Creigh Deeds Ignored Our Campaign Advice: White House

Washington Post:

Sensing that victory in the race for Virginia governor is slipping away, Democrats at the national level are laying the groundwork to blame a loss in a key swing state on a weak candidate who ran a poor campaign that failed to fully embrace President Obama until days before the election.

Senior administration officials have expressed frustration with how Democrat R. Creigh Deeds has handled his campaign for governor, refusing early offers of strategic advice and failing to reach out to several key constituencies that helped Obama win Virginia in 2008, they say.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[MaryanneAZ]

03:54 PM on 10/26/2009

I do not count Deeds out. It all depends on the Get Out The Vote effort. Republicans may feel their guy is a shoe-in and stay home. Dems may feel their guy needs all the help he can get and go vote. The other big variable is the young vote, especially at the Universities. Deeds has a big leg up with the young vote university crowd. If he is successful in getting them to the voting booth, then he could very easily pull off an upset. It all comes to the GOTV in this race even more than most other races.

BTW, does anyone really believe that people are going to take a chance with an out-of-date, out-of-touch McDonnell over Deeds. I cannot see many women voting for McDonnell and risking their freedoms and services.

[meanguy]

10:13 AM on 11/01/2009

deeds will be EXTREMELY fortunate if he can keep his margin of defeat to single digits

[Herders4Me]

10:46 AM on 10/26/2009

The only good thing I can say about Deeds is he's not McDonald.

I voted for McAuliffe in the primary because I DO want VA to leave the 18th century behind - and I was impressed with McAuliffe's grand ideas. (Not that VA was ever going to allow windmills to 'spoil the view'...)

It's hard to step back and and accept Deeds. I'm really debating whether to vote for Gov or not. I don't want McDonald - but I also don't want Deeds to think I *actually* support him and his conservative ideas.

Phooey!

[MaryanneAZ]

03:56 PM on 10/26/2009

By not voting, you are voting for McDonnell. Make no mistake about that. There is no such thing as a pass in the voting booth. EVERYTHING depends on getting out the voters. I think Deeds has a lot more going for him than all of the strikes against McDonnell, especially for women.

[AirForce Vet]

10:30 AM on 10/26/2009

The current administration and some politicians should be selective in the things they say; especially when it comes to saying Creigh Deeds didn’t listen to them. I say this because it seems as though this administration and various politicians are really not listening to the people who got them elected in 2008. Don’t’ throw stones if you are living in a glass house.

This whole debacle seems like an episode of the Ned Lamont and Joe Lieberman show. In that election, you bowed out and left it to chance and look what you got. Democrats be very careful what you are throwing out and leaving by the wayside.

[LeeCalif]

10:06 AM on 10/26/2009

Well,since Sheila Johnson is totally against labor unions, she'd be against ANY Democrat.
Obviously, the woman is someone who is afraid to come out as the republican she really is.

Forget her AND her endorsement !!

[mcmutter]

09:08 AM on 10/26/2009

Deeds came out of nowhere to win the nomination. He'll return to nowhere after the election.

Pick a better candidate next time. This has nothing to do with Obama.

[Herders4Me]

10:48 AM on 10/26/2009

Agree totally - but is VA capable of looking FORWARD??

[jackbutler5555]

07:25 PM on 10/24/2009

And now the end is near, and so I face the final curtain,
My friend, I'll say it clear,
I'll state my case, of which I'm certain.
I've lived a life that's full, I traveled each and every highway,
And more, much more than this, I did it my way.

Regrets I have a few, but then again, too few to mention,
I did what I had to do.....

[Altruth]

07:09 PM on 10/24/2009

Deeds is a fair-weather friend period. A few weeks ago, Deed pulled away from the White House and the Democratic Leadership when President Obama's poll number were slipping, I wrote back then in a post " Deeds, good luck with that; I hope you don't expect money from the DNC or the Democratic Leadership to campaign for you". Deeds is a man on the out even if he wins because the Republicans don't what him and he really can't expect the people in the Democratic Party he "putdown" to embrace him.

[jade7243]

03:47 PM on 10/24/2009

Oy, it could be worse... Terry MacAuliffe?

[pxlpsh]

08:32 AM on 10/24/2009

Just more proof to how America has A.D.D

[demrepub]

08:20 AM on 10/24/2009

The Dems destroyed their brand in less than one year. Non-partisan experts are predicting huge GOP gains in 2010. This is just the start. One term, get used to it!

[Altruth]

07:00 PM on 10/24/2009

WRONG! The Democratic Brand is very strong! A nice try at spinning but the Republicans will be on the OUT for a long time to come. The Republicans are polling under 20%!

[DocSyracuse]

02:34 PM on 10/25/2009

I keep hearing the GOP at 20% approval stat here. Do you understand that that number is insignificant? Who do you think a conservative is going to vote for, DNC or GOP, when it comes right down to it? The issue is a voter's political philosophy- they will vote for the candidate that best represents them.

But keep touting that stat. If you truly think that votes will go 80% dem, 20% rep in 2010, you are really in denial.

[MaryanneAZ]

04:09 PM on 10/26/2009

I repeat. Disappointed or frustrated Dems and Independents are not going to turn to the GOP for answers in the next 20 years or longer. It is illogical to think that reasonable voters are going to look to the GOP to solve the Nation's problems that they created or to carry the agenda President Obama et al. were elected to enact. The GOP is never going to give us the agenda that we voted Pres. Obama in to deliver for us. Essentially, we have our best hope in the WH right now for the agenda that we want enacted. If anything, we will give Pres. Obama more help in the form of additional Senators and Reps, especially replacing DINOs and Blue Dogs where we can in 2010. I like our odds overall.

[CommonSenseMom]

09:35 PM on 10/23/2009

Why can't anyone better have stood up for the job? We have a choice between rural goober talker and angry fundamentalist woman hater?...really? That's all we get? Sigh.

[amazingdays]

04:45 PM on 10/24/2009

Criticizing an American politician because you don't like his accent is disgraceful and bigoted. It makes me almost ill to see a comment like that on a progressive blog.

I have met Creigh Deeds twice, and his son. I think he's smart and capable and has a solid record built up over many years. I'm proud to be volunteering for him. If this was a climate favorable to Democrats this year in Virginia, he would have won in a walk.

This has nothing to do with Obama. Virginians always elect someone of the opposite party from the president for governor. That's because having an election just a year after the presidential is like the "midterm effect" on steroids -- angry activists in the previously defeated party, complacent or worn-out ones in the victorious party, not really enough time for the president to have delivered big, but plenty of time for the change from campaigning to governing to have disappointed people -- it's the same pattern every time.

[whypassword]

04:35 AM on 10/25/2009

This article was linked to here but the link was taken down. 404 Not Found. Guess why?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/08/AR2009100803288.html

[Truthahn]

07:05 PM on 10/23/2009

The White House is burying the guy BEFORE the election? What if he pulls off an upset and wins? If he does, I wouldn't blame him for showing the White House his middle finger.

[amazingdays]

04:47 PM on 10/24/2009

That's how I would feel, too, but Creigh Deeds is actually such a decent person that if he pulls off an upset, he won't hold a grudge. He is a good man and I surely hope that can happen. All I can do is donate and volunteer. Then at least I'll know I did what I could, either way. For those who want to donate: www.deedsforvirginia.com .

[Altruth]

07:10 PM on 10/24/2009

Deeds is a fair-weather friend period. A few weeks ago, Deed pulled away from the White House and the Democratic Leadership when President Obama's poll number were slipping, I wrote back then in a post " Deeds, good luck with that; I hope you don't expect money from the DNC or the Democratic Leadership to campaign for you". Deeds is a man on the out even if he wins because the Republicans don't what him and he really can't expect the people in the Democratic Party he "putdown" to embrace him.

[middleoftheroad]

05:16 PM on 10/23/2009

hey Deeds-you should have done what you were told!

[EvangelicalEmpathy]

04:59 PM on 10/23/2009

Deeds is a rural guy and if he embraces Obama too much, there goes rural VA, which largely composes the state. Take away Northern VA and you're left with a hoe and a horse. The DEMS should have run a stronger candidate period. Furthermore, I travelled through VA last weekend and saw McDonnell signs everywhere and saw One Deeds sign.

[MaryanneAZ]

04:07 PM on 10/26/2009

The DEMS do not choose the people who run. They choose themselves after weighing the competition and support they might garner. In this political climate, mischief accounts for the lack of Deeds signs. They are stolen or defaced as fast as they go up in some places. Also, a sign on the lawn is not proof of the votes from all of the members of the household. I cannot imagine too many women who would embrace McDonnell and his backwards thinking. Not going to happen.

[invirginia]

04:20 PM on 10/23/2009

The unfortunate alternative to wimpy Deeds is a right-wing fundamentalist McConnell. Major b-h ole.