For those who prefer a non-Haloscan version, here is part 1 of the transcript of yesterday's live blog with Attorney General Bob McDonnell. I will be working to get the remainder up tomorrow or tomorrow evening.
Scott's Question:
Thank you so much for coming by and live blogging with Charlie and Good Sense.Out of all the elected officials, you seem to have done more to embrace "blogging" as a viable and important media source as evidenced by the number of live blogs you have participated in.
Secondly, your office, with the obvious help of J. Tucker Martin, has been communicating a great deal with the people of the Commonwealth, at what I consider an unprecedented pace. And to me, that is as important as anything else you can do, regardless of which side of the aisle you happen to find your chair.
Recently, I was involved in a "bloggers only" round table with Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. During that discussion, he offered that "blogging", or the "horizontal media" was to todays campaigns what Talk Radio had been previously.
AG McDonnell: The new media has shown itself to be a powerful 24-hour source of news and opinion. Individuals who blog are informed and involved, and often very passionate about issues and politics, and thus are opinion leaders. This office does great work in safeguarding citizens constitutional rights and promoting public safety. I want to get the message out by all means possible about ways to educate citizens about protecting themselves. We try to stay very active with the blogs to ensure that we know what is going on in the lives of our citizens, and how we can best serve the Commonwealth.
As for 2008, I think the blogs and the Internet will be very important, in everything from fundraising to generating excitement and issues. Fred Thompson has notably been very active in the online world, and I think it has benefited him immensely. No candidate can run for office in this day and age without an active and complete online presence.Bob McDonnell
Jane Dudley:
This fall the entire legislature is up for election. Please set out your case for sending the Republicans back, to keep their majority. Bring exhibits. Courtroom theatrics welcome. 'Cause this is the blogosphere! Seriously, in particular, what do you say to people who say, "Why should Republicans keep the majority? They're not really that different from Democrats. Let's just vote for 'change.'
AG McDonnell:
Answer: That claim is absolutely false. Only Republicans govern from the premise that government must keep taxes, regulation and litigation low, that the free enterprise system and not government programs is the key to economic prosperity, and that traditional values must be preserved. In looking at the record of results by the parties there is no comparison.
Republicans have dramatically improved Virginia government with abolition of parole, welfare reform, juvenile justice reform, significant improvements in laws cracking down on drunk driving, gangs, and sexual predators. Republicans alone have ushered in accountability in schools with SOL tests, while investing record new sums in K-12 education. Just this session Republicans enacted the first major transportation funding bill in 21 years, significantly private property rights protections, and championed Youth Internet Safety.
Democrats can point to nowhere near the same record of results that benefited the Virginia citizen. It is a record Republicans will proudly run on this fall. Similarly, in articulating a vision for the future Republicans have made concrete proposals to crack down on criminal illegal aliens, reform the mental health system, strengthen our school construction programs, and provide property tax relief.
There has been no similar vision apparent from the Democrats, that is unfortunate. Thanks for the question Jane, sorry for the long answer, but its a critically important topic.
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