The Associated Press
©
RICHMOND
The latest foot-in-mouth moment in American politics belongs to Sheila C. Johnson, a multi millionaire supporter of Republican Bob McDonnell.
Footage posted Monday on YouTube from a campaign function in Virginia Beach last month shows Johnson ridiculing Democrat Creigh Deeds' halting speech pattern.
"We need someone who can really communicate, and Bob McDonnell can communicate," she said. "The other people that I talk to, especially his op-op-op-op-op-ponent, di-di-did this all through my interview with him. He could not articulate what needed to be done."
Johnson's remarks were captured by a Democratic video tracker working on behalf of the Deeds campaign.
Democrats held a conference call Monday, decrying the remarks as insensitive and denouncing McDonnell for failing to rebuke them.
"Creigh Deeds isn't the smoothest speaker in the race, but when he speaks he is authentic and means what he says," said Deeds spokesman Jared Leopold. "That's what people will respond to, not divisive personal attacks."
McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin said Deeds "has been unable to express any vision for Virginia's future, and he regularly takes two positions on important issues." Johnson, he said, "was noting that fact."
Johnson, who has supported Democrats such as President Barack Obama and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, issued a two-sentence apology Monday afternoon. It said:
"Two weeks ago I made reference to Creigh Deeds' inability to clearly communicate effective solutions to the serious problems facing Virginia. I shouldn't have done it in the manner in which I did and for that I apologize for any offense he, or others, may have taken."
Also Monday, Republicans aired their own grievance about a radio ad sponsored by Deeds.
The ad, a dramatized conversation between two sisters, states that McDonnell was willing to let insurers stop covering mammograms.
The claim is based on McDonnell's failure to join other attorneys general in signing a 2006 letter opposing a federal plan to permit companies to offer health insurance that didn't include state-mandated coverage such as mammograms.
McDonnell didn't purposely ignore the issue, but was traveling on official business when the letter was received and didn't return until the deadline had passed, said Bill Mims, McDonnell's deputy at the time and now the state's attorney general.
McDonnell has voted to require insurance coverage of mammograms and to provide health care for uninsured women with cervical or breast cancer, his campaign said.
Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com
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She knew better and so did her audience
That's why the uneasiness that followed set in like a heavy fog over the whole room. From just the little bit you can see on the video, you could tell she felt like a fool and rightly so. She was expecting a big laugh but didn't get it. Her silly imitation made her look stupid, not Deeds. But Karma is a you-know-what and she'll find that out sooner rather than later.
Don't forget
"Some of us stutter, and some of us can't spell. Stuttering is not ignorance; but, misspelling simple words or talking trash about someone's disability could be construed by reasonable people as a sign of ignorance."
Poor reading comprehension is a sure sign of ignorance.
Funny how that word is used. I caught a trespasser at my office building using my dumpster. When I explained they could not they told me I was ignorant. Now I read a list of posters stating that others are ignorant but it is obvious they did not read the article. Sadly, the author of the article did their best to steer, or should a say 'stir' the subject matter as to make it sensational.
It's sad.
Plus I notice several comments pointing out this same flaw appear to be missing.
Really, really funny...
This is really a gas. Democrats feigning indignation about a democrat that made fun of a democrat. It doesn't get any better than this!!! Losers....
attacked for his speaking ablilty?
Why not?
George W Bush was criticized for years on the difficulty he had following teleprompters. Obama, on the other hand, reads a teleprompter extremely well. Off script, W flourished, routinely demonstrating his quick wit. Off script, O flounders and clams up.
Adelantar
For Virginians to move forward to 2012, the choice is obvious. We need someone who’s going to play ball with the big boys and bring funds to improve our infrastructure. There’s so much to gain and no reason to take a chance with McDonnell. It’s imperative for Virginia to move forward and rebuild itself; we do not need another round of what we got in the previous years
No one party is all right and the other all wrong
While I think Ms Johnson attempted to make a joke that fell a bit flat, just as Obama did with the Special Olypics remark, I applaud her lending support to someone outside of her chosen party.
If only more of us would vote for the person who espouses our values and beliefs, regardless of party affliation, perhaps all politicians would work harder for all our votes.
This bitter hatred between both parties means our problems just continue to grow and not progress toward a resolution. Additionally the same applies to the bitter hatred between people of different races and classes in America.
A house devided WILL fall. Think about it Americans.
No way to reach across the aisle
Bitter hatred as you commented needs to be toned down but mocking someone isn't the way to go about it. It just increases it.
With friends like this, who
With friends like this, who needs enemies! Shame on her!
Communicate?
Communicate? I had to listen to Bob "communicate" at my daughter's graduation a couple of years ago. At the end of a long, rambling, utterly boring speech that had the graduates squirming in their seats, he blew the final line--a simple seven-word quote about America being great because she's good--completely reversing the entire point he was trying to make. There was a discernable murmur from the crowd in response, a general "huh?" and lots of giggles from the students he was supposed to be inspiring. Let's face it, Mr. McDonnell is the Sarah Palin candidate, depending upon good looks and a radically conservative base to succeed. Trouble is, Virginia can't afford a Palin--we don't get the massive federal funding they get in Alaska to subsidize public spending so they can keep taxes artificially low. Deeds may not be the strongest candidate Virginia's ever seen, but he understands that "no taxes" means "no spending" on roads, schools, or those prisons that Bob wants to build to solve all our problems.
childish, but not surprising
Politics as usual. Make fun of the opposition instead of debating facts and issues. It was obviously a calculated, planned insult.