Biddlecomb Column: Academic exercise or a governing blueprint?
Published: September 2, 2009
Virginia voters sleeping through this year’s Ambien-laced gubernatorial campaign were given a quick shot of Red Bull this week when the Washington Post dusted off Republican Bob McDonnell’s 20-year-
old political manifesto.
The document in question — McDonnell’s 1989 Regent University graduate thesis — outlines his views that, among other things, criticize a “dynamic new trend of working women and feminists that is
ultimately detrimental to the family.”
Other highlights of the thesis, as noted by a Sunday article in The Post, read like talking points for Democrat Creigh Deeds whose sagging campaign is using the academic paper as a means of exposing
McDonnell’s right-wing views to moderate Northern Virginia voters.
One zinger can be found on page 65 where McDonnell writes that “every level of government should statutorily and procedurally prefer married couples over cohabitators, homosexuals or fornicators (no
mention of lions, tigers and bears). The cost of sin should fall on the sinner, not the taxpayer.”
Suddenly, a race that’s been about jobs, the economy and, to a lesser extent, transportation, has taken a turn into political ideology. Those familiar with McDonnell’s educational background and political
record, are probably not surprised something like this surfaced.
I was wondering how it took this long. McDonnell has thus far run a pristine campaign casting himself as the moderate family man with little hints of his House voting record.
The thesis revelation put McDonnell on the defensive this week as he initially brushed off the 1989 paper as a simple “academic exercise.” If that were true, then are we to believe that he was simply
saying in his thesis what Regent University founder Pat Robertson wanted to hear? I guess we can call this the “I wanted an easy A” excuse.
Many of us write and do things in college that we would never consider later in life. How many William & Mary graduates have streaked across the campus’ Sunken Gardens prior to graduation? But
McDonnell’s thesis isn’t the equivalent to an 18-year-old smoking pot while a freshman at Berkeley. This paper was written by a 34-year-old Army veteran two years prior to his election to the House of
Delegates. It obviously wasn’t the work of some mixed up kid.
Deeds campaign strategist Mo Elleithee pounced on the thesis calling it a gubernatorial blueprint. “This is who Bob McDonnell is. . . . He gives us no reason to believe this is not how he would govern,”
he told the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s Jeff Schapiro.
McDonnell held a conference call with reporters earlier this week where he compared his thesis with his record, highlighting the fact his wife has worked, his daughter served in the Army and that he hires
based on qualifications rather than sexual orientation.
The headlines across the Commonwealth yesterday read that McDonnell now “distances himself” from his 1989 thesis. That is somewhat believable, considering how politicians evolve with age and life
experience.
That brings me to the Monica issue. I’m talking about Goodling not Lewinski.
Monica Goodling — a 1999 graduate of Regent Law School — put Pat Robertson’s evangelical college on the map a few years ago. Working as the White House liaison to the Justice Department, she
was accused of screening career job applicants based on their political loyalty and religious believes. Some believed she was trying to use the Justice Department as a farm system for the GOP.
A 2008 Justice Department Inspector General’s report said as much while Goodling spent most of her time refusing to testify citing executive privilege.
Monica Goodling came to mind when I read parts of McDonnell’s Regent University thesis — especially page 65.
How much of an effect this will have on McDonnell’s campaign remains to be seen. The thesis is an “August Surprise” of sorts. In today’s ADD-based campaigns that are often driven by the 24-hour news
cycle, bombshells in August and September are nowhere near as devastating as the October variety.
Look for McDonnell to turn the page . . . quickly.
Alfred Biddlecomb is the former editorial page editor for the Potomac News and the Manassas Journal Messenger.
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From the non-Partisan group VoteSmart.org, McDonnell’s ratings from various tracking groups:
(http://votesmart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=5170)
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2004-2005 McDonnell supported the interests of the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia 0 percent in 2004-2005.
2004-2005 McDonnell supported the interests of the Virginia Society for Human Life 100 percent in 2004-2005 (“Virginia Society for Human Life, Inc., is a voluntary and non-denominational organization united in the belief that the human being in his innate dignity and worth should be safeguarded by law at every stage of biological development. Through education and legislative activity, the Society’s purpose is to promote measures which will insure protection for all innocent human life.“ meaning: they’re an anti-abortion group).
2004 McDonnell supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia 20 percent in 2004.
2003 McDonnell supported the interests of the Virginia Society for Human Life 100 percent in 2003.
2002 McDonnell supported the interests of the NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia 0 percent in 2002.
2002 McDonnell supported the interests of the Virginia Society for Human Life 100 percent in 2002.
1978-1999 In tracking the career voting records of all Virginia state legislators, Virginia Society for Human Life found that McDonnell has voted a pro-life position 100 percent of the time (Votes were recorded from 1978 through 1999. Each legislator’s rating reflects only the years that he/she has been in office).
2005 McDonnell supported the interests of the Equality Virginia 0 percent in 2005. (“Equality Virginia is a statewide, non-partisan, lobbying, education and support network for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, and straight allied (GLBT) communities in Virginia.“)
2000-2002 McDonnell supported the interests of the Americans United for Seperation of Church and State 0 percent in 2000-2002.
2004-2005 McDonnell supported the interests of the The Family Foundation of Virginia 100 percent in 2004-2005.
1999 McDonnell supported the interests of the Virginia Christian Coalition 92 percent in 1999
2005 McDonnell supported the interests of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters 13 percent in 2005.
2005 McDonnell supported the interests of the Virginia AFL-CIO 24 percent through floor votes during their legislative career up until 2005.
2000 McDonnell supported the interests of the Virginia National Organization for Women 0 percent in 2000.
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Seems to me McDonnell has been pretty consistent in voting the beliefs stated in his thesis of 14 years ago.
I also point out that in 1999 the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund gave McDonnell a rating of only A-. McDonnell only supported the Virginia Citizens Defense League (“VCDL is a non-partisan, grassroots organization dedicated to defending the human rights of all Virginians and, most importantly, the proposition that the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is a fundamental Human Right.“)
33 percent in 2001.
Personnally, I think this should be a big issue for Conservatives. They should be asking why the NRA didn’t give him an A+, and why he only supported Virginians’ right to keep and bear arms on 33 percent of his votes?
“McDonnell’s thesis isn’t the equivalent to an 18-year-old smoking pot while a freshman at Berkeley. This paper was written by a 34-year-old Army veteran two years prior to his election to the House of Delegates. It obviously wasn’t the work of some mixed up kid.“
So under this guise no one is able to change their position on any subject. Why then have a comment thread to voice an opinion if not to ‘change or influence’ someone to change ‘their’ opinion?
I agree some people are unable to change, but some of us do listen and grow. If you don’t agree with McDonnell’s political position as it stands today, then don’t vote for him, but don’t assume he hasn’t changed because of something he wrote 20 years ago.
How much has your opinions changed from 20 years ago?
Here are the facts on McDonnell:
1976 BBA Notre Dame
1980 MSBA Boston Univ
1989 JD/MA Public Policy & Comm
Christian Broadcasting Network Univ (Tier 4 law school)
Here are the facts on Deeds:
1980 BS Concord College
1984 JD Wake Forest Univ School of Law (Tier 1 law school)
From what I’ve reads, McD graduated from Notre Dame, and got amdegree from boston Univ., both respected colleges. Why on earth would someone then decide to go to an unaccredited school of Patty Robertson’s——unless the dogma met his personal beliefs. Or were his grades so bad…It just doesn’t make sense.
So he no longer belives what he believed 14 years ago? What caused him to change his philosophies?
Or did he misrepresent his beliefs 14 years ago to get an “A” from a “Tier 4” law school?
Or does he still believe what he believed 14 years ago, and is now misrepresenting his beliefs to get him elected governor of a state where his views do not match those of the majority voting public?
Will the real McDonnell please stand up - then go away. Please.
McDonnell actually got a single JD/MA degree from what was then called Christian Broadcasting Network University. Only later was the school renamed Regent University.
The Regent law school is rated as a “Tier 4” (lowest rating) by USN≀. It did not achieve full accreditation by the ABA until 1996, seven years after McConnell completed his studies.
Did McDonnell attend an unaccredited law school? You decide.
Like Bobby G. Marshall, McDonnell is a chameleon - one that changes colors. He will initially campaign on things like transportation, but once elected switches to Catholic dogma, especially abortion. McD is dangerous.
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