Kaine for VP

One of the names that is getting thrown out there as possible vice president nominees is Virginia Governor Tim Kaine. I am not sold on Kaine. He would probably push Virginia into the blue column, but Kaine is probably the 3 choice of possible VP candidates in his own state behind Mark Warner and Jim Webb.

From Open Left...

One of the best local blogospheres in the country - Virginia's - emerged in 2005 out of the draft Clark campaign. Lowell Feld started the site Raising Kaine to support Tim Kaine for Governor, since Kaine was seen as a successor to Mark Warner, a Democrat who had governed effectively and progressively in the state. Kaine eventually won the race, and then the Virginia netroots and Feld went on to help Jim Webb defeat George Allen. This group has been part of turning that entire state blue, and they are quite tolerant of conservative Democrats.

So it's worth noting that the blog refers to itself as RK at this point, and has firmly turned against Kaine.

Three years into the Kaine Administration, Virginia Progressives stand aghast at what it has become. From his repeal of the estate tax to his abandoned plan for universal Pre-K, to his opposition to embryonic stem cells, from his failed transportation plans to cozy relationship to Dominion Power and his reprehensible support of the Wise Coal Plant, the Kaine administration has fulfilled our every early fear and never failed to disappoint progressive Virginia.

Not only has Kaine caved to the business right by promoting coal against the opposition of environmentalists and cutting taxes on the superwealthy, but the state is paralyzed by hyper-partisanship.

Tim Kaine spoke at the Texas Democratic Convention, which was covered by a blogger from the Burnt Orange Report...

Remember -- I started watching this video not liking Kaine. I already didn't like him because he (and his staff) were surprisingly and unnecessarily pushy backstage at the TDP convention (where I was volunteering). After reading about his policies, I liked him even less. Suffice to say, I'm really, really unexcited about any prospects of him as Vice President.

But if the only measuring stick is, "how good of a stump candidate for Vice President" would Kaine be, I'd have to say excellent. He can speak in Spanish, delivers red-meat to the base without becoming too partisan or overshadowing Obama, and can honestly tell a real-life story of flipping conservative states red-to-blue.

He's one of the worst choices for anyone who cares about policy, but is a damn good choice for anyone who only cares about politics.

Obama could do far worse than Tim Kaine, but there is a lot left to be desired policy wise.