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Deeds Hounded by the Press Afterwards -- Frequently visibly angry and often rattled, Democratic candidate for governor Creigh Deeds entered the pivotal debate hosted by the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce and still did not unveil a transportation plan with any substance whatsoever. At one point Deeds contradicted himself on tax increases within the space of a few words. Deeds spouted buzzwords such as “long-term” and “statewide,” but offered nothing more than a thin promise to come up with a plan if he is elected and dropped broad hints that he would raise taxes to accomplish it.

“No, I'm not going to raise taxes, but I'm going to sign a transportation plan that raises new revenue,” Deeds said in an amazing display of disagreeing with himself.

“Every funding mechanism possible is on the table,” Deeds said at one point, again indicating that he would raise gasoline taxes to pay for an as-yet-to-written wish list for roads.

Often returning to his detailed plan to improve transportation in Virginia without raising taxes, McDonnell also talked about creating jobs and improving opportunities for all Virginians.

The real story of the debate, however, was Deeds’ glaring pledge to raise taxes, while trying to play a game of semantics – pledging not to raise “general fund” taxes, while obviously leaving out that the gasoline tax goes into the Transportation Trust Fund. At one point while the press had Deeds on the ropes, he lost his cool and snapped at a reporter, “I think I made myself clear, young lady.”