2008: Warner is a "map changer"

[WI_DEM]

The Last Dem to win Greene Co., MO, in a presidential race was Bill Clinton. And that's why Nora Walcott, the executive director of the Greene Co. Dem party, was so keen on inviting ex-VA Gov. Mark Warner to speak at their annual Jackson Day dinner this year.

Says Wolcott of Dems in her county: "They see Warner as a candidate who can do what Bill Clinton did in Illinois"--that is, break a cycle of Republican dominance. "He's a map-changer."

Warner, busily preparing a WH '08 campaign along the twin axes of pragmatic competence and Southern outreach quickly accepted. Wolcott announced the 4/7 dinner in late February. Two weeks later, all her tickets are gone and she's finding tables to fill an overflowing room."

www.dailykos.com
(you'll have to scroll down quite a bit)

Kos also writes that he was in Austin,TX recently and he was asked who he felt would be the nominee of the Dem. party in '08 and he replied, "If I had to guess, and I'm not very good at this, but if I had to predict who our nominee would be in 2008, I'd say it would be Mark Warner."

He says the room burst out in cheers and applause.

I'm not (yet) on the Warner bandwagon--it's too early, but he certainly would be a new face and someone who could make the south competitive. He would almost certainly bring Virginia's 15 electoral votes to the Democrats, imo.

[ramapodem]

1. I am not completely sold on Warner yet but...

Several prominent NJ money men just agreed to raise funds for Warner's pac. This is big because these same men raised over 5 million for Kerry in 2004 and it gives Warner some legitimacy.

[DaveColorado]

2. He's got the best shot

Hillary won't win any more states than Kerry.

Warner has a chance of giving us Virginia.

I'll support him if it means a little sanity restored.

[xxqqqzme]

3. dlc tool

[WI_DEM]

such an easy and simplistic response

[iconoclastNYC]

11. Valid responses often are simple and easy.

Why don't you defend the DLC?

DLC - Why shoulnd't your Democrat be owned by the Fortune 500?

[depakid]

4. Yet another prescription for disaster

A boring ho hum candidate trying to pander to the south, who'll legitimize far right policies and keep the Dems from ever running a nationalized campaign based on traditional Democratic values.

Yep, just what we need....to ensure that the Dems never regain power (or even relevancy) in national politics for the next decade.

[On the Road]

6. Pandering is Not What Warner Did in Virginia

At least, I've never heard that term associated with him.

He is a candidate capable of changing the frame. Howard Dean was another, but he won't be running in 08. I don't see too many options out there who can do that.

[wisteria]

5. Inexperienced -I would rather vote for Kerry. n/t

[WI_DEM]

7. Still he has an impressive record

in his four years as Governor (he is constitutionally not allowed to succeed himself).

2nd largest increase in funding for college/universities in the country.
Salvaged Virginia's AAA bond status
97% of all eligible children in VA are covered with health insurance.
turned a huge deficit into a big surplus

After four years of Bush I think that kind of record would be very appealing to the electorate.

[mitchtv]

8. Not to mention the most Draconian anti Gay legislation

in the country, on his watch

[WI_DEM]

9. Which was?

as I say I haven't made up my mind so I would be interested in knowing more about this.

[mitchtv]

18. a sample

Virginia's New Jim Crow

By Jonathan Rauch
Sunday, June 13, 2004; Page B07


On July 1 Virginia takes a big step backward, into the shadow of Jim Crow.



I do not write those words lightly or rhetorically. Although I'm an advocate of same-sex marriage, I have taken care not to throw around motive-impugning words such as bigotry, hate or homophobia. I have worked hard to avoid facile comparisons between the struggle for gay marriage and the struggle for civil rights for African Americans; the similarities are real, but so are the differences.

Above all, I have been careful to distinguish between animus against gay people and opposition to same-sex marriage. No doubt the two often conjoin. But millions of Americans bear no ill will toward their gay and lesbian fellow citizens, yet still draw back from changing the boundaries of society's most fundamental institution. The ban on gay marriage in 49 states (Massachusetts, of course, being the newly minted exception) may well be unfair and unwise, as I believe it to be. Yet people of good conscience can maintain that although all individuals are equal, all couples are not.

If I seem to be splitting hairs, that is because Virginia -- where my partner and I make our home -- is not splitting hairs. It has instead taken a baseball bat to civic equality, thanks to the so-called Marriage Affirmation Act.

The act -- really an amendment to an earlier law -- was passed in April, over Gov. Mark R. Warner's objections, and it takes effect July 1. It says, "A civil union, partnership contract or other arrangement between persons of the same sex purporting to bestow the privileges and obligations of marriage is prohibited." It goes on to add that any such union, contract or arrangement entered into in any other state, "and any contractual rights created thereby," are "void and unenforceable in Virginia."

more
.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A36314-2004Jun12.html
Not that I blame him, but that is an awful place to be from, and expect to get liberal votes. Virginia is for Haters
mot presidential candidates. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth

[WI_DEM]

20. I agree that is a terrible law

but I also note that it was passed over Gov. Warner's objections. That said, since I don't know much about it I also don't know how hard he fought against it either.

[iconoclastNYC]

10. I will not support a DLC candidate on principal

DLCers are not stand up Democrats. They are "let yourself be bullied" Democrats and they care more about the needs of the Fortune 500 then the needs of middle class americans.

[WI_DEM]

13. well, both of our nominees in '04--Kerry and Edwards are members

of the DLC and they are both standing up for middle class americans--infact, Edwards is working hard on his pet project--poverty--the poor in America.

[iconoclastNYC]

23. I'm talking about in the primary.

When it comes to November you have to weight the two alternatives.

[iconoclastNYC]

31. BTW

Kerry is ex-DLC I dont see his name anywhere on the DLC's web site. Do you?

[iconoclastNYC]

12. Feingold has my vote for now

He's a stand up guy and he doesn't take PAC money. DLC Mark Warner is made by corporate money.

DLC - Corporate Selected, Corporate Approved Democrats.

[WI_DEM]

16. Feignold would be a stand up nominee

I just don't see him expanding the Democratic base and getting the states we need to win in '08. We can't take for granted that any democrat will win the so-called "Blue States". I heard that in '04 that Kerry would win all the blue states that Gore did but he ended up losing two of them--Iowa and New Mexico. We need somebody who will have national not simply regional acceptability. Al Gore if he ran would be a good choice.

[iconoclastNYC]

22. Feingold is not Kerry.

Kerry is as insider and beltway as you can get and he takes corporate money.

We need to shake off the DLC "don't piss off big business" centrism so we can appeal to moderate and paleoconservative republicans and independants. The DLC's "Third Way" is suicidal.

I will not trust a DLC candidate.

[Warren DeMontague]

14. Yeah. So How is Warner on Iraq? Choice? Equal rights for Gays?

Um, sorry, I'll take Al Gore as my 2008 map changer, TYVM. With Russ Feingold a close second.

[WI_DEM]

17. That's what we need to find out isn't it

but he is going to be a top prospect for the nomination no doubt about that.

[Warren DeMontague]

30. Might be worth tracking down his recent comments about Iraq.

If I remember correctly, they soured quite a few people here off of the Warner bandwagon.

[never_get_over_it]

15. I've met Mark Warner and worked in his campaigns

and although there is alot I like about him - he doesn't float my boat for President. He sucked up to the NRA for his Governor's race in VA - and although I understand his moving in their direction because of the voters in VA - he actively courted them and for me that was way too over the top. On a very bright note he commuted that death sentence towards the end of his term and I WAS VERY VERY VERY proud of him for that. But basically almost any Dem coming out of VA would be way too conservative for me.

That said if he were the nominee I would most certainly support him - but he is not a top choice for me.

[jsamuel]

19. my wife said he seems like a "Democratic Bush"

(and not in a good way) I am having a hard time not agreeing with that.

There is much time before any 2008 primaries though.

[mattclearing]

21. But then, Bush was supposed to be a "Republican Clinton."

Remember the black gospel singers at the RNC in 2000?

The several attempts to appear moderate, to put forth policies that sounded like Clinton's (affirmative 'access', continuing to balance the budget despite the tax cut, etc.), but really weren't?

Warner would be a good nominee, but I can think of several better ones.

He'd make a great VP to Clark. He lacks military credentials, which is an issue when it comes to running for President, especially now.

[WI_DEM]

24. I think in the end that it will either be Clark, Warner or Hillary

who will get the democratic convention. I think Clark would be a very effective nominee as well.

[insane_cratic_gal]

25. Didn't Warner say he'd of voted for Alito? n/t

[WI_DEM]

26. Not that I'm aware of--do you have something which indicates that?

That would be a big drawback for me if he did.

[insane_cratic_gal]

28. I remember an a bitch-fess over it.

but let me be certain. *off poking about*

[mattclearing]

27. Did he?

I'd be interested in a link on that.

[insane_cratic_gal]

29. NM I think it was John Warner (repuke) He's cleared

I think perhaps that is the bitch-fess started was a name recognition, and people assumed it was Mark right out of the gate.


I found proof to clear him (lol)

Warner was also pressed on Samuel Alito and said "he would not have chosen Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. as a U.S. Supreme Court nominee" and objected to Alito's views on the right to privacy.
The interview was filmed last week in the executive mansion.

http://www.coreyhernandez.com/taxonomy/term/39