Governor Kaine's Blood Drenched Hands

2004:  Supports Joe Lieberman for President- a strong proponent of the Iraq War, and is Chairman of his Virginia campaign.

2006:  Stays neutral in the Democratic Primary as Jim Webb faces Iraq War proponent Harris Miller.

2008:  Endorses Iraq War Profiteer Gerry Connolly for Congress.

Comments

[Sean Holihan]

This is way, way over the top. "Blood drenched hands?"

This site has degenerated into something disgusting. A virtual tabloid rag, who's man purpose is to smear Democrats who do not fall in line behind those chosen by the blog's author.

You've got real potential Ben. You've shown it less and less unfortunately. When you break down districts and vote totals, you're the best in Virginia. When you decide to say our governor has "blood drenched hands" you've just turned into something that belongs in the gutter with Black Veltet Bruce Lee.

I hope you'll take this post down and put something up with the vote breakdowns between Webb and Kaine in the 11th. At least that would be worthy of the work you've done in the past.

Has Kaine endorsed in any other Democratic Primaries?

E.g. McEachin-Lambert?

Feder-Turner?

Disgusting post. Just because the Governor has made a choice against the holy grail of blog wonderkids Ben and Lowell, he gets trashed. You people are so thin skinned. Since when is Leslie the Messiah? She's a two-bit, tired politician who does nothing but run for office and lose. She's too liberal for the 11CD. She has no record of accomplishment.

Except...

Letting Ben post a 60-part awful series filled with crap about GC. We know Leslie reads these blogs. She doesn't have the nerve to reply or say anything here. She's chicken. Now there's this witchhunt against anyone who works for a government contractor. What's next? DOD or CIA government employees? Should they be called traitors, too?

The level of discussion from the Byrne campaign and her prominent supporters like Ben and Lowell is so low-road and low-class. Her campaign is a disaster. Thank goodness this will all be over June 10 as she really has no chance of winning.

Talk about issues. Be respectful, especially in a Dem primary.

But nooooo, not for Leslie. Low-road and low-class are the ways to go for her.

What's so bad about this post? If Kaine supports only pro-war candidates in his party it deserves to be pointed out. And "blood drenched" is a nice term for those supporting this war.

Kaine sucks Gerry's ass. Gerry licks Kaine's balls. The basis of a beautiful friendship.

[Church Hill Dem]

Doesn't it seem kind of harsh that he endorsed against the gal who helped him carry NoVa and get into the mansion in the first place? Admittedly Viola Baskerville was the better candidate, but that's ancient history.

[BudManCubFan]

You fail to mention that he endorsed BHO who unlike your canidate, opposed the war.

That's a good point above. Are Hillary's hands "blood-drenched" because she voted for the war, Ben? Directly voting for it, in your logic, seems a much more grievous offense than endorsing an employee of a defense contractor.

[Dale City]

I will never vote for Kaine again.

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

I am truly, truly disappointed that Governor Kaine did this.

It's not necessary, and it really steeps some division within the party. We've had enough of that lately. I think in an intra-party congressional primary with two very well-known and well-liked personalities, the Governor's endorsement is not needed. And frankly, for the first time, I am really upset with him.

Kaine is trash.

[Dan]

BudManCubFan does effectively refute the canard that Kaine only supports pro-war candidates by pointing out his early support of Obama as opposed to a pro-war candidate like Clinton.

Speaking of the war. Senator Webb pointed out on MSNBC this morning that a barrell of oil was going for $24 the month Congress voted in favor of Bush's ill advised military adventure in Iraq. It currently stands just pennies short of $130.

If I lived in the 11th CD I'd be voting for Byrne. I hope she wins the primary.

People have been speculating for a while that these over the top posts have actually been hurting the Byrne campaign. I didn't think they had much effect one way or the other. They were weird, but inconsequential. I think we have reached a tipping point. They may well be hurting.

Many of these posts have just been silly. Easy enough to ignore. Slandering Governor Kaine with the "blood drenched hands" stuff is just plain wrong. And highly irresponsible.

Every campaign has its bizarre supporters who say and do things that bring discredit to the candidate. It is impossible to control this type of person or the crazy things they say.

I would urge everyone to please not judge Leslie Byrne by the insane posts on this blog. Please vote for her on June 10th.

Doug, were you also disappointed when Webb endorsed Leslie? Did you believe that Webb's endorsement encouraged division within the party? Or was that OK because the endorsement went to Byrne?

The hypocrisy of this site and many who post here is incredible.

It's clear Connolly is going to win.

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

No not at all Anon 9:28--that was completely different because Webb is not the Governor of Virginia. A US Senator would be a colleague of whomever is elected and will need to work with that person (actually that could be used to argue that an endorsement there might not be the best course for the Senator if his/her choice doesn't win, as well). But Leslie and Webb just seems different. Was Gov Kaine as close to Connolly as Webb has been to Byrne? I don't think so. It makes me think the usual Connolly strong-arming was going on behind the scenes for Kaine's endorsement.

You also know that I am a huge Obama supporter and Kaine's endorsement of Obama, while welcome and key in VA, was a bit over the top for a lot of Hillary people who were appalled by his conduct at the JJ Dinner.

You make a valid point that this could just be sour grapes over it not being Leslie, but I honestly don't think a sitting Governor should make an endorsement in a Congressional race like this one where there are two large, well-known, and well-respected personalities.

Just my opinion. I've been very quiet lately but felt the need to comment on this because I'm really disappointed.

[Traitor Tim]

I will vote for no Kaine backed candidates in a primary ever again. Excellent post.

[Sean Holihan]

Since when did Leslie Byrne become the standard-bearer for the Democratic Party of Virginia?

If she loses, what happens then? There becomes two Democratic Parties of VA? One headed up by Byrne and the other, the rest of the party? You people have really gone a little over the edge with this primary.

[Ghost of Alexander Hamilton]

Kaine seems to make it a habit of throwing other liberals under the bus when it suits his purpose. He worked to get State Senator John Edwards off the ticket in 2005 and did nothing to help Leslie during that campaign and now this.

[novamiddleman]

CIRCULAR FIRING SQUAD

ROFLMAO

[novamiddleman]

P.S.

I love Virginia.. the only state where BOTH Republicans and Democrats can take a sure fire win and make it extremly competitive and in many cases end up snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Its heaven for a political junky

[Doug in Mount Vernon]

FYI, I would agree that "blood drenched hands" is outrageous and wrong. But I'm still disappointed that Kaine did this, and I think Connolly must have really pressed Kaine.

The idea that Connolly can win in the 11th but Byrne can't I find laughable and grossly ignorant of the political landscape in the 11th. It's not 1998, folks!

[Bitter Typical White Person]

I was also disappointed the Governor tried to cram down the various congressional convention's throats an annointed slate of Denver bound insiders over the "great unwashed" hard working grass roots workers who knock on the doors and make the calls. How many of the 11 districts voted in the slate?

That was a poke in the eye with a sharp stick to all who dreamed of supporting the "annointed one" in Denver.

The Connolly campaign and its supporters were respectful of Jim Webb's endorsement of Byrne. There were no nasty shots from anyone in an official capacity. They understood that Webb has the right to endorse whom he pleases.

The same can't be said for the Leslie Byrne campaign. As all can see, her official transition office website has already slammed Kaine unfairly.

No class by Byrne, NLS, or RK. Reminds one of little kids throwing a tantrum to obscure the handwriting on the wall.

It'll be interesting to see how far the Byrne slime machine will go in trying to tar Governor Kaine.

[RollingRoadster]

I can't believe that Leslie is using such foul language to insult the governor. I think that does it for me - I was in the Byrne Brigade, but this is just too much. Why does she allow the pointless attacks on this blog to continue? Mark me down for Connolly.

Funny to watch the lib's squirm when terms like "blood drenched hands" are used on one of their own..lol