The “Virginia Politics On-Demand” crew played host to former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, on tonight’s podcast.

This past week, Gov. Gilmore has called on his opponent, former Virginia governor Mark Warner, to participate in one additional televised debate due to Warner’s support for the bailout bill. Gilmore has also called into question Warner’s comments that he made regarding the NRA, home schooling, and people of faith. Warner called them a “threat to America.”

Gilmore joined Danae Jones, Shaun Kenney, and Jim Hoeft for about 35 minutes, and discussed a myriad of issues ranging from gun control to pro-life issues; the financial bailout to tax rates; energy costs to his views on “bi-partisanship”.

The governor might be a little down in the polls, but he came out swinging in this lively discussion.

 

 VPOD: Gov. Jim Gilmore. Oct 9, 2008.: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (90)

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Gilmore For Senate communication director Ana Gamonal was suspended for two weeks without pay after trying to sign up for Mark Warner’s email list under a false name:

Dick Leggitt, Gilmore’s senior strategist, said Gamonal sent an email to Warner’s campaign under a false name and asked to be put on the Democrat’s email list. Leggitt said Warner campaign officials confronted Gamonal after they learned her real identity.

Gamonal told Leggitt and other Gilmore advisers about the incident earlier today. Gilmore decided to suspend Gamonal without pay.

“Governor Gilmore is all about transparency,” Leggitt said. “We don’t deceive people. We don’t pretend we are something we are not so it is not the kind of thing we want anyone on our staff doing.”

What’s especially embarrassing is that she used her personal email account to try and join the list, using a false name in the signature:

From: Ana Gamonal de Navarro [mailto:********@cox.net]
Sent: Thursday, September 18, 2008 10:15 PM
To: Emily Kryder
Subject: please add me to your press list

Ms. Kryder,

I am a free lance writer for several of the local Spanish language papers here in Virginia. Could you please add me to your distribution list for press releases.

Thank you,

Alexis Navarro

Not smart.

Both the Gilmore and Warner campaigns have handled this very well, Gilmore only giving a suspension, Warner accepting her apology and looking “forward to seeing her back out on the campaign trail.”  It certainly doesn’t help Gilmore, going into the final seven or so weeks of the campaign and having to deal with in-house issues like this.

Listen to the debate

:

 

 Warner/Gilmore Debate - Fairfax Chamber of Commerce - Sept. 18, 2008: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (150)

Candidates for Virginia’s U.S. Senate seat, Republican Jim Gilmore and Democrat Mark Warner, both former Virginia governors, face-off in Fairfax today in one of two remaining debates this Senate campaign.

The debate at 10 a.m., before the sold-out Fairfax Chamber of Commerce in McLean, will be moderated by Fox News’ Chris Wallace and include panelists Jeff Schapiro of the Richmond Times-Dispatch and Kojo Nnamdi of NPR.

Mark Warner is to be the keynote speaker at the Democratic Convention. The Times-Dispatch covers it, burying this excellent quotation at the very end:

Gilmore’s campaign spokeswoman, Ana Gamonal, said the choice of Warner “is an honor for him.” But, she added, “it puts to rest the false claim that he is bipartisan. What will he say to 20,000 liberal Democrats that will sound bipartisan to the working people of Virginia?

An excellent question, especially since he will be sharing the stage that night with Hillary Clinton and with Nancy Pelosi. So next time you hear Mark Warner calling himself a centrist who will represent all Virginians, keep in mind that a man is known by the company he keeps.

Courtesy of SWAC Girl…

Update (10:15 p.m.): What’s MSM saying?

Virginian-Pilot
Washington Post
Daily Press
Richmond Times-Dispatch

Video Highlights from The Roanoke Times
Opening Statements
Energy Policy

—–

Update (5:12 p.m.): Here’s what the Warner campaign is saying.

—–

Initial post (1:30 p.m.): The Daily Press’ Shad Plank is reporting that the debate today was a wash, with the primary disagreement being over energy policy and personal credibility.

One item of note from the Shad Plank post demonstrates exactly why, well, blogging exists…and not by MSM:

“And you can read Sunday’s Daily Press for more details.”

Those of us that are junkies want the details now!

Update (2:30 p.m.): First report from The News Leader. Again, the report says that energy was the dominant issue. The report showed Warner’s new-found support to lift the moratorium on off-shore drilling, but showed Warner’s tough position at appeasing his left by calling offshore drilling a “gimmick.”

And, the AP reports virtually the same thing, with this nugget about the tone of the debate….

Gilmore, trailing significantly in both polls and fundraising and badly needing a break, attacked Warner’s veracity pointedly and often.

As far as I know, the only blogger at the debate was SWAC Girl. Hopefully she will post her thoughts later today.

Larry Sabato, University of Virginia professor and political pundit, has predicted in his “Crystal Ball” that former Governor Mark Warner will defeat former Governor Jim Gilmore in this year’s U.S. Senate race.

Sabato states:

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.
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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)

My interview with Gov. Jim Gilmore following his narrow win over Del. Bob Marshall

Hear more great podcasts from Bearing Drift by using this feed.

 

 Gov. Jim Gilmore - RPV Convention [3:46m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (674)

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.

Former Gov. Jim Gilmore is calling delegates to the RPV Convention this evening at 7 p.m. for a tele Townhall. The Townhall will give delegates an opportunity to ask the governor questions in advance of the convention, which will be held in just over two weeks. Gilmore is a candidate for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate against Del. Bob Marshall and Mr. Bob Berry.

Is this good outreach by a confident candidate or a signal that he is concerned about his level of support?

Update: Approx. 400 delegates listened to Gilmore appeal for their votes and contributions in tonight’s conference call that claimed to be a Virginia first. In the call, Gilmore took several questions that related to national sovereignty, illegal immigration, economic independence, social security and the establishment of a “culture of savings”, national defense, the Supreme Court, and others.

What was the most obvious, yet still the most important points, for Gilmore to make, he made:

• Virginia must deliver its electoral votes for John McCain and
• Mark Warner must be defeated because he will caucus and vote with the Democrats, despite his “radical centrist” claim

Gilmore, of course, stated unequivocally that he was the best Republican to be on the ticket to ensure those two points come to fruition.

A few good policy points came out of the Q&A –

1) Formula standards across the U.S. for gasoline. For example, in Virginia, at the gas pump it’s 87, 89 and 93 octane, but other states mandate different octane levels. Will a federal standard create cost savings?
2) Improve refining capacity in the U.S.
3) Enforce existing illegal immigration laws, even if it means deportation, etc.
4) Gilmore will not vote for any legislation that is not consistent with life and will not vote for judges who are not pro-life.
5) “Culture of Savings” — Gilmore feels that developing a system that fosters savings and greater economic independence will eventually reduce the need or dependency on social security and government.

Finally, what was made abundantly clear during the call is that Gov. Gilmore, as the GOP U.S. Senate candidate, will paint a very clear contrast to former Gov. Warner. Warner will be held accountable by Gilmore.

Del. Bob Marshall joins me tonight on this evening’s Virginia Politics On-Demand. Del. Marshall is criss-crossing the state trying to convince Republicans before the convention on May 31 why he would be a better choice to run against Mark Warner this November over Jim Gilmore.

Bob Berry is running an insurgent, up-hill campaign for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. He joined me tonight on Virginia Politics On-Demand to tell us a little about who he is and why he’s running, including reviewing his platform. But the real good stuff comes towards the end of the podcast when he talks about Del. Bob Marshall and Gov. Jim Gilmore.

For more about Bob Berry, please visit his Web site.

 

 Bob Berry -- Mar. 26, 2008 [22:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (492)