Bestselling authors John Grisham and Stephen King pledged support for Democratic Senate candidate and fellow writer Jim Webb in Charlottesville last night. The fundraiser was held at the Paramount Theater, where the three men shared passages of their work and addressed the challenge of using a literary image as a political advantage.
Gov. Tim Kaine, the master of ceremonies, said Sen. George Allen, R-Va., has made nonsensical attacks on Webb's literary reputation.
"One of Senator Allen's main attacks on Jim Webb is that he writes books," Kaine said. "I think Jefferson may have written them."
University Democrats president Katie Cristol, a fourth-year College student, said this image is especially appealing to University students.
"I think it's a great message that there's nothing wrong with being an intellectual," she said. "It doesn't mean you can't be tough, it doesn't mean you can't be decisive, and it doesn't mean you can't be a leader."
Webb noted that literature has offered him "more insight into the human experience and more insight into leadership than anything else I did."
King said neither he nor Webb is a "Hollywood guy," adding that he anticipated that many would discredit his own political commentary because he is a fiction writer.
"The fact is, I'm an American and I'm very concerned about these midterm elections," King said. "What fiction writing is is the truth inside the lie. And what I've seen in Washington in the last six years is the lie inside the truth. ... It's sounding more and more for me that George Allen is the fiction candidate."
With 44 days remaining until the election, College Republicans chair Amber VerValin, a fourth-year College student, said Allen has addressed an important point in Webb's Hollywood connections.
Webb "hasn't been on the ground in Virginia," Vervalin said. "He hasn't seen what the citizens of Virginia need."
Vervalin cited Allen's "fantastic" career as an indication of his good chances in November, and made note of the two candidates' "very different backgrounds."
Webb attempted to cast this as a positive aspect of his campaign.
"I think we can benefit [in government] from people who have had different journeys," he said.
Read More
University sees increase in fraudulent emails and phishing attempts
By Bertie Azqueta | 9 hours agoSome of these phishing attempts come from @virginia.edu email addresses, making it more challenging for University Outlook users to differentiate fraudulent emails.
Faculty Senate discusses proposal to separate faculty position renewal from promotion
By Lexie Stadler | YesterdayAGF are non-tenure-track professors who hold roles primarily focused on teaching, research, academic librarianship and clinical service.
Board of Visitors approves increased tuition and other rates for 2025-26 school year
By Brandon Kile | December 11, 2024Increases for tuition at the graduate schools ranged from a 0.6 percent increase on the lower end at the Graduate School of Engineering to a 4.1 percent increase on the higher end at the Graduate School of Data Science.
