By someone who knows Warner and something about Virginia politics.
Since I'm an AA, like Wilder very much, but also want to know more about Warner, I need to get the Warner side of this story. Thus far it appears that this series of event could affect Warner's pull in the African American community in a negative direction.
"...To this day, Warner and his second, Kaine, are rarely seen in joint personal appearances throughout the state as well as campaign trail.
Matter of fact - Warner makes it a deliberate routine, often making silly little excuses for the distance between him and nice guy Kaine.
Many Richmond natives noted the lack of Democratic cohesiveness during the Kerry campaign.
Lt. Gov. Kaine endorsed Richmond Mayor-elect Doug Wilder, while our governor remained strangely silent. Warner has yet to call Wilder to congratulate him on the election victory...."
"...Then-Richmond Mayor Timothy M. Kaine stunned two veteran state legislators in his first statewide race.
snip
Yes, it rained on Warner's parade!
Feeling spanked on his Democratic gubernatorial nomination night, Warner, who had drained his personal bank account, probably had a temper tantrum that primary evening.
He hurriedly and hastily distanced himself from the other primary ticket nominee that very night of the Democratic primary election in a press conference.
The Blue Dog was simply amazed how the more high-profiled and wealthier Warner treated his fellow Democratic candidates as mere appendages in his statewide campaign for the governor's mansion.
At the trio's first joint press conference, it was more than noticeable to many who described Warner's behavior as downright rude.
But that political move to create separation with Kaine and McEachin only a few hours after the final primary results should have been a red flag to Democrats, as well as Republicans..."
"...The Post's Michael Shearer wrote, "Three years ago, Warner persuaded voters in an overwhelmingly red state to put him in office with a NASCAR-loving, pro-death penalty, pro-gun rights, fiscally conservative campaign."
"Since then, he has backed some restrictions on abortion, signed more than a dozen gun-rights bills, balanced the state's books and persuaded a Republican legislature to help him pass a $1.5 billion tax increase."
Yet conservative Warner continues to seek contributions and assistance on the liberal end of the Democratic campaign trails with pro-choice and gay and lesbian advocacy and activist organizations.
Warner's political actions are proof positive of his untrustworthiness with Democratic core constituents. Warner compromised hot-button social legislation in 2004 by mincing words and performing tomfoolery with the General Assembly, the media and Virginia Democrats.
Warner's lack of vetoed legislation during last year's General Assembly session further proved that he has rather thin political skin with those liberal organizations.
It's a real mystery to the Blue Dog and other political observers exactly why pro-choice and gay and lesbian organizations continue to endear Warner as a like-minded individual...."
http://www.augustafreepress.com/stories/storyReader$292...
It's hard to find a lot of this stuff because older stories go into paid archives. This story gave enough of the back story and also shows the reputation he's getting in VA.
Comments' picked up off kos....
Warner pissed off the whole African-american community in the South with his very public war with Doug Wilder.
The rumors I've heard is that Warner isn't running for Senate in VA because he's infuriated the African-American community in VA so much with his attacks on Wilder that they won't show to vote for him against Allen.
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FFV - First Families of Virginia... made famous in the song "FFV" from the musical 1776. Guess what else the FFVs are known for... you guessed it. This is typical Southern white elite "blame the **" BS
One of you FFVs was on the blogs for a while trying to claim Wilder didn't endorse Kerry... which was complete and utter rubbish. Wilder endorsed, cut commercials, did appearances for Kerry.
It's the FFVs that have been in tantrum mode about Wilder since he dared suggest he wanted to run for state-wide office. He further infuriated the FFVs by being able to be completely financially independent of them and their "preferred" donor lists. Wilder's campaigns were supported by influential African-Americans from all over the country like BET's Robert Johnson, Oprah Winfrey, and Bill Cosby.
Wilder was the only African-American of the first generation of individuals to advance forward in society due to integration of the Armed Forces to rise to a chief executive position in the US, and the FFVs fought against Wilder every step of the way.
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Warner refused to congratulate Wilder.
Warner was the one that made himself look thouroughly childish by refusing to campaign for Wilder in Richmond mayor's race or even more ridiculously continued his tantrum by refusing to congratulate Wilder when Wilder won the Richmond mayoral race.
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Considering how out of bounds Warner's public tantrum on this was, people with a lick of sense in VA know Warner's story on this mess doesn't add up. Warner's behavior was completely over the top. People who act outrageous and over the top in any situation usually do so because they are continuing a pattern of outrageous and over the top behavior.
The word I hear on the street is Warner never negiotiated in good faith on that panel/budget mess and started the whole mess with the full intention of making Wilder an example to all Virginia Democrats about what happens if you refuse to yield to Warner's wishes as Gov. and party leader on any subject.
Warner got in a public war with Wilder because Warner started the whole mess with the intention of getting in a public war with someone that would ruin a reputation and force all VA dems to yield to Warner on all political subjects in the state. Warner selected Wilder to be his victim before the mess even started. Warner saw Dubya pulling all those loyalty tests in DC, and he figured he would create a situation to set up the same situtation in VA. Instead, Warner made himself look like a petulant child with his refusals, and Wilder won the Richmond mayor's race by 75% after Warner had earlier predicted Wilder's defeat.
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