Three up; Three down

By The News Virginian Staff

Published: August 2, 2008

THREE UPLast year, as state Republicans began preparations for a run at the governor’s mansion, LT. GOV. BILL BOLLING agreed to stay in the No. 2 slot, giving Attorney General Bob McDonnell the shot at the top prize. Now, Bolling is in line for the gov’s seat anyway, with speculation hitting feverish levels over Gov. Timothy M. Kaine being tabbed as a running mate with Democratic presidential frontrunner Barack Obama. So Kaine isn’t the only one with his fingers crossed.
__________________________________
One of Waynesboro’s most recognizable figures, JIM NICHOLS, suffered a recent heart attack. He declined our requests for an interview about his close call, but suffice it to say the irrepressible Nichols is back on the go, as the continuing success of his Farmer’s Market on Wednesday afternoons attests. Both are good for Waynesboro.
__________________________________

THREE DOWN
Twenty years of RUSH LIMBAUGH on the radio isn’t something leftists are likely to celebrate, but those among them who believe in free speech (and there are many who still do) should. His contributions to conservatism are plain enough. His robust exercise of free speech helps keep Americans of all persuasions on their toes.
Still feeling the media’s fawning push from his trip to the Middle East and benefiting from an Arizona senator’s flailing attempts at opposition, BARACK OBAMA dipped into the race reservoir for a heaping helping of familiar and tiresome politics. Republicans, Obama admonished, planned to scare voters by pointing out that he “doesn’t look like all the other presidents on the dollar bills.” It was an argument of 2-dollar-bill merit that hurt more than it helped the Democratic frontrunner.
__________________________________
Meanwhile, the backdraft lingers from JOHN MCCAIN’s whiff. The Republican took a lame swing at Obama’s celebrity status, airing ads comparing the junior senator to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. Who? Dude, like, we’d been trying sooo hard to forget about them.
__________________________________
These are dismal days for Detroit’s Big Three automakers, but GENERAL MOTORS, in particular, is feeling the gas pain. GM lost $15.5 billion in the second quarter, four times larger than analysts had expected. The company’s North American operations, heavily dependent on trucks, were hit especially hard.