Posted on 02/04/2013 11:26:38 PM PST by neverdem
The Republican attorney general's controversial comments in his upcoming tome could come back to haunt him in the Virginia governor's race.
Pragmatic Republicans looking to hang onto the governorship in Virginia have been hoping that their nominee, state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, would tailor his outspoken conservative views for a more-moderate Old Dominion electorate. But based on excerpts released from his new book, Cuccinelli is making no apologies — and comes out swinging hard against all government entitlement programs.
According to reports from Politico and The Washington Post, Cuccinelli doesn’t limit his criticism of government programs, but also is skeptical of its role as a provider of last resort.
One telling anecdote: Cuccinelli’s recounting of a time in the 1970s when his uninsured mother was hospitalized for six months. They got help from extended family and friends as Cuccinelli’s father worked to pay off the bills. “It was a painfully difficult time for my parents, but despite the hardship, the last thing my parents thought about doing was asking the government to force other people to pay our bills,” an excerpt in the Politico report said.
Cuccinelli also writes that entitlement programs have been used to make people dependent on the federal government, and while maintaining the constitutionality of Medicare and Social Security, writes that President Bush used the 2003 Medicare expansion and "taxpayer dollars to buy seniors’ votes for his 2004 reelection campaign, pure and simple."
The book, being released on Feb. 12, is the first major event that could shape the trajectory of the Virginia gubernatorial race. The book has opened up a clear line of attack for his Democratic rival Terry McAuliffe, who is trying to cast Cuccinelli as anti-Medicare and anti-Social Security. McAuliffe campaign officials say they expect it to use it to attack Cuccinnelli as being out of the mainstream.
The campaign released a statement Friday describing Cuccinelli’s remarks on Medicare and Social Security as “demeaning to hardworking families.”
“Our next Governor must put aside this kind extreme ideological rhetoric that divides Virginians and insults everyone who has worked hard and paid their taxes,” McAuliffe said.
For its part, the Cuccinelli campaign is accusing Democrats of “cherry picking” portions of the book and making a “baseless attack" on Medicare and Social Security.
“When the full book is available, voters will realize that the statement was taken out of context and that Mr. Cuccinelli supports Medicare and Social Security,” said campaign spokesman Jahan Wilcox.
When asked for a copy of the book in order to get the fuller context, Wilcox responded that it will be available for purchase on Feb. 12.
In a case of curious timing, Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a Republican exploring a run as an independent, this week came out in support of Medicaid expansion so long as it includes federal waivers to let the state reform the program. That’s a reversal of his earlier position. The announcement suggests he’s politically attuned to the implications of Cuccinelli’s comments and is looking to draw a contrast with his GOP rival.
“This is early. The whole race hasn’t formulated yet,” said former Rep. Tom Davis of Virginia, a moderate Republican. “Some of it depends on what the whole Republican ticket is going to look like. Is it going to be a broad-based ticket representing the whole party?… Will the Republican base fracture, or will the attorney general be able to put the whole coalition together?”
Davis also pointed to Gov. Bob McDonnell's ability to win in the state despite news breaking during the campaign on the contents of his master's thesis, in which he wrote that working women were "detrimental" to families. One big difference, however: McDonnell’s thesis was written nearly two decades before his 2009 campaign.
Playing in Cuccinelli’s favor: In Virginia, voters traditionally vote against the president’s party in gubernatorial elections. Davis said atmospherics and President Obama’s approval ratings will be as important as Cuccinelli’s writings come November.
Also, Cuccinelli has always been conservative, and he’s won a number of times before in Virginia. It wouldn’t be wise to write-off his prospects, even if the book does damage. “A lot of Democrats have gone to the graveyard underestimating Ken Cuccinelli,” Davis said.
Ping
The MSM has crossed the line from journalism to bullying to thuggery.
It's time for somebody to punch them in the nose. Gingrich tried it, but was hamstrung by the confines of a presidential primary campaign.
Can anybody stop the power that the MSM has amassed to politically assassinate any potential GOP threat every two years before an election?
-PJ
“Welfare” is an entitlement. Unlike welfare, SS and Medicare are OBLIGATIONS of the Federal Gov’t. People pay into both systems, and the funds MUST be there when needed. the question ought to be “how are we going to finance the system esp. with 76 MILLION people retiring at practically the same time, PLUS finance Obamacare”? I would just LOVE to hear what the ‘Rats propose to do to solve this*/s
Correct answer: WE are SCREWED.
If I heard the news right today, there is one rebel Republican VA state Senator who refused to vote, which would have given the 20/20 Senate a tie to be broken by the Republican chair (Lt. Gov.?). I think this may be related to the fact that while a black Democrat Senator was participating in the Inaugural, the Senate met and pushed through a controversial measure while they had a majority. Even some Republicans viewed this as dirty pool.
Idea for a Cunccinelli palmcard
Democrats and RINOS
GOD DENIERS AND CONGENITAL LIARS
ARE REDISTRIBUTE WEALTH INCITERS/
FOR FIRST YOUR MONEY THEN YOUR GUNS
AND BE DEFENSELESS WHEN CROOKS COME
It’s time to get government out of Your face
Your religion and and Your pocketbook
RICHMOND — A news report on the South Florida surgeon accused of providing free travel and underage prostitutes to Sen. Robert Menendez describes Terry McAuliffe, the Democrat running for Virginia governor, as one of the doctor’s “good friends.”
How DARE his family try to pay their own bills.
Sort of, The supreme has already ruled on this issue, Social Security and Medicare are “GIFTS” to the American people, there is no RIGHT to THEM WHATSOEVER and they are not OBLIGATED in any way shape or form to grant these gifts to anyone.
Don’t worry. Tokyo Rove and company will be right on it.
A moderate is coming to the primary.
I have been impressed with Ken Cuccinelli. He is sharp as a tack, and doesn’t seem to have the same foot in mouth disease as some of the Republicans.
He’s not likely to get trapped in the same way as some of the others.
Positively anacoluthian.
I've been a fan of his since! I hope he wins (who would vote for Terry McAuliff? Yuck!)
Here we go...
Conservatives are nuts....Palin, Santorum, Akin, anyone who advocates individual responsibility...
Please, Cucch, do NOT roll over like the squishy GOPe...
Go after macaullif on his lack of experience and close ties to Obozo’s policies.
ATTACK!
"They" don't even have to vote. Hell, "they" now do not have to even actually exist.
and now, with voting extended for days ... even weeks in some states... there's plenty of time for the Democrats to figure out how many votes they need to overcome any threatening majority... and go get them; manufacture them.
WTF would vote for Al Franken? Elizabeth Warren? Governor Moonbeam? Barry Soetoro?
Boy, you nailed it Kenny....
I was thinking this too...
Just harder to cover up on a local scale...hence the House stayed majority Pub...
I’d throw in Kaine too as a WTF would vote for the professional pol POS.
I don’t think THIS stuff will kill him in Virginia - when I saw the headline I thought it was going to be abortion related.
Anything in the book about abortion can and will be used to kill him in Virginia with women in Northern Virginia.
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