TAKE YOUR CHEAP TOUPEE AND SHOVE IT UP YOUR ....

The attempted/failed coup today against Joe Abbey has many stories behind it.  Let me start with the first one.

For many cycles in Virginia, Larry Sabato was allowed to moderate one of the debates in each of the major statewide elections.  This ended in 2006/2008 for various reasons.  This year, Larry was back again, shaking the tin cup of the his taxpayer subsidized Center for Politics- and hoping to get an hour of statewide television exposure.  I'm told by some sources inside UVA that Sabato was absolutely furious that the blogger debate happened in the primary, and specifically that "Not Larry Sabato" was allowed to moderate it, when he hadn't been able to moderate a statewide debate since 2005.

But ever since the Sabato/Goode pay-for-punditry scandal from earlier this year, there has been a zero percent chance that the Democrats would consent to him moderating one of the Governor's debates this year.  It's becoming more and more apparent that Sabato's financial well being depends on the success of his Center for Politics- which is taxpayer subsidized- so it would be like having a lobbyist for a debate moderator.  Except even worse, because Sabato didn't even disclose his financial interest in Virgil Goode's re-election until the Politico called him out on it earlier this year. 

But of course this kind of pay-for-play politics didn't even faze the campaign of Bob McDonnell, which accepted Sabato's debate proposal.  It fell to the Creigh Deeds campaign to have to politely decline- and it was Campaign Manager Joe Abbey who called Sabato to do a few days ago when Creigh announced which debates he was accepting.  Since then Sabato has been looking for disgruntled Democrats to launch an attack on Joe for not accepting the debate.

Unfortunately he found a few VERY close to Creigh Deeds who have their own motives for lying and handing Sabato the knife he attempted to use today to kill off Joe Abbey.  I'm trying to decide if I want to bring them into the story or not- they certainly deserve the public ridicule from this attempted coup- but I am weighing that against the best interests of Creigh and Joe as well here. 

But I hope this post helps give a little color to the motive of Sabato here today.  Truly disgusting.

Comments

[DanielK]

Ben, those very FEW who are close to Creigh at this point in the campaign have got to go or at least make sure we know about them if they are willing to pander to Sabato over not accepting a debate with him. We don't know how much of this Creigh knows about but there is no way he can miss it. It almost makes me wonder whether or not these people have Creigh's and the Democratic voter's best interests in mind of whether they are just looking for opportunities to further their own personal and professional agenda.

If they are able to get away with this completely without any ridicule or anger from Creigh's loyal and faithful supporters then there is no doubt in my mind that they will do it again if given the opportunity. In my own opinion, as someone with absolutely zero association with the campaign now that this has to get out there, air the dirty laundry and get it done!

The worst part about this is that Creigh is finally at a point in the campaign where most of us on the left are happy with his new plan of attack in educating voters about social issues! This is a complete distraction but if we don't make sure we know who the people are who would do this to Creigh then there is nothing preventing them from doing it again!

[Not Michael Jackson]

I don't read your blog for the TMZ shit you pull half the time.

This is the half of the time when you actually post something interesting.....

please don't leave us hanging.

[NotAndySere]

We need to know the traitors without our ranks!

[Excuses, Excuses]

If Larry Sabato weren't so famous, you wouldn't be calling yourself "Not Larry Sabato," I suppose! Rather ironic given that Larry Sabato himself is more on the left side of the political spectrum than the right.

This seems like a really lame way of covering up for a faltering campaign that is devoid of issues and for a candidate who would rather duck debates. I guess a bad workman likes to blame his tools. But hey, keep up that trajectory and see if your candidate can get more than 42% of the vote in November.

[MIJ]

Daniel K. Regarding"Creigh's loyal and faithful supporters" I am not there yet. I doubt I would even consider voting for him if it wasn't that McDonnell's best buddy is Pat R. This is about Joe Abbey. Joe is one heck of a guy with a bright future ahead of him.
If Deeds has any sense of loyalty or can even spell
leadership, he should fire those responsible for this.
Will he do it? Of course not. My 5lbs yorkie has more backbone than Deeds.

[Not Timothy Geithner]

As a Democratic voter, I would like to know, but waiting until after the election might make sense to keep it in the best interest of the campaign. Then you have to weigh if this is stuff newspapers might pick up on in a month.

[Shocked]

You mean Larry Sabato is all about ego and selling books and making money? I am shocked! Shocked!

The guy is a shameless self promoter. Being out of the debate loop must be more than he can take.

[MIJ]

Not Timothy Geithner...How pray tell does what you posted function in the "best interest of the campaign" Deeds apparently has some self-interest back stabbers in his inner circle

[Mr. GOP]

Hey Virginia, in case you have missed it, the posts above give you an insight into how a political campaign slowly but steadily self-destructs. Consider the evidence:

1. Deeds “me to” approach to answering McDonnell’s well-timed and detailed policy proposals.
2. Deeds incessant political stammering over whether or not to accept McDonnell’s debate challenges (appears like a wimp).
3. Deeds avoidance of taking a clear position on “Cap and Trade” or “Card Check”, both hurtful to business.
4. Deeds flummoxing of whether he is or is not supportive of Obama-care to the point that the party chair, Little Dickie Cranwell, has to step in to snatch Deeds’ bacon from the fire in the middle of a press teleconference.
4. Deeds getting not one, but 2 speeding tickets in 3 months (great example from a person who wants to be Governor).
5. High-profile people formerly supportive of Warner and Kaine now with McDonnell.
6. Deeds declaration yesterday that he would sign a tax hike at the very time people and small businesses are trying to survive economically.
7. Anemic crowds at Deeds events.
8. And more telltale than he knows, Deeds recent “go negative’ strategy against Bob McDonnell over social issues which is almost sure to turn off suburbanites completely and energize church-goers.

And the list goes on. The carping above, Virginia, is prima facie evidence that you are witnessing the pre-Labor Day implosion of the Deeds campaign.

Here is Deeds biggest problem. He is not in charge of the agenda, message, or vision. In sum, not ready for prime time. Result? Also ran.

All of this in my mind makes it abundantly clear that Bob McDonnell is the clear choice for Virginia. Great campaign, a true vision, clearly stated policy initiatives, a mature approach to governance, and in-step with families and small business.

[Brian W. Schoeneman]

I doubt sincerely that Larry Sabato's looking for dirt would have uncovered dirt that wasn't there. The few who are very close to Creigh that want to throw Joe Abbey under the bus are doing so because the campaign is on the rocks - the CM getting fired is what generally what happens when a campaign is floundering. The fact that Joe Abbey is still around despite the dismal showing Deeds is making right now should be the story, not that people are finally trying to get rid of him with less than three months to go in the campaign.

[RacerX]

The big question isn't Sabato's motivation, but Deeds' staff.

If someone were to call me and ask for damaging info about my boss, I'd tell him to get bent and lose my phone number. These people were willing to gripe to Sabato, which says to me there's something (maybe several somethings) seriously wrong.

And why weren't these people "loyal and faithful supporters"? Might have something to do with Deeds and Abbey FIRING THE PEOPLE WHO GOT HIS PRIMARY WIN. The campaign dumped all his "loyal and faithful supporters" for the best McAuliffe staff money could buy. And now they're getting what they paid for.

[Mike Rothfeld]

NLS,

This post is a public service to Virginia. Thank you.

As an R consultant, I don't know enough of the Deeds' campaign to say whether Abbey should stay or go, but this rings of the insider, ego-and-money-driven crap that ALL campaigns deal with.

And of course that phony Sabato (who actually is rather dumb about campaigns, but I digress) is the gold-standard of political hypocrisy.

best regards,

Mike Rothfeld

[Bigvinu]

Blogger mudslinging at it's best. Pass the popcorn please :)

[Not Fonzie]

I love that RacerX used the term, "get bent." I haven't heard that one since the 70's! I suggest that the malcontents also shove it 'up their nose with a rubber hose' and 'sit on it!'

[southside dem]

Betcha its someone from Kaine's political insider group which is why Ben really wants to tell everyone who's behind this. A Kaine staffer makes sense since they want to blame Joe for Creigh's campaign and not the harm Kaine's decisions have made.

[Alice]

no source, no story.

[Bigvinu]

Why is your blog so popular when this is the big "story"?

[Air Jordan Shoes]

If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth