Gray Column: Let's not elect people based on gotcha

Here we go again. Another political campaign and another poor attempt at gotcha politics. This time it is happening in the Virginia governor’s race.

Last week the Washington Post released a story about a thesis written by Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell back in 1989.

In the thesis the Post highlights a few of McDonnell’s more conservative views that are thought to be controversial. The views touched on a variety of issues including marriage, women, abortion,
contraceptives and various others.

Not going too deep into what was in the thesis, I would say that his comments are more to the social conservative viewpoint.

State Senator Creigh Deeds, who is the Democratic candidate for governor, wasted no time in criticizing McDonnell for the thesis, saying it, “explains the social agenda that has apparently driven his
[McDonnell’s] legislative agenda during the years.”

Senator Deed’s running mate, Jody Wagner, who is running for lieutenant governor, emphasized her beliefs about Mr. McDonnell as well. “Bob McDonnell is asking Virginians to elect him Governor. But in
Bob McDonnell’s Virginia, me, my friends, my colleagues, and my own mother aren’t viewed as equals.” Three paragraphs after that she asked Web visitors to join Women for Deeds.

First, let me say I don’t fault the Washington Post for looking for this thesis. The people have a right to know, and they have a right to look.

I didn’t read the entire report — it’s 93-plus pages in all — but I did take the time to read the eight page introduction. In my opinion there were some valid, well thought out points mentioned about the
alarming divorce rate in our community and some concerns about the decline in respect for authority in America.

I could easily argue that these are valid points and that 20 years later we are dealing with real world consequences related to the issues McDonnell’s thesis discussed.

But let’s refocus on the political intent hear. Other than the discovery of some controversial statements, the insinuation that this man is anti woman is wrong and the idea that his views on handling social
issues are dangerous is debatable. Hopefully as the election season goes on the issues will be debated.

We have been down this road before. Anyone remember Senator Allen’s macaca moment and the research paper dug up on then-candidate Jim Webb? They left us thinking the only choice we had for
U.S. Senate was between a racist or a person who had no respect for women. Both insinuations were wrong.

Its time to stop being childish and focus on the real issues here in Virginia. Our state is so broke we can’t afford to keep our highway rest areas open. Yet, candidates running for the highest offices in the
state have time to take political jabs based on a 20-year-old, 93-page thesis paper.

As I mentioned in my column last week, people aren’t trusting government to do anything and examples like this are the reason why. One side tears the other down to look like they are the only logical
choice. In the end, voters make the only logical choice they can make by not showing up to vote. That is evident by the fact that 36 percent of the people showed up to vote in the 2005 statewide
elections.

I am sure that both gubernatorial candidates are looking for that edge or that political gotcha moment, when if nothing else you can bloody up the opposition just a little bit.

But in the end it hurts the process and ultimately hurts our Republic form of Democracy. Again, that 36-percent voter turn out speaks for itself.

And anyone who thinks I am being partisan about this, guess again. I remember last year writing about how badly Barack Obama was treated by people in his own party who were trying to link him with
his controversial Pastor Jeremiah Wright, or when radio talk show hosts decided to make finding then-Senator Obama’s birth certificate to show he wasn’t American a priority.

The process of electing someone — and how we act in that process — is as important as selecting the right candidate. Why? Because selecting the right candidate is debatable based upon what your
political views are. Plus, concentrating on insinuations and the unproven trivializes the importance of issues we face as a state and nation.

By the way, I would highly suggest everyone go and read Mr. McDonnell’s thesis, since it has been brought up, and then you can be the judge. It is available online or you can e-mail me and I would be
glad to send it to you.

Davon Gray works in Washington, D.C., and resides in Woodbridge. Contact him at davongray@verizon.net.