Following a speech yesterday at The Heritage Foundation, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) sharply criticized President Obama for engaging in class warfare and accused him of shifting the focus away from his own failed policies in advance of next year’s election.

“My view is he’ll have a hard time convincing Americans he deserves four more years of this,” McConnell said. “There’s nothing he’s done that the American people approve of, so of course, he’s trying to change the subject.”

McConnell addressed a range of issues during the interview, from the unconstitutional National Popular Vote scheme to Senate Democrats’ failure to pass a budget for more than 950 days. But he reserved his toughest talk for Obama.

“His strategy is quite simple; it’s to blame anybody but himself for the problems we’ve had,” McConnell said. “Among the culprits that have been listed: the tsunami in Japan, the debt crisis in Europe, and of course, Republicans in Congress, and rich people and Wall Street. In other words, anybody but [Obama]. He’s the president of the United States. He’s the one who’s asking us to give him another four years.”

When asked about Obama’s populist speech in Kansas this week, McConnell said it was simply an attempt to deflect attention away from unpopular policies like the economic stimulus, Obamacare, Dodd-Frank and the nation’s 8.6 percent unemployment rate.

“The president is trying to pit one set of Americans against another,” McConnell said. “He’s trying to turn this election into anything but what the election is really about. … This election is going to be about his performance, and if the election were held tomorrow, he’d be going into another line of work.”

As lawmakers prepare for year-end fights on the payroll tax and other issues, McConnell said he would attempt to force Obama to make a decision on the Keystone XL pipeline. McConnell called the pipeline a shovel-ready project that will create jobs and bring energy resources to the United States. Obama has deferred a decision until after next year’s election in a move that is widely viewed as a political calculation to appease environmentalists.

“This is a project ready to go,” McConnell said. “All it needs the permission of the president of the United States. So legislatively, we’re going to demand the president make a decision within 60 days.”

Republican presidential candidates turn their attention to foreign policy and national security tonight at a debate hosted by The Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute. It airs on CNN at 8 p.m. ET.

Over the past few days, workers transformed an empty auditorium at Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C., into a full-scale television set. As the final preparations were made, Heritage got a behind-the-scenes look at how it all came together.

This debate marks a rare opportunity for the candidates to gather in the nation’s capital; Constitution Hall is just steps from the White House. And two think tanks that never before hosted a debate will take center stage by asking the questions of eight candidates.

Which candidate will best protect our nation and amplify American leadership, and how will they do it?

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) had tough words for President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder following a speech today at The Heritage Foundation. He criticized Obama for a failure to lead and voiced concern about Holder’s handling of the Operation Fast and Furious scandal.

“Unfortunately, the president is already campaigning, trying to channel Harry Truman, railing against a ‘do-nothing Congress’ when he’s apparently given up on governing,” Cornyn said in response to a question about the budget debate in Washington. “He’s not really contributing to the solution.”

With the House and Senate preparing to vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment, there is concern among conservatives that lawmakers will act on a proposal that includes weaker language than others.

Cornyn (R-TX) spoke about the importance of enacting the strongest possible version, one that caps federal spending at 18 percent of the economy and requires a super-majority vote in Congress to increase taxes.

When asked about the botched gun-walking operation known as Fast and Furious, Cornyn criticized Holder for being uncooperative with Congress. Cornyn said he was not satisfied with Holder’s congressional testimony last week: “We need to get to the bottom of this and we’re going to continue to press the issue until we get to the truth.”

The interview runs about 5 minutes. Hosted by Rob Bluey and produced by Brandon Stewart. For more videos from Heritage, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

The debate will take place in Washington, D.C., at a location to be announced shortly. It will air nationally on CNN and CNN en Español and worldwide on CNN International, CNN Radio and CNN.com.

“Heritage is delighted to have this opportunity to increase public understanding of the candidates’ positions on critical foreign policy and national security questions requiring American leadership in the second decade of the 21st century,” Heritage President Edwin J. Feulner said.

The candidates include businessman Herman Cain, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Speaker Newt Gingrich, Reps. Ron Paul (TX) and Michele Bachmann (MN), former Gov. Jon Huntsman, and former Sen. Rick Santorum.

The debate will mark the first time that either Heritage or AEI — two nonprofit, nonpartisan research institutes — has sponsored a presidential debate.

Gibson Guitar is an American icon. Musicians ranging from blues legend B.B. King to rock stars with Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith have used its guitars.

Today, however, the guitar maker is facing a high-profile persecution from its own government. The U.S. Justice Department is pursuing a case that smacks of overcriminalization.

Federal agents raided Gibson’s Nashville headquarters in August, the second raid on the company since 2009. Agents were working off a tip that Gibson broke laws in India and Madagascar, two countries that supply Gibson with ebony and other scarce woods for its guitars.

Even though both countries say Gibson did nothing wrong, the company is facing an uncertain future. The Justice Department has yet to press charges under the Lacey Act, but it also refuses to drop the case. It has left Gibson in legal limbo.

Gibson chairman and chief executive Henry Juszkiewicz, himself a conservationist devoted to preserving natural resources, testified in Washington last week about the ordeal. He also visited Heritage to recount the story and how it is illustrative of Washington’s overreach.

The latest iteration of No Child Left Behind comes before a Senate committee tomorrow with bipartisan support. But if Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has anything to say about it, the bill won’t go anywhere fast.

Paul, the Tea Party favorite who won election last November, has promised to introduce 100 amendments, including a complete repeal of No Child Left Behind. That could significantly slow down the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

His approach seeks to reduce the federal government’s role in education and return control to local communities. Earlier today he visited Heritage to share his strategy and explain why he compares No Child Left Behind to Obamacare.

Paul also addressed the ongoing Occupy Wall Street protest in New York and similar demonstrations taking place across America. He warned of the “mob mentality” on display and the “lurking danger” of the movement.

Richard Cordray, President Obama’s pick to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, won approval from the Senate Banking Committee last week on a party-line vote. His confirmation to run the new agency faces fierce opposition from Republicans, who have vowed to block Senate approval until reforms are made to the agency.

Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) is leading those calls for reform. As the ranking Republican on the Banking Committee, Shelby has maintained a hard line with Obama and Democrats on Cordray’s confirmation.

In an interview at The Heritage Foundation this week, Shelby criticized Obama for failing to respond to the GOP’s suggested reforms for the CFPB. As a result, he encouraged Republican leaders to block Cordray and limit Obama’s ability to make a recess appointment.

“Forty-four of us have written a letter to the president and asked for three changes,” Shelby said. “We haven’t heard from the president. Maybe he’s off campaigning. … Until we hear from him, I don’t believe we’re going to confirm anyone.”

He also added: “I think it would be devastating if we let [Obama] make a recess appointment, but that’s the call of the leadership.”

The three reforms include creating a board rather than a single czar to run the agency, subjecting the CFPB to the congressional appropriations process, and making sure it considers impact of new rules on the safety and soundness of financial institutions.

In addition to fighting against the CFPB, Shelby has also proposed legislation to reform Dodd-Frank. He also addressed the recent decision by Bank of America to impose a $5 fee on debit-card transactions, a result of the Durbin Amendment to Dodd-Frank.

“The McConnell Plan would put America deeper into debt and achieves nothing toward the vitally important objective of getting federal overspending and overborrowing under control,” wrote Addington, who served as chief of staff and counsel to Vice President Dick Cheney before joining Heritage.

McConnell’s plan would allow President Obama to raise the debt limit by more than $2 trillion without congressional approval. It abandons any hope of getting federal overspending and overborrowing under control.

Addington highlighted the concerns raised by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). DeMint said the plan was “like leaving the jail door open and looking the other way, then saying it’s not our fault.”

Addington concluded:

Conservatives in Congress need to focus on what is good for the country. That starts with a clear understanding that this is the moment to put the country on the path toward getting federal overspending and overborrowing under control. The guiding principle is simple: Don’t raise the debt limit, without getting spending under control. Use the legislation on the debt limit to put America on the path to driving down federal spending and borrowing, while preserving our ability to protect America, and without raising taxes.

Bluey directs the Center for Media and Public Policy at The Heritage Foundation. He also blogs at Scribe.

A lifetime appointment to the federal bench is now selling for $700,000. At least that was the cost for Rhode Island judicial nominee Jack McConnell, who has donated that sum of money to Democrats in the two decades before President Obama tapped him for federal district court.

McConnell faces a Senate confirmation vote as early as today, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown that could open the floodgates for a series of other controversial nominees such as Goodwin Liu, Edward Chen and Louis B. Butler Jr.

Obama’s selection of McConnell was met with widespread disappointment. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, for the first time in its 99-year history, announced its opposition to a district court nominee. The American Bar Association — the “gold standard” for liberals — gave McConnell a mediocre rating. And the pro-life Family Research Council isn’t thrilled with his past leadership of Planned Parenthood in Rhode Island.

Now he faces the ultimate test — a vote on the Senate floor.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) has led efforts to block his confirmation, but might be thwarted by fellow Republicans. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who supported McConnell in committee, could provide cover for a handful of moderates to give Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) the votes he needs to overcome a filibuster.

What makes McConnell so controversial? Aside from his history of political donations, he has faced questions about a controversial case against paint companies, including inconsistent answers to the Senate Judiciary Committee related to his role in the lawsuit.

McConnell’s involvement with the nine-year case — supported by then-state Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse (now a U.S. senator) — is central to the anti-business label pinned on him. The state’s high court rejected the argument that companies could be held liable for lead paint even if the state couldn’t prove they manufactured the product.

Then there is McConnell’s role in tobacco litigation, which made him a millionaire and continues to enrich him. According to financial disclosure forms, McConnell stands to earn at least $2.5 million per year from the tobacco settlement — money that could raise conflict-of-interest questions for a federal judge.

But these issues alone aren’t the only strikes against McConnell. His nomination is viewed as a reward for years of political donations to Democrats from him and his wife — an amount that approaches $700,000, according to Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).

“I would not argue that partisan political activity is disqualifying on its own,” Grassley said at McConnell’s hearing. “My concern is that Mr. McConnell is so steeped in political activity and ideology that it will be impossible for him to be an impartial jurist — even if he earnestly believes that he can.”

Just in 2008 alone, McConnell and his wife gave more than $160,000 in political donations. By comparison, the Providence Journal reported, 68 other Obama judicial nominees averaged $3,371 in donations to political candidates over nearly 20 years.

McConnell’s donations padded the campaign coffers of Rhode Island’s two senators, Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse. He gave $8,800 to Reed in 2008, $8,400 to Whitehouse in 2006, and another $3,500 to Whitehouse’s PAC.

Meanwhile, McConnell’s firm, the South Carolina-based Motley Rice, gave more than $7,000 to Lindsey Graham’s campaign. He remains the only Republican to publicly declare his support for the nominee.

Now, with the clock ticking toward a Senate floor vote, all eyes are on the South Carolinian to see how many Republicans will follow his lead.

An 18-month congressional investigation into AARP reveals that the organization stands to make more than $1 billion over the next 10 years from Obamacare, a law the seniors lobby supported despite opposition among its core constituency.

AARP, which operates as a tax-exempt organization in Washington, would profit from an increase in its insurance business, specifically from the sale of Medicare products to older Americans. The lucrative business has already transformed AARP into an insurance powerhouse. If it were a for-profit business, AARP would rank as the sixth-largest insurance company in America with profits of $427 million in 2009.

AARP’s revenues exploded following passage of the Medicare Part D law during the Bush administration and will continue to grow as a result of Obamacare, according the House Ways and Means Committee report. That’s because an estimated 7 million seniors will lose Medicare Advantage plans — a consequence of Obamacare — and shift to Medigap plans instead. Every new Medigap plan sold by AARP, already the largest provider of those plans, results in more royalty revenue.

As seniors begin to make the shift in 2014, AARP stands to make between $55 million and $166 million that year alone. Over 10 years, royalties would total more than $1 billion just in new customers.

The House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing Friday to seek answers about AARP’s business practices. Reps. Wally Herger (R-CA), Dave Reichert (R-WA) and Charles Boustany (R-LA) are leading the examination.

AARP, which collected $97 million in federal grants in 2009, denied any wrongdoing in a statement Wednesday.

“AARP is most disturbed by the accusation that our support of any legislation would be done with revenue in mind,” AARP President Lee Hammond said. “AARP has long-maintained that we would gladly forgo revenue in exchange for lifetime health and financial security for all older Americans.”

This isn’t the first time AARP has come under scrutiny. IRS investigations in the 1980s and 1990s produced multi-million dollar settlements. But those settlements came long before AARP began reaping millions from health insurance.

The stakes today are much higher. With more than 40 million members, AARP has the market corned on seniors. The revenue from AARP-endorsed plans for Medicare Advantage, Medigap and Medicare Part D provide royalties that give the organization incredible clout for a non-profit.

Meanwhile, there’s growing evidence that the policies supported by AARP — namely Obamacare — aren’t nearly as popular among its target democraphic. According to the Kaiser Health Tracking Poll this month, a majority of seniors have an unfavorable view of the law. Just 19 percent think the Medicare program will be better off under Obamacare.

“If it wasn’t just two weeks, I wouldn’t have voted for it,” DeMint said on Fox News. “And, frankly, this is the last time I’m going to give them a two-week extension.”

DeMint’s decision to oppose another short-term spending bill — assuming there is one — could solidify a bloc of conservatives in the Senate. Already, five Republicans voted against the two-week continuing resolution: Sens. Mike Crapo (Idaho), Orrin Hatch (Utah), Mike Lee (Utah), Rand Paul (Ky.) and Jim Risch (Idaho).

As more conservatives stand their ground, it could force a showdown on H.R. 1, the House-passed bill that cuts $61 billion in spending and defunds Obamacare. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has refused to bring the bill to the floor or offer an alternative.

“We need to pass the budget for this year to make sure the government is funded,” DeMint said. “And then we need to get on to serious reforms of the government that cut the cost of the things we do here.”

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker sat down for an interview with The Heritage Foundation to talk about his resolve, his political hero, and why he’d prefer to see the stalemate last indefinitely rather than compromise on his principles.

Based on recent projections from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, production in the Gulf of Mexico is expected to drop this year by 220,000 barrels per day. With oil currently at $90 a barrel and the government’s royalty rate at 18.75 percent, that equals $3.7 million in lost federal revenue each day.

Last fall Vitter asked the Interior Department to share revenue figures, but Interior Secretary Ken Salazar ignored the request. Now, Vitter is taking his case directly to the White House.

In a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Jacob Lew, Vitter and Rep. Jeff Landry (R-La.) called attention to recent reports that credit rating agencies are keeping a close eye on the U.S. government.

They also asked Lew to respond to seven questions related to domestic energy production:

1. In terms of revenue generation year over year from domestic offshore energy production — considering bonus bids and royalty revenue, as well as rents and taxes from income — what has been the net revenue each year from 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010? And what is OMB projecting to be the revenue in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015?
2. Is OMB projecting revenue from lease sales in 2011 and 2012, and what is the projected revenue from those lease sales? Please also provide net revenue from lease sales in 2008, 2009, and 2010.
3. How does OMB account for, and what methodologies does OMB use to measure, future revenue from all sources of domestic energy? Can these numbers be broken down by the type of energy resource?
4. What has been the revenue generation from renewable energy for FY 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, and what is OMB projecting to be the revenue in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015? Also, what has been the total amount of grants and subsidies paid out to renewable energy each year, and what are the projections for the noticed years?
5. What companies and Venture Capital firms (including their start-up investments) are the top 10 recipients of federal grants, loans and subsidies for renewable energy, and what is the dollar figure for each firm from years 2007 through 2010?
6. How does OMB account for a fundamental transition from wealth-generating energy industries to massively-subsidized energy industries in its analysis of revenue generation and our fiscal situation?
7. For the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, what was the total number of projects that received categorical exclusions or reduced environmental review under the Act? What is the percentage of total projects?

Vitter said months ago that lost revenue from offshore drilling is exacerbating the federal deficit. With a debate looming over the debt ceiling, he’s now pressing his case.

“As the United States rapidly approaches its debt ceiling, we appreciate your timely response to this letter to inform all members of Congress how the federal government is harnessing or limiting its energy sector’s ability to contribute to our overall economy,” Vitter and Landry wrote in their letter to Lew. “These figures and statistics would go a long way to helping us all make a clearer, more informed decision.”

The U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote Saturday on two proposals that would raise taxes. Both would jeopardize even more American jobs at a time of economic uncertainty.

The first vote, on a proposal from Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), would increase taxes on Americans earning more than $250,000 per year. The second, offered by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), raises the income level to $1 million.

New data from The Heritage Foundation reveals the negative consequences of both plans. The Baucus proposal would result in 238,000 lost jobs in 2011, while the Schumer plan would cost 78,000 jobs next year. The numbers are even worse when extrapolated over 10 years. See the chart below and read the methodology.

With their days numbered in control of the U.S. House, Democrats are planning a political stunt Thursday in hopes of embarrassing Republicans on a vote to raise taxes.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) announced Democrats would disregard the Obama administration’s ongoing negotiations with congressional Republicans and force a vote on taxes. Democrats will use a procedural maneuver preventing the GOP from offering an amendment to extend all of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts.

Republicans immediately voiced alarm at the move. While the vote would prevent tax hikes on Americans earning $250,000 or less, small businesses would face steep tax increases under the Democrats’ plan.

Without an opportunity to offer amendments, Republicans are expected to vote against the measure. By doing so they’ll give Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) one final opportunity to demagogue the issue. However, it will likely be a short-lived victory. The measure has little chance of passing in the Senate.

Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), ranking member on the House Ways and Means Committee, expressed his disappointment with the Democrats’ decision as negotiations with the administration continued.

“This is disappointing and a sign of bad faith after the president agreed to bipartisan, bi-cameral talks,” Camp told Fox News. “There will be bipartisan opposition to the Democrats’ push to raise taxes on small business.”

Given her authoritarian rule of the House, it’s not surprising Pelosi is using a procedural political trick to force Thursday’s floor vote. Democrats took a previously House-passed bill and replaced the language — preventing Republicans from offering amendments.

It remains unclear how the Democrats’ maneuver will impact the Obama administration’s negotiations over taxes — a top issue for Republicans in the lame-duck session. Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) indicated the political stunt wouldn’t help matters.

“While we had a good meeting at the White House yesterday about how we’ll resolve the issue of stopping all the tax hikes, the House leaders are going to go down this path of gerrymandering the process so that members only have one option, and that’s to vote on only providing some tax relief to the American people,” Boehner told The Hill. “I think it’s wrong, it does undercut the conversation we had just yesterday.”

Labor Secretary Hilda Solis rewarded six former staffers from her congressional office with political appointments and huge raises upon taking over at the Department of Labor. The appointees had significant pay increases averaging 50 percent upon changing jobs; one employee’s salary nearly doubled.

Solis, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California, began hiring the employees shortly after she was confirmed by the Senate in February 2009. Political appointments are non-competitive government jobs that differ from career positions, which often involve a long hiring process.

The information was obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by Americans for Limited Government. The pay raises stand in stark contrast to the Bush administration, which had a rule that employees shouldn’t make more than a 20 percent increase from their previous salary unless there were extraordinary circumstances. Only one Solis staffer made less than a 20 percent raise upon taking the political appointment.

In the case of one Department of Labor appointee formerly employed by Solis’ congressional office, the salary nearly doubled from $44,500 to $86,927. One appointee left Congress making $82,000 and is now earning $145,000 at the department. The six appointees also enjoyed sizable raises over the course of the year they worked at the department. A complete list at The Foundry.

According to the Tribune:

Whispers have long swirled that some children get spots in the city’s premier schools based on whom their parents know. But a list maintained over several years in Duncan’s office and obtained by the Tribune lends further evidence to those charges. … The log is a compilation of politicians and influential business people who interceded on behalf of children during Duncan’s tenure. It includes 25 aldermen, Mayor Richard Daley’s office, House Speaker Michael Madigan, his daughter Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, former White House social secretary Desiree Rogers and former U.S. Sen. Carol Moseley Braun.

Duncan’s role comes amid growing concerns in the District of Columbia over the fate of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, a signature school choice initiative that benefits low-income families. As education secretary, Duncan has overseen the dismantling of the program, which the Obama Administration has essentially left to die after strident opposition from Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and teacher unions.

Obama’s fiscal 2011 budget cuts funding for the program, leaving just $8 million for scholarship recipients for the remainder of their time in the program. And despite appeals from D.C. parents last August, Duncan withdrew the scholarships of 216 students who had been admitted to the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program. Those students are attending lower-performing schools as a result.

The irony, of course, is that Duncan himself attended the exclusive University of Chicago Lab Schools from kindergarten through 12th grade.

One has to wonder: What does Arne Duncan have against low-income students who, for the first time in decades, have found an effective education in the District of Columbia? Shouldn’t these students have the same opportunities as the rich and powerful who appealed to him for help in Chicago?

This is a problem for the White House, and it’s why President Obama uses every opportunity to tell Americans, “If you have insurance that you like, then you will be able to keep that insurance.”

Unfortunately for Obama, Americans don’t believe him. Why? Maybe because he’s done nothing to back it up. Propaganda czar Linda Douglass’ “reality check” video is comical in that her defense of “You can keep your own insurance” cites nothing but Obama’s own statements as evidence — as if he’s an independent arbiter.

The Heritage Foundation (where I work) last month asked The Lewin Group, a highly respected health care policy and management consulting firm, to examine the impact of H.R. 3200 on private insurance. Lewin reported 88.1 million Americans could be transitioned out of their current plan as employers opt out of continuing their existing coverage. The chart below reveals the consequences for people living in Maine, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

As you can see, Obama’s rhetoric simply doesn’t add up when the numbers are crunched. It’ll take more than repetition from White House to sway the American people on this one.

Politicians are usually known for kissing babies. But not R. Creigh Deeds. The Democrat candidate for Virginia governor is attacking Republican Bob McDonnell‘s pro-life views in a desperate attempt to woo female voters and excite his liberal base. Tomorrow he will rally with NARAL to promote his pro-abortion position.

Deeds previewed his attack for the Washington Post, telling the newspaper, “I think it’s an area that shows a clear distinction between us.”

At a time when McDonnell is talking about Virginia’s ailing economy, transportation problems and education, it’s somewhat surprising that Deeds is embracing a divisive issue. It’s a gamble that even the liberal Post dubbed “risky.”

The previous two Democrat candidates for governor largely ignored social issues to focus on the economy and transportation. But neither Mark Warner nor current Gov. Tim Kaine faced the same kind of lackluster support that Deeds seems to be experiencing. A recent SurveyUSA poll put McDonnell ahead with a commanding 15-point advantage, including a 60% to 35% edge among self-described political independents.

McDonnell dismissed the abortion attack. His campaign circulated a memo from campaign chairman Ed Gillespie that said McDonnell’s “views on life are consistent with his faith and his belief that innocent life should be protected.” The memo also criticized Deeds for failing to put forward solutions on bread-and-butter issues:

Perhaps that’s because Creigh Deeds’ polices would destroy jobs in Virginia, while Bob McDonnell’s would create them. Perhaps it’s because Deeds has a 94% lifetime rating from big labor unions and has promised to make them a “partner” in governing Virginia, while Bob has a 91% rating from Virginia’s small business owners. Perhaps it’s because Deeds can’t come up with a funding plan for new and better roads and dances around the reality that he’s going to raise taxes if he gets elected, while Bob has a detailed plan to improve transportation without raising taxes. Or perhaps it’s because he’s having a hard time getting his supporters off their duffs, while Bob has thousands of energetic volunteers rallying friends and neighbors to his positive agenda for Virginia.

Deeds came from behind to win the Democrat nomination over better-funded Terry McAuliffe and better-connected Brian Moran, proving that no deficit is too big for him to overcome.

Democrats, however, could be suffering from fatigue after flipping the state to Barack Obama last year. In local elections this year in Northern Virginia, a Republican candidate won a county board seat in Democrat-leaning Fairfax County, and two Republicans were elected in liberal Alexandria. Republicans nearly toppled heavily favored Democrats in two other Northern Virginia elections. The two victories and two close elections appear to have energized the GOP base.

Call it Barack Obama backlash. Yesterday, as I knocked on doors for Virginia gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell, I encountered a variety of interesting folks. Many were willing to listen, some were desperately seeking alternatives to the Democrat Party, and, in a handful of cases, a few were eager to share their astonishment at the leftward direction of America.

How this bodes for McDonnell’s campaign in November will depend on how well he motivates these voters to pull the lever in an off-year election. One woman, who told me she was a Republican, confessed she doesn’t vote in non-presidential years, reflecting one of the challenges for McDonnell. Yesterday, however, she was in the minority. Obama seems to have angered so many people that even his supporters are having second thoughts just 200 days into his presidency.

I was knocking on the doors of voters in a Fairfax County community who have voted in Republican primaries or who lack of clear party identification. That meant I ran into a sizable number of individuals who told me they supported Obama last November, including one female Obama voter who was eager to learn more about the GOP ticket of McDonnell, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli, who is running for attorney general.

Three people I met yesterday were so excited to talk they came outside and had my ear for 10 minutes each. One was a state employee who said morale under Democrat Gov. Tim Kaine is at an all-time low among his colleagues. Another said she immigrated from Eastern Europe more than 50 years ago and now fears for America’s drift toward socialism. A third said he was frustrated that no Republicans are making a convincing case in opposition to Obama — but he hopes McDonnell emerges as one.

In this Democrat-leaning suburb of Fairfax County, I was surprised by the reaction. Having gone door-to-door for a county-wide race in February, the attitude of voters has shifted markedly since then. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Just look at what the Washington Post reported last week in an amazing front-page article:

Stephanie Slater, 44, a neighbor of [Chris Ann] Cleland’s who leans Republican, voted for Obama on the strength of his character and because of his positions on education, energy and health care. She recalled brimming with confidence after Obama’s historic inaugural address.

“When he gave that speech that day, I was in awe. I was really inspired and thought, ‘Wow, this is a guy who can do it,’ ” said Slater, a medical transcriptionist and mother of three.

But she has been disturbed by the large Wall Street bonuses that Obama doesn’t seem to be able to halt and his inability to rein in credit card companies that raise rates even on those with good credit. Although she is trying to be patient, she said she is losing faith in the Democrats running Washington.

“Honestly, at this point, I have to say I’m worried. I haven’t come across one person that seems to have been helped,” she said. “If I don’t see a spark, a light at the end of the tunnel, I may be voting Republican [for governor].”

It’s people like Slater who will determine the outcome on Election Day. But we can’t count on Obama anxiety alone to result in GOP victories.

There are still 80-some days until Nov. 3 and much work to be done in Virginia. If you’re like me and want to bring change to Richmond, get involved by signing up for McDonnell Action.