I was very proud to support the election of Virginia Democratic Congressmen Tom Perriello and Glenn Nye. They share my values and I think both are doing a great job as freshmen congressmen.

But I am worried about their future political views.

Both men are 34 years old and as Bob McDonnell will tell you, political views “evolve” over time starting at age 34. (What one believes as a 34 year old will be repudiated over the next 20 years if McDonnell’s life is the norm.)

So Congressmen Nye and Perriello, please don’t evolve on me. I like you just the way you are.

Thanks!

What the Republicans don’t realize is that by failing to call out the the crazy people who agree with them, their own credibility is being permanently damaged.

What the GOP needs is some members like Barney Frank who are willing to stand up to what he calls “vile, contemptible nonsense”.

While the Republican National Committee, the insurance lobby and their astroturf allies from Teapartyland are seeking to shout down any reasonable discussion of health care reform at this month’s Congressional town hall meetings, the Senate held one last day of votes before leaving town.

By any measure the Senators most important vote yesterday was to confirm the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to become an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

My hats off to the following 8 Republican Senators who voted to confirm Judge Sotomayor — the 8 are living proof that the GOP is not completely highjacked by the paleoconservatives. On a whole, they said that the President has the right to nominate the person of their choice; only in the most extreme circumstances should a Senator vote against the President’s nominee.

The New York Times has a great table showing how the 40 GOP Senators voted on the nomination. Included in the table are the statements of all 40 explaining the reasons for their votes.

Check out the statements of the 8 Senators voting yes:

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, Sen. Judd Gregg of N.H., Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, Sen. Mel Martinez of Fla., Sen. Richard Lugar of Ind.,  Sen. Lindsey Graham of S.C. and Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tenn. and Sen. Kit Bond of Mo., who said it best in my view: “If some are saying that a Democratic president should not have a liberal justice, does that mean a Republican president shouldn’t have a conservative justice? I’ve supported justices with whom I disagreed.”

It’s not a very well kept secret in journalism circles that the editorial board of the Richmond Times Dispatch is not entirely independent in their thinking. The RTD is free to endorse whomever they want in local and statewide campaigns but the owners at Media General demand that the RTD toe the GOP line when it comes to presidential politics. This is also the case at other Media General newspapers.

Maybe Marshall N. Morton, President and Chief Executive Officer at Media General think of himself as the Rupert Murdoch of Southern journalism. I don’t know.

Today’s editorial criticizing President Obama and his recent exchange with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is as good an example of any of the GOP double standard that the editorial board exhibits time after time.

Does anyone think the Richmond Times Dispatch would ever have editorialized against former President George W. Bush and his relationship with Saudi King Abdullah?

Remember, the House of Saud and the House of Bush go wayyyyyyy back.

Maybe next Sunday the RTD will write about, “the kiss.”

I’m not holding my breath.

A couple of quick details about Tuesday’s Democratic primary elections:

• Polls open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m.
• To find your polling place, click here.
• All registered voters are eligible to vote in the Democratic primary regardless of whether you consider yourself a Democrat or not. Virginia doesn’t have party registration, so Republicans and Independents may join Democrats in choosing the Democratic nominee. (For what it’s worth, Republicans have already selected their nominees for Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General in a state convention which featured Sean Hannity from Fox News — he’s “fair & balanced” you know. The Republican’s choice of Hannity tells you all you need to know about their slate.)

As for me, I am voting for Creigh Deeds. Here’s why.