What about Mark Warner in 2008?

[elshiva]

I don't know much about him, only that he is the Democratic Gov. of VA. My Dad said he'll be a contender cos he is a southern governor. What do y'all think about that?
(BTW, I am a Marylander and the closest a Marylander has got to the presidency is Spiro Agnew. Oh, yeah and Keyes was from Maryland too)

[latteromden]

1. Keyes? You have my sympathy! As for Warner, I'm not so sure about him.

I'm actually going down to Virginia this summer to work on the 2005 governor's race down there (Kaine vs. Kilgore), and I've been paying attention to Warner for a while. I can't say I'm a fan. He supports NAFTA et al, the death penalty, and the worst thing I've heard from him:

(from ontheissues.org)

*Foreign aid should be given to countries only when it is in the security interests of the United States.
*The US should participate in UN peacekeeping missions only when vital US interests are directly threatened.

Not someone I want leading my country, even if he COULD win.

[elshiva]

3. Feh!

VA can keep him.

[FlemingsGhost]

2. I I can't believe folks still hold fast to a failed system.

Psst ... U.S. elections are a farce.

The deck is stacked and you ain't the house, champ.

[Tweed]

4. So might as well not even try?

Why do you come around then? To piss in our pool? You are doing a great job pal.

[FlemingsGhost]

5. "Swimming in Denial."

It's Adult Swim, Tweed. If you don't want to face facts, by all means, keep splashing around the kiddie pool.

[Tweed]

6. And I'm guessing you are in the adult pool because you are so smart

[FlemingsGhost]

7. You give me far too much credit, Tweed.

"It's time we start discussing the serious things affecting our country."

Ring a bell? Admitting that our electoral process is downright criminal, is a great place to start.

"Everyone out of the pool ... "

--------------------------------------

Right back at ya ...

[Telly Savalas]

14. That's right.

Time to pack it all in folks.

But don't forget to come here and post extensively on how being involved in politics is pointless though. That is part of the mission statement of this site, n'est-ce pas?

[justiceischeap]

8. I live in VA

People (Dems) don't think much of him here. I'm new to the state, so I don't know much about him myself. He's anti-gay marriage, so that's a huge nail in his coffin for me.

[elshiva]

11. Then he's nowhere for me.

I hope he does not even try to run, if he's anti-gay. I know we're going to run some southern man with a thick accent, but please let it be someone like Edwards or Gore who are at least pro-civil rights for gays.

[w4rma]

12. The vast majority of Democratic politicians are anti-gay marriage.

That is an insurmountable hurdle that you are placing in front of folks. Civil-unions are a different story. But don't expect *any* presidential contender who is good enough to get more than 20% of the vote to run on a pro-gay marriage platform.

That issue works as a very good litmus test for how naive (or manipulative) someone is about politics.

[elshiva]

13. I don't expect any presidential contender to be

pro-gay marriage, just pro-civil union. There is a difference because marriage has religious overtones, while civil union is secular.
I would have trouble voting for a democratic candidate who was against gays having the same rights as heterosexuals. Kerry/Edwards were both anti-gay marriage, but pro-gay civil rights as made clear in the debates. For this reason, I felt proud to vote for them against ye olde homophobes Bush/Cheney.

[w4rma]

16. thecorrection specifically stated

"gay marriage", not "civil unions".

[AP]

9. The one hesitation I have about him is that he made money from telecoms.

Personally, I love the exciting world of commerce. However, I don't think it will help democrats to have a candidate who makes people think that making a lot of money from stock options is a great thing.

Other than that, I'd like to hear more about Warner. I think his participation in the debate would be interesting. He has a great story (once you set aside the telecoms thing) and he comes from a good state.

[Lost4words]

10. I moved from Virginia 2 years ago, Mark Warner is a lightweight

there are no democrats that I would support right now, NONE.

[diamond14]

15. agree. I am also a Virginian, and Mark Warner is a lightweight...

I've heard him speak several times at fundraising events for Kerry's campaign, and he doesn't really carry the crowd, or even give a good speech, or project a strong voice....

IMO, Democratic Governor Mark Warner mostly got elected because a LOT of Virginians confused him with Republican Senator John Warner....there are NO PARTY affiliations listed on the Virginia Ballot AND Virginia schools are failing institutions, second only to and right behind Texas, so it's easy to confuse Virginians....anyone with money sends their children to PRIVATE SCHOOLS)...Mark Warner isn't even a NATIVE BORN VIRGINIAN....but as a politician, during the Kerry fight for Virginia, I just didn't see Mark building the kind of coalitions, and maneuvering the power.....we should have had Virginia for Kerry, it was VERY CLOSE...if Mark couldn't KERRY Virginia, when everything was in his favor, then he shouldn't run for the pResidency....

sad and sorry that I agree...Mark Warner is a LIGHTWEIGHT....