In what might be one of the first of what we hope will be many stops for the former president in the commonwealth (given that his surrogate-in-chief, Terry McAuliffe, might be running for the Democratic nod for governor), former president Bill Clinton paid a visit today.

In his honor, RPV and Delegate Jeff Frederick, party chair, laid out the welcome mat:

“Bill Clinton called Barack Obama’s past campaign statements a ‘fairy tale’, but now it looks like Bill Clinton will have to spread some fairy dust of his own to fulfill his political duty to campaign for the Obama-Biden ticket,” said Delegate Jeffrey M. Frederick, Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia.

“Clinton is a professional campaigner and will no doubt toe the company line and praise Barack Obama today. But when we listen to Clinton we should remember that when speaking honestly without pressure from either side, Clinton offered glowing reviews of Senator McCain, and his compliments of Obama had all the enthusiasm of a child who’s forced to give a kiss to an aunt with a big wart on her nose.”

Frederick was referencing stinging remarks Clinton made about Obama during the Democrat primary season as well as an interview Clinton gave ABC News September 18th when the former president said “I’ve never concealed my admiration and affection for Sen. McCain. I think he’s a great man.” Clinton has offered no such praise of Obama.

Among Clinton’s criticisms of Obama:

• Calling Obama’s statements on the Iraq War “the biggest fairy tale I’ve ever seen”;
• Equating electing a person of Obama’s non-experience to a “roll of the dice”;
• Complaining that Obama was overly negative and did a “hit job” on him;
• Offering a flawed plan on health care;
• Employing the race card;
• Making remarks about Americans being “bitter”;
• Not telling the truth on claims Obama campaign is without special-interest money.

“Bill Clinton was right when he said that Obama knows how to spread fairy tales,” said Frederick. “if this election was about the facts and the merits of the candidates, John McCain would coast to victory, maybe even with Bill Clinton’s support.”

Heh.

Del. Jeff Frederick, chairman of the RPV and a member of the House finance committee, was not shy today about his views on Jody Wagner’s resignation so that she can run for lieutenant governor:

“She was complicit with Governor Warner’s cooking the state’s financial books to justify the largest tax increase in Virginia history; part of the financial team that misplaced $137 million in taxpayer dollars for education; and has consistently provided inaccurate and politically motivated revenue estimates that have put Virginia in the budget crisis we currently face”, he said.

“On the occasion of Jody Wagner’s resignation as Secretary of Finance, I declare August 8, 2008 ‘Wagner Freedom Day’ in the Commonwealth. Virginia citizens are finally free from her incompetence, free from her political-motivated fiscal management and free from her disregard of taxpayer dollars,” said Frederick.

Looks like the Republican Party of Virginia is deciding to go with tusks up instead of down. At least, that’s what their latest press release showed.

As for the release itself, apparently there are “increasing reports of criminal voter registration activities and potential identity theft occurring across the Commonwealth of Virginia.”

Party Chairman Jeff Frederick will hold a conference call this morning to discuss this.

The folks at TQ had a chance to catch up with Del. Jeff Frederick this past weekend and talk politics, transportation, and more.

In this week’s show, Shaun Kenney and Brian Kirwin join J.R. to talk the latest in politics in Virginia. This week’s show includes:

• Republicans: a house divided?
• Obama’s Virginia visit
• Warner’s campaign video
• Your emails! That’s right — you’re part of the show too, so drop your email to J.R. with the subject line “VPOD”
• The upcoming primaries in the 8th and 11th, including our thoughts on the “nut-roots”
• And a trip to the “Spin Room”

Shaun also has some special sentiments for the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

 

 Virginia Politics On-Demand w/Jim Hoeft, Shaun Kenney and Brian Kirwin - June 5, 20008 [30:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (419)

To listen to any of the previous podcasts, click here.
To automatically download and sync VPOD with your MP3 player, use this feed.

Updated: June 3, 12 p.m.

A senior member of Del. Jeff Frederick’s transition team informed BD this morning that a “smooth and cooperative” transition is taking place at RPV that is “in the best interests of the party.”

Despite reports that RPV staff members are leaving in droves, effectively being pushed out the door, the Frederick team insists that the transition has been benign.

In this episode of Virginia Politics On-Demand:

• Working with the media
• The Jeffersoniad Hospitality Suite
• Tactical errors by the convention planners
• Why elections matter
• The class of Bob Marshall and John Hager, and
• What does yesterday mean?

Hear more great podcasts from Bearing Drift by using this feed. Put Vpod on your iPod!

 

 Jim Hoeft recaps the RPV Convention - June 1, 2008 [13:29m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (490)

Votes coming in for Senate…
1st: 643.27-490.73 for Marshall (confirmed)
2nd: 612-345.6 for Gilmore (confirmed)
3rd: 121.83-75.16 for Gilmore (confirmed)
4th: 382.53-319.45 for Marshall (confirmed)
5th: 666.17-419.65 for Gilmore (confirmed)
6th: 530.62-507.47 for Gilmore (confirmed)
7th: 1035.79-581.52 for Gilmore (confirmed)
8th: 156.96-145.04 for Gilmore (confirmed)
9th: 551.78-335.22 for Gilmore (confirmed)
10th: 584.5-160.5 for Marshall (confirmed)
11th: 1137-577 Marshall (confirmed)

Gilmore wins, 5222.73 to 5156.97.

Jim Gilmore speaks with the media following his victory.

Chairman’s Race
1st 579-544 for Frederick
2nd
3rd
4th Frederick
5th Frederick
6th 736-225 for Frederick
7th
8th Frederick
9th Frederick
10th Frederick
11th

….
3:39 p.m. John Hager is coming to the podium. No vote totals given out. He asks to elect Jeff Frederick by acclimation.

Still undecided? Or, are you just curious about learning more about the candidates? Then listen one more time to our podcasts with the candidates and check out our series of questions with Frederick and Hager. Also, don’t forget to answer the poll on the sidebar!

Podcasts
Jeff Frederick
John Hager
Jim Gilmore
Bob Marshall

Q&A with the RPV Chairman Candidates
What three tangible things can we offer voters as Republicans?
What are the Democrats doing well?
What grade would you give our current grassroots organization?
Will you commit to serving a full term as Chairman?
Polls show people oppose tax increases, but Mark Warner remains popular. Explain.

John Hager and Jeff Frederick, candidates for chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, continue to answer questions in advance of this weekend’s convention:

What grade would you give our current grassroots organization?

John Hager and Jeff Frederick face off, and the topic is - our friends the Democrats!

What are the Democrats doing well?

As mentioned earlier today, all this week we will be running the answers to five questions posed to John Hager and Jeff Frederick, as each concludes their race to become the next RPV Chairman. The first:

What three tangible things can we offer voters as Republicans?

In anticipation of the Republican State Convention, we at Bearing Drift posed 5 questions to each candidate for RPV Chairman. Throughout the week, we’ll post the responses of John Hager and Jeff Frederick, leading up to the big decision day.

In a very principled move by Del. Jeff Frederick, he announced yesterday that he would not seek re-election to the House of Delegates if elected as RPV Chair.

You’ve heard the podcasts from John Hager and Jeff Frederick, now see them debate live in Springfield.