I'm guessin' he ain't there to nominate the eyebrow...
Posted on 08/13/2008 6:05:45 AM PDT by Alter Kaker
Reflecting new Democratic optimism about the South, former Virginia governor Mark R. Warner will keynote the party’s national convention in Denver two weeks from now.
Warner appealed successfully to NASCAR Democrats in his election as governor, running strongly in rural areas and with working-class social conservatives.
Warner, 53, briefly sought the Democratic presidential nomination but dropped out to pursue a U.S. Senate race against another former governor, Republican Jim Gilmore. Warner is far ahead in polls and fund-raising.
Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is targeting Virginia as a traditionally Republican state that he could turn blue this year.
The resources his campaign are pouring into the Old Dominion are emblematic of the party’s optimism about cracking into the GOP’s solid hold on the South’s electoral vote.
Warner, who endorsed Obama after dropping out of the primaries, has a post-partisan message that’s similar to Obama’s.
Warner’s a rising star in the party, paired with the established force of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) on the second night of the convention. The duo is designed as a powerful display of the strength of the Democratic Party headed into the fall.The selection was announced by the Obama campaign on Wednesday morning, and disclosed to Warner supporters and donors in a midnight e-mail:
“Friends: It's late, but we couldn't wait to share with you some exciting news. Governor Warner has been asked to address this year's Democratic National Convention in Denver as the primetime keynote speaker on Tuesday night.
“According to Obama campaign manager David Plouffe, ‘Mark Warner is not afraid to challenge the status quo to bring people together and get things moving. It’s that kind of spirit and innovation that resulted in his selection as keynote speaker on a night when the Convention program will focus on renewing America’s economy.’
“More details will follow, but we wanted you to be the first to know.”
Here’s the text of the Obama announcement:
MARK WARNER TO DELIVER CONVENTION KEYNOTE ADDRESS ON TUESDAY, AUG. 26TH
CHICAGO – The Obama for America Campaign announced today that former Virginia Governor Mark Warner will deliver the keynote address at the 2008 Democratic Convention on Tuesday, August 26th, the second night of the Convention.
An innovative businessman known for his ability to work with Republicans, Democrats and Independents, campaign officials said that Warner’s vision for Virginia and his leadership style echoed the Convention’s theme of Americans coming together for change.
“Barack Obama believes you can’t have a strong economy when you have a weak middle class,” said Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe. “Millions of Americans are struggling to get by, forced to make impossible choices about their future and the future of their families. Tuesday’s Convention program will feature the voices of Americans who share Obama’s concerns and strongly support his detailed economic plan to grow the economy, create jobs, restore fairness, and expand opportunity. As Governor of Virginia, Warner used his experience in business to help deliver jobs and hope to the citizens of Virginia. His work creating jobs in Southwest and Southside Virginia is a model for the rest of the Country. Like Barack Obama, Mark Warner is not afraid to challenge the status quo to bring people together and get things moving. It’s that kind of spirit and innovation that resulted in his selection as keynote speaker on a night when we will be discussing how to renew America’s promise.”
Warner, a candidate for the United States Senate in Virginia, will speak on Tuesday night of the Democratic Convention. The theme of Tuesday’s night program at the Convention is Renewing America’s Promise.
Obama’s VP?
or Hillary’s VP
I'm guessin' he ain't there to nominate the eyebrow...
Don't think so. You don't have a keynote speaker and a vice president -- because then the same person would have to give two speeches, which would be weird.
Obama wants 60 senate seats so he's not going to give up Virginia.
Not him. He's running for a Senate. The other VA Democratic Governor: Kaine.
All hail the “Affable Android”.
He’s being groomed for 2012 in case Obama goes down in flames in November.
Why? So they can maintain their long tradition of nominating empty suits for the presidency?
Yes. Remember that Obama gave the Keynote speech in 2004 for Kerry’s nomination.
The Clintonites are really ticked off because Hillary was supposed to be the keynote speaker from what I can gather. Just more reason for them to be angry at the DNC. I think they take for granted their base to be stupidly loyal. I am actually surprised at how they are pulling away.
Anyway, the Democrats must assume that the Clinton supporters will just shut up and follow along with the party says, but they aren’t. Alot of them are putting “Family first” and that means not voting for Obama.
Obama might have the media swooning, and might have the black vote shored up, but they certainly don’t have the rest of the country.
I came from Pennsylvania to Virginia when the government was more Republican and conservative. Now I so dislike Virginia politics because of the strong liberal swing. Today, I pulled up behind a big SUV at McDonald’s that had a Mark Warner sticker and an Obama sticker on the bumper. Made me not want to order breakfast. (Note, of course it had no sticker to show support for our troops, and this is a military base area!)
Oh yeah, that’s right!
Interesting pattern, that!
“He’s being groomed for 2012 in case Obama goes down in flames in November.”
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
A possibility for sure but if Obamalamadingdong does NOT go down in flames I consider it very doubtful that there will be an office to run for in 2012. At least not one worth winning.
Was I wrong? Or is this CHANGE?
Well, the DNC is probably just playing it for which they think is smart, i.e. hedging on Obama and having someone in reserve (not Hillary—too much damage there) for 2012 just in case he fails this time around. That’s what I’d do if I were Howard Dean.
Not exactly. He dropped out for "family reasons" after Team Hillary showed up on his doorstep with a dossier full of nasty things he's done. The senate race opened up a few months AFTER he dropped out.
God, Mark Warner is an even emptier suit than Barack Obama. I guess that’s why they want him as keynote speaker, at least he won’t outshine Obama.
I dont think you will ever see Warner on the presidential or VP ticket.
I can't believe for two seconds that he dropped out of the 2008 race to "spend more time with his family." I can believe that the skeletons have been rattling.
gag me !
think the VP now will be Bayh?
IIRC, Bayh was to be a major speaker a convention or two ago and just bombed.
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