The Virginian-Pilot
©
RICHMOND
After several exhausting weeks of "is he" or "isn’t he" speculation, the questions about Gov. Timothy M. Kaine as a potential vice presidential candidate can end.
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, in selecting Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, has opted for someone with Washington experience and foreign policy credentials - qualities Kaine lacks.
The choice of Biden also seems to add gravitas to a ticket in which Republicans surely would have sharpened their attacks about inexperience had Obama, 47, tapped the 50-year old Kaine.
A “lack of any military, national security or foreign policy experience torpedoed him,” said University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato.
The recent Russian invasion of Georgia “reminded voters how dangerous the world is, and Kaine has the same weaknesses as Obama,” Sabato said. “A rookie ticket would have been easy pickings for GOP attacks.”
Early this morning, Kaine issued a statement that praised the Obama-Biden ticket.
"I am very excited that Senator Obama has selected Senator Biden to be his running mate. Senator Biden is a tremendous leader and a great complement to Senator Obama and his candidacy.... The Obama-Biden ticket provides the United States with a new and meaningful dialogue with world leaders and will improve America's standing with our allies and the global community," the statement said.
Kaine, from Denver, was scheduled to hold a telephone news conference with Virginia reporters at 11:45 a.m. today.
From the time his name surfaced as a serious candidate, the governor has downplayed his chances, saying that he has been flattered by the consideration or otherwise deflecting questions.
But the crush of media attention has been wearying, members of Kaine’s staff have acknowledged in informal conversations.
On the record, the governor’s communication team has declined repeated requests to talk about what the experience has been like, and the director of Kaine’s political action committee didn't respond to a reporter’s inquiry seeking comment.
There are benefits to the attention, such as an enhanced national profile, according to Christopher Newport University political science professor Quentin Kidd.
“Being on the short list was, if nothing else, is a recognition of the extent to which Democrats and Obama think of (Kaine) as a strong party leader and a potential national leader,” Kidd said.
Despite not getting the nod, Kaine is expected to continue to perform as an Obama surrogate, campaigning across the country and appearing on national news programs on the candidate’s behalf.
The governor was one of the first officials outside of Illinois to endorse the senator’s presidential bid. Obama and Kaine seem to share an easy camaraderie; both are Harvard-educated lawyers whose early legal careers were spent working on community-level cases and projects.
And they each have risen rapidly in the political ranks; Kaine from Richmond City Council member to governor in about 14 years, and Obama from state legislator to U.S. Senator in about 11.
Julian Walker, 804-697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com
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Is there anything
Is there anything, you won't try to start an arguement about?
Who's to blame
You can follow your own posts and rad your own intention to stick to party lines. I for example will be votinig R and D in November. Your offering of "common sense" will not be accepted because many of us know it does not exist. Sense must be common for it to exist. Common sense is nothing more than a standard the public subjectively places as a measure of general intelligence. As there is no way to measure everyone involved, the level of intelligence cannot be defined, thus it is fallible. In addition, one may find the sense that is common to have dropped to a level not acceptable to deeper individuals.
I personally no longer feel I can depend on my fellow man's judgement and will choose to rely upon my own. "Common sense" is nothing more than an attempt to validate an idea by comparison to others.
what's dissapointing
What's dissapointing is republicans will vote party line regardless of the candidate. If Donald Duck was a republican, that's who they would vote for. Very sad! I don't need a political party to tell me how to think and how to vote. It's a simple thing called common sense!
honestly gertz
It seems as though the democratic party sits up at night looking for a way to shoot itself in the foot. It is so dissapointing.
why not hillary
Hillary and Obama both had 50% of the votes, so why didn't he pick her as his running mate? If it had been an Obama/Clinton ticket he would win hands down. Now, it's a wait and see.
I agree
A one term govenor galavanting around the country running for VP would not be good for Virginia. If he considered it I find it troubling. Hopefully Va's needs would have outweighed his aspirations. I don't think it would have helped BO in the least either. Politcally speaking, Biden is more useful w/ his vote in his current position than as VP. I assume a large part of the thinking is too be sure if any Senator leaves a seat open that the person filling it be of the same party/mind set. The lost vote could be devastating considering the current make up of the senate and house.
we need kaine
To remain as Governor. I'm sure he's very proud of being in the VP pool, and I'm sure he's glad the entire event is over.
Spotlight? It's more like a flashlight...
...on Kaine nowadays, if he's lucky. Why don't we have more engineers in office? They're too process oriented. When stuff doesn't fit into their flow chart approach to things they're stymied. Leading and governing don't fit into flowcharts. The leader must deal with the actions and statements of others outside their realm of control, not just the design, construction and performance of a product.
What Ive heard already
about Biden...doesn't sound impressive. Obama made a huge mistake not taking Hillary. He could have pulled her supporters and his. But I understand why he didn't, but with our choices this year, I don't think there will be many at the polls, and i'm glad Kaine is staying our Govenor just wish it was longer. Not sure I know who to vote for or who I want to vote for...might be a last minute decesion.
kaine is pathetic
kaine has done nothing so far in his term of office that will even remotely be remembered. he should go back to where he came from, he isnt even a virginian with that vulgar yankee accent.