shudder.

I really like any of the possibles just yet. I'm waiting to see one really stand out.

I am from McLean and know the McAuliffe family personally.

I am a strong Democrat and I will be supporting and probably working for either Senator Deeds or Brian Moran.  One of them truly deserves both to be the Democratic nominee and next Governor of Virginia.

Nothing against Mr. McAuliffe - but we already have two good candidates, and I'm not sure he's better than either of them so, no reason for him to jump in the race.

I think I just did a spit-take.

i read in the wash post that you are leaving the convention after your  gal and her hubby speaks.
You wont atay around for Obamas speech.

I absolutly  refuse to encourage you to run for gov of va.

if you dont support obama , I wont support you.

The thought of Slickster McCauliffe as gov gives me shudders too.  His way may have worked for Bill Clinton, but it doesn't  generalize.  Besides, McCauliffe would build a bridge back to the 20th Century.  As for representing ordinary Americans--forget it.  

Terry McAuliffe is the only way a Republican can be elected statewide again.

If we want to see the Republicans gain the Governor's mansion, let McAuliffe run.

I know both Brian and Creigh personally and think either one will make a fine Governor.

I doubt Terry is going to run and I support Brian Moran but I will add one thing to this as a hillary supporter for obama -- look how things both hillary, biden and others said about obama in the primary are now being used against us. Why you would say something like Terry is the only way republicans can win statewide against us is ridiculous. If he did run and won the nomination we would all be behind him. This is someone who delivered 5 million dollars from the DNC in 2005 to the Virginia Coordinated which helped us win. So trashing him doesn't make much sense.

My biggest problem with Terry McAuliffe is that he's been a national player and I'm not sure he really is that knowledgeable about the intricacies of state policies.  Does he attend regular Democratic committee meetings, is he active locally in his community, what are his opinions on important issues facing the Commonwealth of Virginia?  

Has he really thought through policies on education, transporation, the environment, energy, health care and programs for the mentally ill?  

I could be wrong but his emphasis has been on party politics and election campaign strategy and especially on fundrasiing, not on the nitty gritty issues that affect citizens.  I can picture him being like Robert Redford in the movie The Candidate.  

He might be successful and even relish the campaign but then on election night, he would turn to his advisers with a quizzical look and say, "what now?"

Both Brian Moran and Creigh Deeds would know "what now."  They've both spent time in the House of Delegates and state Senate, respectively, working on the important issues that come after the campaign and after election day.  I want one of them, not Terry McAuliffe.

but gimme a break.

Plus his tenure as DNC Chair didn't impress me, and I don't think he was much of an asset to Sen. Clinton's campaign.

1.  He's going to run for Governor of Virginia.  From what party?
2.  "Terry McAuliffe doesn't know Norton from Norfolk,'' said Tucker Martin, a spokesman for Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell, the likely Republican candidate for governor next year. "If he runs, remind me to send him a Virginia state map."
a.  Please, don't make me agree with anybody named "Tucker."
b.  It's a Commonwealth, Tucker, not a state.
3.  Can't wait to see the Hawaiian shirt/bottle of rum video in a Bob McDonnell commercial.
4.  Let's not give this one to Bob McDonnell, please.  A vote for Terry McAuliffe is a vote for Pat Robertson-lite in the Governor's Mansion.

when he supports Obama enthusiastically...besides..its hard to think of what he'd be like in THAT primary..ughh

I didn't even know Terry McAuliffe LIVED in Virginia, never mind cared about Virginia Democratic politics, until just now.  

or a PR stunt.

No way McAwful gets in.

He may be a fine guy, but if Moran won't sell downstate does anyone actually think a Beltway Bandit will?  NY may allow someone to parachute in and run for office, but as much progress as we've made, Virginians still expect our candidates to be able to properly pronounce Buena Vista, Syria, Fries and Wachapreague.

McGaheysville.

Valley folks know in an instant where you're from when you talk about this town.

And how you pronounce "Staunton."

We've got two Democratic candidates with significant, positive experience with the politics, people and issues of the great state of Virginia.  

We saw how long Ed Gillespie lasted in his little resume-building excursion to our state, and we don't need more of the same on the Democratic side.  

Granted McAuliffe will be able to raise the money.  Yes, he has hundreds of political connections within the state with active players.

Yes, I think there's a good chance that McAuliffe would cut into Moran's margins in Northern Virginia.

However, I don't see McAuliffe cutting into Moran's support base in Richmond or Hampton Roads.  Moran has invested time and energy developing relationships on the ground in areas outside of Northern Virginia -- he likely outperforms Deeds in Richmond and Hampton Roads in a head to head match-ups.

I also don't see McAuliffe seriously cutting into Deeds base along the 81 corridor.  

As a party fundraiser I don't see McAuliffe having the same kind of appeal as Jim Webb either.  

His appeal is probably more at the top level and less at the ground level.  Aside from McAuliffe's residency in the state over the past decade or so, what is McAuliffe's connection to the region and the state?  

When it comes to statewide politics in a place like Virginia, it strikes me that voters will care about a politicians ties to the state as well.  In transient Northern Virginia maybe less so, but even in Northern Virginia I think McAuliffe's reach is going to be limited.  Even small stuff like sending kids to a private school rather than taking advantage of the great public school system could be an issue.  A guy like Beyer, who sent his kids to the same private school as McAuliffe was able to finesse the issue a bit because of his strong ties to the local community through his Volvo dealership -- which was a long-time fixture in NoVA (I even remember the days when the Falls Church police use to cruise the streets with Volvo's from Beyer Volvo -- little things like that matter).

My thought is more power to McAuliffe.  If he wants to run -- great -- I'll be happy to hear him make his case.  However, he'll have quite a bit to prove.

The highest office that I could even remotely conceive of McAuliffe winning is the 10th Congressional seat IF Feder is unable to unseat Frank Wolf this year.  If Feder wins, he can probably close that door as well.

Exactly what were Hillary Clinton's ties to New York? And she ran for Senator not Governor. Webb proved there is little need for finese when you on the right side of the issues now didn't he?