Satanic Media Ties McDonnell Millstone Around Ken Cuccinelli’s Republican Neck

Posted on | July 12, 2013 | 44 Comments

As Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell faces an ever-growing investigation into gifts he accepted in office, the Republican who hopes to replace him this fall, state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, is doing what he can to keep his distance.
“What we’ve all been seeing has been very painful for Virginia, and it’s been completely inconsistent with Virginia’s very reserved traditions,” said Cuccinelli of the scandal engrossing his fellow Republican in an email to TIME. “Right now there are two investigations running, one of which began with my referral, and we need to let those play out; however, all of this emphasizes the need for clearer and faster disclosures that cover the whole family, as well as a cap on the size and types of gifts.”
Terry McAuliffe, Cuccinelli’s Democratic opponent, has been trying to find ways to make the McDonnell mess stick to Cuccinelli, asking him to endorse an outright ban of any gift over $100 to all Virginia elected officials and their immediate family. “Cuccinelli’s repeated refusal to support a gift ban reflects a tenure that has embarrassed Virginia and hurt the reputation of the Office of the Attorney General,” says the press secretary for McAuliffe, Josh Schwerin. “There are ongoing investigations that will provide concrete facts and evidence so that Virginians know exactly what happened.”

The headline at Politico:

Bob McDonnell’s stunning fall from grace

Some commenters have chastised me as an MSM-believing RINO sellout for saying that the Corrupt Governor is doomed and should resign. But this is not a matter of opinion.

This ain’t my first time at the rodeo, buckaroos.

Two months after I arrived in Washington as an assistant national editor, the Lewinsky scandal broke, and I subsequently co-wrote the book on Democrat Party corruption, so there’s a bit of experience and authority talking when I tell you how this scandal is going to play out.

If Bob McDonnell had resigned Monday, there was about a 50-50 chance Cuccinelli could somehow change the subject between now and November and pull out a narrow win over McAuliffe. Every day that McDonnell remains in office, those odds diminish.

This is fact, not opinion.

My opinion and your opinion are equally irrelevant as to the real consequences of what the media are calling the “GiftGate” scandal.

You can say, “Well, the media are biased, this is unfair, ‘reasonable doubt,’ ‘presumption of innocence,’ Democrat hypocrisy” or whatever. Yadda, yadda, yadda — it just doesn’t matter.

Try to focus your attention on the cold, cynical calculus of this political situation. Because based on years of direct observation and experience, I can tell you what is actually happening — or will soon happen — behind the scenes of this story.

People are doing polls. Private polls. Polls commissioned by the Republican Governors Association, the Virginia GOP and the Cuccinelli gubernatorial campaign. And on the basis of those private surveys, they’re trying to figure out what impact this mess is likely to have on the November election. With 99.44% accuracy, I can predict the results: Things don’t look too good for Ken right now.

OK, so now the consultants, the “message” team and the other heavyweights involved in this campaign — including RGA people — have to figure out, “How do we fix this ugly mess?” Simple answer:

Corrupt Governor Resigns in Disgrace;
Cuccinelli Calls for New Reforms
GOP candidate vows to ‘clean up this mess’

That might work, or it might not. Like I say, if McDonnell had resigned Monday, it was just 50-50 Cuccinelli could squeak through.

Just briefly to explain the electoral reality: The key for GOP victory in Virginia is a strong turnout in the Shenandoah Valley and the rural Southside (below Richmond), which means a lot of blue-collar voters and Christian conservatives. If you think people like that don’t have a problem with the governor’s wife getting a Manhattan shopping spree (including a $10,000 Oscar de la Renta leather jacket), you obviously don’t know a damned thing about practical politics.

Never mind the other relevant fact that everybody already knows: Democrat Terry McAuliffe is a venal dishonest swine.

It’s not like any Christian would ever vote for McAuliffe, whose endorsement by Satan remains unofficial only because Satan doesn’t do official endorsements. The real problem is that a scandal-plagued Corrupt Republican is poison for grassroots Christian conservative voter enthusiasm, and the Satanic Media Establishment is going to make sure that this story stays at the top of Page One until Election Day.

Some things are beyond changing, so you change what you can. McDonnell’s resignation is the only card the GOP can play now if they want to change the narrative of this story, which otherwise ends with the headline: SATAN WINS; McAULIFFE ELECTED.

What we can therefore expect — mark my words — is a lot of news stories quoting anonymous “senior officials” and “sources close to the Cuccinelli campaign” more or less saying it’s about time for McDonnell to deliver his “Spend More Time With My Family” speech.

Good-bye, Bob. Nice knowin’ ya.

That’s how this story will end. Fact, not opinion.

One other thing to think about: Suppose that you are the Obama-appointed U.S. Attorney charged with investigating McDonnell. Your boss is Eric Holder. Maybe you’d like a nicer job — say, an appointment as a judge on the Court of Appeals — and so you want to make the boss happy. Also, you’re a Democrat, and a real Team Player, or otherwise you never would have gotten this U.S. Attorney gig.

If you are this U.S. Attorney, have you already started presenting this case to a federal grand jury? If not, how soon do you present it, in order to announce an indictment in mid- to late October?

Good-bye, Bob. Nice knowin’ ya. Enjoy your $6,500 watch.

UPDATE: A liberal Richmond-based blog Wednesday:

This story first broke on Saturday, July 6, 2013 when Republican blogger Willie Deutsch told his shocked readers that Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell was negotiating a resignation. It being the weekend, I was unable to confirm this story immediately. I now have multiple sources from within Richmond’s legal community confirming that an investigation of the connections between Bob McDonnell, Maureen McDonnell, Star Scientific,Inc., and Star Scientific’s CEO Jonnie Williams has turned up sufficient evidence to present a case to a federal grand jury this week. The McDonnells have apparently seen the writing on the wall and are now trying to avoid a felony conviction in exchange for a quick and clean exit from Virginia’s Governor’s Mansion.

Which may be true or not, I don’t know. There is talk that McDonnell’s Republican lawyers have more or less threatened to blackball any bloggers on the Right who reported the resignation rumors, and I don’t know if Willie Deutsch’s sources were right, nor can I vouch for this liberal blogger claiming to have confirmed Deutsch’s report. But if Brett Kimberlin can’t scare me off a story, you can bet good money I ain’t afraid of anybody’s Republican lawyers.

Please sue me, you swindling pettifoggers.

UPDATE II: Pity the Governor of Virginia, fourth highest-paid governor in the nation, forced to make ends meet on $175,000 a year.

Wait, what’s that sound? Yes, I’m pretty sure it’s “My Heart Bleeds for You” being played on The World’s Smallest Violin.

Category: Corruption, Virginia

Comments

44 Responses to “Satanic Media Ties McDonnell Millstone Around Ken Cuccinelli’s Republican Neck”

Citzcom
July 12th, 2013 @ 12:52 pm

Satanic Media Ties McDonnell Millstone Around Ken Cuccinelli’s Republican Neck: Entirely predictable news: As … http://t.co/NLgG5u6TIl
rsmccain
July 12th, 2013 @ 12:54 pm

Satanic Media Ties McDonnell Millstone Around Ken Cuccinelli’s Republican Neck http://t.co/TsadxD3MGi #VAGOV #tcot #p2 #news
LeatherPenguin
July 12th, 2013 @ 12:55 pm

RT @rsmccain: Satanic Media Ties McDonnell Millstone Around Ken Cuccinelli’s Republican Neck http://t.co/TsadxD3MGi #VAGOV #tcot #p2 #news
preciseBlogs
July 12th, 2013 @ 12:56 pm

Satanic Media Ties McDonnell Millstone Around Ken Cuccinelli’s Republican Neck http://t.co/QrMGS2L1Eb #news #conservative #corruption
jonzies
July 12th, 2013 @ 12:56 pm

RT @rsmccain: Satanic Media Ties McDonnell Millstone Around Ken Cuccinelli’s Republican Neck http://t.co/TsadxD3MGi #VAGOV #tcot #p2 #news
rsmccain
July 12th, 2013 @ 12:56 pm

“Some commenters have chastised me as an MSM-believing RINO sellout for saying that the Corrupt Governor is doomed” http://t.co/TsadxD3MGi
vermontaigne
July 12th, 2013 @ 12:57 pm

RT @rsmccain: “Some commenters have chastised me as an MSM-believing RINO sellout for saying that the Corrupt Governor is doomed” http://t.…
rsmccain
July 12th, 2013 @ 12:58 pm

Bob McDonnell’s defenders ask Republicans to admire the Norwegian Blue’s beautiful plumage: “Pining for the fjords!” http://t.co/TsadxD3MGi
EdMorrissey
July 12th, 2013 @ 12:59 pm

RT @rsmccain: Bob McDonnell’s defenders ask Republicans to admire the Norwegian Blue’s beautiful plumage: “Pining for the fjords!” http://t…
FR_Newbrough
July 12th, 2013 @ 12:59 pm

RT @rsmccain: Bob McDonnell’s defenders ask Republicans to admire the Norwegian Blue’s beautiful plumage: “Pining for the fjords!” http://t…
joej2020usa
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:01 pm

Satanic Media Ties McDonnell Millstone Around Ken Cuccinelli’s Republican Neck http://t.co/ZWuqiFgtzw
rsmccain
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:05 pm

Terry McAuliffe’s “endorsement by Satan remains unofficial only because Satan doesn’t do official endorsements.” http://t.co/TsadxD3MGi
rsmccain
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:08 pm

“It’s about time for McDonnell to deliver his ‘Spend More Time With My Family’ speech” http://t.co/TsadxD3MGi #tcot #VAGOV #GiftGate
ruffsimi_howell
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:09 pm

RT @rsmccain: Terry McAuliffe’s “endorsement by Satan remains unofficial only because Satan doesn’t do official endorsements.” http://t.co/…
MCessac
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:10 pm

RT @rsmccain: “It’s about time for McDonnell to deliver his ‘Spend More Time With My Family’ speech” http://t.co/TsadxD3MGi #tcot #VAGOV #G…
Dianna Deeley
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:19 pm

Very well said.
rsmccain
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:26 pm

@WillieDeutsch See the update http://t.co/TsadxD3MGi #giftgate
RS
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:27 pm

Not from Virginia, but did no one in the Virginia ‘Pubs see any evidence of this sort of thing before? It’s hard for me to believe that he would suddenly succumb to the temptations of office. And that’s the problem with politics: a desire to have “our guy” in power, morality and ethics notwithstanding.
Disclosure: I was a Dem until the party refused to give Clinton the same treatment it gave the ‘Pub Bob Packwood of Oregon. Clean your own darn house, before you bitch about someone else’s or, especially after you bitch about someone else’s
WillieDeutsch
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:28 pm

A very sad part of this story… RT @rsmccain: @WillieDeutsch See the update http://t.co/cZDPLWkj7E #giftgate
robertstacymccain
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:35 pm

I was born and bred Democrat, fiercely partisan. Dad was a proud union member. How hard core was I? Voted for Mondale.

In 1992, I was chastised by colleagues at the Rome (Ga.) News-Tribune for driving to work with a Clinton-Gore bumper sticker on my Chevy. But my disilusionment with Clinton began within about 30 seconds of him taking the oath of office. I thought I was voting for a common-sense “Sam Nunn Democrat” and discovered instead that I’d helped elect a gun-grabbing cultural radical.

What part of “shall not be infringed” is so hard to understand?

And when I turned, baby, I fucking turned. The Democrat Party must be destroyed.
cubanbob
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:39 pm

its going to be hard for the democrats to run on the ethics and clean government mantra when McAULIFFE is their candidate.
Josh_Painter
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:47 pm

RT @smitty_one_each: TOM Satanic Media Ties McDonnell Millstone Around Ken Cuccinelli’s Republican Neck http://t.co/xCLRPfrU8Z #TCOT
rsmccain
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:48 pm

RT @WillieDeutsch: A very sad part of this story… RT @rsmccain: @WillieDeutsch See the update http://t.co/cZDPLWkj7E #giftgate
Josh_Painter
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:50 pm

RT @rsmccain: Satanic Media Ties McDonnell Millstone Around Ken Cuccinelli’s Republican Neck http://t.co/TsadxD3MGi #VAGOV #tcot #p2 #news
RS
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:53 pm

Ah, nostalgia! Where did the Democrat grown-ups go? Further Disclosure: As a precocious 8 year old, I thought Eugene McCarthy should be the nominee over HHH. Good times.
Josh_Painter
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:53 pm

RT @rsmccain: Bob McDonnell’s defenders ask Republicans to admire the Norwegian Blue’s beautiful plumage: “Pining for the fjords!” http://t…
Josh_Painter
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:55 pm

RT @rsmccain: Terry McAuliffe’s “endorsement by Satan remains unofficial only because Satan doesn’t do official endorsements.” http://t.co/…
politsoutherner
July 12th, 2013 @ 1:55 pm

Satanic Media Ties McDonnell Millstone Around Ken Cuccinelli’s Republican Neck http://t.co/cGe2nRCiKl
robertstacymccain
July 12th, 2013 @ 2:00 pm

Of course, which is why the Satanic Media won’t say a word about McAuliffe’s shady past.
robertstacymccain
July 12th, 2013 @ 2:01 pm

No, I was a good Humphrey supporter, like my parents. Of course, I was 8 years old then, too, and subsequently grew up, but some people never do.
DJM1968
July 12th, 2013 @ 2:08 pm

RT @rsmccain: Terry McAuliffe’s “endorsement by Satan remains unofficial only because Satan doesn’t do official endorsements.” http://t.co/…
joethefatman
July 12th, 2013 @ 2:29 pm

One thing the D’s and the media(insert trope) have always managed to do, is never see what they’re side is doing as wrong. Even if they, say, drove into a creek and left someone to die, well that’s not nearly bad enough to be a scandal. Illegally provide guns to Mexican drug cartels? yawn. Get caught up in an FBI bribery sting, minor glitch. Stumble over a word or phrase during a speech? Better not have an R after your name.
Larsele
July 12th, 2013 @ 2:41 pm

Not loving the emerging mess but why talk about resignation? Democrats wear their misdeeds proudly and go right on legislating. McDonnell should stay put Nd finish his term.
RS
July 12th, 2013 @ 3:03 pm

My dad held his nose and voted for Humphrey, but McGovern was too much. McGovern’s “give every citizen $1000” economic plan combined with his “go on my knees to Hanoi to get our POWs” sent him over the edge.
Richard McEnroe
July 12th, 2013 @ 3:10 pm

McDonnell is a GOP drone beloved of Karl Rove. That means he will cling to his perks and his arrogant sense that his office is for him and not the peasants of Virginia right up until the Democrats goose the horse out from under him and we lose the seat.
Finrod Felagund
July 12th, 2013 @ 5:39 pm

Because Republicans and Democrats don’t play by the same rules politically. A scandal that a Democrat can shrug off like a wet coat will drag a Republican down and everyone around him.
Finrod Felagund
July 12th, 2013 @ 5:51 pm

And being the treacherous bastards they are, they’d rather lose the seat than have Ken Cuccinelli win it.
Finrod Felagund
July 12th, 2013 @ 6:02 pm

I remember back in 1984 lamenting that I wasn’t old enough yet to vote for Ronald Reagan. Nevertheless, it was still the most fun election I’ve been alive to experience–pretty much every Republican knew that Reagan was going to win re-election easily.

I remember a political cartoon from January or February 1984– the setting: a Wild West town, with Mondale and Hart dressed as gunslingers standing in the street, while sitting in a rocking chair relaxing was Reagan, with the shop window behind him reading: “R. Reagan, Undertaker”.
Richard McEnroe
July 12th, 2013 @ 8:26 pm

McDonnell is Gaelic for “Scozzafava.”
DaveO
July 12th, 2013 @ 8:57 pm

Virginia is said to be purple, but that’s only true if NoVA has a parity in GOP and Dem.

Dems desparately need McAuliffe to implement the California loving on the Virginia economy so the many companies and people fleeing the Blue States have one less place to go. McAuliffe is especially important to reduce the differences between Maryland and Virginia – O’Malley needs McAuliffe to win in order to make an O’Malley candidacy credible in the face of Hillary.

If one were to count all the gifts McDonnell is alleged to have received, McAuliffe would consider it the haul from one morning of the work week.
arendabdoory
July 12th, 2013 @ 9:17 pm

Satanic Media Ties McDonnell Millstone Around Ken Cuccinelli’s Republican Neck http://t.co/obDI6uzlkv via @zite #VaPol
Frank McEvoy
July 13th, 2013 @ 12:03 am

The Republicans may indeed have to scramble to have people in rural areas vote against their own interests.
Ralph Hubbard
July 13th, 2013 @ 6:08 am

McAulliffe discussing cleaning up political corruption is like a prostitute discussing virginity.
smokedaddy
July 14th, 2013 @ 7:39 pm

What if Cuccinelli were to come out and publically call for McDonnell’s resignation? Then figuratively LINK the list of practices of McAuliffe to this scandal. Couch this with qualified praise for McDonnell’s term as governor, etc., but ask Virginia voters and media to really look at McAuliffe’s documented actions and statements compared to Ken’s record and ask themselves who is most likely to be corrupt?