It looks like there’s a developing war between Governor Terry McAuliffe and Mike Bloomberg’s Everytown. I’m going to grab some popcorn and enjoy this. Nice, well-salted and buttery popcorn, with a 32oz soda to wash it down. This is better than Godzilla vs. Mothra. It’s good to have things like this that can make blogging fun again.
Brian Coy spoke dismissively of Everytown for Gun Safety, which is associated with former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, as a “group from New York†that does not have the interests of Virginians at heart.
Ouch. That could just as easily come from a pro-gun Republican. In fact, I think that’s what we’ve been saying. Still, I can’t blame Bloomberg for spending a few million to buy McAuliffe’s ear only to get spit on. Not to be outdone, Bloomberg is going to run anti-McAuliffe ads.
It’s pretty well known that Terry McAuliffe has presidential ambitions, and I think his watching Hillary deflate despite the heavy emphasis on gun control might have convinced him that this current anti-gun fervor on the Dem side is a fad that’s going to die with Hillary’s campaign and Obama’s presidency.
This should be a local politics case study.
*National org. infusing money to buy influence, but with no real local base (on Lobby Day, they went to Richmond with 3000 signatures, the pro-gun side went with 1,500 live bodies).
*Gov gives payback on a deal they think will not affect the locals (I think this would be a different story if they found a way not to include S. Carolina).
*Cluelessly thinking that one pro-control voice = one pro-gun voice on opinion polls.
*Rapid behind the scenes maneuvering to push back…hard.
*The gov’s caving while he realized that he poked a big mean bear.
*Throwing former allies under the bus.
I get the sense that this was all the AG’s doing. Pretty much destroyed that trust right there.
I think it is more than you say. I believe the constitutional carry vote, which was lost only because a Republican crossed the aisle, was part of the deal. I think the good guys built a coalition and the Gov. was faced with a number of Democrats defecting to vote for what would have been a total repudiation of his policies.
The timing was all a little suspicious.
Because it’s always a Republican who’s the criminal to you, right beatbox? Never the dozens of Democrats who’d never vote for gun rights.
No. Not at all what was saying. I think there was a deal to stop constitutional carry in the the in exchange for the reciprocity now. Cc would not have been slam dunk so they went for the sure thing.
For example, iI could see McAuliffe asking that permit less carry be stopped so he would not have to veto it. The net result is a win or the gun side.
That is hilarious.
Bloomberg is advertising to other politicos that he will enforce the deal they signed with the devil. Bloomberg has no choice but to go on the offensive against McAuliffe in order to dissuade others from doing the same.
Message: cross me and I will pay a lot of money to run ads against you in your district.
VA limits govs to a single term, so it’s not like McAuliffe’s worried about re-election. Maybe he runs for US Senate – a statewide race where this deal won’t hurt him.
Bloomberg isn’t hurt much because in the end, his money will buy a lot of politicians who will also get the message that Bloomberg will hurt you if you cross him.
What good do attack ads against a term-limited Governor do? Encourage more Virginians to vote Republican in November?
It’s all they have. They want to try to ruin his chances in a possible Senate run. And it’s a warning to other beneficiaries of their largess.
What beatbox said. The message isn’t addressed to McAuliffe, it’s addressed to every other politician out there who’ve taken Bloomberg’s money. He wants them all to get the message: stay bought, or else.
Ahhhhhh, the sweet sweet blue on blue warfare. Bloomie the Little Tyrant I, loves to throw all of his 5’4″ body and money around. I still despise McAwful and his dem cronies occupying Lt. Gov. and AG offices, but it is fun to watch this action. Long popcorn futures.
The problem is, now we “need” McAuliffe to win his next election, to show that Big Bad Bloomberg can huff and puff, but can’t blow the election down
He’s a lame duck. Virginia Governors are always lame ducks, limited to one term.