Christina Nuckols is leaving The Virginian-Pilot to become editorial page editor at The Roanoke Times. In her latest column, printed in Sunday’s paper, she muses about her 14 years covering Virginia politics in Richmond. And slips in this gem:
Too many of my 14 legislative sessions have ended without anyone stopping to ask, “What did we accomplish?” Too often when that question is posed, it elicits a shrug.
Somehow, big corporate interests, predatory lenders and tobacco companies managed to scrape together a few wins even in the toughest years. There are far fewer victories for students trapped in failing public schools, jail inmates whose only crime is mental illness or families struggling to survive on minimum wages and no health insurance.
Talk about hitting the nail on the head! About the only thing she left out was their “accomplishment” of protecting their backsides via redistricting.
I’m going to miss reading her columns each Sunday. Nuckols had big shoes to fill when she replaced the retiring Margaret Edds in 2007. She did an admirable job and The Roanoke TImes’ gain is Hampton Roads’ loss.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
What did we accomplish? Nothing and as long as the Virginian Pilot and other newpapers in the State fail to ask and report on the Legislators failures, by name, to address the needs of the Commonwealth we will continue to receive the same grap!