Mark Warner for President?

[orangeotter]

A Surplus in VA = A Dem. in D.C.
news item: http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1031779055226&path=%21news&s=1045855934842

more commentary: http://orangeotter.blogspot.com


Mark Warner do you know him? Maybe you should get acquainted. He is currently the Democratic Governor from Virginia. Obviously it's a red state and not one of those blood reds like Utah or Wyoming. It's a southern state, you know that area of the country that has provided all of our Democratic Presidents since Kennedy. But what does he have to offer....
(snip)
Again this doesn't provide a whole lot of substance let's dig a little deeper. His bio states that:

Since his inauguration in January 2002, Governor Mark R. Warner has taken a business-like approach to reforming government services and spending, navigating Virginia through a $6 billion revenue shortfall,
(snip)
Blah-blah-blah yackety-smackety. Focus grasshopper there is truth somewhere inside. "$6 billion revenue shortfall" that's tough stuff and a lot of states are in that boat now i.e. Texas and California. So he has helped navigate the state in rough times, but it's hard to sink a state. The real question is can he pull it out of the gutter.

Uh, wait no I guess the question is what is next on the agenda since this appeared in the Times-Dispatch today:

Wise use urged on budget surplus

CHARLOTTESVILLE - With the state expecting a record budget surplus of $900 million or more,
(snip)

[orangeotter]

1. Does anyone have anymore info on his record?

[Senator Lamb]

2. this is the guy

damn you Hillary! Warner/Richardson though it would be weird since Richardson has more credentials

[Kahuna]

3. I'm feeling Warner/Richardson too. It's early. But it's nice to

know there's a potential champion for the Dems out there.

[orangeotter]

4. would be odd to have richardson as veep

he has sooo much more experience on all levels state/fed/international (terrorism anyone) but i could still see it happening wow Virginia and NM would be interesting

[Kahuna]

5. Richardson could be a contender in his own right. You're right..

I actually favored Richardson and Warner as VPs for Kerry.

[Bush was AWOL]

18. Definitely the ticket to go with

as long as they don't carry heavy baggage we're unaware of at this point.

That ticket could carry Virginia, WV, Ohio, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico.

[katamaran]

6. Probably won't be able to carry VA

He ran for Senate in 96 against John Warner (who, despite being a Republican, I would follow to hell and back), and I think he ran for Senate again to replace Chuck Robb when he retired (lost to George Allen...shudder). He is definitely a businessman and is running the state like a corporation. He is very, very centered on Northern VA though....some people have accused him of ignoring the rest of the state. He has raised taxes a little as well, which won't play well nationally. He barely has the support of his own state. Again, another case of someone actually making a difference, but getting the raw deal for it.

He is in the same situation that Kerry would have been in (sans war). A Dem trying to clean up after a chronic money spending Republican who ran the state into the ground. Former Gov. Jim Gilmore (R) campaigned on the platform of eliminating all personal property taxes on cars. People bought it hook, line and sinker, without wondering where the hell the rest of the money was going to come from. Halfway through the phasing out of the tax, Gilmore bailed on his ONE campaign issue and left half the tax in check. Since VA doesn't allow for two consecutive terms, Gilmore had nothing to gain or lose from keeping or killing the tax. Gilmore became the new golden boy of the Republican party, but got drummed out.

[Emboldened Chimp]

11. You would follow John Warner to hell and back?

Why?

[katamaran]

13. John Warner is a good Senator, despite his party...

John Warner is one of two Reps who I have voted for in my life (the other is a member of the VA House of Delegates and a good friend who himself got screwed by his fellow Reps recently). Though I consider myself a Dem, I vote for person and issues first. Just happens that I agree more with Dem issues. John Warner is much like John McCain to me in that he doesn't bow down and lick the boots of the Bush administration. He honestly fights for Virginia, for our local military, and everyone affected by the military. The Norfolk area is highly dependent on the military population for a huge chuck of its industry. My dad worked at a local shipyard for 30+ years, and the worst times were during the defense cuts initiated by Papa Shrub's administration. My dad's yard was a danger of closing because the Navy was sending all its contracts out of the area. Warner stepped in using his Armed Services credentials and pushed some work back into the area. It really helped our local economy and kept a roof over our heads.

He also (or someone in his office) intervened with the VA Administration when they tried to screw over my WWII vet disabled grandmother. They were literally trying to push her out onto the streets because the VA hospital didn't want to treat her anymore (she was hospitalized there for 6 months). Medicare was screwing her as well, not wanting to contribute to her care in a nursing home. One call to Warner's office, and things were straightened out in less than a week.

So I have a little personal interest in John Warner and think he is one of the best Senators out there, even if he is a Republican. He would have made a great Secretary of Defense under Kerry.

And he was married to Elizabeth Taylor. Max props for that.

[newyawker99]

12. Hi katamaran!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[liberDave]

7. I live in Virginia and....

IMHO he needs to go to an orthodontist because of his "buck teeth". He will need every advantage these days.

[Killarney]

8. I think he sounds great.

He may be too centrist for some, but I think we could win with him.

Took over a state when it was a mess and turned it around. Big focus on education and health care. Great personal life. Nice wife, 3 young daughters. He's young himself, smart businessman.

Managed to balance the budget in VA with a Republican legislature!

[liberDave]

10. Centrist is the only way.

The country has moved too far right to appeal too far left any more. IMHO (of course).

[Senator Lamb]

15. we can still be left

but its how we package it. N.E liberal whose rich and sounds like an elite? no. a straight talker populist from the midwest or southwest who has that manly image and a common folk look can pull it off. yes. i described my strategy before but hardly anyone responded. :(

[dtotire]

9. Mark Warner for President

He sounds like he might make a good candidate; however, I think a better one would be Evan Bayh of Indiana. He was Governor of that state for two terms, and was just reelected for a second term as Senator. He graduated with honors from Indiana U, which would indicate superior intelligence. He is a moderate liberal. He would carry the entire Midwest, including Indiana and Ohio.

[DarthDem]

14. Some Combination of . . .

Bayh and Warner is where it's at, as things stand now, for 2008. The blue states will vote for the Democrat no matter what - - the key is to add a couple of other states elsewhere. I don't know if Bayh would carry Indiana, but he would almost certainly tip the balance in Ohio. Warner would help in Arkansas and North Carolina. I think he could carry Virginia.

One question with this ticket is how it would play in the Southwest, which is where I see the Democrats' future electoral majority emerging - - look at what happened in Colorado this time out.

[Senator Lamb]

16. it would be a crime

if Hillary is nominated with all his potential to carry red states such as virginia and even redder indiana

[Kathy in Cambridge]

22. Hillary is too polarizing

it would bring out every segment that hates her and her husband to vote

[Carolinian]

17. Hell no.

[Bush was AWOL]

19. Why not?

[Killarney]

20. why not? I'd like to learn more if there's something about him

we should know.

[Democracy Died 2004]

21. He is getting my support

I know to some it seems early but here is a democrat in Va, with a 60% approval after he raised taxes. appears to have something people like.