Where Art Thou, Mr. Kaine?

OK. Melanie Scarborough may have a point.

As the only state other than New Jersey that will elect a governor this year, Virginia is being watched by the nation's politicians and pundits as a testing ground for Democrats' latest strategy: courting Republican voters by embracing religion while assuring Democrats that such convictions don't matter. This is a peculiar position, as the gubernatorial candidacy of Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine (D) demonstrates.

For instance, Kaine says that his Catholic faith leads him to oppose both abortion and the death penalty but that he would not, as governor, try to thwart either practice. Why not?

Kaine's opposition to the death penalty dates from his days as a law student. What sort of person spends his adult life campaigning against the death penalty, but -- if given the power to commute death sentences -- would decline to use it?

Either Kaine's beliefs are not strongly held, or he is being disingenuous.

She goes on to criticize Gov. Mark Warner for saying he wouldn’t raise taxes during the 2001 campaign, but then she returns to Kaine.

Will the real Tim Kaine please stand up?

The gubernatorial candidate seems to want to appease both camps on social issues as well. When running for lieutenant governor, his campaign literature heralded him as pro-choice. Now Kaine says he is antiabortion -- but would not interfere with abortion rights.

During the 2001 campaign Kaine supported "civil benefits" for gay couples; now he says he doesn't favor civil unions or gay marriage. Does that distinction have a difference?

A professional acquaintance I hardly know shared some of her political views this morning. She’s definitely a Democrat, but Kaine’s waffling sent her into apoplexy. I suspect she’s not alone.

What emerged from several dozen conversations was a deep pessimism about the coming campaign. Most said they have little faith that any of the politicians running for the state's top job will deal seriously with the issues they care about. They said they crave candor, straight talk and honesty but are not expecting to get it.

"I'm sick and tired of the mudslinging," said Ginger Branton, director of Tazewell's Chamber of Commerce. "I want to hear what's important to me, not made-up stuff on other people."

Many of the those interviewed expressed skepticism about proposals by both major-party candidates to rein in homeowner taxes. "If there's a proposal to decrease taxes, the question is: 'And then what?' " said Norris, a board member of the Kingstowne homeowner association near Springfield. " 'I'm going to decrease taxes here, but I'm going to raise them over here.' "

These opinions “emerged” from one of The Washington Post’s talking tours, where they talk to a few folks around the state and try to divine a mood of the electorate but wind up tripping over themselves.

Bill Kelehar has heard the radio ads for weeks now. Democrat Timothy M. Kaine and Republican Jerry W. Kilgore -- each proclaiming throughout southern Virginia to be religious men, guided by the Christian faith. He's tired of it already.

A plant manager at a South Boston flag manufacturer, Kelehar is a religious man, a born-again Baptist. But he grimaces over the radio spots.

"All they are after is the Southern Baptist, religious, God-fearing vote," he said. "They don't think we have enough sense down here to know anything about roads or taxes and about any of that stuff."

But wait!

And [Crystal Brown of Suffolk] said the candidates for governor would be wise to talk more about their commitment to religion and faith.

"You can be governor and you can do whatever, but a lot of times you have to step back and say, a lot of things are not possible without your Lord and savior," Brown said. "You have got to have some kind of strength. You have got to have it from somewhere. You are not just going to get it from your title."

If this round-up piece is at all accurate, I think the best you can say about the two gubernatorial candidates is that they’re running scared -- scared of being called anti-faith, a hillbilly, a tax and spender, a liberal, and, it seems, a leader. Scarborough, of course, confines her criticisms to Kaine.

He served honorably both as city council member and lieutenant governor. But those roles drew on his talent for collegiality; a governor has to lead. And before deciding whether they trust him to do that, Virginians need to know exactly where Kaine stands:

Is he a tax-cutting, antiabortion, gun-rights conservative or is that campaign posturing?

Kilgore is no more a leader.

The referendum and transportation regional authorities are ideas born by man afraid of his own shadow.Hilary Goodman lives near Springfield's Mixing Bowl interchange, which Virginia is rebuilding at a cost of $700 million. He drives to work at the U.S. Department of Justice in the District. And he is quick to point out that, despite the increases in real estate taxes he has endured recently, his top issue is traffic.

"Tell the gentlemen down in Richmond who are running for governor, don't come and talk to us about capping assessments," Goodman said. "Come and tell us what you are going to do about transportation."

Kilgore has proposed the creation of local regional authorities that could hold voter referendums to raise taxes for roads. Kaine has said he supports the idea. But Goodman calls that just another "cop-out" by politicians looking for easy votes.

"It's like saying, 'We're passing it to you to take care of the problem because we're not doing it for you,' " Goodman said.

Kaine will be in Virginia Beach tomorrow, and Fredericksburg and Manassas on Wednesday. See if you can pin him down on some of these issues.

I’m not sure where Kilgore will be; his web site doesn’t list upcoming events unless they cost you to attend. Maybe he’s following President Bush’s idea of limiting who can come hear him to those guaranteed not to rock the boat.

If this keeps up, Russ Potts just might have a shot at winning -- by default.

Comments

[Bob]

First, I don't there's a chance Potts will get elected. But if we're playing "what if" games, I'd think it would further marginalize though enflame the regressives. I don't enough of his leadership abilities to judge how he might serve as governor, though the RENEW Va Schools experience with him was underwhelming, even if we did endorsed him.

Whether he'd accomplish much of his agenda is perhaps less interesting than what political fallout there might be. It would signal a total rejection of the regressive movement. I can't see that happening -- not at least this year in this state.

[Shaula Evans]

Bob, I agree with your take on the article.

For myself, I don't care if they are Zoroastrians or practice voodoo. I'd like to see a discussion of issues and a display of leadership.

I've avoided blogging on the gubernatorial race, because while I have a great respect for Tim Kaine as a person, and I appreciate how high the stakes are for Democrats in this race, the most polite thing I can find to say right now is I am greatly underwhelmed by his campaign. I'm not happy with the god-talk, the mud slinging, or the sophmoric tone.

I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts on what it would mean for Virginia if Potts actually won.

And, I'm biting my lip in the meantime.

[DABurgess]

Who, this Russ Potts?

http://onemanstrash.blogspot.com/2005/05/what-terrible-thing-it-is-to-lose-ones.html
http://baconsrebellion.blogspot.com/2005/05/blog-reporters.html
http://commonwealthwatch.blogspot.com/2005/05/potts-conspiracy-theory.html
http://commonwealthwatch.blogspot.com/2005/05/potts-doing-his-best-imitation-of.html
http://baconsrebellion.blogspot.com/2005/05/potts-criticism-of-kilgore.html
http://www.stoppotts.com/