Robert McDonnell, Virginia GOP Candidate in Governor's Race, Under Fire for Anti-Gay, Sexist Graduate Thesis

Another hypocrite has been outed in the GOP. The Virginia's governor's race was on fire yesterday over Republican Robert F. McDonnell's graduate thesis, submitted in 1989 for a master of arts in public policy and juris doctorate in law from Regent University, in which he wrote about working women, homosexuals and fornicators. McDonnell tried to explain his views to anyone who would listen. The news of the thesis was  first reported Sunday in the Washington Post on Sunday, but the sh** hit the fan yesterday. McDonnell's opponent, Democrat R. Creigh Deeds, may have received an early Christmas present. According to the Washington Post, in the thesis, "The Republican Party's Vision for the Family: The Compelling Issue of The Decade," McDonnell described working women as "detrimental" to the traditional family. He criticized a U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing contraception for unmarried couples and decried the "purging" of religion from schools. He advocated character education programs in public schools to teach "traditional Judeo-Christian values," and he criticized federal tax credits for child care expenditures because they encouraged women to enter the workforce. Remember President Obama's science czar Paul Holdren, who once floated the idea of "forced abortions" and "compulsory sterilizations?" The right wing literally scoffed at his comments.

McDonnell has reportedly spoken by telephone to reporters for nearly 90 minutes, saying that his views have changed on many of the issues he explored as a graduate student. He also released a list of women who support his campaign. So, why are the Republicans acting as though no Democrats can change their views on positions held 20 years or more ago? Shouldn't we all be held to the same standard? It gets better. He said that on some issues he agrees with Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D), the state's first Catholic governor, as well as with President Obama. He says he no longer agrees with what he wrote about women in the workforce and that regardless of his personal views, he "would follow the law," as he did as attorney general.

The only thing that may save him and his lead in the polls over Deeds and other Democrats is the state of the economy and the continued fallout from the health care reform plan, which seems to be dying a slow death. His opponents aren't sitting by idly and allowing this "gift" to go unused. The Deeds campaign sent out a fundraising appeal with the thesis as its main focus. According to the Washington Post, the state Democratic Party produced a video, "Bob McDonnell's Secret Blueprint for Virginia," setting a news report about the document to driving, apocalyptic classical music.

I have many conservative views, but this man is an ultra conservative, who is trying to distance himself from his own positions on issues such as gay rights, abortions and even school prayer, so as not to offend moderate voters, who play an integral role in deciding statewide elections. Amazingly, he has disavowed his earlier flawed views on working woman and the traditional family, but has said very little on abortion and gay marriage. Mr. McDonnell, you can't have it both ways, much as your party has done to malign President Barack Obama and others. Some fellow Republicans call this latest dust-up a hatchet job, but if the shoe was on the other foot, would they have reacted differently? I suspect not, so Mr. McDonnell ought to deal with this and move on. He's a wolf in sheep's clothing. Like many in the Republican Party, and yes, let me add, Rep. Charlie Rangel (D.-NY), who should be kicked off the House Ways and Means Committee for being a liar. That's another commentary.