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Virginia GOP gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell appeared on Fox News Sunday this week and when asked by Chris Wallace if his thesis he wrote back in 1989 was advocating a "radical agenda", McDonnell did his best to downplay it.

Wallace: You enjoyed according to the polls, a solid lead in this race until it was revealed that in 1989 you wrote a master’s thesis in which you said, and let’s put up some of the things on the screen, this has obviously been a big issue here in Virginia-- The new trend of working women and feminism that is ultimately detrimental to the family. You criticize tax credits for child care. And you even opposed a Supreme Court ruling legalizing birth control for married couples. Mr. McDonnell, isn’t that a pretty radical agenda?

McDonnell: No. I think those are a couple of quotes out of a 100-page document, Chris, and what the whole purpose of the, of the thesis was to say, look, families are the bedrock of society. And I think there’s broad agreement on that, and that government programs should not undermine the family, because that will lead to more government spending for problems that occur when the family’s not intact.

Look, it’s been twenty years ago and some of my views over time have changed. I strongly support women in the work force. That was one of the criticisms my opponent made. My daughter’s been in Iraq, my daughters both work, my wife is working and outside the home, I mean… those allegations that I think have been inferences from a quote or two out of an old thesis is simply not accurate.

Wallace: But if I may, your opponent says and I’m going to represent his interests here because he’s not here to speak for himself, that it isn’t just what you wrote twenty years ago when you were age 34 in a master’s thesis, that you have followed these as a state legislator. Let’s put up an ad that Creigh Deeds is running.

After playing the clip Wallace points out McDonnell's voting record.

Wallace: In face we checked the record. As a legislator you voted against a resolution that would have called for ending wage discrimination based on gender. You voted against extending child care services and you voted against extending or requiring health insurance plans to cover birth control. So it’s not just a thesis.

McDonnell’s defense… "You have to look at my entire record" and he claims that many of the ads run against him are “outright lies” and are not honest, but he does not say just what those distortions are. Of course Wallace doesn’t follow up and make him give specifics as to what he disagrees with in the ads. That said I think when even Chris Wallace is calling you "radical", that's not a good sign for what the voters are going to think as they learn more about this guy.

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60 Comments
project's picture

He is a liar, an idiot, a child molester, and all round lunatic.
remember republicanism is a mental illness. Commit one if you can.
I made it through another sunday without watching one talking asshat program. I feel proud.

You should.

I am convinced it is a type of addiction. When I quit (back in 2004) it took me about 90 days to not feel like I might miss something.

I took all of the craptasic channels off my remote lineup and have been better for it.

It really isn't easy to break from the M$M teat.

You should be very proud!

*high fives*


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

ricky's picture

try and leave that "submit" button unpuched for 24 hours.


"The deal has to be negotiated in the real world, not on some idealized Aristotelian plane. We understand that. A 100-percent deal may be impossible."
Famous "Reality Based" Commentator

miss_kitty's picture

After seeing 'Manufacturing Consent.' I realised that draggy Sunday morning feeling I was experiencing was due to the hipwaders I need to slog through all the shit.

Abbybwood's picture

I NEVER have the teevee on on Sunday mornings.....except for football. (Kidding).

Why get all annoyed when you can just let the team at C&L get all annoyed and give us the highlights?


"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn

Yellowbird's picture

I quit in the early nineties too because I couldn't stand the hack job they were doing on the Clintons. I figure why start my day with anger? Then I noticed the afternoon and evening were full of the same B.S. So I figured why turn on that stuff? One reasonable conclusion led to another and by 1995 I canceled pay tv forever. Guess What? I was able to pour that money into hobbies I always wanted, like books, dvds, and COMPUTER EQUIPMENT GOODIES. I have never missed a thing. I am a much happier and healthier person for not watching the TV. For me it's a viewing apparatus that stays off to save electricity until I want to see a movie with others, I put it on one of the players I have. No monthly bills. It's great. I am not feeding the propaganda monster with my hard working income. I don't understand how anyone who is aware of who owns the stations can keep paying them and justify it somehow. I just don't get it. Are you all THAT addicted? Is it the money you have poured into your equipment makes you feel the need to justify it? Believe me, it works beautifully when you feed it purposefully with what you WANT to see and not use it as an input device for propaganda.

ThunderMonkey's picture

My family and stayed home Sunday morning and took in a marathon of the "Toy Story" movies.


"When are we going to stop trying to tell elected officials what to do. Our job is to spend the taxpayers' money the best way we can." -- Tommy Watkins, Justice of the Peace, Crawford County, Arkansas

ricky's picture

heterosexual family values. Even the Potato Heads oppose gay marriage.


"The deal has to be negotiated in the real world, not on some idealized Aristotelian plane. We understand that. A 100-percent deal may be impossible."
Famous "Reality Based" Commentator

ThunderMonkey's picture

I just usually check my brain in at the door when watching those movies.

They're just fun. The outtakes from the second movie still kill me.

Mrs. Potato Head: ... and some monkey chow.
Mr. Potato Head: Monkey chow?
Mrs. Potato Head: For the monkeys of course. C'mon monkeys.
Mr. Potato Head: Whoa, whoa, whoa. That's where I draw the line.

They may (or may not) oppose gay marriage, but they're into some really kinky stuff.


"When are we going to stop trying to tell elected officials what to do. Our job is to spend the taxpayers' money the best way we can." -- Tommy Watkins, Justice of the Peace, Crawford County, Arkansas

ricky's picture

even if the Old Prospector reminds me of Woody.


"The deal has to be negotiated in the real world, not on some idealized Aristotelian plane. We understand that. A 100-percent deal may be impossible."
Famous "Reality Based" Commentator

pissed off patricia's picture

I actually have a string of Mr. Potato Head party lights. I know. I know. I am hopeless.


Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.

Tyler Durden's picture

I never heard Don Rickles say anything about teh gays marrying.

Pete2069's picture

Has become so second nature to republicans , that it is now a very simple reaction to any question they are ask.


None

Paul's picture

Threw my TV out 20 years ago, don't miss it. I don't like being lied to or made a target for manipulation by either propagandists or advertisers. There's well nigh nothing on the tube worth watching, and the miniscule handful of things that are worth watching can be accessed by other means.

McDonnell is going to lose his ass in this election. I know right-wingers who even think he is a nut case, a would-be Xtian talibanner.

Thesis sound too wonkish for him.

Presumably he thinks it's someone of Spanish decent saying This is...


Diabolus est Deus Inversus

ricky's picture

But even in Virginia the know the Wonks don't speak Spanish. They speak Dutch.


"The deal has to be negotiated in the real world, not on some idealized Aristotelian plane. We understand that. A 100-percent deal may be impossible."
Famous "Reality Based" Commentator

Handypants's picture

We did Bob - THAT'S the problem you numbskull.


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

ysbaddaden's picture
)O(

Isn't he just using the Sotomayor defense?

Only in her case her record repudiated much of her critics.


Diabolus est Deus Inversus

mikerush's picture

Doggone it, don't you just hate it when your "entire record" comes back to bite you on your Cheney? You can run from it, dummy, but, you can't hide from it. It's all right out there for the world to see. You wrote that piece of crap when you thought it would get you a good grade from your professors, right? Because, you just couldn't bring yourself to have sex with them like your Bimbo classmates, right? Were you jealous of those girls for their methods? Is that why you're such a misogynist? Or, were you just raised that way?

No way do we need another ignorant Reslug asshole in office.

Handypants's picture

Sooner or later the GOP is going to figure out the GOP isn't good for the GOP . . .

I think

*scratches head*


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

ysbaddaden's picture
)O(

Diabolus est Deus Inversus

Handypants's picture
HA!

lol


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

1openmind's picture

The GOP has a time machine to bring back these people from the 1500's.

Geazer's picture

Wallace actually asked a real question? What's the world coming to?


"Trust no one, Mr. Mulder." - Well-Manicured Man

Abbybwood's picture

He's done.


"The US has an army of 90,000 soldiers in Afghanistan and is spending $100bn a year, but has still been unable to defeat 20,000-25,000 Taliban who receive no pay at all." - Patrick Cockburn

Alice X - Chomsky Nader's picture

Amy Gardner c/o WaPo here

emphasis added:

At age 34, two years before his first election and two decades before he would run for governor of Virginia, Robert F. McDonnell submitted a master's thesis to the evangelical school he was attending in Virginia Beach in which he described working women and feminists as "detrimental" to the family. He said government policy should favor married couples over "cohabitators, homosexuals or fornicators." He described as "illogical" a 1972 Supreme Court decision legalizing the use of contraception by unmarried couples.

Guilty your honor, give me a job, give me a job on the chain gang…

The 93-page document, which is publicly available at the Regent University library, culminates with a 15-point action plan that McDonnell said the Republican Party should follow to protect American families -- a vision that he started to put into action soon after he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates.

Protect American Families, make them all slaves (except for the rich, of course)…

During his 14 years in the General Assembly, McDonnell pursued at least 10 of the policy goals he laid out in that research paper, including abortion restrictions, covenant marriage, school vouchers and tax policies to favor his view of the traditional family. In 2001, he voted against a resolution in support of ending wage discrimination between men and women.

I dreamt I was in the 12th centrury…

DUDE!!!

That isn't radical, that is REACTIONARY!!!

But then, you are of FOXSPEAK…

---

As I understand it, the one progressive lost in the Democratic primary, the winner of which is no great prize either.


statusquObama, change you can only pretend in

I didn't watch a minute or this yesterday. Instead we went shopping and bought Halloween trick or treat candy. That was way more fun.

Having said that, this guy sounds like a wolf who is trying to make sheep's clothing fit him. I don't think it's gonna work.


Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.

ricky's picture

in your part of the swamp won't be coming home with anything organic
unless Martini bites them in the leg.


"The deal has to be negotiated in the real world, not on some idealized Aristotelian plane. We understand that. A 100-percent deal may be impossible."
Famous "Reality Based" Commentator

I have posted a picture of Martini at my blog site today and he just doesn't have it in him to bite anyone. I hope I'm not blog pimping as I'm not linking to anything.

It was fun yesterday to leave the talking heads to their talking and just enjoy stuff. I was pretty sure they were all going to be wetting their pants and giving us their "expert" advice regarding what we should do about Iran. I'm just tired of all their noise and total bullshit.


Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.

ricky's picture

blog pimping. My reaction?

1) You could save the money on a security system by getting a bigger dog. Why go to the expense (and emotional angst) of getting the canines sharpened unless the pooch is gonna chow down on some burglar butt?

2) Don't take Secretia with you when visitng ACORN. They might not call you a pimp, but they will suspect you are a madame.


"The deal has to be negotiated in the real world, not on some idealized Aristotelian plane. We understand that. A 100-percent deal may be impossible."
Famous "Reality Based" Commentator

pissed off patricia's picture

I know, the only thing Martini would be good for if a burglar came in is that I could throw him at the burglar. Even then I can't throw hard enough and the dog doesn't weigh enough to hurt the burglar.

Having the security system will make me feel so much better on nights when I am home alone like tonight. It will be a three day process to get it all installed, but it'll be worth it to me. Next weekend I will feel as snug as a bug in a rug.


Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.

ricky's picture

Secretia's e-mail address.


"The deal has to be negotiated in the real world, not on some idealized Aristotelian plane. We understand that. A 100-percent deal may be impossible."
Famous "Reality Based" Commentator

pissed off patricia's picture

I'm a little dense today, who is Secretia?


Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.

ricky's picture

On your security issues.


"The deal has to be negotiated in the real world, not on some idealized Aristotelian plane. We understand that. A 100-percent deal may be impossible."
Famous "Reality Based" Commentator

pissed off patricia's picture

I just checked her comment and clicked on her name. She has her email address on her blog bio site, and when I clicked on her blog site I received a warning that her site was, well I don't know what, but I never saw a warning like that before.


Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.

Alice X - Chomsky Nader's picture

Content suitable only for adults, but it was milk toast.

In another life I was Sherlock Holmes.


statusquObama, change you can only pretend in

pissed off patricia's picture

Well maybe her milk toast is served to adults only.

So what was it like to be Sherlock Holmes back in the day? If you say "elementary" my dear, I'll faint. :)


Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.

Alice X - Chomsky Nader's picture

I didn't play the violin as much and the pay was just as fictional.

I was thinking of Holmes from this


statusquObama, change you can only pretend in

ysbaddaden's picture
)O(

Diabolus est Deus Inversus

When I read what he said about his daughters working and his wife working and all, it reminded me of what people say when the subject is black people and you hear that familiar phrase, Some of my best friends are black people.


Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.

Handypants's picture
...

JINX!


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

ysbaddaden's picture
)O(

Diabolus est Deus Inversus

Handypants's picture

:)


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

Handypants's picture

We'll hear him say: "I'm not a racist I have a friend who is black"


"I know that there are people who do not love their fellow
man, and I hate people like that!
" ~ Tom Lehrer (1928 - )

David L. Hill's picture

isnt that a 'gotcha' question?

'what did you mean when you said what you said'...thats a 'gotcha' question if i ever heard one....

liberalNmoderation's picture

they go apeshit over Obama's thesis...
but this throwback gets a softball interview...on faux, by Wallace?

work outside the home?

I don't think so. Plus, right-wing men are notorious for "letting" "their" women do whatever they want while wanting to try to tell other women what to do with our lives.

I ain't buying his crap.


I've never seen change without a fire

ricky's picture

his milk is one of the many conditions he imposed before letting them work outside the home.

Getting to approve the spending of every penny they earn is another.


"The deal has to be negotiated in the real world, not on some idealized Aristotelian plane. We understand that. A 100-percent deal may be impossible."
Famous "Reality Based" Commentator

Mykelb's picture

Don't be fooled by his smiling face, there is a mysogonistic, homophobic, racist white republican man looking you straight in the face and lying to you. People do not change their basic theological principles, no matter what the law says. Even when they say "Oh, that's what I personally believe, but I will uphold the law of the land." they do not mean it. What they are really saying is "Oh, that's what I personally believe, and I am running to change the law as I believe it should be." They don't have the guts or the integrity to say the latter because it wouldn't be politically prudent. That's why you have to delve into their past legislation because there is where you will find the evidence of their convictions.

oldretire's picture

Even when presented with the facts this asshole is attacking my own sense of judgement DUH! I guess what he wrote is a lie Duh! is this NAZZI for real. So what everyones reading according to this Nazi is a LIE and DISTORTION give me a break you bag of SH*T, just like a COWARDLY Christian and DIRT SCUM BAG republican.

When at the age of 34 a person writes this crap, there is no way on earth he will change his spots. These people are not Christian. They don't do anything that Jesus said to do. They just want everyone to do as they say, not as they do.

kittycollins's picture

is a douche. And yet, he'll probably still be elected because all of those white, christian, fox loving, glen beck worshipping folks in Virginia are on a mission to put those commie, nazi, satan worshipping liberals in their place - - and, by extension, show that black Kenyan they mean business in taking back "their" country.

sassafra's picture

i generally loathe republican politics as much as the next new england liberal, but dredging up a old master's thesis and expecting it to be current to one's political views today is absurd as a snapshot datapoint.
i'd feel much more confident being contemptuous of McDonnell's politics if the writing sample was either more current, or more numerous and over a wider timespan.
in short, if he's a douche, i'd like to know how long he's been a douche, when he started being a douche, what his formative years growing up as a douche were like, and how competent a job he's done as a mature douche.
whatever's happened to investigative reporting and complex, reasoned, debate?

Nicole Belle's picture

McDonnell's master thesis was written when he was 34.

It's not like he was an unformed 20 year old amoeba.

sassafra's picture

it's 20 year old college information...sheesh.
anyhoo he could be a shapeless fungus that throws spores.

shag12@sbcglobal.net's picture

There are only a few peole who will let them know that they are not answering the quetion asked of them. David Schuster and Dylan Ratigan of MSNBC, and Rick Sanchez of CNN will press until they get the answer to the quetion they asked. Most of the others will allow them to do political-speak, and evade and avoid.

I just moved back to VA after living in CA for a while. I have been out of VA politics for a while but I've seen the ads for this race and if you aren't heavy into politics McDonnell has Deeds beat, no contest in regards to branding and image. The only Deeds ads I've seen are related to abortion while McDonnell plays this incriminating video of Deeds bragging about spending and a nice spot focusing on jobs and the economy. I know that ads aren't everything, but I think that the average non politico cares mostly about jobs and the economy right now and Deeds doesn't seem to get it.

Falmouth's picture

His record follows his thesis. He's trying to hide his spots and be moderate but he's anything but. He's a slash govt and lower taxes Repub. He complains about ads against him but runs a negative statement from the Wa Post about Deeds without noting that the Post endorsed Deeds. He may get elected because the minorities and many Dems in VA only vote during Pres election years. The nutwing Repubs vote in mass. Deeds isn't great but is a shiny Knight compared to this DB.

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