Deeds repeats closing debate remarks

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By Sarah Abruzzese

In a gubernatorial debate that covered little new ground, Virginia Democrat R. Creigh Deeds went to an extreme.

Mr. Deeds, during the candidates' fourth debate Tuesday night, repeated nearly verbatim the two-minute closing remarks he delivered during their third debate the previous week, even though polls show voters are not identifying with the message.

In a race watched closely across the nation, the candidate's decision to repeat himself went beyond a politician's usual tendency to recycle material. Mr. Deeds parroted the references he had used to his Uncle Frank's summer camp and President Truman's straight talk. He also promised on both occasions to give scholarships to students who achieve B averages in high school and closed in each case with a pledge to make Virginia the "best state" in the country for business, for education and "for you."

On Tuesday, he said, "I'll make Virginia the best state for business, the best state for education, the best state for you."

Last week, he said he would "make Virginia the best state in the country for business, the best state in the country for education and the best state in the country for you."

Mr. Deeds' campaign was not surprised by the repetition.

"Creigh has a stump speech," said Deeds spokesman Mike Gehrke. "He likes to get across certain points about who he is and why he is running and that is not something that changes for him. His story is what it is and he's comfortable with it."

Republican Robert F. McDonnell gave a different closing statement in the two debates, which is standard practice for candidates in major elections. The latest public-opinion polls show that Mr. Deeds' standard patter may not be enough.

In a survey released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Raleigh, N.C.-based Public Policy Polling firm, Mr. Deeds trailed the Republican by 12 points. On Sept. 29, a similar poll by the same firm showed Mr. McDonnell with a five-point edge.

While 56 percent of those queried had a favorable opinion of Mr. McDonnell, only 41 percent had a favorable opinion of Mr. Deeds.