You sure it isn't the other way around? I thought Kilgore was at the Marriott.

Go figure. I would have thought Kilgore would have been in his "home" town of Gate City surrounded by his family and close friends.

I guess he just likes to "be from" Southwest Virginia when its helpful.

I'm sure there will be a strong contingent of Scott County Democrats at the Kaine Celebration, just in case Jerry wants to drop by and say hello.

I also want to thank The Washington Post for posting the video clips of the Fairfax Debate. I did not understood why Kilgore was so afraid to debate Kaine until I saw those video clips.

Now I know why Kilgore insisted that the debates be held in faraway West Virginia and why he tried to embargoe release of clips from the Fairfax debate.

I don't see how anyone -- Republican or Democrat -- could watch those clips and not see that Kaine is the right man at the right time for Virginia.

I had heard both Kaine's and Kilgore's camps would be on different floors inside the Marriott hotel.

Regardless of which pitiful candidate is celebrating or where, the vast majority of us will be praying that the winner gets a brain at the party. Reminds us of the Scarecrow.

Kaine comes equipped with both brain and backbone. And, judging from the success of Warner-Kaine budget reform, he knows how to get both brain and backbone in motion.

Dear Soccer Mom,

Kaine had absolutely nothing to do with the last session's budget negotiations. The LG has no role in that. If you aren't conviced, ask either chair of the committees on appropriations--House or Senate. I'll give him credit for certain things, but not this one. He can't ride Warner's and the GA members' coat tails.

It bothers me that citizens form opinions without facts. Please get yours straight; it will make your blog comments so much more effective.

Dear Anonymous II --

Kaine worked tirelessly during those budget negotiations -- whether you can bear to admit it or not. If he hadn't, then why would Mark Warner be campaigning so hard for him? Hmmm... Why does Mark Warner thank him repeatedly in public for his negotiating and consensus-building skills?

You're just in a bad mood because Kilgore is losing traction and seeming sillier and sillier day by day. Has anyone figured out what he was talking about with that Al-Quaida nonsense? Someone needs to buy Kilgore some maple syrup to put on top of his waffle on criminalizing abortion.

If you are so confident of your facts and your candidate's abilities, then how about you broadcast that Fairfax debate for one and all to see?

Gilmore....Kilgore....what's the difference?

Dear Soccer Mom,
Ask the chairs--that's all I ask of you--do not make partisan assumptions. If you weren't part of the process, you have to ask those who were. If you ask, you will find out Kaine was nowhere to be seen. And read! If you had read my comments, you would know I think both candidates are pitiful. I don't have a candidate, as you wrote. I'm not in a bad mood because "Kilgore is losing traction." I don't care what happens to Kilgore - or Kaine. If you read, you would know that the Fairfax debates were televised for all to see (and publicized in advance). If you read, you would know that this isn't a choice between Gilmore and Kilgore. If you read, you would know that Warner is doing his level best to be a team player for the Dems.
If you expect to convince us to vote for Kaine, give us some facts, not "silly" assumptions or wild accusations. Explain to us why you like Kaine so much. But please, use facts to back up your arguments. If you do, maybe you can convince some of us who don't plan to vote because the choices are so bad. So far, you haven't convinced me.
FYI: I'm not a Republican.

The debates were televised.. during the day of the debates and on the following Sunday at 2 pm on a channel that is local to Fairfax. This was at Kilgore's insistance. So the debates were NOT televisef "for all to see," only a select few.

Ever heard of a VCR?

Dear Anonymous II,

You impress me. I really appreciate the intelligence and civility that your last posting demonstrated. I must feed my family in a few minutes, but will return this evening and provide you the information you requested.

For the record, the Fairfax Debate WAS NOT AIRED anywhere near Richmond. The Kilgore campaign "embargoed" it. And I would love to hear what was said behind closed doors after the Washington Post ran videoclips from it on the "Race to Richmond" blogsite.

I will check you later and give you my best shot as to why you (and others) should vote for Tim Kaine. Again, you intelligence and civility impress me. SM

Sorry about the typoe in the last line. Should read: Again, your intelligence and civility impress me. SM

I think anonymousII is Russ Potts.

Anonymous II ....This blogpost by Carol Wolf on the Richmond School Board presents some solid reasons people should vote for Kaine instead of Kilgore.

Jerry Kilgore needs a lesson on the Golden Rule and a trip to the woodshed.

Ever since Kilgore's mud-slinging commercials attacking Tim Kaine's stand on fully funding public education in Virginia began airing, the commercials that brand the Richmond Public Schools as the second-worst school district in Virginia and claim we have "over-crowded" [sic] classrooms, I have heard from students, teachers and parents who are upset.

"I thought 86 percent of the City of Richmond Public Schools are accredited, 43 out of 51 schools," asked one mother. "Now, this Kilgore character says our school system is the second-worst in Virginia. What gives?" "Our classrooms aren't over-crowded -- why is he saying that they are?" asked another. "I bet Jerry Kilgore has never been inside a Richmond Public School."

The saddest lament of all, however, and the reason I am taking the time to write this letter, came not from an angry or frustrated parent, but from a tiny fourth-grade girl with big, brown eyes. "I heard on television that Richmond's schools are failing. Does that mean I'm failing?" Hearing her say that nearly broke my heart. "No, sweetie. You are not failing," I said and hugged her. "Mr. Kilgore is the one who is failing."

Kilgore's ambition for higher office has so clouded his vision that he is apparently willing to do and say anything if he thinks it will help him get elected Governor -- even if it means he has to hurt young children, insult hard-working teachers and worry parents.

Those commercials are shameful, dishonest and disturbing evidence that Kilgore has failed a critical test of character and has totally forgotten the "Golden Rule," a concept I am certain his Sunday School teachers tried their best to instill.

By using data that is 10 years old, Kilgore twists the truth and tells outright lies about our schools, our City and Tim Kaine. When Kaine was a City Councilman and Mayor in Richmond, our schools were in pitiful shape. But, when he left office, they were in better shape.

And now, four years after Kaine and Gov. Mark Warner took office, Richmond's schools and schools across the Commonwealth are experiencing record successes -- thanks to their efforts working with the State Board of Education and with local school boards to make public education a priority.

Kilgore and his media mudslingers conveniently fail to note is that as Richmond's mayor, Kaine provided the school system with the money and means to hire excellent leadership and successfully worked with the City Manager, City Council, the School Board and state legislators to build four new schools and successfully used public-private business partnerships to make real the dream of not one, but TWO regional Governor's Schools for excellence.

Were Tim Kaine a lesser man, a man driven solely by ambition and not integrity, he could have easily used selected data from the beginning of Kilgore's tenure as George Allen's Secretary of Public Safety to portray Kilgore as ineffective and lacking leadership, given the many problems that have beset and continue to plague juvenile detention centers and prisons in Virginia.

But, he didn't. And, he won't. Why -- because to do so would be beneath him. Do a Google or a Yahoo search prisons and juvenile detention centers and prisons in Virginia from 1994-98 and then decide who you are voting for -- Kaine, a man driven by intelligence and integrity or Kilgore, a man who will do anything and say anything to get elected.

Respectfully, Carol A.O. Wolf,
Richmond School Board

Thanks , excellent..

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