McAuliffe slams GOP candidate on jobs
MARK GORMUS/TIMES-DISPATCH
Democratic gubernatorial candidate (left) Terry McAuliffe and Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas during a campaign stop at The Camel in Richmond on Monday May 11, 2009.
Published: May 12, 2009
SLIDESHOW: Terry McAuliffe and Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas
Pitching for the youth vote with will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas fame, Democrat Terry McAuliffe is unloading some boom, boom, pow on his would-be Republican opponent for governor.
While campaigning yesterday with the hip-hop star whose group's latest tune, "Boom, Boom, Pow," is No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, McAuliffe attacked former Attorney General Bob McDonnell for defending House of Delegates Republicans' vote to block $125 million in federal funds for expanded jobless benefits.
"Once people understand it, they get outraged over it," said McAuliffe, noting that the money is available to Virginia for seven years to assist unemployed part-timers and those training for other jobs.
McAuliffe, one of three candidates for the Democratic nomination to be decided in a June 9 primary, unloaded on McDonnell during a stop yesterday with will.i.am that drew about 80 to The Camel, a Broad Street nightspot.
Will.i.am was instrumental in mobilizing young voters last year for Barack Obama's presidential campaign.
The McDonnell campaign, rolling out its first television commercial apparently to deflect a Democratic ad attacking him on the unemployment issue, declined to comment on McAuliffe's broadside.
"We wish him the best of luck in his contested and tough primary," McDonnell spokesman J. Tucker Martin said.
McAuliffe was asked about the McDonnell advertisement, which is largely autobiographical but closes with a flourish that echoes one invoked by McAuliffe from the very start of his candidacy: job creation.
"They know it's about jobs -- it's about the economy," said McAuliffe, opposed for the Democratic nomination by state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds of Bath County and former Del. Brian J. Moran of Alexandria. "They see I'm getting a lot of traction with my economic argument. They're getting nervous."
Will.i.am, wearing a white toque, thick-soled, lace-up black patent leather shoes, shiny black trousers and a snug, slightly frayed militarylike jacket, joined McAuliffe in Hampton Roads, Richmond and Northern Virginia.
The recording artist and McAuliffe have not always been on the same side. While will.i.am backed Obama from the start of the 2008 race, McAuliffe led the campaign of Hillary Rodham Clinton.
However, McAuliffe, as chairman of the Democratic National Committee, enlisted will.i.am as a party spokesman in 2004 on behalf of the party's unsuccessful presidential nominee, John Kerry.
Will.i.am, at least the second headliner behind former President Bill Clinton to stump for McAuliffe, described the McLean investor-businessman as the "guy who got me into politics."
Contact Jeff E. Schapiro at (804) 649-6814 or
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Reader Reactions
By the way SamBear, I read the Pilot article. One of those “modest” adjustments is that the boost in unemployment be made permanent. Permanent. You get that? And tell xxJoxx that when the Pres gets his cap-and-trade and energy costs go up somewhere between 10 and 80%, some folks might be singing a different tune.
SamBear, what state do you live in? Have you ever seen an elected rep with enough goolies to vote to repeal a social program? I haven’t. And I stand by what I said about the taxpayers being on the hook for the cost after the fed giveaway runs out. By the way, did I somewhere say that I was far-right conservative? Well, I’m not. I’m moderate conservative which means I have no more use for the far right than I do the far left. I don’t oppose all social spending I just want someone looking out for the taxpayers. Raise the taxes enough and you kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
MJ, carry that a bit further. The 125 was also turned down becuase it required a permanent expansion of unemployment benefits. After the 125 ran out, productive Virginia taxpayers, like me, would be required to fund the expanded benefit, like, forever.
Mcauliffe, The Punk, is digging himself a hole on the $125 million that the House of Delegates rightly blocked. Hey Punk, The Obama administration is responsible for not giving the state the the money, because Obama should have put up the money with no strings attached. Instead, Obama is using the money as a devicive wedge to cause unrest with the very people that HE claims HE wants to help. Both the Punk and Obama couldn’t care less about people who have lost their jobs, they just want to use them for political gain…SHAMEFUL!
Why refuse the 125? Because we don’t need it, or the strings attached to it. We shouldn’t add to the burden that will be passed down to future generations, by printing and spending unnecessary monopoly money now.
McDonnell may be a carpetbagger too, but he obviously does not desire to socialize the commonwealth. I cannot say the same for any of the democratic candidates.
VCU, you are correct, upstate New York does suffer from the NYC to Albany connection. I have spent time in Cooperstown and spoke with a business owner for a while about the suffocating fees and taxes that a business owner faces in that state. I did not say however that McAuliffee was from NYC, I said he was from New York and a politician from New York is one I do not trust and should be sent home if they wish to run for political office. Of course they have an issue of people from Illinois filling positions in that state.
PS, Bob McDonnell is a carpet bagger.
Go back to Pennsylvania, we’ve all seen how they think about taxes in Philly!
A) Terry is from Syrcause, not NYC. Upstate knows the burden of NYC taxes all to well, so don’t bring that game. There’s a lot of NYS expats around Virginia who are here precisely because we see the problems of Albany.
B) Deeds is the best choice.
C) Why refuse the 125?
Kudos to Bob McDonnell, and the Republicans in the House of Delegates, for voting to block $125 million in federal funds for expanded jobless benefits.
McAullife, why don’t you go home, and try to socialize your own state. Take Kaine and the rest of your carpet-bagging friends with you.
Does anyone else find it troubling that modern day democrats are running popularity contests, with the likes of Sheryl Crow, Beastie boys, and Will.i.am(whoever that is), instead of campaigning on substance.
Simply said, Watch the people with whom someone is surrounded. These are the like-minded people with whom he identifies.
McAuliffe thinks we’re unable to determine that he’s using us as a stepping stone to a national position. I’d like to think we’re smarter than that.
Creigh Deeds. That’s all I’m gonna say on that issue.
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