If it's rude to refuse a gift, no matter how ridiculously redundant, Richmonders are guilty of a grievous breach of etiquette.

But it’s hard to blame the city for its muted response when the Sons of Confederate Veterans announced this summer it was donating yet another statue of Jefferson Davis to a Richmond museum.

Despite Tuesday’s Democratic wins in Virginia, Attorney General Bob McDonnell is keeping cool as he girds for next year’s gubernatorial race. The unflappable Republican even sees the ingredients for a 2009 victory in this week’s results.

Virginia's population is getting older and grayer, but wrinkles and Dr. Scholl's may get extra competition on Tuesday from body piercings and Abercrombie & Fitch fashions at polling places across the state.

Attorney General Bob McDonnell could have called in sick Tuesday or drummed up a legal crisis. But the Republican trooped across Capitol Square to a pre-scheduled press conference, rattled off his talking points in support of presidential candidate John McCain and waited for The Question.

Opinion surveys say people will head to the polls this year in search of change. They’re not talking about voting machines, but the gadgets used to elect our leaders have been in constant flux for nearly a decade, and more changes are on the way.

I have an eclectic group of new friends. They include Republican and Democratic legislators and a candidate for lieutenant governor. There are a dozen lobbyists crusading for everything from payday lending restrictions to the rights of tow truck operators. And then there's the guy with the cowboy hat, a shotgun and a blue puffy vest. We'll get back to the cowboy in a minute.

James Dimitri has to be feeling a little claustrophobic these days. Richmond is a city with a small-town attitude, and it seems to shrink whenever resident power brokers start elbowing each other over influence, money and politics.

Speculation about U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor's chances of becoming John McCain's running mate faded while most Virginians were still trying to put a face to that name.

Mark Warner's assignment to give the keynote Tuesday night at the Democratic National Convention gives him third billing behind presidential nominee Barack Obama and his running mate Joe Biden.

I RISKED being rear-ended by a logging truck last weekend as I slowed to a crawl on Bath County's curvy roads. I was squinting at a half-dozen royal blue signs urging passers-by to vote for Republican John McCain for president and Democrat Mark Warner for U.S. Senate.