Questionable as to whether this is Richmond or Kabul…
RTD’s Jeff Schapiro had some interesting observations on the entire McDonnell mea culpa:
In addition to hiding out from the press and public, McDonnell is hunkering down. He is spending more time managing his personal crisis, one that could become more perilous. But is he managing the state? McDonnell could be approaching a point at which he cannot do either effectively. That will force him to make a difficult choice.
If not resignation, possibly McDonnell would temporarily relinquish the governorship to Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling. Unburdened by political pressure — Bolling is not on the ballot in November — he could provide Virginia the steady, undistracted leadership it has been denied since Giftgate erupted in March.
McDonnell is signaling, at this time, he’s going nowhere. His handling of this controversy initially conjured the arcade game “Whack-a-Mole,” with McDonnell frantically smacking down humiliating disclosures one at a time. It is now evocative of “Beat the Clock,” with McDonnell publicly determined to complete his term.
…and where do you go to hunker down and beat the clock?
Kuwait.
Afghanistan.
McDonnell is in the Middle East visiting U.S. service members stationed in Kuwait and Afghanistan, the governor’s office announced Wednesday. The governor, along with Montana Governor Steve Bullock, arrived in Kuwait Tuesday afternoon.
The trip comes one week after the governor’s one-week vacation.
. . .
In an interview with NBC4 in Washington, D.C. Wednesday, the governor reiterated he had no plans to resign.
“I’m not going anywhere. I love this job … there has been no consideration of that,” McDonnell told News4.
The governor’s office said Governor McDonnell was invited to the Middle East by the Department of Defense.
McDonnell was accompanied by Montana Governor Steve Bullock. The timing of the yesterday’s apology following a DoD-sponsored trip to Kuwait and Afghanistan strikes more than a few commentators as oddly-timed, but the speculation that there is more to come remains hovering over the Governor’s Mansion like a cloud. Unfortunately, every action by the McDonnell family will now earn this sort of scrutiny — motive, intent, public relations moves, who is paying for it and what is the public purpose, etc.
The scrutiny is well earned, and goes straight to the heart that merely issuing an apology and repaying some (not all) of the gifts and the loan simply isn’t enough.
Virginians are looking for our faith and trust in the office of Governor to be restored. That’s the missing piece… and “running out the clock” is more of an affront than a solution. Certainly the House GOP’s offer to look at new regulations?
We plan to seek strong reforms including new and rigorous reporting requirements on gifts to immediate family members, synchronizing and simplifying reporting periods, and instituting disclosure compliance training for elected officials.
… it isn’t enough.
A ban on gifts is the tough medicine required, and a special session to address it would send the right message.
