Arlington County Democratic News Vol. 31, No. 2 www.arlingtondemocrats.org February 2006

Our new Race is on to unseat Allen governor— Harris Miller has become the first Democrat Miller expects to be to file to run for the U.S. Senate seat now held by outspent by George Tim Republican George Allen. And James Webb, the Allen, who already has Kaine novelist and Navy secretary under President $5.7 million in his cam- Reagan, is thinking about running—as a Democrat. paign account. Miller A primary will be held, probably in June, if says he hopes to offset more than one candidate files to join the race. that with technology. Harris Miller, 54, was chairman of the Fairfax The Internet will be County Democratic Committee for six years. A “absolutely essential to Our new former Capitol Hill staffer, he lost the 1984 primary get my message out,” he chairman— race for Congress from the 10th Congressional Dis- said. “That’s the differ- trict. From 1995 until a few weeks ago, he was ence between a cam- Peter president of the Ar- paign now and 20 or 30 Harris Miller Rousselot lington-based Infor- years ago.” mation Technology Miller’s website is www.miller2006.org. Association of Amer- James Webb, who lives in , ica, a trade association. has written six novels and served as Secretary of He quit that post to the Navy under Ronald Reagan. He has said he is become a full-time considering a run against George Allen as a Demo- Our soon-to-be candidate. continued on page six ex-senator— George Allen James Webb Rousselot & Steering elected Peter Rousselot was unani- mously elected chairman of the Arlington County Democratic Arlington Dem Jen Howard Committee at the January meet- rescues a pet stranded by Hurri- ing for the 2006-07 biennium. cane Katrina. A slate of 13 other officers was elected without opposition Dems, dogs and at the same time. The full list of POOCH TALK—County Board Chair Jay Fisette continues Katrina—read all new Steering Committee offic- his tradition of reaching out to Arlington's non-traditional ers appears in a box on Page Five households! Here he is with Chocco (in front) and Cassie, about them—and learn of this month’s Democratic a border collie mix Jay found 24 (dog) years ago homeless News. and roaming the streets of Dallas. Chocco and Cassie sent how you you can help Rousselot’s first message as Biloxi recover—that’s chair appears this month on Page this photo out to dog owners around Arlington to remind Two, where it will be found in them before the election that “Jay will ensure Arlington a lot—on Page Five. each succeeding month as well. remains a great place for dogs and people alike.” ACDC News, February 2006, Page 2 Report from Chairman Peter Rousselot First report from the new chair It’s a great honor for me to serve as House. While we must continue to win all of nications and databases. ACDC Party Chair for 2006-2007. our local elections decisively, we will do We must find innovative new ways to I have been actively involved in ACDC more: raise money, and make better uses of our tra- since 2000, serving in a variety of volunteer • We will be the pacesetting Democratic ditional sources of financial support by pro- capacities, including Precinct Operations committee helping to carry Virginia for state- moting our success to a national donor base, Chair, Joint Campaign Co-Chair, and Joint wide Democratic candidates. developing new sustaining donors, and solic- Campaign Finance Chair. In 2004, I served • We will strive to be the model Demo- iting more targeted contributions. first as a leader of the Edwards for President cratic committee in Virginia and nationally. As a party of volunteers, we succeed campaign, and subsequently as a delegate to Everything we do must pass this test: when more and more people want to help us. the Democratic National Convention from the does it help us better connect with more vot- We must provide our volunteers with reasons Eighth Congressional District. ers? to join us, and with activities that are relevant I got my start in politics on the national I have three specific priorities for 2006- to connecting with voters. I urge each of you campaign staff of the Robert Kennedy for 2007: outreach, technology, and fundraising. to help us with your suggestions for how we President campaign, moving from a high of We must connect with more voters can better connect with our voters. traveling around the country rounding up del- whose participation in our elections should Robert Kennedy, for whom I first cam- egates to a low of planning the seating ar- be greater, such as African Americans, paigned, was fond of quoting a line from the rangements at the funeral after RFK’s assas- Latinos, Asians, North Africans, the GLBT poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson: “When you have sination. community and voters in high rise buildings. chosen your part, abide by it, and do not The Democratic Party in Arlington must We must make smarter use of technol- weakly try to reconcile yourself with the continue to be ready to elect all our candi- ogy to connect with voters, including more world.” dates—from the school house to the White effective uses of our website, e-mail commu- Please join with us, all together now, as we do our part to make this world a better place. Dalal Musa, M.S.W., L.C.S.W. Calling all Falls Church Center for Counseling 207 Park Avenue techies...... Suite B-3 Do you make your living working with Falls Church, Virginia 22046 technology? Would you like to volunteer to apply your technology skills to help move Ar- lington, Virginia, and America forward 703-532-6220 through Arlington Democrats? ACDC is looking for people with tech- nical skills and some time to help on either Helping individuals, couples, and families cope with specific short-term projects or longer-term, anxiety, depression, grief, transitions and interpersonal conflict but lower key assignments. We have specific needs for people with experience in any or all Office hours by appointment of: Microsoft Windows Server Edition, PC configuration and repair, GIS systems. How- ever, we’re interested in hearing from any technies with some time to help out. Published monthly by the Think you might be interested? Please Arlington County Democratic Committee contact Eric Wolf ([email protected]) - in- clude some information about your technical 4620 Lee Highway, Suite 214, Arlington, VA 22207 background and what type of activity and Tel: (703) 528-8588 Fax: (703) 528-2321 level of involvement interests you. http://www.arlingtondemocrats.org Chair: Peter Rousselot —703-276-1584 (o), [email protected] Editor-in-Chief: Barbara van Voorst —703-522-6294 (h), [email protected] Calendar items Deputy Editor: Warren Nelson —703-243-7867 (h), [email protected] To submit items for the calendar—either Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the ACDC for the web site or the Newsletter—go to unless expressly approved by an appropriate Committee Resolution http://www.arlingtondemocrats.org/ Copyright ©2006, ACDC, All Rights Reserved submitevent.phtml . ACDC News, February 2006, Page 3

Bumper Sticker Next Monthly Meeting—All Dems Invited of the Month Wednesday, February 1, 2006, 7 p.m. NRECA Building, 4301 Wilson Blvd % rm Bush.prez Corner of North Taylor and Wilson, just east of Glebe & Wilson Free parking under building, enter from Taylor Street (Okay, it needs an expla- We will look at the war in Iraq from the perspective of organizations that nation. This is the Unix provide humanitarian aid to the Iraqi people. What has been missing from command for “delete file.”) the debate are the voices of those involved only to serve the people of Iraq. Arlington crew marks Kaine inaugural The inauguration of as gov- the modern technology that wasn’t available one another. Chairman Peter Rousselot re- ernor was a wet and windy affair, but the spir- for the last gubernatorial inauguration held in ported following former School Board mem- its of attending Democrats were definitely not Williamsburg. (That was back in 1779 when ber Libby Garvey much of the way down dampened, even if their clothing was. Thomas Jefferson got the job.) So, they for- the Interstate to Williamsburg. (Her car stands Many inaugural-goers took a walk down sook the bleachers for a champagne brunch in out with a display of bumper stickers.) Duke of Gloucester Street in Colonial front of a widescreen television with dry socks. A parade down Duke of Gloucester Williamsburg and glanced at the moist There was no registry of Arlington Dems Street in a horse-drawn coach followed the bleachers, then decided to take advantage of who attended, but many reported bumping into inauguration, the same parade route taken by new royal governors before Jefferson et al sent them packing. Libby commented on how the parade showed just how diverse Virginia has now become, with marchers who originated in the Caribbean, Korea and many other places in the parade, along with Indians—both the Asian variety and the kind that Colonial Williamsburg was familiar with. That evening, there were two inaugural balls—in Williamsburg and in Richmond. Democratic News correspondent Libby Garvey attended the Richmond ball and could occasionally hear her husband speak above the din. But she reports that the line for drinks was short and there was food, upgrades from four years ago. The inauguration was held in Williamsburg this year because the Capitol in Richmond is undergoing renovation. Delegates get committees Arlington’s delegates in the House of Delegates have received their new commit- tee assignments. Bob Brink is serving on the Appropria- tions Committee and Privileges & Elections. was named to Education, Transportation and Health, Welfare & Insti- tutions. Al Eisenberg has been named to Science & Technology and to Agriculture, Chesapeake & Natural Resources. Freshman Dave Englin will join Ebbin on Health, Welfare & Institutions and Brink on Privileges & Elections. ACDC News, February 2006, Page 4 Creigh Deeds loses state by a hair; underscores need to get out the vote Creigh Deeds lost the statewide recount Virginia Beach only, the sole jurisdiction in for attorney general by 18/1,000ths of 1 per- the Commonwealth where chads can still cent—a lesson for Democrats in the impor- hang). There are no individual ballots from tance of getting out the vote every Election the first two, but there are from the latter two. Day. The key decision probably came when the Here is the final vote count certified by three-judge panel turned down a Deeds’ re- a three-judge re-count panel: quest to run all optical scan and punch card Bob McDonnell (R) 970,981 50.009% ballots—more than 500,000 of them or about Creigh Deeds (D) 970,621 49.991% a quarter of the votes in the state—through Difference 360 00.018% counting machines again. Democrats fell just 360 votes short out Deeds argued that the first run might not of almost 2 million cast. If Dems had man- have recorded all the votes for attorney gen- aged to pull out just one more vote in every eral. McDonnell argued that re-running the seventh precinct in the state, Creigh Deeds ballots could open the door to errors and im- would now be attorney general. For Arling- pact the integrity of the results. ton with its 49 precincts, its share of the state- The judges ordered a ballot-by-ballot re- wide shortfall was just seven votes! count in just 10 precincts in Gloucester It was the closest statewide election in County and Lynchburg where optical scan Virginia history for which records are avail- machines were known to have malfunctioned. able. But it certainly wasn’t the only close And punch-card ballots in one Virginia Beach Virginia election, emphasizing the importance precinct were re-run through a tabulator be- Creigh Deeds of getting out the vote. cause the printout of the original results was In 1989, Doug Wilder won the guberna- unreadable. Most of the work involved sim- on the road, visiting every nook and cranny torial election by all of 5,300 votes. He won ply re-totaling the figures given by the tapes of the Commonwealth, listening to and learn- Arlington by 18,300 votes. Without the stu- from every machine in the state and compar- ing from Virginians wherever I went. Today, pendous turnout in Arlington, Wilder would ing those figures with the poll books show- I know Virginia, its people, its enormous as- never have become governor—the only Afri- ing how many people voted. sets and its problems, far better than I did can-American ever elected governor in the Deeds came within a hair’s breadth of when I started this campaign.” Old South since Reconstruction. victory despite being outspent during the cam- Deeds will not be lost to the state. He The closest election ever held anywhere paign by almost 2-to-1. will remain a state senator from Bath County. in the world was in Fairfax County in 1971. After the re-count loss, Deeds said, “This Deeds won Arlington County over- Mathematically they can’t get any closer. In whole experience has been humbling and whelmingly with more than 73 percent of the a race for a House of Delegates seat, Demo- gratifying for me. I spent the last two years vote—41,043 votes to 15,062 for McDonnell. crat Jim Burch and Republican Bill Moss tied. They held a drawing in Richmond to deter- mine the winner. And the Democrat lost. Just the tiniest extra effort to get out the vote on Election Day would have won it for Demo- crats. The December re-count in the attorney general’s race was a two-day affair—the first day in each county seat; the second day in a Richmond court basement with lawyers, elec- tion aides and campaign observers noshing on Christmas cookies. Deeds was behind by 3,000 votes on election night. Re-checks over the next few days reduced that margin pro- gressively to 323. The three-judge panel then oversaw the final review in December in which Deeds gained 58 votes but the Repub- lican picked up 95 votes. The state uses four kinds of voting ma- chines: lever; touch-screen (used in Arling- ton); optical scan; and punch card (used in ACDC News, February 2006, Page 5

Democratic Values in Action ACDC Officers 2006-07 Here are the new members of the ACDC Steering Commit- Dems, dogs tee elected and appointed in January for the new biennium. Elected Officers and Katrina Chair Peter Rousselot Jen Howard, Precinct Captain in Lyon Park, put her Democratic Values to work Deputy Chair Alfonso Lopez when she traveled to New Orleans following Precinct Ops Chair Maureen Markham Hurricane Katrina to help care for the ani- Finance Chair Marc Kelly mals that residents were forced to leave be- hind during the evacuation. Here is her first- Press & PR Chair Jason Rylander hand account of the experience. Outreach/Visibility Chairs Carlos Soles ************ James Lander I went to New Orleans because I had to. When I read that there was a desperate need Voncille Hines for volunteers to rescue abandoned pets, I saw Newsletter Editor Barbara Van Voorst an opportunity to help. I met up with another Volunteer Coordinator Marj Signer volunteer from the area and together we flew to Birmingham, rented a minivan, and drove Secretary Kate Mesches straight to Lamar-Dixon, a temporary animal Treasurer Karla Hagan shelter in Baton Rouge. I would have been Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Appel happy to clean crates and give walks. Instead, I was asked to go into the city to help rescue Parliamentarian Bob Platt pets whose owners had called and asked for help. Non-Elected Officers The dogs and cats that I saw in New Orleans still haunt me. These poor little ani- Headquarters Chair vacant mals had survived one of the most devastat- Precinct Ops Vice Chairs Eric Wolf ing storms only to slowly die of starvation, vacant lack of clean water, and heat exhaustion. All of the animals I saw looked like skeletons with vacant skin painted on their bones. Some were Outreach/Visibility vacant trapped inside their owner’s home with an vice chairs vacant already depleted supply of food and water, desperately awaiting their owner’s return. Program Chair Mike Smaha With windows and doors boarded, these pets Resolutions Chair Tom Connally had no means of escape and many did not Computer Ops Director vacant continued on page six Web/Technology Coord. David Timpane Special Projects Coord. Carrie Johnson Special Projects Dep. Coord. Paul Hashemi Here’s how Dems Finance Vice Chair Mike Lieberman help Biloxi recover Legal Counsel Kevin Wolf As a Democratic Values in Action pro- Deputy Secretary Peter Owen gram, Arlington Dems are helping to raise Historian Susan Prokop funds to support the reconstruction of Katrina- bashed Biloxi. Asst Treasurer Jean Marshall Crawford A fundraiser will be held Thursday, Feb- Deputy Volunteer Coords. Terron Sims ruary 23, at the Rhodeside Grill, 1836 Wil- Bree Raum son Boulevard, featuring the Late Night Play- We still have some vacancies, as you can vacant ers, Boston’s hottest sketch comedy group, in see. If you might be interested in serving a Saturday Night Live-style event of music in one of these positions, contact Chair- and laughs. man Peter Rousselot at [email protected]. Prices have not yet been set. More in- formation is available from Jen Howard at 703-517-6273 or [email protected]. ACDC News, February 2006, Page 6 Dems, dogs Donkey Ears and Katrina Listening to the doings continued from page five make it. Those pets that did make it out were of Arlington’s Dems roaming around the streets in packs like wild as overheard by animals. Yet despite the hunger and fear, the Dan Steen and Warren Nelson dogs that I met were very affectionate and loving. They had gone through so much and still had the ability to be so trusting. When I returned to Lamar-Dixon, I was Down, but not out #1: Steering Committee member Voncille Hines was admitted immediately put to work in the shelter. I be- to GW Hospital December 14 after falling ill at work. She was diagnosed with came completely attached to a group of the bacterial meningitis. Gravely ill for weeks, Vee showed signs of improvement in gentlest pit bulls I had ever encountered. They early January and her system is fighting back. After five weeks in the hospital, were so eager for any sign of affection and she has now been moved to a skilled nursing facility in Arlington. Friends can looked like they had gone to heaven when they send her mail at her home: 1600 S. Joyce Street, Apt. 421, Arlington 22202. received it. One of my small victories was Down, but not out #2: Who knew that one of the lifetime goals of former ACDC finally coaxing a terrified pit bull from her chair Kevin Appel was to play all of the 30 disc golf courses in Virginia? cage after many past attempts to do so had Unfortunately, on November 28, while playing course Number 27 in Goshen in failed. the rain, one of his legs slid downhill while the other bent under him. Kevin I wish I could have taken them all home reports that it hurts just to talk about it! But his broken fibula didn’t prevent him with me, but my condo doesn’t allow dogs so I adopted two cats—Ozzie and Kitty. from attending most of the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee meeting in My experience has moved me to con- Lexington that week. After 7-1/2 weeks, his walking cast came off and Kevin is tinue to do more for the victims of Katrina to now down to one crutch. let them know they are not forgotten and that Salsero Jim: Sighted at the Williamsburg inaugural: an extremely patientJudith New Orleans will not be written off as a great Morroy (twin sister of the commish) attempting to teach a sultry salsa swivel to American city. I am helping to organize a a former ACDC chair. Consensus of witnesses—Jim Turpin is one serious fundraiser in February to benefit the victims Gringo! of this tragedy of nature and government mis- Passages: Every year, Arlington Democrats have enjoyed lunch the noon after management. A progressive, satirical com- Election Day at the Nam-Viet Restaurant in Clarendon operated by Nguyen Van edy troupe, the Late Night Players, will be Thoi. Son John Nguyen reports his father developed a respiratory problem after donating a special performance. receiving chemotherapy for lung cancer and died December 15. He was 57. Mr. Thoi was born in Can Tho and drafted into the South Vietnamese army at age 18. He served mainly as an interpreter and liaison with American military Race on to advisers. After the military, he became mayor of Can Tho—just before the fall of South Vietnam. He was then confined for two years to a re-education camp by the communists before he bought his freedom. He hired a boat to carry him and 40 others to refuge in Thailand. When the skipper failed to show up, Mr. unseat Allen Thoi set off with a compass and made the five-day passage safely. Catholic continued from page one Charities helped bring him to Washington in 1979. He eventually built up three crat. This has resulted in a Draft Webb move- Nam-Viet Restaurants—in Clarendon, Alexandria and on Connecticut Avenue. ment among some Dems. Passages: Marilyn Rettie, longtime precinct worker in Ballston and a retired The interest in Webb stems from a brief Arlington ESOL teacher, passed away December 19. She came from a strong comment he made at the end of an October Democratic family and was active in both the League of Women Voters and the interview with the San Diego Tribune: Arlington Unitarian Church. Tribune: “Are you interested in running Moving: Bill Tobin, a precinct captain years ago and a long-time regular contribu- for political office?” Webb: “I have been talking to people tor to The Roosevelt Society, is now living in the Powhatan Nursing Home. about running for the Senate next year against Movin’ on: The times they are a-changin’ and Lucy Denney and Charlene George Allen, as a Democrat from Virginia. I Bickford are hangin’ up their Donkey Ears after several years’ writing this have a very good life. I’m not sure that I’m column. Actually, they aren’t hangin’ up their ears, just handin’ them over to going to do that or not, but I have been talk- Dan Steen and Warren Nelson who will try to fill their shoes. Actually, Dan and ing to people. Thinking about it.” Warren won’t seek to fill shoes but will need your help to fill their Donkey Ears The website for the draft movement is: with lotsa gossip about Arlington Dems! “You know,” Dan said, turning to www.draftjameswebb.com. Warren, “this stuff doesn’t grow on trees.” ACDC News, February 2006, Page 7 Trio named to run 2006 Joint Campaign The Joint Campaign leadership this year after completing his doctorate in economics on the Caribbean shores of South America, will be a vision of diversity with all three from the University of Maryland. In the real for the geographically challenged.) chairs foreign-born: the Netherlands, the Phil- world, he is a research economist with the Ingrid came to the United States in 1976 ippines and New Jersey. Bureau of Labor Statistics. and to Arlington in 1978. She became ac- Okay, we stretch a bit. But it’s no stretch Jason first got active in Democratic poli- tive in Democratic politics in 1999, working to say they were selected earlier than ever tics during the on Charles Monroe’s campaign for the before. The co-chairs were named January presidential pri- County Board and was subsequently ACDC 4, the earliest the Joint Campaign has ever maries of 2004 secretary and precinct ops chair. surfaced and a signal of an early starting gun. and he has been Married to Jerry Botland, also an ACDC The co-chairs for this year are Peg active in the Ar- activist, Ingrid is also known for her band, Willingham, Jason Faberman and Commis- lington YDs ever The Constituents, which was the only North- sioner of Revenue Ingrid Morroy. since. Still single, ern Virginia band appearing in the inaugura- The Joint Campaign is set up separately Jason also helps tion concert for by ACDC to run a unified campaign of all the coach the AYD’s Gov. Tim Kaine. Democratic candidates on the ballot. Each new kickball team Ingrid’s candidate has his or her own campaign, but named Shock & great grandfather many things are done jointly, such as the Awe. was a slave until Democratic Messenger, the newspaper dis- Faberman The third co- his freedom was tributed to every Arlington household in Sep- chair this year is purchased at age tember. Ingrid Morroy, seven. Her father The Joint Campaign is normally chaired who was elected Arlington’s commissioner of spent his career by three people, including one elected offi- revenue in 2003. Ingrid was born in the Neth- in the Dutch cial who is not up for election that year. erlands and reared in Surinam. She is presi- Army, serving in One of the co-chairs this year is Peg dent, chairman and most of the membership the Netherlands, Willingham, who has some political blood of Virginia’s Surinamese-American Demo- Indonesia and flowing in her family’s veins. Her great-great- cratic community. (It’s a former Dutch colony Surinam. Morroy great grandfather was a governor of Pennsyl- vania. He was, however, a Republican, Peg acknowledges, “but in those days, that was a good thing.” Before running for office, he was a Union Army general who served at Lookout Mountain and at Gettysburg, and was mentioned in the novel, “The Killer Angels,” about Gettysburg. Peg was born at Sangley Point Naval Base in the Philippines and first became active Demo- cratically during her college days at UVa. She moved to Ar- lington in 1987 after college and returned to Ar- Willingham lington periodi- cally in between assignments abroad with the Foreign Service. She finally settled here in 1998. In the real world, Peg is now a fundraiser for the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. She is engaged to Michael Bear, whom she identifies as “a good Democrat.” Also co-chair this year is Jason Faberman, who was born in Monmouth County, N.J. He came to Arlington in 2003 ACDC News Prsrt Std Arlington County Democratic Committee U.S. Postage PAID P.O. Box 7132 Merrifield VA Arlington, VA 22207 PERMIT NO. 6297

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ACDC Calendar 2006

January 25, Wednesday 7-9 p.m.— ACDC Steering Committee meeting, ACDC Headquarters, 4620 Lee Highway, Suite 214. For further in- formation, call 703-528-8588.

26, Thursday 7:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. — Arlington Young Dems monthly meet- ing, meeting site shifted to the Party Room at the apartment house at 2400 Clarendon Blvd, just east of the Clarendon res- taurant zone and near the Clarendon Metro stop. For further information, call 703-516-9523 or check the website at http:/ /www.arlingtonyoungdems.org.

February 1, Wednesday 7-9 p.m. — ACDC Monthly Meeting, NRECA Conference Center, First Floor, 4301 Wilson Blvd. For further informa- tion, call 703-528-8588 and see the box on Page Three of this issue.

22, Wednesday 7-9 p.m. — ACDC Steering Committee meeting, ACDC Headquarters, 4620 Lee Highway, Suite 214. For further in- Hi, from all formation, call 703-528-8588.

23, Thursday us Dems! 7:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. — Hurricane Katrina Benefit featur- ing “The Late Night Players,” sponsored by ACDC to aid the people of Biloxi, Mississippi. Rhodeside Grill, 1836 Wilson Blvd, corner of Wilson and Rhodes. For further information, contact Jen Howard at 703-517-6273 or [email protected]. FOR FULL DETAILS AND UPDATESUPDATES, visit our website: www.arlingtondemocrats.org