Steven Latimer

So exclaimed Lieutenant Governor of Virginia Bill Bolling to a crowd of about 95 Richmond Republicans Thursday evening at the private residence of Kristin and Steve DeLuca in Northside.


I attended this event following the official opening of John McCain's Richmond campaign office, which I have written about here.


To the right is the Richmond GOP's official postcard I received in the mail inviting me to the event. The reverse side of the card promotes the event, declaring:

It's a new day for Richmond Republican Committee, and we're kicking off the Summer season with great food, great beverages, and a rip-roaring speech by a great American.

Presumably that great American is Bill Bolling. But first, Cortland Putbrese, the chairman of the Richmond GOP took the stage (actually, it was more like a deck) and got things started. He welcomed everyone, and then promptly introduced Roxane Gilmore, to speak in place of her husband, Jim Gilmore.

Mrs. Gilmore stated that those who are prematurely writing off Gilmore's campaign are not justified in doing so; Mrs. Gilmore said that Jim Gilmore has traveled 1400 miles throughout Virginia and distributed 10,000 pieces of literature and that his ideas are resonating with normal people.

Mrs. Gilmore is referring to the Gilmore campaign's Working Families Tour -- whose June 10 kickoff I blogged about. The Gilmore campaign featured my first-hand account of the event on their website here.




After Gilmore finished speaking, she turned the microphone over to the special guest for the evening, Bill Bolling. Bolling began by thanking Steve and Kristin DeLuca for being gracious enough to host this event. He then recognized Republican Party of Virginia chairman Jeff Frederick, who was at the event with this wife Amy, and baby girl.




Bolling then recognized Delegate Bill Janis and City Councilman Bruce Tyler, who were in attendance as well. Bolling then recalled how when he was growing up in small towns in Southwest Virginia -- like Cedar Bluff (population: 1085) -- he would have never imagined that one day he would do something that only 39 people have ever done: be Lieutenant Governor of Virginia.

Above: Bill Bolling

Bolling's speech then turned serious. "This is not a game," he said, referring to the November election. On energy policy, Bolling suggested that "it is time that we declare a declaration of energy independence." Finally, the LG exclaimed that, "there are some potentates of pessimism out there!"

But perhaps the most interesting part of the evening was the pleasant exchange I had with pro-FairTax activist Josie Linen (née Toth) of Richmond. Noting the FairTax t-shirt she was wearing, I decided to strike up a conversation. It turns out that she professes a variety of libertarian ideals, as do I -- such as opposition to the federal government's War on Drugs.

Upon telling her that my name is Steven, she revealed to me that her brother was named Stephen, and was killed when the Israelis attacked the USS Liberty on June 8, 1967. Due to the sensitivity of the matter, there are a host of conspiracy theories regarding the event. But indeed, according to Home of the Heroes, Stephen Spencer Toth of the US Navy was killed in action, for which he was posthumously awarded the Silver Star.

As I left the party, I observed a very interesting coincidence: as I was preparing to drive off, I saw that Josie must have parked her car in front of mine. I snapped a picture of her memorializing bumper sticker (I have redacted the licence plate here.)

Below: People enjoying themselves, taking in the scenery