U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander James Hoeft going ashore ... thanks for 20 years of service

The Watch

Aye mates, for 20 years

This Sailor has stood the watch.

While some of us were in our bunks at night

Seaman Hoeft stood the watch

While some of us were in school learning our trade

Electronics Technician Third Class Hoeft stood the watch

In those years when the storm clouds of war were seen
brewing on the horizon of history,

Ensign Hoeft stood the watch

Many times he would cast an eye ashore

and see his family standing there

Needing his guidance and help

Needing that hand to hold during those hard times

But Lieutenant Junior Grade Hoeft stood the watch

He stood the watch for twenty years

He stood the watch so that we, our families and

Our fellow countrymen, could sleep soundly in safety,

Each and every night,

Knowing that Lieutenant Hoeft stood the watch

Today, we are here to say

Shipmate ... the watch stands relieved

Relieved by those you have trained, guided, and led

Lieutenant Commander Hoeft, you stand relieved

We have the watch!

 Boatswain, stand by to pipe the side, shipmate going ashore!

Jim Hoeft sits at the Governor's conference table in Richmond.
Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling's 4th Annual Bloggers Day 

February 16, 2011

We know him as Jim or JR who was the founder of Bearing Drift and now has founded Virginia Politics On Demand, recruiting top-notch bloggers to help provide news and information to the Virginia blogosphere. He has covered Republican Advances, Eric Cantor's Republican Roundup, candidate events, interviewed elected officials and those running for office, and fill in for radio personalities. That is the Jim I've known since 2006.

Jim's other career was as an officer in the U.S. Navy and, in a ceremony in Virginia Beach on Friday, September 13, 2013, he retired after 20 years of service.

His Naval career began in 1992 at the Recruit Training Center in Orlando, Florida. From 1992-93 he was at Nuclear Power Training Command in Orland, and in 1993-94 part of Nuclear Power Training Unit in Charleston, SC. He ended up in Newport News, Va, from 1994-96 with the PCU Cheyenne (SSN 773). He spent 1996-99 at Old Dominion University NROTC, 2000 in Surface Warfare Officers School in Newport, RI, and returned to the USS Mitscher (DDG 57) from 2000-02 and the USS Ponce (LPD 15) from 2002-03.

Jim found his niche in public affairs:

2003-06: U.S. Fleet Forces Command
TAD: Hurricane Katrina
Navy Expedition Combat Command

2006-07: Navy Personnel Development Command

2007-08: Navy Public Affairs Support Element
TAD: Amphibious Squadron 8 embarked
USS KEARSARGE (LHD 3)

2008-11: Joint Public Affairs Support Element
TAD: Operation Assured Delivery
Operation Odyssey Dawn embarked USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC 20)
Pakistan Flood Relief
Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

2011-13: Maritime Civil Affairs and Security Training Command
IA: United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti

Congratulations to our friend and colleague with best wishes for the next chapter in his life and a sincere thank you for 20 years of service to our country.

Cross-posted at Virginia Politics On Demand

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell

False rumors + anonymous accusers = gossip

False rumors ... anonymous accusers. Seems to be a staple not only in politics but in many walks of life. What it amounts to is "Gossip," the subject of Pineapple and Coconut's latest adventure at Virginia Politics On Demand.

Graphic by Kurt Michael
PoliticalPineapple.com

Hot off the press ... newest Pineapple and Coconut political cartoon

At Virginia Politics On Demand ... Shut down the government....

Va Dems circle wagons ... Va Republicans join in circular firing squad

Attacking Republicans seems to be the sport of the day, not only by Democrats, but also within the Republican Party. Recently, Marco Rubio and Chris Christie were attacked by the right wing of the GOP for not being conservative enough on their policies about immigration and other issues. Now add Bob McDonnell to that list.

Conservative bloggers like Willie Deutsch at Bearing Drift have joined with Democratic bloggers in the mindless act of becoming participants in attacking the Virginia Republican Governor. What should be more disconcerting is the effect this circular firing squad will have on GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli who has also been caught up in the controversy with his own issue of unreported gifts from Star Scientific and Jonnie Williams. When the far right is done with Bob McDonnell, will they then turn their guns on Cuccinelli?

In the words of Richmond Times-Dispatch political writer Jeff Schapiro, "... all Democrats have to do is watch a great Republican tradition: cannibalism."

The hemorrhaging needs to stop.

Interestingly enough, in the shadows away from this controversy stands Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling. The far right had its fair share of attacking him earlier this year by calling him a RINO and questioning his conservative credentials. In hindsight, perhaps Bolling did the wisest thing by stepping aside in this toxic environment. Meanwhile, as Jim Hoeft  reported, it's business as usual in the LG's office as he goes about the job of working for the people of Virginia.

The LG is also on the minds of the editorial board at Charlottesville's Daily Progress, wondering what if concerning Bolling's aborted campaign for Governor. Noting the issues surrounding the Governor, the Daily Progress wrote:

“Much of this has occurred on center stage during a summer that was supposed to have belonged to Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a better man who stands in the shadows, cast there by a party that failed him and failed Virginia.

Undercut by state GOP leaders whose political IQ’s can only be measured in minuses, Bolling was thrown to the side by Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, a man with more baggage than Samsonite.

Rather than hold a primary to allow voters to select the next Republican candidate for governor, party string-pullers conducted the rough equivalent of a meeting in a smoke-filled room, holding a convention to hand Cuccinelli the nomination.

Bolling could have taken his shot in 2009 — surely, he wishes now that he had — but he agreed to stand aside to unify the party, paving the path to McDonnell’s sweeping victory. The idea was that Bolling would wait his turn until 2013.

Then along came Cuccinelli. One wonders how strongly the capital’s most powerful Republican stood for the friend who helped him win election. There are apparent prices to be paid for McDonnell’s friendship. Williams is Exhibit A, evidently.

That has stirred rumblings about McDonnell’s possible early departure from Richmond. A conservative blogger claimed over the weekend that two sources told him the governor was preparing to resign in a plea deal to avoid ethics charges. McDonnell’s staff quickly denied the rumor.

It’s a sign of how deep the governor is in his own mess. Were he to be forced out, moving Bolling into the mansion, Virginia would be served in the interim by a leader superior to the alternatives being offered up for the fall. Perhaps Bolling might gain fuel enough for a write-in run.

That might be a dream, but it is far pleasanter than the nightmare now being lived out in the state’s highest office.

What the far right's circular firing squad is doing is driving people like Laura Lennox of Richmond to consider a write-in vote for Bill Bolling while others have taken to Facebook.

The loser in all this is the Republican Party, both statewide and nationally. Maybe we all need to reconsider the 11th commandment often quoted by Ronald Reagan: Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican.

Bob Stuart: 'Vets hike trail to heal and help others'

The Warrior Hikers were in the area Sunday, and News-Virginian reporter Bob Stuart was there to talk with these military vets -- American heroes -- on their thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail.

Read about the Warrior Hikers at Virginia Politics On Demand (VPOD), and be sure to read Bob's article in the News-Virginian with thanks for his coverage.

Pineapple and Coconut: 'Stab-o-saurus'

Uh-oh. What's happened to Pineapple? Check out the latest political cartoon by Virginia Politics On Demand (VPOD) colleague Kurt Michael....

Announcing VPOD: 'Virginia Politics On Demand -- Conservative Reason for the Commonwealth'

 [Originally posted on May 14, 2013]

There's a new source for conservative commentary and political analysis in Virginia. Up and going for only three weeks, it is already making inroads into the conservative political blogosphere.

Some of Virginia’s best writers, broadcasters, and humorists -- and all keen conservative political observers – have launched “Virginia Politics On Demand,” a new Web site for information and commentary.

The site offers insightful analysis and original information to the Virginia political conversation.

"Many political web sites focus on advocacy, and there's a need for that, but our goal is to be more analytical and original," said J.R. Hoeft, the publisher of VPOD. "We want to help Virginians understand why something is happening, not why we want something to happen; and, we want to provide unique information, not something you can read somewhere else."

In addition to politics, the site will provide perspective on history, economics, society and culture, and how they affect today's political landscape. Two opinion leaders will also offer their thoughts on major topic, but from different conservative perspectives, and the audience will have the opportunity to vote as to which policy position they support.

The contributors to VPOD include conservatives from every corner of the Commonwealth and have decades of political and media experience. Additionally, VPOD welcomes radio personality Steve Batton and cartoonist Kurt Michael who each offer their unique talents to the line up. In addition to Hoeft, Batton, and Michael, are Alton Foley, Jason Johnson, Wayne Ozmore, Andrew Schwartz, Scott Hirons, Tim Donner, Stephen Spiker, Jason Miyares, Rick Sincere, Steve Thomas, Mike Thomas, and Lynn Mitchell.

Besides the web site, VPOD can be found on Facebook and Twitter. Be sure to keep up with all the latest by subscribing to our free newsletter for alerts and regular updates. Interested parties can also subscribe to a free newsletter for alerts and regular updates.

- VPOD -

Pineapple and Coconut: Eating Our Own

Hahaha. Kurt Michael has done it again with his political cartoon over at Virginia Politics On Demand and at Virginia Political Pineapple. What's Coconut grilling on his shish kabob? 

RPV convention analysis from the Valley

Dr. Kurt Michael of Fishersville sat down Friday with news reporter Tom Dempsey of WHSV TV-3 to discuss the Republican Party of Virginia's convention to pick candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.

From the WHSV TV-3 interview:

On top of choosing the nominees, former Augusta County Republican Committee Chairman Dr. Kurt Michael says one of the main goals of the convention will be to bring the party together.

"What's important about this convention is Ken Cuccinelli will have to pull together three factions within the Republican party. Currently, we have Ron Paul libertarians, establishment Republicans, and Tea Party activists," he explained. "It's extremely important that the Republican party moves as a unit into November's election."

Dr. Michael also said the importance of the convention cannot be understated.

After Virginia went to President Barack Obama and Senator Tim Kaine last year, Republicans must get back on track in 2013 or risk severe consequences.

"If we do not win the governor's seat, that could set the Republican party back 15-20 years," said Dr. Michael. "We are in a purple state. It's turned blue. The Democrats will be pouring all their resources into the state of Virginia to win this seat and to solidify a base...."

Dr. Michael has been involved in Republican politics for more than 20 years. He is a contributor providing political cartoons about current issues to the Virginia Politics On Demand (VPOD) news source that is covering the RPV Convention, and VaPoliticalPineapple.com.

Announcing VPOD: 'Virginia Politics On Demand -- Conservative Reason for the Commonwealth'

There's a new source for conservative commentary and political analysis in Virginia.

Some of Virginia’s best writers, broadcasters, and humorists -– and all keen conservative political observers – have launched “Virginia Politics On Demand,” a new Web site for information and commentary.

The site, which can be found at http://vapolitics.us, offers insightful analysis and original information to the Virginia political conversation.

"Many political web sites focus on advocacy, and there's a need for that, but our goal is to be more analytical and original," said J.R. Hoeft, the publisher of VPOD. "We want to help Virginians understand why something is happening, not why we want something to happen; and, we want to provide unique information, not something you can read somewhere else."

In addition to politics, the site will provide perspective on history, economics, society and culture, and how they affect today's political landscape. Two opinion leaders will also offer their thoughts on major topic, but from different conservative perspectives, and the audience will have the opportunity to vote as to which policy position they support.

The contributors (http://vapolitics.us/authors/) to VPOD include conservatives from every corner of the Commonwealth and have decades of political and media experience. Additionally, VPOD welcomes radio personality Steve Batton and cartoonist Kurt Michael who each offer their unique talents to the line up. In addition to Hoeft, Batton, and Michael, are Alton Foley, Jason Johnson, Wayne Ozmore, Andrew Schwartz, Scott Hirons, Tim Donner, Stephen Spiker, Jason Miyares, Rick Sincere, Steve Thomas, Mike Thomas, and Lynn Mitchell.

Besides the web site, VPOD can be found on Facebook at http://facebook.com/VirginiaPoliticsOnDemand and Twitter at http://twitter.com/VPOD2. Interested parties can also subscribe to a free newsletter for alerts and regular updates: http://eepurl.com/zsSqf.

- VPOD -