Virginia Democrats Boycott Meeting With McDonnell

It's an election year and partisan politics are seeping into the normally cordial Virginia congressional delegation. There's been a partisan dust up between Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) and Democrats in the state's congressional delegation after the Democrats boycotted a meeting with the governor on Wednesday.

The state's federal lawmakers were scheduled to meet with McDonnell at the U.S. Capitol. But Democrats bolted when they learned the governor was holding a press conference afterwards with the House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) to discuss pending budget cuts -- what's being called "sequestration." 

The state's Democrats sent out a statement claiming the meeting was  derailed by Republican efforts to apply a partisan spin to the discussion, which was reiterated in an interview with Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.).  

"No one is talking about alternatives, everyone is talking about blame," Scott said.

In the end, McDonnell cancelled the press conference and invited Democrats back, but they refused. The full Virginia congressional delegation is scheduled to hold its regular meeting later today and Democrats say they look forward to it -- in part because McDonnell, whose name is rumored to be on the short list for the Republican vice presidential slot, isn't scheduled to be around this time.