Video Of Mark Warner Campaign Kickoff

Judy Feder Office Opening

On Sunday afternoon, I attended an event in McLean to celebrate the opening of Judy Feder’s new campaign office. You couldn’t have asked for better weather, which made the event even more enjoyable for the large number of people who showed up to show their support for Judy. Prior to becoming Judy’s campaign office the building was originally a single family home and was later used as a doctor’s office. This essentially was important because the weather therefore helped to illustrate how the office has a decent sized yard which can be used for future campaign barbeques, ice cream socials, etc. Of course, it also means there a lot of room inside (8 good sized rooms on the first floor, a few more upstairs, and a basement that can be used for storing road signs and other campaign supplies).

As the crowd continued to grow it included supporters from all across NOVA including Delegates Jim Scott (53), Bob Brink (48), and Margi Vanderhye (34); Fairfax County Board of Supervisors member John Foust; former candidate for the House of Delegates Bruce Roemmelt; and Chairman of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee Scott Surovell.

After getting an opportunity to tour the building, the hot topic of discussion was how Judy’s candidacy really presented an opportunity for Democrats to pick up a seat in the House of Representatives. That was of course combined with discussion about how many people believe our strong candidates at the House and Senate level could result in Virginia playing an important role in the presidential election. Once we all had settled in, it was time for the speeches.

Del. Jim Scott welcomed us to the 53rd House of Delegates district, which he represents. He then proceeded to talk about how Frank Wolf doesn’t represent the interests of the 10th District, it is a great time for us to elect an expert on health care policy, and how Judy is an all around great candidate. He also mentioned how talked the area has produced several great members of the House of Delegates and that the Democrats lead 14 to 3 in representing Fairfax in the House of Delegates.

Del. Bob Brink mentioned how Frank Wolf said he would embrace term limits when he was first elected, but that he now seems to have forgotten that promise. He focused on how we need to all go out and knock on doors and make phone calls to help turn out support for Judy.

Del. Margi Vanderhye really gave a passionate speech that pumped up the crowd. After mentioning all the progress we’ve seen in the General Assembly, she began to focus on how Frank Wolf and other Members of Congress who have blindly followed the Bush Administration truly are out of touch with Virginians. She received a great deal of applause, for instance, after saying that “this has been a reckless, arrogant, really malevolent administration when it comes to what’s best for the American people.”

After Margi then proceeded to talk about what type of values she believes the Democrats need to stand up for, Judy Feder built upon the energy Margi built up by saying “We need to take these Virginia values across the Potomac to Washington.” Among the different points that she drove home was the fact that she’s “running to give the 10th District the leadership that we all want. The leadership that comes from years of training our future civilian and military leaders, some of who are here today, what it takes to deliver results and bring change.” Judy also mentioned that:

• “We need universal coverage, affordable quality health care coverage for everybody and we need it now.”
• “We need to protect home ownership and to crack down on fraudulent mortage lending and we need to do it now.”
• “We need to bring [the troops] home, get them the health care they need, and enact Jim Webb’s 21st Century GI Bill and we need to do it now.”

This event was very representative of how Judy’s campaign is being run. As Judy and the other speakers pointed out, there were many Democrats in the audience who truly believe in grassroots activism. Throughout the last few years, I have knocked on doors and phone banked with a large number of people who were at the event. I bring this up because I think it shows how the crowd was made up of people who will not only show up to events such as this office opening, but will also being doing the volunteer work that’s a critical element to any successful campaign. If the energy shown at this event continues, I am confident the 10th District will soon have a newly elected Representative in the next Congress.

Region Recognized As A National Heritage Area

I’m the first to admit that part of the reason I enjoy living in Northern Virginia is because I enjoy the fact that the region is filled with history. I find it fascinating that I can drive a literally just a few minutes in one direction and I’m at the site of the first major land battle in the American Civil War and few minutes in another and I’m in our nation’s capital. Slightly longer trips will of course bring me to other historical sites.

Although many of these sites were already recognized in one form or another, the Federal government is now recognizing the entire region for its heritage. President Bush “signed the measure sponsored by Virginia’s Senators Jim Webb and John Warner to designate a 175-mile corridor along U.S. Route 15 in Northern and Central Virginia as a National Heritage Area into law.” Although most of the sites recognized in the Act are from Virginia, there are also some sites from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia included in what is now one of 38 regions to receive such a designation by Congress.

The region designated by the “Journey through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area Act” is home to some of the nation’s most notable and historic landmarks, including Monticello, Montpelier, Manassas and Gettysburg. The area also encompasses eight presidential homes or sites, 15 National Historic Landmarks, 47 historic districts and the largest collection of Revolutionary War sites and Civil War battlefields in America.

“I am pleased that this area of Virginia—so rich in culture and history—has earned this federal designation,” said Senator Webb. “This designation will help preserve this historic region for future generations of Americans to enjoy and will promote heritage tourism throughout Virginia.”

“The Journey through Hallowed Ground National Heritage Area represents the combined efforts of numerous Virginia communities, businesses and citizens to honor our nation’s heritage,” continued Webb. “I would like to especially thank my colleague, Senator Warner, whose leadership helped to champion this legislation through Congress and to the President’s desk.”

I think that having the region recognized as a national heritage area serves as a reminder to everyone that our nation’s capital is not the only historical site that the region has to offer. This recognition ensures that people living in this area for generations to come will also be able to learn from all the history that surrounds them. I know being surrounded by so many historical sites has allowed me to further understand our country’s history, and I’m confident that it will help future generations as well.

UPDATE: This builds upon a post I wrote about a year ago.

Over 60 miles of U.S. Route 15 in Virginia have been declared “an official Virginia Byway by the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB)” and are part of a four state route called “Journey Through Hollowed Ground.”

This just goes to show how local, state, and federal agencies are coming together in order to make the “Journey through Hollowed Ground” project truly successful. 

 

Harlon Reece for Mayor of Herndon

Since Virginia elects it’s state officials in odd number years, it sometimes feels as though we always have some sort of election going on in our great Commonwealth. That feeling is perhaps even furthered now that we have some local races coming up. That is the case in Herndon, VA as voters go to the polls tomorrow to select its mayor and town council.

This is a crucial election because Herndon also has been the site of a some controversy over the immigration issue. Through electing moderate voices to the mayor’s office and town council, the voters get elected officials who are truly dedicated to making Herndon an even more attractive place to live. Tomorrow also presents Herndon residents with an opportunity to illustrate how most Virginians disagree with the extremists who have tried to dominate the discussion on the issue of immigration in some parts of Northern Virginia.

Harlon Reece is the candidate for mayor who will truly bring about that moderate voice of reason to the political discussion. It is for that reason that I believe voters should cast their ballot for him in tomorrow’s election. If you live in Herndon and are still undecided, check out the video below and visit Harlon’s website and you’ll see why he is the candidate you can trust to stand up for the best interests of the community.

Another Great Mailer From Leslie Byrne

I have received a number of mailers from Leslie Byrne’s campaign recently and I really like the approach that she has been taking. Essentially, the mailers have focused on the fact that she has a strong record of serving Virginia and wants to return to Congress in order to continuing standing up for what’s right. Her most recent mailer points out how she is the only candidate running for Congress in the 11th “who spoke out against this war before the invasion.” (You can see the flyer by following this link)

The mailer truly draws attention to the fact that Leslie was willing to stand up and publicly denounce the war even though it could have created some political problems for her at the time. This is noteworthy because it illustrates how she is willing to put the best interests of the country before her own political future. That is the sign of a truly honorable public official and I believe it is definitely something the voters should consider when they go to the polls on June 10.

American Idol and the Democratic Nomination

As Vivian pointed out in her weekly write up of American Idol, there’s been a lot of talk about how Paula Abdul made a huge mistake during this week’s show (she read comments she’d written about a performance by Jason Castro that hadn’t even been done yet.) This brought up some debate about whether the show was actually scripted and perhaps rigged just to get certain contestants through. Others have argued that perhaps American Idol’s ratings have been so low that the show’s producers set this up to gain some publicity.

Perhaps the most common response is to simply use this as yet another example of how Paula Abdul has some rather odd moments. That’s the option that Keith Olberman decided to use while discussing the little mishap on Countdown. Of course he also touched on Ryan Seacrest’s lighthearted theory that Paula can simply see the future.

If Paula can really see the future, I think we need her to figure out who wins the Democratic nomination. Since saying “Oh I’m just so proud of you” is her version of saying a contestant didn’t do too well, perhaps her kind way of letting down the losser could help create party unity.

Help Increase Our Democratic Majority

Democrats in Virginia most definitely have a lot to be excited about this year. Not only is there a good chance we will send Mark Warner to the US Senate, but there is a good chance that we will elect some new Democrats to the House of Representatives and potentially even play a role in electing a Democratic president. Despite all the excitement currently taking place in our great Commonwealth, however, I believe that it is important for us to remember that there are several races througout the country that we need to pay attention to if we want to greatly expand our Democratic majority.

I have frequently said the US Senate race in Oregon provides us with an opportunity to do just that. The chances of this seat being filled with a progressive who is able to form solid coalitions in order to pass legislation in the best interests of our country only increase with a great candidate like Jeff Merkley. As grassroots and netroots activists have been rallying behind his candidacy and various progressive organizations such as the Sierra Club, Planned Parenthood, and the Oregon AFL-CIO have endorsed his campaign, it is obvious that I am not alone in expressing this sentiment.

The grassroots campaign that Merkley has formed will provide the basis for a Democratic victory in November. Over the course of the last few years here in Virginia, Mark Warner, Tim Kaine, and Jim Webb have all shown us how a grassroots effort can be a deciding factor in elections. Nevertheless, one cannot ignore the fact that Jeff’s potential Republican opponent is an incumbent who has been building his campaign war chest to use in Fall while the Jeff has been focusing the majority of his time and energy on talking with voters before the Democratic primary on May 20.

As a result, I believe it’s important for Democrats to stand behind Jeff and make a donation to his campaign in order to keep ads such as this one on the air. I am therefore joining several other bloggers who in an effort to raise $5,000 for Merkley today. With Jim Webb, Sen. Barack Obama, and several other candidates who have grassroots support like Jeff’s campaign does, we have seen how a series of donations even as small as $10 or $25 can go a long ways. With that in mind, please join in other Democrats who want to see our majority increased and follow this link to donate to Jeff Merkley’s campaign.

Mark Warner Campaign Kickoff Events

In case you’ve somehow missed the repeated posts announcing this, Mark Warner will be holding a campaign kickoff tour May 4 through May 7. The tour will include 11 events in various parts of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

* Abingdon - May 4 at 5:00 PM (E. Stanley Middle School)
* Roanoke - May 5 at 8:00 AM (New Fire Station #1)
* Norfolk - May 5 at 11:15 AM (Nauticus at USS Wisconsin)
* Richmond - May 5 at 3:00 PM (Virginia BioTech Research Park)
* Northern Virginia - May 5 at 7:00 PM (The Carlyle Club)
* Martinsville - May 6 at 8:30 AM (Main Street Restaurant)
* Lynchburg - May 6 at 11:30 AM (Monument Terrace)
* Charlottesville - May 6 at 2:15 PM (Downtown Mall)
* Harrisonburg - May 6 at 5:00 PM (Courthouse Steps)
* Hampton - May 7 at 11:00 AM (Vaness Bait and Tackle Shop)
* Chincoteague - May 7 at 2:00 PM (Eastern Shore Seafood Festival)

If you want more information about a certain event or want to RSVP, you can follow this link. I’m really glad to see that Warner is making an effort to make sure his kickoff tour touches the various parts of Virginia because it shows how he’s going to be focusing on issues that are important to all Virginians. It’s almost like a mini-50 state strategy which will not only benefit his candidacy but will help to strengthen the Democratic Party throughout Virginia.

Was the Civil War Inevitable?

One of the classes I’m taking this semester is one on the history of the Old South and one of the options for our final paper is to discuss whether or not the American Civil War was inevitable. This is a classic question that historians have often discussed and is probably asked in any course that deals with the Civil War. To make the writing process a little interesting, I’m taking the position that it was avoidable.

Since I’m going to be focusing on that paper, posting here will either be light or non-existent for the next couple of days. Feel free to use this as an open-thread to talk about politics or anything else going on.

New DNC Ad About McCain

The DNC just put out this knew ad about McCain’s stance on Iraq. I’m glad to see this ad come out not only because it shows some of the flaws in McCain’s foreign policy but it also serves as a little reminder to Democrats that we do have to face a Republican candidate after our nominee is decided.