70°
forecast

Pilot on Politics

What’s happening in the world of politics and lawmaking in Richmond, Hampton Roads and around Virginia? Our Pilot on Politics reporters share tips, tidbits and stories here on our the Pilot on Politics blog. What do you know? Post your comments.

FOLLOW THE SESSION GENERAL ASSEMBLY NEWS | ON TWITTER | BILL TRACKER

McDonnell up in poll taken after thesis flap

So far, thesisgate hasn't cost Republican Bob McDonnell the polling leads he has held in the race for governor.

Several surveys of likely voters released over the past week -- including some whose responses were gathered after news broke about McDonnell's controversial 1989 graduate thesis -- continue to show the GOP candidate atop Democratic rival Creigh Deeds.

The latest is a SurveyUSA poll that has the Republican up 12 points (54 percent  to 42 percent) over Deeds. That represents a dip from the 15-point advantage McDonnell held in a similar survey last month, but he maintains a statistically significant margin.

The poll sampled 611 likely Virginia voters Sept. 1-3 and has a 4 percent margin of error.

More details about the poll can be seen here.

-- Julian Walker

COMMENTS ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here; comments do not reflect the views of The Virginian-Pilot or its websites. Users must follow agreed-upon rules: Be civil, be clean, be on topic; don't attack private individuals, other users or classes of people. Read the full rules here.
- Comments are automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules, click the report violation link below it.

If this is true...

about McDonnell not losing any ground because of the thesis, this has to be a bad day for the Dems and their abettors, like the Pilot, the Wash Post, and the rest of the leftists media. I've been saying on these threads that McDonnell didn't have much to run from as far as that paper, and his views echoed those of quite a bit of the country AT THAT TIME! Many people's views (like my own) have changed considerable about gays in recent years. His words about what was confronting the traditional family have come to pass in many ways. He could have helped himself by stating that kids benefit from having a PARENT available for them instead of that being just the mother's 'job', but all in all, his thesis can be called accurate for what it portends in some areas.

politically correct

Bob McD wrote his paper to get a good grade (an "academic exercise") and now he modifies his views accordingly to be politically correct for the now-changed times.

Still high polls show that being politically correct/adaptable has worked well for Bob McD.

Bob McDonnell wrote a paper,

The Virginia voters who would vote a man in office who’s plans for transportation, based on the assumption that there is money to spare in the General Fund, which is only about 3 billion dollars in deficit, are the reason Virginia is known as a “hick” state.

We have world reknown universities that Virginians obviously fail to utilize.

We have a history of great thinkers, like Jefferson, who few Virginians feel the need to emulate.

What we have a surplus of in Virginia is the mentality of the KKK, where women and blacks better know their place, workers are little more than economic slaves, and honor is accorded to bigots and racists who then become politicians.

Bob McDonnell wrote a paper, and then over the next 20 years he spent his political career trying to make that paper a reality.

The only thing missing is a crowd in white sheets , carrying torches, chanting “Bobby! Bobby! Bobby!“ under the banner of the old confederacy, the Stars and Bars.

Your Kidding

The White sheet and torch comment shows the complete ignorance of your comment and reduces any point you were trying to make as irrelevant.

You should study your topic.

The fact that you so readily dismiss the effects of ignorance and hatred, the two main driving forces behind the KKK indicates that you know very little about the KKK.

The KKK was as much a religious organization as a militant organization, it's primary website echos many of the ideals listed in McDonnells Thesis, and it would appear, the ideals of many of his followers as well.

So many state that his thesis echos their Christian beliefs that it is difficult to not envision them in white robes.

You see, the KKK attacked people for drunkeness, for racial fraternizing, for shacking up, for women being loose in morals and dress, for men not being good providers, for people being above their station.

All of this is in McDonnells thesis.

The KKK was not just a get the black burn a cross in his yard organization, and to consider it as just that is dangerous.

The KKK...

was also patronized, and protected by, the Democratic Party in the late 19th to mid 20th centuries. If you didn't know that, I guess that ignorance and blind hatred you profess to know so much about has deflected your own attention you quite a bit, 'ya think?

I Still Intend to Vote for McDonnell

Yeah, I'm bothered by thesis. 20 years is a long time ago, but he was an adult and those were some fairly offensive views.

But what bothers me even more is the low caliber of those who are supporting Creigh Deeds. Anyone who has near total union backing is not someone I care to support. That's not from something he said or wrote 20 years ago. That's current news.

And anyone who can boast the support of someone who writes as offensively as EyeSpy is going to have to work for my vote as well. Im a northern transplant who's lived in Virginia for the past 27 years. This is a good state, not one fairly characterized as having "the mentality of the KKK, where women and blacks better know their place, workers are little more than economic slaves, and honor is accorded to bigots and racists who then become politicians."

Mr. EyeSpy, Creigh Deeds would do well to disavow you and many of his other supporters.

Sad...

The NObama supporters trying to push the extremist race card into this? This is just too sad for any comment.

Another foiled democrat attack!!

Seems the college thesis flap had a positive effect for McDonnell and has boosted his standing because he has core Christian beliefs that represent the citizens of the Commonwealth. I am predicting that many more men and women candidates of Christian faith will no longer hide their beliefs and will continue to seek public office. God is in complete control and continues to work in mysterious ways. I am sure many political " experts' were already planning McDonnell's departure and yet Bob increases the lead even further. The Dems/socialists/marxists continue to suffer defeats despite having a majority; Van Jones resigned, the Senate will push to review these other marxist/socialist czars prompting a few more resignations and nationalized health care continues to nose dive because it is a dishonest program. There will also be many lost seats by both Repbs and Dems in the next election for ignoring the wishes of the American people. This is the way our Republic should work. You do what you were hired to do or you are fired.

Comment viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.
Please note: Threaded comments work best if you view the oldest comments first.

Toolbox