Shad Planking

By: Matusleo
Published On: 4/21/2005 1:00:00 AM

One of the key events in Virginia politics is the annual Shad Planking.  The event started about 60 years ago, as a way for the Democratic Party leaders to annoint their candidates for the November election.  It is named after the fish and the way in which they are slowly cooked.

There are some good articles on this year's festivity in the Washington Post and Richmond Times Dispatch.

One of the things we learn in these articles is some of the attacks that both candidates are going to be using on each other in the coming months.  For instance, Kaine is definitely stepping up his attacks on Kilgore's unwillingness to debate him.  Kaine even hired a plane to fly over the event dragging a banner that read "Jerry: Real Leaders Don't Duck Debates." 

And then there was a guy in a Duck costume attending the event to drive the point home.  This is a good line of attack for Kaine to make, but it may not be a very effective one.  So long as Kilgore stays ahead in the polls, he won't feel any pressure to debate.  Debates are chancy and always pose a risk for the frontrunner.  Kaine is a far better debater than Kilgore as well, which is probably another good reason why Kilgore shuns them.  However, if Kaine can tie this ducking of debates into a broader theme criticizing Kilgore's ability to take a tough stand, then it could prove a powerful indictment.

Kilgore, meanwhile, is now trying to attack Kaine's roots, criticizing him for not really being a Virginian.  It may have been just jokes at the Shad Planking, but I think we can expect to see ads on this soon.  Kilgore is also criticizing Kaine for his alleged use of out-of-state volunteers to put up campaign signs (for what it's worth, Kaine apparently won the sign war at the Shad Planking by a wide margin). 

The gist of Kilgore's argument is that Kaine does not have support in Virginia.  We can effectively counter this by highlighting all the support that Kaine does have, and also by pointing out that Kilgore is just as reliant (if not more so, look at Scott Howell and his gang), on out-of-state support.  That should neutralize the issue.

Anyway, I think that's what we can expect to see next from each campaign.  Kinda wish I could have gone to the Shad Planking myself, though.  Sounds like it was quite a bit of fun.


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