The Real Bob McDonnell - Not What Virginia Needs

As the Republican Party at the national level continues to demonstrate that it has been co-opted by the lunatic far right base of the Party, Bob McDonnell, the presumptive GOP candidate for Governor of Virginia is busy trying to market himself as a moderate pro-business candidate. I have posted both on this blog and on Bilerico-DC my views on McDonnell's disingenuous campaign and now Common Sense Virginia has a website that is highlighting the true Bob McDonnell who has the nickname "Taliban Bob" due his embrace of the extreme elements of the Christian Right here in Virginia who are anti-abortion in all cases, anti-gay rights of any kind, and want extreme Christianist religious views intertwined with the civil laws. The website - which is advertising on a number of political blogs - can be found here. Here are some highlights on the real Bob McDonnell:

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A Regent University law grad with strong ties to the religious right and seven terms representing Virginia Beach in the House of Delegates, McDonnell has been making headlines here for years. He could probably do without some of the controversial ones say, those involving his legal work before state regulatory agencies, or his role in the ouster of a Newport News judge a couple years back.” [Editorial, The Virginian-Pilot, 10/19/2005]

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The Virginian Pilot said that “To be sure, parts of [McDonnell's] agenda, if ever fully realized, would bring division and harm to the commonwealth. As an advocate for the Christian Right, McDonnell presumably would invite a society in which it is a crime for a woman to terminate her pregnancy, prayer is mandated in public schools, and taxpayer dollars are diverted to parochial education. Only with caution can courts and common sense be counted on to limit this agenda's realization.“ [The Virginian-Pilot, 10/24/1999]

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In an article discussion suspect donations to McDonnell's Attorney General campaign, a Washington Post editorial noted “Democrats suspect, without offering any proof, that the RSLC is concealing huge "pass-through" donations from Pat Robertson, an ally and political mentor of Mr. McDonnell. Mr. McDonnell is a graduate of the law school of Regent University, a Christian institution founded by Mr. Robertson. The televangelist makes no secret of his support, having given $36,000 directly to the McDonnell campaign, its second-largest donation from an individual. . . . [Editorial, Washington Post, 10/21/2005]

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McDonnell has issued plenty of bad legal decisions as attorney general. The Regent University law school graduate too often caters to the far right of the GOP over the good of the commonwealth and the law.” [Editorial, The Roanoke Times, 3/25/2008]

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I encourage readers to fully explore this website because, if you do, it will be perfectly clear that Bob McDonnell is the last person we need as Governor of Virginia. McDonnell is hoping that people will have forgotten his past - we need to do all that we can to remind them of who McDonnell really is and who will dictate policy if her were to be elected. Do we really want Pat Robertson and Daddy Dobson's affiliate, The Family Foundation, dictating the future of Virginia?