Wilder: Oust Kaine from DNC, overhaul White House staff

RICHMOND

Former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder delivered a broadside to the White House on Tuesday in an online column calling for President Barack Obama to remove former Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine as chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Wilder said Kaine should be fired as part of a larger house cleaning Obama should perform within his administration. Though he has supported Kaine in the past, Wilder wrote in the column, posted on Politico.com, that Kaine's position atop the national Democratic Party "is the wrong job for him."

Wilder, a Democrat and the first African American elected governor of a state, said Obama also should replace some West Wing staffers: The president is surrounded by "people who are in their jobs because of their Chicago connections or because they signed on with Obama early during the presidential campaign" but lack "sufficient experience at governing at the executive branch level."

It's hardly the first time Wilder has flashed his maverick tendencies. Last fall he did not endorse the gubernatorial candidacy of fellow Democrat Creigh Deeds in a race he ultimately lost to Republican Bob McDonnell.

Writing about why Kaine should be ousted, Wilder pointed to recent election losses by the Democrats in Virginia and other states.

He also denounced Kaine's outgoing state budget, which featured a proposed individual income tax surcharge, and his late-term recommendation to federal authorities that convicted murderer Jens Soering be transferred to Germany, where he could be paroled in a few years.

Republicans can use those examples to portray Democrats as a "tax and spend" party that is "soft on crime," Wilder said.

Messages left with Wilder's office seeking comment were not returned Tuesday.

"We have a great deal of respect for Mr. Wilder, but we respectfully disagree with his analysis and conclusions," DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse said via e-mail. "Under Chairman Kaine's leadership, the Democratic Party has won five of five special congressional elections, helped the President pass the most robust agenda of a first year president since FDR, put staff and resources in all 50 states

and raised more money than the DNC ever has in any non-Presidential election year since McCain-Feingold was passed. We have had our share of setbacks and we recognize this will be a tough year..."

"But there are several lifetimes between now and the midterm elections and we are proud of the accomplishments of the President and of our work at the DNC and believe we will exceed expectations come November."

Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com