Thursday, July 31, 2008
Kaine's shortfalls counter benefits
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Shanna Flowers is The Roanoke Times' metro columnist.
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Tim Kaine for vice president?
He played that one right.
The Virginia governor had absolutely nothing to lose -- and everything to gain -- when he became one of the first governors in the nation to back Barack Obama over then-front-runner and presumed nominee Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential race.
"I didn't endorse Senator Obama to get anything or get appointed to anything," Kaine said this week.
Maybe not, but his name is rumored to have landed on Obama's short list for vice president.
Kaine is an impressive politician. In a GOP-dominated state, he rose rapidly from city councilman in Richmond, to lieutenant governor and then governor. With some aid from the blundering George Allen, he helped Jim Webb capture what had looked like a safe GOP U.S. Senate seat.
But let's be real. While Kaine has made no major mistakes, he has no significant achievement as governor. Is he the default pick because Webb wants to stay put?
And let's be honest: A front-runner with limited national and international experience such as Obama needs someone with more heft than Kaine.
His appeal to Obama, of course, is that Kaine reigns over a state in play, and one that Obama is making an all-out push to win.
Virginia hasn't gone to a Democratic presidential candidate in more than 40 years.
Virginia voters handed Obama one of his most impressive primary victories. Did Kaine help with that? You bet'cha.
Obama's showing in Virginia also was helped because Clinton barely competed here. Her plan was to have the nomination wrapped up by Super Tuesday on Feb. 5, before the Virginia primary occurred. Oops.
Kaine, who became friends with Obama during the 2005 gubernatorial race, campaigned across the country for the Illinois senator during the primaries. He also is national co-chairman of Obama's campaign.
The governor and his staff have spoken extensively with Obama and his campaign about strategy and operations in Virginia, and the governor said he plans to attend the Democratic convention in Denver next month.
So if Kaine didn't plot a promotion to Washington, he's a guy for whom the political stars have aligned perfectly. That's a pretty good thing for a politician limited by law to one term. Kaine, of course, is understandably mum about his prospects to join the national ticket.
But just because his name occupies a spot on the short list doesn't mean he's the right man for the job.
A Cabinet post perhaps?
