WASHINGTON
Brace yourself. The most unpredictable and wide-open presidential campaign in memory reaches Virginia today, bringing with it a six-day cyclone of television commercials and made-for-TV rallies, plus telephone, mail and online appeals.
Tuesday's voting in about two dozen other states appeared unlikely to resolve the Democratic contest between Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois. Both made plans to stump in Virginia later this week before next week's "Chesapeake Tuesday" primaries in Maryland, Washington, D.C., and the Old Dominion.
Clinton plans to attend Virginia Democrats' annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner in Richmond on Saturday. Obama, who spoke at the event last year, also is expected to be on hand.
Her voice all but exhausted from the Super Tuesday grind, Clinton delayed a rally planned for today in Northern Virginia until Thursday. Obama's schedule has not been announced, but he moved several staffers into the state last week and has been running television commercials in all major markets.
On the Republican side, Arizona Sen. John McCain hoped to finish off his two principal rivals, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, this week. However, Romney's forecasted strength in delegate-rich California, where the polls did not close until 11 p.m. Eastern t ime, could bring the GOP contest here as well.
Virginia Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling has endorsed Romney. Bolling's chief of staff, Randy Marcus, said a statewide network of volunteers is in place to make a major effort should the campaign continue.
McCain's Virginia supporters include Sen. John Warner and former Attorney General Jerry Kilgore, the 2005 Republican candidate for governor.
Republicans will follow a winner-take-all format for the Virginia primary; whoever wins a majority on Tuesday will claim all 63 of the state's delegates to the GOP national convention. Democrats will use a more complex scheme, apportioning 83 of their 103 delegates based on the percentage of votes each candidate receives in the primary.
The other Democratic delegates will be unpledged, part of a bloc of several hundred such delegates nationwide who could prove decisive if the Clinton-Obama contest remains in flux until the convention.
"Virginia has been sort of a last gasp state" in past primaries, said George Mason University political scientist Mark Rozell.
McCain's 2000 campaign essentially was finished off after he attacked evangelists Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell as "agents of intolerance" during the Virginia primary that year.
And in 2004, North Carolinian John Edwards' hopes ran aground when Virginia Democrats spurned their fellow S outherner in favor of Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry.
Rozell and University of Virginia political analyst Larry Sabato suggested that the state's substantial black population, plus the endorsement of Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, could give Obama an important boost.
Kaine, who endorsed the Illinois senator a year ago, "has a lot invested," Sabato said. "It would be a major embarrassment for him " if Clinton prevailed in Virginia.
But Clinton has strong connections in the state, too. Her campaign has unveiled a state steering committee heavy with veteran party activists such as former state party chairman Larry Framme of Richmond and 2nd District party chairwoman Sandra Brandt.
Clinton also has a campaign team with deep Virginia roots. Mike Henry, her deputy campaign manager and Virginia strategist, ran Kaine's 2005 race for governor. Susan Rowland, her chief organizer in Hampton Roads, is campaign manager for Chesapeake Del. Lionell Spruill Sr., considered a powerhouse in the local minority community.
"They both have constituencies" in the state, observed Jennifer Duffy, an editor of the non partisan Cook Political Report, a daily newsletter on politics.
As the results of Super Tuesday become clearer today, each will solidify plans for next week's primaries as well as Saturday's Democratic primary in Louisiana, she said. "The campaigns are only just now thinking about what happens after today."
Dale Eisman, (703) 913-9872, dale.eisman@pilotonline.com
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They crack me up...
Hillary schmoozing in Richmond, Kaine supports Obama, McCain endorsed by Warner, some other shmuck signs on for Mitt, blah, blah, blah.. I truly believe that our prospective candidates have forgotten that the independents in Virginia do not care what dufus endorses them, show those that vote why WE should vote for them. Most of us are not sheep jumping off the end of a pier because some stuff shirt tells us to.
Hilary wants your money
Hilary is only out for Hilary, and she is going to reach into your pockets for her health care funding. It is a fact..check out her last press conference when she said she will do whatever necessary to make sure everyone pays for this health care thing. Your paycheck will not be your own. Think before you cast your vote.
Campaign recorded calls
The big problem with recorded calls is that if you hang up it doesn’t end the call. If you hang and pick your phone back up the message is still playing.
If you have an emergency and have to dial 911 you will not be able to get through because your phone is being used.
Why do we have to hear a political message that we can’t stop? I have called a number of State and Federal agencies and can get no help
Why is this allowed? It’s my phone, I pay for it, and I should not have some politician seize my phone for their own use.
Constitution should always win
As I look out at the political landscape I see a lot of candidates telling us "This is what the government will do...". There is only one who says "The Constitution says this is what the government must do...". Now, I spent 26 years under an oath to support and defend the Constitution. So, as a result, I have a very fond appreciation for exactly what the Constitution represents. All but one do not represent the Constitution. I think we have more than enough historical data to support that the execution of this war, by and large, was and is unconstituional. For those who pound the terrorist and fear pulpit, please carefully read Articles one and two of the United States Constitution paying very careful attention to Article 1 Section 8 and Section 9, and Article 2 Section 2. If people would read and study the Constitution they would all draw that same conclusions as I have. Ronald Reagan (the republican god) cut and run with Lebanon. He say that it was heading toward a quagmire. I am amazed that history has repeated it's self and the current administration didn't take heed.
Vote but for the right reason
What I dont understand is all the women who came out to support Hilary?? Why? I can understand all of us wanting a female in the White House but not her!! I mean she is not the right person for the job, she shouldn’t even be Senator but because of who she is.... I just hope women can see yes, it would be great to have a female as President but the right one not just the first one to throw in her hat. She stood by her man, while he made her look like a fool and now uses him to gain ground? Women have been set back 50 years!!! We need a strong woman who can stand on her own and her own causes-not her former husband the President!!!
No matter which party or
No matter which party or candidate people are voting for it's good to see Americans getting out the vote... Virginia will be interesting.
"He is the only candidate that wants to end the Iraq war...."
This is EXACTLY why he’ll never get the nomination. Ron Paul and his followers have no clue what would happen if we ended that conflict suddenly. Nuking the country would be less devestating. His utopist views aside, Paul has been in the single digits at the polls, at best, and doesn't have a chance of getting the delegates necessary for the nomination.
One of Mr. Paul’s BIGGEST problems has been his ravenous followers. The best thing they could do to help him is SHUT UP!
He's done...get over it!
Oh goody
The CIRCUS comes to town... Wasn't it already here??? :-)
Despite lack of any media
Despite lack of any media coverage throughout the entire primary/caucus schedule Ron Paul still has a chance and deserves a mention in this pathetic article. Read up on his issues at ronpaul2008.com, you may be surprised to find he shares a common interest with most of the public. He is the only candidate that wants to end the Iraq war immediately.