Governor Mark Warner

[Thrill]

Does anyone think he is a serious contender for the VP position. Could he help carry his state? Has he been a good Governor? He has a Boatload of money. So he could possibly pour some into the campaign. But my question is how popular is he in his state

[Bombtrack]

1. Could Kerry carry VA with him? Not before he wins every swingstate

VA isn't a swingstate. And Warner is another New Englander. He was born and lived much of his life in Connecticut. His popularity is best measured by the fact that he barely won his last election if I'm not mistaken

[mobuto]

9. Barely?

Warner's only been elected to office once, in 2001. After next year's election, he'll be out -- Virginia has an asinine one-term limit on its governors.

Warner won by enough that his mandate is obvious. He was elected eight weeks after the 9/11 terrorists attacked Virginia, at a point when George Bush had approval ratings better than 90%. Bush campaigned for Mark Earley in Virginia and Earley still lost. Warner's got something. He may not be a good choice for Vice President, but he's a great Democrat and an asset to our party.

[magnolia]

39. Not only that...but...

...for a whole week before the election they had Rudy Guilani on TV every five minutes supporting Earley!

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

46. I live in VA, and Warner kicked Earley's ass.

Earley was a right-winger. We're having problems getting our Commonwealth's legislature to pass the budget (the Senate and House won't budge and each have created their own version of the budget). Warner's (rightly) getting really pissed.

I agree; he is a great asset to our party/

[IronLionZion]

2. doubt it

not even the big dog could win Virginia. The liberals tend to be near the DC area. The rest of the state is quit red. There are lots of confederates in southern VA

[Thrill]

3. Cool thanks

I was just looking for some candidates from the south who weren't Presidential candidates and aren't Senators.

[IronLionZion]

4. Al Gore eom

[Finch]

5. Very strong contender...

He probably number two = Equal in my VP shortlist...

Edwards

Warner=Nelson

Bayh

Landrieu

...he's popular in VA, a state which will trend more and more toward the Dem's in the years to come (as will most of the east coast as people move from the Midwest to the south west and south east coast... but thats another topic)... he should really serve out his term as Gov of VA though as beyond that he has very little political experience having been elected in 01, but in 06 he can go on a run for the senate and probably win... but he has amazing appeal amoungst rural voters... i believe he won in staunchly conservative Lynchburg, quite an achievement for even a moderate democrat... added to all this he is good on TV and radio and has a good speaking manner as well as not being too short (something which a lot of people don't think about when they think of who should be Kerry's runningmate... their probably more sensible then I though... but it might be something to consider) and its very possible he could have similar appeal in the Midwest to someone like Edwards...but a very strong choice for VP IMHO...

However on balance i would say Edwards would be a better choice...

[Scoopie]

7. Edwards

won't carry his home state, or the state he represents either.

As far as Warner is concerned - please leave our Southern Democratic governors and senator BE. I don't want to loose any more than we're loosing.

And, for the umptenth time... Edwards was only popular in certain Southern states because neo-cons, who didn't have a challenger for Bush on their ticket, voted for him en masse in our open primaries because he was the weakest viable candidate, but they won't vote for him in November. I wish you guys would believe me on this because it's TRUE.

Look:

Tennessee:
Edwards - 72 percent of the people who voted for him were enthusiastic or supportive of the Bush Administration.
Georgia - 62 percent of the people who voted for him were enthusiastic or supportive of the Bush Adminsitration.
I don't have figures for Virginia, but I expect they're similar.

Why do you guys go on and on about "dumb" Southerners and yet won't rely on the intelligent ones who LIVE HERE and KNOW what was going on to tell you the truth?

[Thrill]

12. I actually live in NC

And I know Edwards wouldn't carry this state.

[Scoopie]

18. Thanks Brent

I really don't hate Edwards... I don't... I'm just VERY concerned about his credentials.
I, first, don't think he's as popular as the media made him out to be - at least I didn't see (and still don't) any evidence of it here. Voting aside (and my theory about that is posted above), there really isn't any grassroots for him in Tennessee. In fact, according to the FEC, no "regular" person gave him any money - the only people who did were, not surprisingly, attorneys.
Secondly, I don't see how being an attorney and then being in the Senate for five years prepares one for the extraordinary times in which we live. As the former wife of a Middle Eastern man, I knew I knew more about the Middle East than George Bush - but, apparently I know a lot more than Edwards, too (his comments about the "Arabs" in that one debate were horribly inaccurate).
Finally, I don't think he'll sway that many people in the South, particularly after debates with Cheney who will eat him alive on foreign policy issues.

I really just don't see his potential.

BTW, I really DO hate his fake accent. We don't sound like that around East Tennnessee, which is very close to where he's from. I can't imagine the accent would be THAT much more pronounced over there. It just makes me think of how much more "Southern" Bush sounds when he comes down here, as opposed to when he's speaking elsewhere.

[Thrill]

21. I personally would like to

see Edwards challenge Easley for the Governor's nomination.

[leyton]

36. I wouldn't.

I think Easley has pretty good chances of being reelected. The current field of Republicans is lackluster (in my opinion), and apparently the state chair of the GOP thought so too because he threw his hat into the ring as well. Meanwhile, Easley has stayed above the fray in the state and hasn't really gotten any heat for the economic downturn.

[mobuto]

13. Don't worry about "losing" Warner

That's the worst reason I've heard for not picking him, and I've come up with some bad ones myself. ;-)

Warner can't run for reelection, and his designated successor is Tim Kaine, the Lieutenant Governor. Warner gets elected Vice President, Kaine becomes Governor early and gets a leg up on the '05 race. So Warner's out anyway, and Kaine's in anway, so it doesn't make any difference.

[Josh]

42. Are you saying he's barred from seeking a SECOND term?

That's weird. Crazy, crazy Virginia.

[mobuto]

44. Yes. One term and you're out

Which means that the second you're elected you're a lame duck - the Governor is completely at the mercy of the legislature. And Virginia has more ex-Governors than one would care to imagine. Virginia's nuts.

[DoNotRefill]

24. Warner's strength with rural voters....

would be negated by Kerry's gun control stance. Warner won the rural voters because he was against additional gun control. Warner's position negated the NRA in VA during the election. Kerry's for more gun control.

If Warner is serious about seeking other statewide office in VA eventually, he'd be a fool to run with Kerry. It would leave him no viable fall-back position.

[mobuto]

6. Not a chance

1. Warner's been fighting the legislature for three years to raise taxes to pay for essential services. Virginia needs it, and Virginia voters understand that. Voters elsewhere won't. They'll just hear him spun as a tax-raiser.

2. Warner is personally worth about $300 million. John Kerry is criticized enough as it is for not being a "man of the people." With Warner, the ticket would be worth a combined $1.1 billion. That won't go over too well in Peoria.

3. Warner's a boring speaker. He really is. He's great in person, extremely animated and charismatic, but behind a podium he may actually be less compelling than John Kerry. I've been present to hear way too many of his speeches as it is. I've been bored senseless and I'm actually interested in their contents.

4. Warner doesn't speak with a drawl. He's from Connecticut originally. Now that doesn't matter so much in Virginia, because he understands Virginia politics better than just about anybody and his staff is the best anywhere. But it will matter outside of Virginia. Southerners just won't see him as their own. He's not going to pick up votes in North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee the way he talks.

Now that being said, Warner's people are some of the best there are anywhere. What they're especially good at is reaching out to poor, blue collar exurban and rural white people. The so-called NASCAR Dads.

Now a few of them who will remain nameless managed to run Bob Graham's campaign into the ground after they forgot that NASCAR Dads aren't a core Democratic primary constituency. But they sure will be useful in the general election. I hope Kerry understands that.

[magnolia]

40. For the record....

...Warner came from a middle class family and went to public schools. He's a self-made millionaire...wasn't born with it. He is squeaky clean.

He's my governor and I'm crazy about him...but I would prefer Edwards as VP.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

47. Magnolia

I second your sentiment. My governor, I like him and Edwards all the way!

I met Warner when he was running for Governor and he's cool! I wish they'd pass the budget already. The Senate and House are pissing me off! Do your damn jobs already!?

[Finch]

8. Just a sec there Bombtrack...

“His popularity is best measured by the fact that he barely won his last election if I'm not mistaken”

Actually Warner in his second run for elected office… having run for the senate from VA against a popular GOP incumbent (he did very well considering)… Warner beat Earley by 52% to 47%.... a fairly solid win… not overwhelming but solid…

[mobuto]

10. Fairly solid?

Remember that he did so eight weeks after 9/11 - when terrorists attacked Virginia - when George Bush had 90% approval ratings - and when George Bush was campaigning against him. Warner rocks.

[Thrill]

11. I'm a fan of Breseden

He has Tenn. running on Surplus budgets. He is popular in one of their biggest cities? Could he help carry Tenn?

[Scoopie]

15. Bredesen's staying out of it

for the most part.
He says he'll support whoever the nominee is, but he won't be campaigning too much. He says he's too busy pulling us out of the crapper that the both the former Republican Administration here and the current national Republican Administration have put us in.
Gotta respect the man for taking care of his own state.
BTW, Bredesen's also a New Englander - but I wouldn't really classify him as a classic New England liberal.

[Thrill]

16. I believe Bredesen

is from NY.

[Scoopie]

19. Upstate

And to a Tennessean - that's a New Englander. ;)

[mouse7]

14. We Need Mark Warner to beat Allen

I persoanlly detest Sen. Allen as much as any neo-con out there. He must be defeated.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

48. Allen has a face that looks like a penis!

[spooky3]

17. no, no, and not very

He has a very tough job, I'll grant him that; but he hasn't shown that he can overcome long odds. He is not charismatic. He's just seemingly a decent guy who wants to help the state.

[dolstein]

20. He'll be on the short list, but I'd be shocked if he's chosen

First, the guy has been governor only two years, and that's the only public office he's held.

Second, the guy has no foreign policy experience.

Third, Virginia is still a pretty Republican state. Not as Republican is some other states in the South, but still out of Kerry's reach, even with Warner on the ticket.

Fourth, Warner isn't especially charismatic. He's a pretty low-key guy.

[Zynx]

22. Virginia is not out of reach.

Gore didn't get creamed there and didn't even campaign there. All you need is a net pick up of four or five points to win there and make sure Kerry campaigns there.

[arewethereyet]

26. virginia is out of reach for a yankee

and no Warner will change that. he has not ingratiated himself here since the election.

[arewethereyet]

27. Doug Wilder would be a much better Virginian

[dolstein]

41. Gore was a Southern moderate, Kerry's a New England liberal

Why on earth would you assume that John Kerry, who has one of the most liberal voting records in the United States Senate, would fare as strongly -- or MORE strongly -- in Virginia than Al Gore, who represented nearby Tennessee in Congress, where he was a member of the party's moderate wing? While Al Gore's politics changed substantially after 2000, before 2000 he was New Democrat. He supported the first Gulf War. He was one of the most vocal supporters of NAFTA. He supported the death penalty.

John Edwards might have had a shot at carrying Virginia, but John Kerry doesn't. And I say that as someone who's from Virginia.

[mobuto]

43. Why?

Because Gore was a profoundly weak candidate who did worse everywhere than he should have. He may have been a Southern moderate, but Virginians didn't think of him as a Southern moderate. To them, Al Gore was a lot less of a Southerner than Warner is - and Gore actually is from the South whereas Warner's from Connecticut.

John Edwards might have had a shot at carrying Virginia, but John Kerry doesn't. And I say that as someone who's from Virginia

Which part of Virginia are you from? I don't think Kerry will win Virginia either, but I don't think its as impossible a suggestion as you make it seem.

[DoNotRefill]

23. No way.

Warner pissed off a huge number of people by shutting down most DMVs in the State.

I seriously doubt he'd win if he was able to run for re-election for the Governor's chair. I doubt anybody who has tried to go to a DMV would vote for him. Last time I went to one of the few open DMVs, it took me FOUR HOURS just to get inside the building. This was in Northern VA, Warner's "home turf", and everybody was pretty upset. So upset, in fact, that they had extra armed security there to handle them.

Couple that with Kerry's stance on gun control, and there's no way in hell Kerry can carry Virginia, even if he chose Warner as his VP.

[Progressive420]

28. You do realize

that the reason those dmvs are closed and have fewer staff is because of the last two republican administrations economic policy warner is getting us back on track here in VA if he could just get his budget passed so we could pay for these luxurys such as the dmv the state would be much better off

[DoNotRefill]

30. Yes, I realize that....

the problem is one of implementation.

There are some sacred cows you shouldn't touch.

and the DMV isn't a luxury...it's a necessity. Ever tried to live without a driver's license that you can't renew because the line is so long?

[mobuto]

31. Please identify which Virginia public colleges and universities

you want closed for the 2004-2005 academic year, in order to pay for those DMVs. There just isn't the money available. That isn't Warner's fault, that's the legislatures'. Warner's cut everywhere he could.

[DoNotRefill]

32. Where there's a will, there's a way.

Hell, if they'd have doubled the DMV fees to keep them open, I'd have supported it. For that matter, if Warner had pardoned 50 or 100 thousand non-violent prisoners to cut down on prison costs, I'd have supported it.

Cutting essential services isn't the way to go.

[spooky3]

33. I have a different view of my fellow VA voters than you do.

Many of them are anti-tax, and believe in the tooth fairy. They think we can have not only essential services but high quality and "extra" services, without paying for them. As a result they have voted into office a bunch of anti-tax Repubs. in Richmond and we have a budget impasse because these jokers won't even raise the 3 cents a pack cigarette tax, the lowest in the nation.

So for two reasons Warner was stuck. First, he had to live within the existing budget and didn't have the option legally or politically of raising those fees or freeing prisoners. Second, he had to educate these anti-tax morans by choosing a way to cut that they would see and feel clearly, so they could see the consequences of their childish inconsistencies.

[arewethereyet]

38. you're partly right

we are anti tax but we are not interested in extra services. just keep the roads up (and screw N.Va and Norfolk, they can build toll roads if they insist on putting too many people there) and prune the azaleas when they need it..

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

49. Former Governor Jim GIlmore (R) screwed us, and Warner is

having to fix the problems he inherited.

[sandnsea]

34. Can't you mail a check?

I'm not trying to be a smart ass, I'm asking a serious question. I only go to the DMV to transfer titles, so I'm a little confused as to why you'd need to go to the DMV to renew your driver's license.

[mobuto]

35. You can also do it online

Warner put the DMV online and its been enormously popular, and has saved the Commonwealth a lot of money.

[JI7]

25. i personally favor Mark Warner for vp

among a few others, mark warner is one of my favorites as possible vp. i would like to get to know more about him though.

[minkyboodle]

29. I don't think anything will carry VA for Kerry

love to be proven wrong though. I just don't think Warner would be enough to sway this state.
Scott

[Hippo_Tron]

37. Sounds like an all around good guy, cept he's only been in for 2 years...

It would be nice if he'd at least served one term.

[Freddie Stubbs]

45. That is one of the problems with Virginia

Virginia is one of the few states which limits its Governors to only one term. If he is going to continue his career, his best avenue may be throught the US Senate.