Kaine on VP hype, "kind of weird" and "surreal," hasn't spoken to Obama in weeks

[ProSense]

Speaking with Kaine in Chincoteague

Posted: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 10:23 AM by Mark Murray

From NBC/NJ's Carrie Dann

CHINCOTEAGUE, VA -- Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine tells NBC/NJ that he doesn't "have any idea about where the process is" for the selection of the vice presidential nominee, and that he has not spoken to Obama "for a number of weeks, since before his trip."

Kaine, widely rumored to be at the top of Obama's veep short list, attended the annual Chincoteague Pony Swim this morning with his 13-year old daughter. In an interview with NBC News and the National Journal, Kaine downplayed chatter over his potential role as Obama's No. 2 as a more casual matter than the frenzy makes it seem. "I have no idea how serious it is or anything," he said, "but it's been kind of fun."

Asked if he's spoken with the Illinois senator recently, Kaine responded, "No, not for, gosh, for a number of weeks. Since before his trip. And I really don't have any idea about where the process is."

Kaine insisted that he has "no hints about timing" for the veep rollout, whoever the choice may be. But he doesn't seem to mind the spotlight in the meantime. "It's nice to be speculated about," he said with a smile.

Kaine, who called the hype "kind of weird," and "surreal," was clad in a t-shirt celebrating the Virginia town's annual Pony Swim, when Chincoteague's trademark breed of ponies are herded across a channel from a nearby island for penning and auctioning.

Square on the back of Kaine's screen-printed tee: the calendar year "08."

Who starts these rumors?

[TwilightGardener]

1. I don't trust him. He's a little too excited about this, and I think he was the

one who leaked that he was in "serious conversations" to associates, who then blabbed to WaPo. Obama had better be looking elsewhere--this guy can't be discreet.

[ProSense]

3. I don't care who Obama picks.

It's his decision. Only a select few people know what is involved in the vetting process so all the notions about who is right or wrong for the position are futile.

Nothing wrong with trying to guess, but the definitive assertions are silly.

[Inuca]

4. I wouldn't go that far, but I have

a similar uneasy feeling. All these rumors from "very reliable sources" that erupted all over the place... what the hell is going on? I am mostly neutral with a tinge of underwhelmed about Kaine. I guess I am of the crowd that thinks that somebody with heavier credentials would be better. We shall see...

[DFLforever]

5. I think this was leaked by the Obama campaign

to 1)gage reaction to a Kaine nomination and also, 2) to take media attention away from the 'visiting wounded soldiers in Germany' story.

I

[TwilightGardener]

6. That's not what the WaPo article said--it said that associates of Kaine

talked to them under anonymity, and that Kaine was telling them about being vetted and having talks with Obama about the VP slot. Like I said, he should be pulling a poker face and not acting a little schoolboy about it.

[writes3000]

8. But if Obama wanted it leaked, wouldn't he ask Kaine to leak it?

I don't think it will be Kaine. I think this is all just to boost Kaine's profile and to let the people of Virginia know they have a big in with Obama.

[TwilightGardener]

11. No, if Obama wanted it leaked, he would have sources from his own camp

leak it--he wouldn't intentionally use Kaine as a decoy, unless he has no intention of making Kaine his running mate and Kaine agreed to leak this. Look at the Ann Veneman leak--that wasn't attributed to anybody. It's that easy to spread this shit without even using good sources.

[writes3000]

17. As I said, I don't think Kaine will be VP. I think this is about boosting his profile. n/t

[Barack_America]

21. If Obama is picking his VP based on who he can best govern with, it will be Kaine.

If he's looking for someone who makes the ticket a sure bet in November, it probably won't be.

IMO, that's pretty much what it boils down to.

[DFLforever]

9. Yeah, but I don't think that part is true.

The entire way it was written looks like a dodge to me, emphasizing Bayh as well as Biden. That sounds to me like it was from the campaign.

I actually think my second point was their main motive - getting the heat off the wounded soldier story.


edited out typos.

[TwilightGardener]

10. Then you're saying the WaPo is lying about its sources? Or is being lied to?

Because they attribute the leaks to sources around Kaine--not from the Obama campaign. Either way, I don't know if it's meant to be a distraction from the story--but it's not working very well. Obama should have surrogates and ads smacking this one down.

[ProSense]

12. WaPo printed a rumor.

We have no idea who these sources are, or how WaPo determined that they would have inside information. If Kaine hasn't spoken to Obama in weeks, what evidence did they have that Kaine was in serious talks (the media spin) with Obama?

Also, Obama really doesn't need to address every media rumor about his VP pick, and he definitely doesn't need to spend money refuting these.

He has already made it clear that everyone will know his choice when he announces it.

[DFLforever]

18. Well I've read that some Kaine 'associates' do work at the

Chicago office.

I'm also suspicious because of the way they rolled out the VP thing on Mon. with all the key staff + Obama being together at Holder's office for hours. And with another story about a second meeting at his office Tues. with Obama. I think they wanted those stories out.

I do think this VP stuff did take attention away from the soldiers even if it didn't bury it.

I could be completely wrong. I'm just speculating on what I've read on-line. But I also can't see Kaine doing anything like this on his own.

[Barack_America]

16. Okay, but who told them to loosen their lips?

Kaine is a loyal friend to Obama. Obama trusts him implicitly. If the campaign hadn't given his people the go to talk a bit, they wouldn't have. It only takes one look at how many different "sources" there suddenly was for this story to realize it was a deliberate campaign leak. They made damn sure it got out there.

[TwilightGardener]

19. This is politics--I don't know that Obama's dumb enough to trust ANYONE implicitly

except Michelle. That said, it makes Kaine look disingenuous to be named the ultimate source of the speculation, and then to pretend it's all a big, wacky surprise to him now. That's a bad spot to be in, if he indeed didn't blab. Biden and Bayh have not leaked anything from their camps, to my knowledge. Dodd did--don't know why.

[Barack_America]

13. It's really pretty obvious, isn't it?

There's no way in hell this is only coming from Kaine.

The campaign is clearly selling this to the media. Why? Well, I guess only they know for sure.

[Barack_America]

14. You don't like Kaine. We get it. nt

[TwilightGardener]

15. I don't think he'd be the best choice, for this and other reasons--but

if Obama thinks he's the best (and we shall see), I'll shut my yap about him.

[Marrah_G]

2. GoBama!

[book_worm]

7. I'm comfortable with whoever Obama decides to select.

[ecstatic]

20. Wow. They both have young kids too! nt