Faced With Losing Campaign, Cuccinelli Lashes Out at Virginia Beach Mayor

Apparently starting to grasp the reality that Terry McAuliffe may well beat him on Election Day, Ken Cuccinelli appears to be looking for others to blame rather than accept the fact that it is his own extremism and nastiness towards, gays, blacks, moderates and many others who do not fit the white Christofascist profile that is doing him in.  The coverage all over Virginia and America of yesterday's Supreme Court decision to drop kick Cuccinelli's appeal which sought to reinstate Virginia's sodomy law has only served to remind everyone just how out of step Cuccinelli is with modernity and mainstream thought.  But instead of looking in the mirror to find the source of his troubles, Cuccinelli has lashed out at Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms and accused him of striking a deal with Terry McAuliffe on light rail in exchange for Sessoms' endorsement.  Never mind that there is no evidence of any such deal.  And never mind that the Virginia General Assembly, not the governor, appropriates funding for transportation projects.  The Virginian Pilot looks at Cuccinelli's veritable temper tantrum.  Here are highlights:

Republican candidate for governor Ken Cuccinelli has alleged that Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms endorsed Democrat Terry McAuliffe as a trade-off for his support to extend light rail to the Oceanfront, calling the purported bargain “a little quid pro quo, maybe.”

Cuccinelli made that bold, and unsubstantiated, claim Wednesday in Newport News when he affixed a four-year, $14 billion price tag to many of McAuliffe’s spending priorities, saying the Democrat can’t possibly pay for them all without making deep budget cuts or raising taxes.

Since endorsing McAuliffe last month, Sessoms, a Republican estranged from the local GOP unit, has appeared in two television ads for the Democrat, whose campaign has made a big show of his defection. Sessoms said he wrestled with the choice before concluding McAuliffe would be more responsive as governor.

uccinelli’s chronology is correct on one count – one week separated Sessoms’ Sept. 17 endorsement and McAuliffe’s release of an urban investment plan calling for light rail extension to Norfolk Naval Station and the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

But it overlooks past McAuliffe statements to that effect, including one from a May speech in Norfolk when he said The Tide should go “all the way from the naval base to Virginia Beach.”

Sessoms called Cuccinelli’s claim “reckless” and untrue.  “For him to insinuate something like that is infuriating,” the mayor said, adding that while he’s thrilled McAuliffe favors light rail extension, “I’ve never asked him for a darn thing” to pledge funding for it.

Cuccinelli has made a career out of prostituting himself to religious extremists, closeted white supremacists, and those who want to turn back time by a century.  Now, he is reaping what he has sown through his own lunacy and extremism. 

  

Two GOP Legislators Buck Latent Racism on a Local Level - Updated

Since this post at 7:00AM this morning the Virginian Pilot has reported the following:

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RICHMOND - The House Transportation Committee unanimously approved today a proposal to extend the light rail system now under construction in Norfolk to within blocks of the Oceanfront. The measure now goes before the full House of Delegates. The legislation was introduced by Del. Robert Tata and state Sen. Frank Wagner with little apparent discussion with local elected city leaders.

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Barack Obama's position as the Democratic Part nominee has brought issues of racism to the fore in national politics, but it's an issue locally as well and shows itself in many ways. In the Norfolk area, it has long played a subtle factor in why the area has been so slow to build a light rail system. Ultimately, Norfolk has decided to forge ahead alone since Virginia Beach has in the past opposed any light rail system that ran from Norfolk out towards the Virginia Beach oceanfront. While many reasons have been floated - even though the commute into downtown Norfolk or the Norfolk Naval base from Virginia Beach is often a nightmare- the real reason has never been widely stated: the Virginia Beach hotel owners and other heavy hitters in Virginia Beach feared blacks from Norfolk riding the light rail to the oceanfront. Now, amazingly two Republican state legislators (both of whom I know personally) are pushing to force the extension of light rail service into Virginia Beach, I commend them on their common sense and courage to defy the racists in their city. Finally, someone who wants to see Virginia Beach run for the benefit of other citizens besides the hotel owner group. Here are highlights from the Virginian Pilot:

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Two Republican legislators from Virginia Beach have introduced a bill that would extend the light rail system now under construction in Norfolk to within blocks of the Oceanfront. The legislation was put in by Del. Robert Tata and state Sen. Frank Wagner with little apparent discussion with local elected city leaders. “It’s time for this to happen, whether they favor it or not,” Tata said Tuesday.

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Tata and Wagner are calling for a major expansion of a $232.1 million rail system already under construction that will run 7.4 miles from downtown Norfolk to Newtown Road. The Tide is expected to begin operating in early 2010. Tata said he envisions the rail running all the way to the Virginia Beach Convention Center. He said it would offer a hassle-free commute to those who live in Virginia Beach and work in downtown Norfolk. “You’d be foolish to drive in,” he said. “I-264 right now is sort of like a race track , it’s so dangerous. Why fight that kind of battle? You could train in and save on parking fees.”

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Under the bill, HB6028, the extension would be built with public and private money . The legislation calls on the state to solicit a private partner. The company would theoretically recoup its investment and a profit by being given a contract to run the rail and charge riders a fare.

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Michael Townes, HRT president, said he was surprised but encouraged by the bill. “We’re excited that Del. Tata understands that extending The Tide into Virginia Beach is important to Virginia Beach and the region of Hampton Roads,” he said. “Whether this bill passes or not, the indication is that our General Assembly members are understanding of light rail and are trying to find ways to be supportive.” Townes said he has no position yet on whether a public-private partnership is the best approach.