The Collapse of the Deeds Campaign

Does this video sum it up or what?  Also, Miles is right on here.

Comments

[Chris]

you would think if Deeds country is doing so poorly for so long, they might want to think about sending new representation to Richmond. I don't know, a thought.

[Salem Republican]

It was obvious at the Homestead debate that Deeds was going to make a hard push for the rural vote. As someone from the "rural" part of Virginia, I said to the person next to me "who is the moron who decided to go after 10% of the vote and leave the other 90% for McDonnell?" As a McDonnell supporter, I love it, but it sure is a strange strategic decision.

[Not Brian Moran]

I agree, 60% of Virginians live on 14% of the landmass, essentially from NoVa to Richmond to Hampton roads...Deeds is competing for that 40% of Virginians on 86% of the landmass, that is a lot of ground to cover...as a Democratic volunteer, houses are easier to door knock when they are a mile apart...

[Not Brian Moran]

Errr...When they are NOT a mile apart.

[Just sayin]

Why is it he's pissin' in the wind, when it's shoring up the base for any GOPer?

Creigh is who is he, and I for one think this biograph will help people understand he's an original.

[Not Doug Wilder]

Miles Grant proved himself a failure of a candidate, and from the sounds of that post can barely restrain himself from looking down his nose at rural Virginians. Sounds like sour primary grapes to me.

Bottom Line: Deeds campaign is not in trouble.

[Chris]

i love the Dems who are defending this, when this is the exact kind of "I'm from real Virginia" crap that Jerry Kilgore was running on.

In fact, the comparisons between Deeds and Kilgore are beginning to mount every day.

[Good for Deeds]

What does Miles know about winning elections? Sorry that looking outside of the overcrowded suburban cocoon and into real Virginia scares you all off. Good for Deeds for being real and not kissing butt to the far left beltway loons.

[dbag mcgee]

Who's Miles?

[Jim]

At 2 minutes long I can not believe it will ever be used in a media campaign....beyond that it is not a bad piece of filler for his website and youtube.

[Larry Sabato's Hairpiece]

"When I think of Deeds Country, I don't really think of Deeds. I think of places and people who need jobs and need hope."

--Creigh Deeds, Candidate for Governor

Wow. A place with unemployed people who have no hope. Sounds like Deeds Country is a rural Detroit. I'm thinking that living in Deeds Country sort of sucks if that's what it's about...

[yoyoyo]

Great video... background music could use a little more bass, though.

[Outside Observer]

Why is it wrong for Creigh's campaign to highlight his rural background? At least he has a story most Virginians want to hear. Bob McDonnell with Regent and Pat Robertson? Not so much.

I think it's great that Creigh's campaign is going to compete in ALL of Virginia and not just cede the rural areas to the GOP. At the end of the day, I think Virginians will find Deeds to be the most authentic choice.

[kelley in virginia]

i kinda liked it. i've enjoyed many happy hours in Bath County & in Deeds Country.

but i'm just a scatterbrained Republican.

[PWConservative]

While Deeds is focused on his home turf (which he should have already locked up) McDonnell is killing in the burbs

[notvirgilgoode]

Rural Virginian's really can't stand it when Northern Virginia's insinuate that Southside and Southwest Virginia don't matter. Deeds is doing the right thing...just like Mark Warner to periodically reach out to us. If it we're up to Ben Tribett i guess we wouln't even compete in the 5th and 9th districts....uh we'll then we wouldn't have Boucher and Perriello.

[Suzie]

"Good for Deeds": Sorry to disappoint you, but Deeds will not win without the "far left beltway loons".

[aznew]

I understand being unhappy with the campaign for a variety of reasons, but I don't get this post. Sure, the whole "Deeds Country" concept is a little goofy, but the message of the video is spot on.

To tell you the truth, this tactic makes a lot of sense to me. Creigh may very well lose this election in NoVA, but if he is going to win it, common sense and the numbers say he will win it in rural Virginia.

I say hammer the campaign for what really ails them, but to me this just seems like Ben is frustrated and wants to lash out, and this video provided an ready opportunity to do so.

[Spock]

Anytime a candidate panders to one demographic and pulls the "real" schpiel it alienates everyone else.

There is enough of a divisive problem in VA, so, explain how wedging that divide wins elections?

This is just like Palin with that "real" American crap.

Even Hillary's hack would be doing a better campaign than this.

[change]

I rather like this ad, of course I am of the ”mainstream” and not the “extreme” left fringe.
Doesn’t he also believe in that “useless” second amendment?

He might get my vote…

[Mr Bubbles]

Where to begin:

First of all Ben, I find it interesting that you are quoting and siding with Miles like that considering you were too much of a coward to endorse him on your blog.

Secondly, why the hell are we listening to Miles Grant here? Miles ran as the most liberal candidate in the most liberal house district in the most liberal jurisdiction in Virginia and still lost… bad. He has zero political savy, no sense of campaign strategy or tactics, and even some of his supporters secretly thought he was a bit of prick. People like Miles and Lowell think VA ends at the southern and western borders of Fairfax County. Furthermore, they think that the retards on Blue Commonwealth and other blogs are an accurate cross-section of Virginia and that somehow the liberal blogosphere are the rightful rulers of the Democratic Party and everyone else should just shut up and learn their place. I mean look at his posting; it was full of disdain and contempt for anyone that doesn’t live in NOVA, drive a Prius, and have a blog.

I really don’t have time to go into an indepth analaysis on the failures of the Grant campaign or how inept the VA blogosphere in general will be but if you want evidence of how clueless he is, look at his comment about “all the liberals in Hampton roads.” Clearly none of these people spend much time in the area. There are maybe 100 progressive/liberals in all of Hampton Roads (not counting whack jobs like Pat Edmondson). People here voted overwhelmingly for Wagner and Deeds instead of Signer and Moran. Not to mention they sent a blue dog like Nye to congress.

Deeds is obviously having a piss-poor time with minority outreach. Though I think Sheila Johnson’s endorsement was primarily for self-serving reasons, the lack of endorsements from the black community is a clear failure of senior Deeds staff (mostly Levar Stoney and Joe Abbey). I don’t pretend to know what Joe Abbey’s hair is thinking but I think I have a reasonable hypothesis on strategy and it’s about margins. Deeds is very popular in the valley and if he can lock up a majority of the independents and conservative dems in the rural areas, that’s at least 50,000 votes McDonnell will never get back and it will also force Bob to play defense where he doesn’t want too. People in the rural areas of Virginia are willing to vote for Democrats (Warner and Boucher for example) so why shouldn’t Deeds spend time there? Also, I find it very hard to believe people like Miles and Lowell won’t go to the polls in November and won’t vote for Deeds. Locking up the nova base and the liberal/progressive vote isn’t going to require that much time or energy. The liberal left is just as mindless and partisan as evangelicals. To sum it up, Deeds can afford to spend August in the rural areas and still do just fine in NOVA despite all the liberal princesses there.

[Spock]

I think I'll just write-in Brian Moran.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Bubbles,

http://notlarrysabato.typepad.com/doh/2008/11/miles-grant-for.html

[Good for Deeds]

Suzie- Deeds will win those over anyway, not way they sit home or pull a lever (or punch a button) for McRobertson. My point is I'm glad he's being real and not pandering to the latte-sippin', Prius drivin', McMansion livin', whiney-hineys who think they are superior to everyone South of Fairfax County.

[Mr Bubbles]

Ben,

dated november 2008 before of 5 candidates announced

[Mr Bubbles]

i meant to say before 4 of the 5 candidates were in it.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Bubbles, I hosted a fundraiser and donated and worked the polls for Miles. What else did I need to do?

I endorsed him in November because I was supporting him regardless of the field, and I did all the way through the primary.

[Mr Bubbles]

yes, your fundraiser for him was well publicized.

While you made your case for Miles in your november post and it was well known on your blog that you dislike Patrick Hope, an update on why Miles was more qualified than Parkhomenko, Tobar, and Howze would have been smart.

[dcbill]

Need I remind everyone that Ben endorsed Hillary, made all kinds of asinine statements about Obama and his strategy, and was just plain wrong more times than I can count. It's August, and no one has lost anything yet. Except for Ben and his credibility. Wonderin' why I keep comin' back for more.

[dcbill]

Actually, I remembered. The after-the-fact analysis is pretty impressive. Before the election, though, it's diva time. Give it a rest.

[cvllelaw]

Those of us with long memories may remember that Doug Wilder started his campaign for Lieutenant Governor by going to Southwest Virginia and working his way back across the state through every little rural crossroads. That worked out OK.

Conventional wisdom is to start from the outside and work in toward the center. That's what Creigh is doing.

And how many folks in NoVa are paying any attention right now anyway? If the best way to reach them is by advertising and direct mail, August is no time for either.

There is no question that Creigh's path to 50.1% is not Tim Kaine's. Don't try to force him into that model.

[Duh]

Of course Ben endorsed Miles....He lost! Remember, if you are ever unsure of who Ben endorsed just look at the candidate who loses! Signer, Terry, Miles, Baldwin and so forth....Since Ben isn't nut hugging Joe Abbey anymore he needs to lash out. If Ben really wanted to get back at Joe for whatever he did (Probably not giving him a job) then he should come out and endorse Creigh because like so many others that is the kiss of death!

This is just another Benny Bop cycle he is in. It's funny how that campaign is "collapsing" when it is finally getting refired up. Also, how many people really come here for useful information or just regular entertainment to see how much been is trashed in the comments? I find the comments more entertaining that the content he produces!

[Martin Lomasney]

Wow, I wouldn't let that video out in NoVa.

I've got voting fatigue (we've had a bunch of specials here in NoVa since 11/'08). The kids have election day weekend off from school. We're going to DisneyWorld.

What is there in that video is going to make an Obama voter stay in town or put in the effort to vote absentee?

If Deeds owns that much land and has it named after him, he must be filthy rich.

Isn't this guy the rural evangelical republican?

Nobody looks hispanic or asian. Was there only one black person.

Anything about roads or colleges?

This video makes this guy look completely out of touch with the urban crescent which is where the votes are.

[Moderate By Nature]

Democrats will begin to think back to June 9th more and more as the November election comes closer. Either Moran or McAuliffe would have launched a far better, more Democratic, campaign that Deeds.

This fiscally liberal/socially conservative model is a bad look for anybody, especially a Democrat in these times.

As a Democrat, I can say that McDonnell will run away with this and rightfully so. Deeds is an embarassment and makes this showdown for Governor one that I'd like to sleep through.

[Kevin in Arlington]

So far it seems like the hand-wringing about the Deeds campaign primarily has come from the self-serving and self-important (Sheila Johnson, the WaPo editorial page, this site) and secondarily from a few frustrated NoVA progressives.

There are some legitimate complaints to be had, but please a little perspective here. It's August. Bob McDonnell is not "killing" in the suburbs. Polls right now are a reflection of the oxygen getting sucked out of the room by national policy debates.

To the Dems out there- Enough navel-gazing. Creigh is our candidate and a darn good one. Get out there and support him.

[notsophialoren]

You cannot win a statewide office without winning NoVA. Doug Wilder's campaign manager argued he could win without NoVa and found out it was NoVa that put Doug over the top, not Southwestern VA.

[LAS]

"Creigh may very well lose this election in NoVA, but if he is going to win it, common sense and the numbers say he will win it in rural Virginia."

If Creigh loses or even doesn't win by a healthy margin in NoVa, he loses, period. And he knows this better than anyone.

[Good for Deeds]

The ultra-lefties in NOvaland need to get over their losses from June 9th and get behind a guy who could be one of the best Governors for ALL Of Virginia in some time.

[Brian W. Schoeneman]

This was a pretty good ad.

[change]

I agree with 12:26 McDonnell “could be one of the best Governors for ALL Of Virginia in some time.”

[Chanel J12]

Do you agree that travel must one day revert to being a luxury