Posted on 10/04/2001 7:54:10 AM PDT by cogitator
Time to comment, everyone.
I thought it was going to be live on a Washington station, but that's only the Friday debate. So all I got to see were sound-bites (and not very exciting ones, at that). Governor Wilder seemed amused by both candidates inability to answer the questions posed.
I kept asking myself, how on earth did this guy almost win a Senate seat in 1996. I guess 10 million dollars can do that, plus John Warner's efforts to piss of the GOP base in the Commonwealth.
Earley was very cool, relaxed, had some good off-the-cuff moments and stuck to his message. Warner was constantly looking at his notes, stumbling, not addressing the camera and making jokes no one laughed at. The guy has a major dork effect working against him, and hopefully over the next month we can put him away. I just won't be able to take this guy for four years.
I think when it's all said and done on election day, the undecideds will see "D - Alexandria" next to Warner's name and Earley will squeak in with help from the undercard, Katzen and Kilgore, whom I expect to win a bit easier. Here's hoping I'm right.
I didn't watch, but I've talked to several folks this morning that did. They're admittedly pro-Earley, but at least one who is very close to the campaign - but at the same time will tell me how it really is - told me that Earley was the clear winner.
Plus, Wilder was pretty tough on Warner and later said that he (Warner) was the least responsive of the two.
My assessment. Earley can still win this if he keeps going in this direction (hammering Warner on taxes, talking about public safety). There's some new blood at campaign HQ that has helped to put things back on track.
Earley needs two things: 1) Money and 2) George W. Bush.
A Bush fly-in to the state would seal the election for Earley. If this Governorship is as important to Bush as we've been lead to believe, he'll show up. My guess is that Jim Gilmore is working on those details.
(Callahan throws self to ground in anguish. Beats on floor with fists. Turns red and screams bloody murder)
Waaaaaaaaaaaa! I want my flag!
(Callahan realizes that resistance is futile and dusts self off. Looks around. Upon the realization that nobody seen this breakdown, he walks away like nothing happened, hoping to get flagged to the next thread.)
I watched it, and Earley wiped the floor with that Yankee game-show host. I never realized how bad Warner really is, but the guy is positively Gore-like, but instead of Prince Albert's overbearing condesenscion, Warner is all nervous robotics.
I wanted to reach through my television and strangle that little prig Warner when just after 11 Sept he started running ads with him draped in the flag and saying something like, "in these difficult times, we should not be running negative ads, but that is just what my opponent is doing blah blah blah." What a LOWLIFE.
Agreed. Money should start to roll in now. Donations always pour into campaigns later in the game, it is officially "later". I agree that GW will stump AT LEAST once for Earley but it will be on the eve of the election. He simply cannot make partisan appearances right now. It would be the divisive fodder that the left would load their demogogue cannon with. Hopefully Gilmore and Bush realize that and postpone any kind of stumping until the very last minute.
Callahan
It depends on how many actually watched. I think the news reports are favoring Earley. But the vast majority of those who watch the debates have already made up their mind.
Unfortunately, the 9% number is fairly accurate.
Mark Earley Wins 3rd Debate -- Renews Opposition to Higher Taxes while Warner Backpedals, Contradicts Himself.**********************************************************************In an impressive performance, Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Earley last evening reaffirmed his opposition to new taxes and called his opponent's transportation plan -- which relies on a $900 million sales tax increase -- irresponsible and reckless to propose in a weak economy. Mark was fantastic!
Click here to read the press release: Mark Earley
Tell WTVR-TV6 why you think Mark Earley won the debate! Click here: POLL
Mark needs your support! We have the most intense time of the campaign in front of us. We need your financial support to make sure our TV spots can get and stay on the air! Please click on the link below to help Mark Earley spread his message across Virginia: DONATE
Get involved in the next debate! The Roanoke debate at 8pm on Sunday, October 7, 2001 (moderated by political pundit & UVa Professor Larry J. Sabato) will be broadcast by several television stations, including C-Span. The public is invited to submit questions for the "Electronic Town Hall" portion of the debate via the Center for Governmental Studies website, Good Politics.org. Questions will be accepted through Friday, October 5th.
TV Stations scheduled to air the Sunday debate include:
WWBT (NBC- Richmond)
WCVE (PBS-Richmond)
WDBJ (CBS-Roanoke)
WVEC (ABC-Norfolk)
WJLA (ABC-Washington)
NewsChannel 8 (Washington Metro Cable)
WVIR (NBC-Charlottesville/Harrisonburg)
WHTJ (PBS-Charlottesville)
WCYB (NBC-Bristol) will tape-delay the debate and air it the same night at 10pm.
C-SPAN;Radio stations including:
Virginia News Network (radio affiliates statewide)
WCVE-RichmondTo participate in this Sunday's debate, please submit questions in the "Electronic Town Hall" at: Good Politics.org
I'm off to distribute an education piece at a back-to-school night.
Thank you! :-) I've been talking about Warner's dork factor for a while now.
By the way, if you or any other Virginian would like an Earley for Governor or Veterans for Earley bumper sticker or two, just FReepmail me your name/address (which will not be shared), and I'll be happy to send them along free of charge.
I think you're right. Last week was sorta active at NoVa headquarters, but last night I met at least one new person from the RNC. And that place was humming!
You again. Well then, dear reader, you also read that two other very recent polls showed a 6-point and 3-point deficit. Both of those polls were published, while the alleged 9-point deficit is from an unconfirmed internal GOP poll.
Why is it that whenever you guys dislike something, you always refer to him/her/it as a "yankee". As anyone from a foriegn country will tell you, "yankees" (as in AMERICANS) are about to rid the world of Osama bin Laden. "Yankees" represent true American patriots, and they always have since the 1700s. If you insist on pretending only people from state's north of Mason Dixon line are "yankees", I would say neither Warner nor Earley apply, since they've been in Virgina for decades.
Here's what Mark Warner is: a southern-Democrat machine candidate trying to run in one of the few southern states that treads HEAVILY Republican. This fact should spell doom for in the November election, if not for so many "consevatives" throwing a temper-tamtrum over Earley.
As for the yankees, the brits will tell you many of our fine southern YANKEES came from the same of Virgina. It's no concidence they got sick of hearing the song "yankee doodle" everytime George Washington and his boys came marching down the path.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.