Which Way, Wilder?
So, who is Doug going to endorse?
The topic of where former Virginia governor and current Richmond mayor L. Douglas Wilder is going to throw his support in the governor's race is starting to become a hot one among political insiders around the state.
A couple of months back, Wilder opened up the pitch for his support by asking Tim Kaine, Jerry Kilgore and Russ Potts a few questions about a 10-point plan he developed to help improve cities around the commonwealth.
All three candidates were cooperative, although Kilgore scored highest, agreeing on all 10 points, including a tax credit for low- and moderate-income families. Kaine, who embraced eight of Wilder's points, didn't agree to the tax credit.
But now a new wrinkle. Wilder has asked Gov. Mark R. Warner (D) to use the state's surplus to help set up a program that will help poor and working class Virginians pay their energy bills this winter.
"It is the logical use of this surplus revenue to deal with the energy cost crunch affecting so many Virginia families," Wilder wrote to Warner in a letter Friday.
What does that have to do with the governor's race? Well, both Kaine and Kilgore have responded to that request (to Warner) saying they will set up programs to address that very issue.
Kaine's campaign reminded "Race to Richmond" that a few weeks ago he proposed to eliminate the state portion of the sales tax on energy-efficient home heating equipment.
Meanwhile this evening, Kilgore's camp released a letter their candidate sent to Wilder saying that "if elected governor ... I will propose an amendment to the state budget to appropriate a portion of the $3 billion in new revenue to a Virginia heating assistance program." Coincidence? Wilder does still have some sway in the political world, after all.
So is Wilder moved by all of this? Speculation from some around the campaigns was that he was set to announce his endorsement on Saturday at the Gold Bowl, the football classic held at Virginia Union University.
The question was put to Paul Goldman, Wilder's longtime adviser, who acted as if he didn't know a thing. "I'm mum," he said. "We'll have to see what he does, won't we?"
By Chris Jenkins |
October 21, 2005; 7:42 PM ET
| Category:
Democrats
, Republicans
Previous: Bill Arrives |
Next: The Latest Polls
Posted by: Jayne | October 22, 2005 08:30 AM
I hope I am wrong, Jayne, but I have been hearing for nearly a year now that Herr Wilder, the dictator of the City of Richmond, worked out a deal with Tom Bliley and the Rightwingnut Republicans in the last General Assembly session.
The deal? In exchange for ALL of the charter changes he wanted concerning the powers of an elected mayor in Richmond, Wilder promised that he would spend the next year totally slamming everything in the City of Richmond, repeatedly referring to the city as a "cesspool of corruption," never once missing an opportunity to state that Kaine had not done a good job as mayor and .... that....ta-dah.... Wilder would turn around right before the election and announce that he was backing JERRY KILGORE.
I wondered a bit about this deal when Kilgore made his move to consolidate his NRA base saying that he would seek to repeal Wilder's "one gun a month" law, but I've been assured that all of that was just "Kabuki Theater" designed to help Kilgore (who is slipping in the polls) and make people thing Wilder would -- by a mere process of elimination -- be forced to go with Kaine instead of Kilgore. Nobody does confusion quite as well as Doug Wilder and everyone knows Wilder doesn't DO HARMONY.
Now, mind you, this is simply the word on the street and Doug Wilder is many things, but one constant is that he is NOT PREDICTABLE and CANNOT BE COUNTED ON to honor any deal he makes with anybody.
You know, of course, that Doug takes care of Doug. Period. That's the way he plays.
So, I hope Wilder proves the prognosticators and "Wilder Watchers" wrong -- but, don't be surprised if he endorses Kilgore, either.
Posted by: SoccerMom | October 22, 2005 11:39 AM
Do you really think Doug Wilder could be so manipulative and petty as to do something like that?
Posted by: Yo'Momma2 | October 23, 2005 10:58 AM
Not only do I think he could, I think it's possible he will. King Doug has always been about what's best for Doug and damn the rest of the world.
Posted by: Jayne | October 23, 2005 01:53 PM
Yo'Momma2 must confess ... I threw that last comment out in the wilder and wilder crazy hope that someone, anyone, in the Old Dominion would defend Wilder's integrity and suggest that I was being too hard on the man.
Hmmmm....silence.
Oh, well....guess everybody knows Doug well enough to know you cannot defend a guy like that. Wilder has always expected everyone to genuflect and kiss his feet. Just ask Chuck Robb and Owen Pickett. They know that the problem with bowing before His Highness on a HighHorse is that it affords HHHH a much better angle to stab you in the back.
Looks like SoccerMom and Jayne are right. I remember now -- the one thing worse than being Doug Wilder's enemy is being Doug Wilder's friend. Forgive me my naivete.
Posted by: YM2 (Yo'Momma2) | October 25, 2005 07:46 AM
What if Doug Wilder gave an endorsement and nobody cared? zzzzzzzzzzzzz.............
Posted by: YM2 | October 29, 2005 11:05 AM
Post a Comment
We encourage users to analyze, comment on and even challenge washingtonpost.com's articles, blogs, reviews and multimedia features.
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.
I'm sick and tired of the kowtowing to King Doug of Wilder. The man is a loose cannon and holds a greatly overinflated sense of his own importance. If he even considers endorsing Jerry Kilgore, his credibility will be shot forever.