Wilder raises doubts about Obama in battleground Virginia

The Washington Examiner ^ | November 1, 2012 | Steve Contorno

[Cincinatus' Wife]

Former Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder, America's first elected black governor, has his own reservations about America's first black president, Barack Obama.

Wilder, an emphatic Obama supporter in 2008, said his fellow Democrat should have focused more on creating jobs during his first term and faulted the president for failing to keep his campaign promise to bridge the partisan gap in Washington.

"I think he's governed left of center and didn't focus on jobs and economic recovery," Wilder told The Washington Examiner.

But will Wilder still vote for Obama on Tuesday in a battleground state Obama is desperate to win again?

"I have not said anything differently," Wilder said with a chuckle.

In 2008, Wilder helped Obama become the only Democratic presidential candidate to win Virginia in half a century.

But Wilder said the presidential race in the state remains a tossup this late into the election cycle because many independents feel disappointment in the man they helped put in power four years ago. That has opened the door for Romney to make his case and it has been a compelling one so far, Wilder said.

"All three of the debates have shown [Romney] to be a different person than some of the ads say," Wilder told The Examiner.

The Obama campaign did not respond to a request for comment.

Wilder hasn't formally endorsed Obama for re-election, though he did throw his support behind Democrat Tim Kaine in Virginia's hotly contested U.S. Senate race.

"I think that there is a need for better cooperation in Washington, and I think Kaine will be that person," Wilder said. "Obama needs to have more of that if he's to be elected. Romney has shown that he has done that when he was governor of Massachusetts working with a Democratic legislature."

Wilder, now an adjunct professor at Virginia Commonwealth University's L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, maintains an active profile on Twitter and on cable news networks. He recently drew the ire of the White House for calling Vice President Biden a "tar baby" who Obama was stuck with. Wilder was criticizing Biden for telling a predominantly black audience in Virginia that Republicans are "going to put y'all back in chains" if Romney won.

Wilder said he expects election night to be a late one, far from the Obama landslide of 2008.

"What Obama won with in Virginia four years ago was tremendous," Wilder said. "I know he'd be happy to have 50.1 [percent] today."

[goldstategop]

Doug Wilder was a very popular VA Governor.

He saying what every one knows - O is a disaster! He’s voting for him out of party loyalty.

But you don’t exactly feel the love between them.

[Cincinatus' Wife]

He didn’t really say he was voting for him...

[fortheDeclaration]

His first loyalty should be to the nation.

[goldstategop]

What a glowing endorsement!

But if he says its going to be a late night, Obama might as well wait til the cows come home.

The MSM is already starting to set up its explanation for O’s loss.

[sox_the_cat]

Maybe Wilder will vote for Mitt. Wouldn’t it be ironic if Gov Wilder contributed to the “Wilder effect” in this election.

[wayoverontheright]

But Wilder said the presidential race in the state remains a tossup this late into the election cycle because many independents feel disappointment in the man they helped put in power four years ago.

Wilder doesn't know jack about independents. This is code for what he does know-that blacks are going to sit on their hands next Tuesday.

Blacks are ashamed of Obama's performance, they are embarrassed by him. Since the bludgeoning Obama received in the first debate, they've become embarrassed FOR him. They want Obama off the stage.

This is what Wilder knows, this is what he's trying to tell us. The story of this election, not only in Virginia, but in the entire country, will be how blacks stayed home in droves.

[Alberta's Child]

Good post. I’m sure even a lot of blacks in this country are starting to think of Obama as “President Dinkins.”

[jonno]

Wilder can’t be right. Didn’t Obama say he was gonna “focus like a laser beam” on creating jobs.

How bout you Colin Powell - please tell us again why BO should be reelected...

Sheeez... putz’s all

[Condor51]

Thru 10-26-12

Virgina Poll Virginia UnSkewed Average of polls
UnSkewed Avg. Romney(R) 50.8, Obama(D) 44.8, Spread Romney +6.0

Through Nov 2, 2012

National Poll Daily Tracking Poll, Unskewedpolls.com
Romney/Ryan 51.55 percent, Obama/Biden 46.84 percent, Other 1.05 percent, Spread Romney +4.71
1537 likely voters surveyed October 28-November 1, 2012
2.50 margin of error

Things are looking good for Romney and The USA.
Not popping Champagne corks yet, but not getting ready to commit Hari-Kari either :-)

It's fun playing with the EC Vote Map on the RCP website. I see Romney w/ 300+ EC Votes -- and easily. It'll be hard to sue when Barry loses by that much. Or to dig up that many dead voters in all the states.

[tm61]

obammie made it clear from the start, when he said “I won”

now, hopefully, its our turn. to say “FY, you lost”

[Lacey2]

Correct, he said he hasn’t said he wasn’t voting for him. Kinda like the WH saying we never DENIED the request for help from Benghazi (we just ignored it)

[randita]

VA Ping!

If you want on/off the VA Ping List, please freepmail me.

If you see posts of interest to Virginians, please ping me.

Thanks!