| Terry McAuliffe led the DNC in a major reorganization, modernization, and expansion. The fifty-state strategy of Howard Dean, and the many, many improvements Dean brought to the DNC could not have happened without all Terry did to set the stage. Terry has also been an entrepreneur and a venture capitalist, both of which will serve him in good stead as he seeks new ways to make Virginia more efficient, energy efficient, innovative, and progressive. In short, he knows the makings of progress AND progressivism. But more, he has also been the change.
Delivered Well-Considered Proposals for Virginia's Future
If you read the three candidates for governor's proposals for change Virginia needs, Terry McAuliffe has far more thorough proposals for bringing jobs, re-building our commitment to education, and designing a green economy. Dueling endorsements by environmental groups of two of the candidates (McAuliffe and Moran) cloud this issue for some. However, I believe that
Terry McAuliffe's understanding of what must be done to launch us on the venture toward a green economy far exceeds that of the other two candidates.
Earned Both Political and Business Cred.
Ask Mark Warner about business cred. You cannot argue it's an asset for Mark Warner and not for Terry McAuliffe. Terry's history in venture capitalism helped fuel some of our nation's businesses. That's a good thing. Furthermore, one need not be a legislator to be an outstanding governor. Mark Warner proved that. You need not have gone through the pay-your-dues parochial system in Virginia politics to be an amazing US senator. Jim Webb showed that. Claims to the contrary miss the larger point, which is that the governor is, as I said above, more like the CEO of state government, not its chief legislator. Serving as a CEO by itself may not have been sufficient, but Terry McAuliffe's long history in politics balances the portfolio.
Action and Engagement
The Collegiate Times of Virginia Tech put it best when it said:
At the end of the day, it seems to me that the current political environment is one of action and engagement. Those might be the best words to describe President Obama's time in office so far - from direct public outreach through videos explaining his decisions, to the actual measures he has taken, which have been designed to attack our biggest problems as quickly and aggressively as possible. And, if energy and activity are the status quo in American politics at the moment, I doubt we will encounter any candidate more suited than Terry McAuliffe to be the commonwealth's next commander-in-chief.
Indeed, Virginia can benefit from a vibrant personality, working with a passion for our state, with unsurpassed energy, which, not even the wonderfully energetic Creigh Deeds can match. Evidence of Terry's energy for Virginia is everywhere. You can see it in the entries to political events awash with bright McAuliffe signs. You can see it in his impressive field operation. You can see it in the bounce of his step, the uplift of his voice and the gusto with which he exclaims about the mundane. Nothing is too trivial to be taken for granted. However, I believe Terry can bring marathon-like energy for the long haul too, the four years he'll have to put Virginia back on track and mover her forward. Terry doesn't do things half-way, but throws himself into whatever he takes on and he'll do likewise for Virginia.
A Force of Nature
"A force of Nature" is an oft-heard description of Terry. Because he is larger than life and a media personality with a large on-screen presence, we hear that sometimes spun into something it isn't. He's well known and has navigated the hallways with the highest achievers in this nation. That in itself means it's unlikely there will be new revelations. It also means Terry McAuliffe will have an enormously short (or rather no) learning curve with respect to knowing how to work on Virginia's behalf. But most of all, Terry McAuliffe not only has what it takes, but is the perfect candidate for what ails Virginia. There is just no equal.
This is not a small "vision" time. It will take much more than the standard small-change efforts and tweaks around the margins to bring our economy back, replenish state coffers, and bring back the morale of voters, including state employees, who always take the brunt of every shortfall or political whim (such as "no car tax"). It is, as Barack Obama likes to say, our moment. But it is a moment of crisis. And that moment requires a "force of nature."
Will Lead with Compassion: And yes, GOP, It is Important
A mark of a man (or woman) is how he (or she) would treat the underdog, the disenfranchised, the poor, the under-served. They are citizens of this state. They deserve better than, say, what the governor of California is doing to the poor of his state, trying to completely end welfare, and putting a half a million people out into the street.
This defense of the underdog is the primary, but far from the only, reason I support Terry McAuliffe for governor. First out of the gate to urge the banning of exploitative, usurious payday lending, Terry unequivocally call for an end to continued efforts to tweak a flawed and un-fixable system for payday loans, which is still so patently unfair and exploitative. Others followed along after Terry came forward.
Terry McAuliffe was the first of the candidates to support Jim Webb's prison reform agenda. I consider this a test of courage. It's not the popular thing, especially in an often harsh and sometimes self-destructive Virginia, to take on this issue. This is compassionate, but it also makes good sense because it saves the Commonwealth, both in resources and in costly recidivism. McAuliffe gets that the cost of prevention is less than after-the-fact punishment. And his prescient TV ad concerning the cost of low-achievement in the 3rd grade, in terms of the likelihood of incarceration later, is chillingly reminiscent of what's at stake. These are our children and each is too precious to squander.
Shown That He's an Incredibly Skilled Communicator
Terry McAuliffe has already learned what Tim Kaine and Mark Warner before him had to on the job-the vigorous engagement with the "other side" in the mainstream media. That Terry McAulife is a natural is evidenced every time he appears on a political or news show. Aside from helping him while in the governor's mansion, this experience will help him get elected in November.
Emphasizes the Positive
How a candidate runs his campaign tells you much of what he'll be like after he wins. Two candidates have run a generally positive campaign. Terry McAuliffe has far more than anyone else maintained a positive tone and positive strategy. We will not move forward if we get mired in the muck that has become one of the campaigns.
Told It Like It Is
Here are just a couple of examples which matter to me:
• When Brian Moran takes a stance against coal at a plant run by a collective, but supports one run by Dominion Power in far SW Virginia, this is what I see. I distrust the different messages from Surry to SW Virginia, from collective to powerful company. The fact is none of the candidates is where I would like him to be on the environment. Not one of them. Moran and McAuliffe have dueling endorsements by environmental groups. What to make of it? I think Terry McAuliffe is more likely than the others to aggressively push for alternative fuels and innovative energy technologies. He gets what's involved with making it happen.
• But most of all, I am an unapologetic defender of every person's right to privacy, happiness, and freedom to chose a marriage partner, no exceptions. Today all candidates support the notion in the general sense. But when words are examined more fully, votes and public utterances factored in, a more nuanced record is apparent. Both Creigh Deeds and Brian Moran have contradictory records on equal marriage rights for all. I believe Creigh when he says that when he voted, as a citizen in the voting booth, he voted against the Marriage Amendment here in VA. But this was after he voted for it (to appear on the ballot) in the first place. He had a chance to go on the record as an early and courageous opponent of the legislation. But he didn't when it most mattered. It is not so much that he could have changed the outcome. But you cannot discount what one courageous and outspoken speaker can accomplish at a pivotal moment in time. Imagine what would happen if the representatives from SW Virginia led the way! The more I looked at Brian's history and voting (or failing to) on this subject, the more I was troubled. When the chips were down, he missed a crucial vote. And I am concerned by the doublespeak to the Washington Times, where he appeared to have things both ways. The fact is that McAuliffe isn't where I'd like him to be either. Civil unions are insufficient. But Terry has told us where he stood and sent no mixed messages, which strikes me as a place to start. And so I believe he would be a likelier missionary for change on the subject in the long run because one can't bring change if he can't acknowledge what he did wrong in the first place.
Furthermore, I do not believe we should have to wait for this change. Certainly our gay brothers, sisters, friends, neighbors and associates all deserve better. But Virginia pols (and voters) have made it so. When we get the issue before us again, I believe Terry McAuliffe will be a most passionate defendant of liberty and equality for everyone, including same-sex couples. I am taking a gamble here, I recognize. But my disappointment in the other two is still nagging. They had their chance to get it right and did not. You may make a different judgment about this. And I respect your right to disagree by preferring Moran or Deeds on this issue instead.
Partisan, You Bet, and That's a Good Thing
That's a good thing. Progressive partisans stand for ideals which, according to yet another recent poll, increasingly the nation supports. Arguing that Terry's work on behalf of Dems is "too partisan" is remarkably short-sighted. It was supposed to be!
Terry did what he must to support his (and our) candidates. We didn't agree with him in early 2008. But he worked hard to elect Barack Obama. The President has made peace with the Clinton's and Terry McAuliffe. Why shouldn't the rest of us? I was madder than a hornet at him. It's time to say "Bygones."
He worked within the system we have. There's a time for partisanship and a time to bring Virginians together. Now, he'll look out for all of us just as faithfully. He'll approach the job as governor as he has every task his whole life, with dedication and commitment for the job. It is also important to note that Mark Warner emerged through the ranks of DPVA, but never held public office until he ran for governor. Failing to acknowledge that, while parochially purporting that Terry is too partisan is inconsistent at best.
No Newcomer
Someone who's lived in Virginia for 17 years deserves better than
the malicious "carpetbagger" charge. He is a long-term resident. And it is not just that Terry McAuliffe is a quick study. He's been immersed in politics for longer than many Virginians have been alive, done more for our party than almost anyone has ever done, and debated issues with the very best of them. The slinging around of this particular attack reminds of the professed "outrage" of defenders of Jim Webb's primary adversary, Harris Miller. Needless to say, look how well Jim Webb's candidacy has turned out for Virginia.
And so, here we are, with our primary only a little over a week away, many Virginians have not made up their minds. I am happy to have made my decision, made easy by that "force of nature," Terry McAuliffe. His vision, creativity, energy, experience, and one-of-a-kind leadership are just what we need to pull Virginia out of the economic doldrums and invigorate us once more. With compassion, courage, and foresight, Terry McAuliffe will be a governor who'll make us proud. I remember the day I decided to give Terry McAuliffe a real listen. I hope you will too.
Disclaimer: It should be no surprise that I support Terry McAuliffe for Governor.
PS These are my thoughts alone. They do not represent the collective views of Blue Commonwealth.
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