The Washington Post Loses in Virginia

The Weekly Standard ^ | 11/4/2009 | Jennifer Rubin

[markomalley]

Bob McDonnell won big tonight in the Virginia gubernatorial race, as did the entire Virginia Republican party. The implications of the race will be sorted out soon enough. But one big loser is the Washington Post which may unwittingly have helped the Republican, despite their best efforts to put his opponent over the top.

On the last weekend in August the Post ran the first of dozens of stories about McDonnell's 1989 masters' thesis, in which he wrote, among other things, that working women were detrimental to families and that government should favor traditional marriage over gay unions. While they didn't know the exact target, the McDonnell camp was expecting, as one top adviser put it, a "hatchet job" from the Post. A top campaign strategist says, "We always knew we'd have to fend off some attack from the Post, probably on a social issue. But in all candor we didn't expect the thesis. It was a 20 year old paper."

The Post was off and running, harping on the story for weeks. It was, some conservatives feared, a replay of the infamous "macaca moment" (a more successful Post election obsession) which helped sink George Allen's 2006 Senate campaign.

The McDonnell camp quickly made some critical tactical decisions. First, the Monday after the story broke McDonnell held a 90-minute media call to explain his views, and answer all questions. Second, rather than respond to every potential allegation they focused on the most potent one--that McDonnell was hostile to working women. His TV ads focused heavily on this issue, featuring testimonials by his daughters and women who had worked for him.

[Guenevere]

I am so encouraged this morning!
Thanking God!

[Carley]

For once being hated by the comPost was a good thing.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Looks like THEY got “Macaca-ed”! LOL!

[Rummyfan]

Pravda on the Potomac tried for another macaca campaign victory, but it didn't work this time.

[bray]

The compost basically spoke to normal Americans and made fun of them. Who wants their PC world?

Pray for America’s Freedom

[Rummyfan]

On the last weekend in August the Post ran the first of dozens of stories about McDonnell's 1989 masters' thesis, in which he wrote, among other things, that working women were detrimental to families and that government should favor traditional marriage over gay unions.

Shocking!

[ontap]

If Geo. Allen treated the macaca moment as what it was..an irrelevant, unimportant statement instead of full apology he would have been fine.

[ClearCase_guy]

I believe that 31 states have now voted on the issue of same-sex marriage. All 31 have rejected the idea. Not a single state has implemented same-sex marriage as a result of popular voting.

And yet the Left sees this as a divisive issue which helps them when they explain to people that the evil Republicans are the ones who oppose same-sex marriage. Clueless.

[agrarianlady]

I have this idea for a campaign —

Any neighborhood in Northern VA is littered with Washington Post mailboxes. I wonder how many of those folks still subscribe?

One could go to their door and offer to take it away and recycle it.

[sitetest]

The Washington Lying Thieving Post is the mouthpiece of Hell.

[olezip]

On the last weekend in August the Post ran the first of dozens of stories about McDonnell's 1989 masters' thesis, in which he wrote, among other things, that working women were detrimental to families and that government should favor traditional marriage over gay unions.

I hope that McDonnell did not backpedal too much on his 1989 thesis statements. Statistics and facts show that he is correct in that working women are detrimental to families and that the government should favor traditional marriage.

It is unfortunate that many women have to work to make ends meet, or because they are single mothers and have no other options.

[ArrogantBustard]

government should favor traditional marriage over gay unions.

When given the opportunity to directly address that issue, the good people of Maine rejected faggotry.

[La Lydia]

How sweet it is. Everyone was on to the Post's transparent attempts at manipulation and Macaca-ization, was prepared, and responded effectively. Works once, but not twice. Nevertheless, McDonnell had to campaign against two adversaries: Deeds and the Post, in particular that reporter, Anita Kumar. And the summing up:

The story here is a classic case of overreach by a mainstream paper drunk on its own hubris, and convinced it could re-orient the race from a bread-and-butter issue contest (which McDonnell was winning) to a culture war clash that liberals thought Deeds could win. But it is also a lesson for Republican candidates about preparation and outreach to women voters.

[bmwcyle]

The Washington Post Rag, Pet poop paper, fish wrapper, fire starter is has no information value.

[kittymyrib]

“...and that government should favor traditional marriage over gay unions.”

In every one of the 31 elections in which voters have been asked to “favor traditional marriage over gay unions,” homosexual “marriage” has lost. Only in states such as NH where judges make law for the people has this abomination taken root.

[HighlyOpinionated]

So the WaPo got their panties in a wad and were all ‘wee weed up’ this time.

[Galtoid]

One thing no one is saying this morning is this: The 2008 presidential election was based on EMOTION, HATRED OF BUSH, and A WILLINGNESS TO BURY THE RACIST PAST by electing Obama.

That being said, the elections yesterday show that that euphoria has vanished and people were propelled to vote based on FEAR of Pelosi and Reid taking over their lives. Obama was a non-factor.

[Dr. Ursus]

The bad news-They will never,never give up!

[DarthVader]

I don’t know what you are smoking!You cannot separate Pelousy and Reid from Obozo. They are all joined at the hip.