Posted on 11/05/2001 10:16:14 PM PST by KQQL
Vote Earley
Bush, Giuliani, and Bishop Loverde pitch in.
By John J. Miller & Ramesh Ponnuru
November 5, 2001 11:00 a.m.
Behind in the polls and badly outspent by his opponent, Virginia's GOP candidate for governor brought America's two most popular politicians and an important religious leader into his campaign over the weekend. Mark Earley's campaign mailed a brochure displaying a big picture of Earley walking half a step behind President Bush on what appears to be a tarmac. Inside, there's a quote from Bush: "I appreciate his strong stance on holding the line on taxes and cutting the car tax in Virginia." Bush recorded a phone message on behalf of Earley and two ticket mates, lieutenant governor candidate Jay Katzen and attorney general candidate Jerry Kilgore: "Mark Earley, Jay Katzen and Jerry Kilgore are the experienced leaders Virginia needs to keep the state moving forward--with a positive agenda for lower taxes, accountable schools, more jobs, and a safe and secure commonwealth." Earley's campaign also aired a new ad featuring New York mayor Rudy Giuliani: "If I were a Virginian, I would vote for Mark Earley." Voters who tuned in to the start of the World Series game last night would have seen it.
In northern Virginia, Earley may benefit as well from a letter by Catholic Bishop Paul Loverde that was either read at Masses or inserted into church bulletins over the weekend. In it, Loverde reminds parishioners of their "moral responsibility to vote" on Tuesday. "Respect for the dignity of the human person must be part of our consciousness as we enter the voting booth," continues the two-page letter. It also reminds voters of "the priority to protect the human life of all persons, pre-born and born."
The letter would have been stronger if Loverde had mentioned specifically that Earley is the pro-life candidate in the race and that his opponent, Democrat Mark Warner, supports abortion rights. In other words, there's more than just a moral responsibility to vote; there's a moral responsibility to vote for Mark Earley. Another possibility would have been to attach a scorecard showing how Earley and Warner (plus other candidates down the ticket) differ on abortion. Earley, for instance, supports legislation to require parental consent before a minor may obtain an abortion, while Warner won't commit past the parental-notification law that Earley helped enact.
As things stand, the bishop's letter leaves voters on their own to figure out the candidates' positions by tomorrow's election day. Perhaps they're sophisticated enough to know where Earley and Warner stand. Then again, perhaps not--and they won't receive much help from Earley's campaign website, which focuses on taxes, education, and safety issues.
But it's a good conclusion to what has been a lackluster campaign. In the end, though, the only thing that may salvage the hopes of those who intend to vote Earley is if they somehow manage to vote often.
I voted Libertarian for the first time in my life. We need to end the WOD. The Lt. Gov. candidate made that a hallmark of his campaign. In fact, this was the first time that I had voted for anyone outside of the Republican Party. I also voted for the local Libertarian Delegate candidate.
Hey now, I gotta use that to get home!
Psst, the Libertarian won't win. Under warner you are going to get a tax hike, no matter what and again Mark Warner wants to say thank you for your vote.
George Allen tried to cut taxes but was stopped by the RAT controlled General Assembly. (He accomplished everything else he promised).
Jim Gilmore cut the car tax and also signed the legislation eliminating sales tax on over the counter medications.
As far as I'm concerned, the response to EVERY tax cut should be "Thank you sir. May I have another?"
This is something I'd wondered about. John Warner is fairly popular, I think, and I'm sure there's lots of confusion that might be fixed when people finally see the party affiliations. Mark Warner always disguised the fact that he's a Dem.
Don't know about NJ, but the Virginia polls close at 7 PM.
Of course he won't win if you don't vote for him.
Uh at least jesse ventura had experience as a politician. He was a mayor. Also he had name recognition from a culture that goes ga-ga over staged wrestling.
I looked into Redpath, but he appeared to be to the Left of the GOP candidate...Reams seems like a good guy, but he seems waaay to caught up with the Reeferendum Issue at the expense of some much more pressing issues. Personally, I'm more than a bit soured on the Libertarian Party due to Harry Browne's anti-American--MHO--comments following 9/11. I'm libertarian by political philosophy, but I'm beginning to think the Libertarian Party's got a tone-deaf political ear.
FReegards...MUD
jesse ventura got elected because of young voters who thought it would be cool.
Jesse is just your run of the mill liberal politician.
And that great big sucking sound of tax dollars going out of taxpayers pockets is going to grow under warner.
Again mark warner thanks you for your vote.
Get 33% in the polls, and then the Libertarians will present an option to consider. Below 30%, and all you can do is make sure the leftist candidates win.
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