Goode, Perriello face off in Danville debate
Video by Traci White/Register & Bee staff photographer
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By Sarah Arkin
Published: October 28, 2008
The two congressional candidates for Virginia’s 5th District talked policy and traded pointed jabs in a packed and rowdy room Tuesday night at American Legion Post 325.
Incumbent Congressman Virgil Goode and Democratic challenger Tom Perriello stuck to the policies they’ve outlined this campaign season and also took sarcastic swipes at one another.
Taking the first question about what he could bring to a district where local officials praise the incumbent, Perriello referenced a number of surveys calling Goode one of the most ineffective members of Congress. He pointed to other members of the Virginia delegation who aren’t on the Appropriations Committee who have brought more home in earmarks.
“It’s about what more could have been done,” Perriello said.
Goode argued that surveys painting him as such were biased and largely had to do with the fact that there’s a Democratic majority in Congress.
“I have been very effective and it’s irritated some,” he said.
The Rocky Mount Republican said he’s done a lot for Southside Virginia, including helping to attract the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research.
As in past debates and stumps, Goode forcefully voiced his pro-drilling position, along with his support for alternative bio-fuels like switch grass. He defended a television advertisement that misused a quote from the Danville Register & Bee saying that Perriello was against offshore drilling and challenged the Ivy Democrat to outline his position.
Perriello said he supports offshore drilling, but that more attention must be paid to developing alternative energy. He highlighted energy independence as a key component of national security.
In terms of their plans for job creation, Goode said there had been more job creation in this region than any other locality in the nation and he hoped to continue that.
“We need to have (trade) agreements modified, eliminated and changed so that manufacturing jobs come back to America … because manufacturing is wealth creation,” Goode said.
Perriello said he’s come up with a seven-point economic plan for bringing more jobs into the region.
“It’s not enough to oppose these deals, we have to be making a generational investment in work force development and infrastructure.”
Perriello said the fair tax would mainly benefit those making more than $200,000 per year. He called it a “kick in the stomach to the working class and middle class” and said that priorities should be for tax cuts to the “middle class and small businesses.”
Goode defended the fair tax, saying it “all would be treated the same, you wouldn’t have to pay accountants or attorneys… our economy would boom and capital would flow into the United States.”
Echoing a past debate question, Chuck Vipperman asked each candidate to say one nice thing about the other.
Perriello said he hoped to continue the strong legacy of Goode and other congressmen of strong constituent services and the ability to get earmarks. Goode praised Perriello’s spirit and enthusiasm and saluted Perriello’s father Vito, who was standing in the back of the room, as a great physician who has helped many people.
Contact Sarah Arkin at or (434) 791-7983.
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Posted by ( jimmystick ) on November 03, 2008 at 11:59 pm
He cannot practice here nor anywhere else that requires a qualified quality person. But he can practice in NY. He can go elsewhere and work and I would prefer that. He does not measure up as a lawyer in Va and that is where he is trying to get elected. 5th district is what he is supposed to be representing not NY or the rest of the world.
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Posted by ( Gordie ) on October 30, 2008 at 10:44 pm
jimmystick, I did exactly as you said. I Googled “Tom Perriello Law Practice” and this is the 1 item that came up about.
“having a license to practice law that is in NY does not make one a NY lawyer, in Perriello’s case it makes him a lawyer who works internationally against people who are complicit in genocide and terrorism cases”.
Now just why would someone who wants to practice International Law want a VA law license?
Maybe to please those lacking intelligence and understanding of world affairs?
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Posted by ( jimmystick ) on October 30, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Really, Tom is a NY lawyer. The R&B;knows this. They are not stupid when it comes to facts like these. Although certain reporters only report what they want to on candidates and this is know as yellow journalism. You want the free press to be curtailed to protect an unquailified candidate who is a democrat. Periello can only practice in NY. He has not passed the bar in VA. Ask him yourself or look it up on the net. Also 911 you are as much of a Republican as Jeff Dahlmer was a vegetarian. Give Perriello a chance? Sure I will as soon as he passes the VA Bar. This boy is just looking for a paycheck. We do not want a boy for a man’s job.
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Posted by ( 911flightattend ) on October 29, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Virgil looked bad last night. He has to bring his crowd that will clap and yell for him no matter what he says. He’s against “anchor babies” yet does not mention that he has been in office for TWELVE YEARS!! If he can’t do it by now, step down.
Virgil sounds like he’s never been in office, and if we give him a chance, he will change everything….but what the heck has he been doing all these years??
We need to give Tom Perriello a chance. If Goode can’t even pronounce “Perriello” in a year, what good is he in DC? This is his opponent and is so LAZY he won’t even learn how to pronounce his last name?
Goode is a joke and if the people vote for him, then they are going to get what they deserve….a big fat NOTHING!
Goode is running false ads against Perriello to scare us Republicans, and many others into not voting for Tom Perriello.
Last night we found out that most of his “scare tactics” were false, including Tom’s WHITE FACE (which was deliberately darkened in the TV ad) his stand on gun control, marriage act, etc…
Goode is doing this because if Perriello wins, we will find out that Goode has done nothing all these years but throw us a couple of ear-marks.
I’m putting my money on Tom Perriello!!
Good luck Tom!!
Many Republicans are behind you.
We know Goode switched parties, followed the money until he hit the jackpot, and stayed. He is using Republicans for our votes and money.
Bigger signs don’t mean a better man.
GOODE’S GOTTA GO!!
shameongoode dottcomm
you tube “GREEDY GOODE”
This is for you, Virgil. With my love.
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Posted by ( Gordie ) on October 29, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Yes, “littlestmermaid” you will fall for and believe anything and everything Virgil says. Don’t you have a brain of your own or search the web for anyone whom ever was sworn in on the Koran or the Bible.
Check this out for your self, if you know who to copy and paste to a search engine.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/ellison.asp
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Posted by ( littlestmermaid ) on October 29, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Virgil Goode has stood up for what he believed in many times. He has sometimes stood alone in matters that are very important. Goode was solid in his beliefs about the Bill Clinton scandal and when elected officials wanted to be swarn in using a Koran. If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.
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Posted by ( Really ) on October 29, 2008 at 9:13 am
Why does Virgil Goode keep on about Tom Perriello being a New York Lawyer? Why does the Register & Bee not out the facts out there? Even in your video you have Virgil saying he’s a New York Lawyer. Tom Perriello explained has time and time again his role in New York and it seems that all Virgil can say is he’s a New York Lawyer.
Does he really think because Tom work in New York they shouldn’t vote for him.
Come on, someone from the Perriello Team tell us. What did Tom Perriello do in New York? I know I’m tired of hearing Virgil Goode saying ‘He’s a new York Slick Lawyer. Time for a change.
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Posted by ( Eeltee ) on October 29, 2008 at 8:43 am
Yea, may seem like that line is “laughable” now; need to save it for after the democrats take over, if they do. Then that will be a line we will all be using!
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Posted by ( stosh ) on October 29, 2008 at 8:35 am
The first line of Virgil Goode’s own commercial is laughable. “We must save America”, he says.
Ya think Virgil? You’ve been in Congress for how long and you think it’s just now time to get around to this little project?
What, exactly, have we been paying you to do up there for the last 10+ years?
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Posted by ( Gordie ) on October 29, 2008 at 7:55 am
Since it is just the wife and I and figuring we will get about $296 a month prebate (626 divided by 7, plus 191) which amounts to $3552 prebate.
Doing just food, gasoline and some eating out which I used a debit card. For 2007, that came to just under $30,000 (economists figure the tax will be 34% not 23%). Take the average of about a 30% that amounts to $9,000 in more taxes.
The present sales tax, which could be about a national average of around 7%. And that is if the states have to remove their sales tax on those items. Which I am not sure at this time.
$9K less the 2,100 7% sales tax, less the $3,552 prebate checks that means about $3,348 more in for 2007, when in 2007 I did not pay any income tax. Yes, at 72 years and all my deductions using “Tax Cut” I did not pay any income tax.
So Virgil Goode and all those economists are telling me I am going to be better off? Come on now, you all can do better then that. Even if the figure were 23% as they are pushing I will still be worse off.
Also consider I did not look at all my eating out, utility, heating or a bunch of other expenses.
As Tom Perriello correctly points out, people like Virgil are the ones who will benefit with the so called “Fair Tax”.
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