Tuesday, February 10
1:45 PM
McAuliffe Holds Job Creation Economic Roundtable
Virginia Museum of Natural History
21 Starling Ave.
Martinsville, VA 24112

Tags: 2009, business, economic, governor, job creation, jobs, martinsville, mcauliffe, norfolk, policy, roundtables, small business, terry, terry mcauliffe, va-gov, virginia

Lobbying to keep carrier in Norfolk

Virginian-Pilot
Lauren King
January 28, 2009

The day after Defense Secretary Robert Gates defended the Navy’s plan to relocate a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier to Florida, Terry McAuliffe, a Democratic candidate for governor, sent out an e-mail to supporters asking that they lobby to keep it in Virginia.

“This unnecessary transfer would have devastating consequences here in Virginia,” he wrote in the e-mail. “Thousands of jobs would be lost and it would deepen the economic crisis in Hampton Roads.”

Navy Secretary Donald Winter, who plans to leave office by March, endorsed plans this month to move one of the five Atlantic Fleet flattops to Mayport Naval Station in Florida as a hedge against a natural disaster or terrorist attack on Hampton Roads, according to a story published in the Pilot today.

The move would shift about 3,000 sailors from Hampton Roads to the Mayport area, near Jacksonville, and siphon hundreds of millions of dollars annually from the local economy.

McAuliffe asks that supporters demonstrate Virginia is the “most military-friendly state in the nation,” and tell Gates, through McAuliffe’s campaign Web site, that no carrier should be moved from Norfolk to Florida.

Tags: aircraft carrier, carrier, department of defense, economy, hampton roads, jobs, mcauliffe, navy, norfolk, robert gates, secretary of defense, terry mcauliffe

Keep the Carrier

As the Bush administration was on its way out the door, a major decision was made about plans to transfer a critical Norfolk-based aircraft carrier to Florida. We cannot allow this to happen.

This unnecessary transfer would have devastating consequences here in Virginia. Thousands of jobs would be lost, and it would deepen the economic crisis in Hampton Roads.

Thanks to the leadership of Senators Webb and Warner, Governor Kaine and our Congressional delegation, the Department of Defense has agreed to review this decision.

But Florida’s lobbying hard to move this carrier, and I need your help to show where Virginians stand on this issue. By applying public pressure, we can demonstrate that Virginia’s the most military-friendly state in the nation. No one knows the Navy like we do.

Moving this carrier to Florida isn’t just bad for Virginians; it’s bad for our country. The current plan would require constructing a brand new facility in Florida, wasting nearly a billion dollars in taxpayer money at a time when we need to be smarter about our spending priorities than ever before. As Senator Jim Webb — a former Secretary of the Navy — has said, the Navy cannot afford to add a “nonessential, redundant facility.”

So please, help save good-paying jobs and keep the carrier where it belongs

Click Here to Tell the Secretary of Defense to Keep the Carrier in Norfolk

Tags: aircraft carrier, carrier, defense department, department of defense, economy, hampton roads, jobs, mcauliffe, navy, norfolk, petition, robert gates, secretary of defense, terry mcauliffe

Our First TV Ad

Tags: ad, aircraft carrier, economy, hampton roads, jobs, mcauliffe, norfolk, television ad, terry mcauliffe, tv ad

Our First TV Ad

Tags: ad, aircraft carrier, economy, hampton roads, jobs, mcauliffe, norfolk, television ad, terry mcauliffe, tv ad

Our First TV Ad

I’m excited to announce that we’re launching our first television ad of the campaign. In this 30-second spot, Terry champions some of the ideas he’s heard from folks in Hampton Roads about how to help the region’s economy.

Terry’s heard great ideas from every corner of the Commonwealth during his travels, but too many people in the legislature just aren’t listening. In the coming weeks, we’re going to communicate directly with voters across Virginia about the issues that hit home with them.

Tags: energy, environment, green jobs, hampton roads, mcauliffe, norfolk, terry mcauliffe, virginia

McAuliffe Campaign Releases First Television Ad: "Listened"

Today, Terry McAuliffe’s campaign for governor released its first television advertisement in Hampton Roads. The 30-second spot, titled “Listened,” highlights ideas on strengthening the region’s economy that McAuliffe has heard from people as he’s traveled across Hampton Roads. Emphasizing that the best ideas don’t always come out of Richmond, McAuliffe discusses his lifetime experience of creating jobs and his focus on getting Virginia’s economy back on track.

“I’ve spent four decades building businesses and creating jobs,” McAuliffe says in the ad. “Now, I’m running for Governor because I know we can create thousands more right here. I’ll make it my job to protect your job – and get Virginia’s economy moving.

The ad can be viewed here:

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Campaign Kickoff in Norfolk

It’s finally here. The big campaign kickoff! We finished up our first town hall of the day, and I wanted to drop you a line.

We woke up very early in order to get to the National Maritime Center in Norfolk. It couldn’t have been better. The views out of the windows at Nauticus were amazing. The USS Wisconsin, one of the largest battleships ever built by the U.S. Navy, was berthed just outside. And even though it was bright and early, the crowd was pumped up and ready to go.

I told everyone who came that I’m running for governor because I believe we need to think bigger. Instead of just focusing on how to get through the next month, the next year, or the next election, we need to think more imaginatively about how to make our Commonwealth run better. Not every good idea comes from Richmond. And in the coming weeks, I’m going to lay out a detailed business plan for Virginia – big ideas that will put people to work and grow our economy

One of the reasons Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have been great governors is they brought a different kind of leadership to the office. Neither of them came out of the legislature. Tim was an executive; Mark was a businessman. And we need to build on the progress they’ve made to get our economy moving.

I’ve spent my career taking failing institutions and turning them around in order to create new wealth and new jobs. And I know that with the right leadership, we can grow this economy and make crucial investments in education, health care and transportation.

Folks came prepared with lots of questions, and we talked about topics ranging from prison overcrowding and offshore drilling, to the effect Barack Obama’s had on how we think about public service.

I’d love for you to join the conversation by attending one of my upcoming town halls in person. But if you can’t make it out, head over to our Online Town Hall, and let me know what’s on your mind.

Terry

Tags: announcement, announcement tour, norfolk, town hall

Terry McAuliffe Statement on Navy Proposal to Homeport Virginia Aircraft Carrier in Florida

Contact: press@terrymcauliffe.com

Terry McAuliffe released the following statement today on the Navy’s proposal to homeport a nuclear aircraft carrier from the Naval station in Norfolk to Mayport in Florida:

“The proposed move of a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier to Florida — like the previous attempts of the Bush administration to move the Oceana Master Jet Base to Florida — makes no sense.

“No state understands nuclear carrier technology better than Virginia. We build the carriers, we refit them when they need it, and we have all the personnel and logistical support they need for their active service in Norfolk. And we have one of the finest natural harbors anywhere on earth, well fortified, and located dead center on the East Coast.

“Given the state of the economy, with demands for national bail-outs almost every day, it’s hard to understand why the Bush administration would abandon these benefits and try to replace them in Florida at a cost of hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars. Especially since the move would severely damage the Hampton Roads economy, which is still recovering from the loss of the Ford plant just last year.

“I join with Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, U.S. Senator John Warner, U.S. Senator Jim Webb, U.S. Senator-elect Mark Warner and other members of the Virginia congressional delegation in opposition to this proposal.”

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Tags: bush administration, hampton roads, jim webb, mark warner, navy, norfolk, terry mcauliffe, tim kaine

McAuliffe To Hit Campaign Trail Saturday

“McAuliffe To Hit Campaign Trail Saturday” can also be read on the Washington Post website.

Tim Craig

Terry McAuliffe, a potential Democratic candidate for governor next year, will kick off his two-month listening tour this weekend.

McAuliffe, who plans to announce Jan. 7 whether he will enter the race, will have breakfast with Prince William County Democrats tomorrow morning in Occoquan.

McAuliffe will then attend the Norfolk State University vs. Delaware State football game in Norfolk.

“Terry will be rooting on the Norfolk State Spartans,” his campaign said in a statement.

McAuliffe will end his day by attending a black-tie gala in Portsmouth to raise money for scholarships.

McAuliffe’s visit to Hampton Roads appears to be an effort to target African Americans. A Washington Post survey last month showed McAuliffe running particulary strong among black females although black males favored Del. Brian J. Moran (D-Alexandria), who is also a candidate for the nomination.

The poll also showed Moran with a slim overall lead statewide, but he and McAuliffe were tied in Hampton Roads.

Tags: hampton roads, norfolk, norfolk state university, occoquan, portsmouth, prince william, terry mcauliffe, washington post