Mark Warner has defined himself as a different kind of entrepreneur-politician

http://www.gwu.edu ^ | Spring 2002 | By Bob Guldin

[Maelstorm]

Warner came to be Virginia’s governor by a path that was purposely political, including the decade he spent becoming a high-tech venture capitalist. Along the way, his four years at GW (1973 to 1977) were crucial in his political development.

When he got to D.C. in 1973, Warner immediately started working in the office of Sen. Abe Ribicoff (D-Conn.). “I’ll always remember my first job on Capitol Hill. I would ride my bike every day—I had to be there at 7:15 to open the mail. Here I was, a freshman in college, I thought it was pretty cool.”

From that point on, Warner says with a smile, “I majored in Washington, D.C.” He took time off from college to work on Ella Grasso’s successful campaign for governor of Connecticut. “The first woman elected a state governor in her own right,” he says with pride. From there, he went on—at the ripe age of 21—to manage the congressional re-election campaign of Chris Dodd (D-Conn).

As busy as he was in Democratic politics, Warner still made an impression on campus, recalls Keith Frederick, who roomed with him freshman year in Thurston Hall and who’s still a close friend. “Mark stood out because he was so successful landing jobs on Capitol Hill and still got good grades. He would organize study groups; he was already showing managerial skills.”

Warner likes to say that he was inspired—but not jaded— by the protest movements of the 1960s and ’70s. Says Frederick about the mood on campus, “We were hugely affected by Watergate,” the scandal that riveted Washington during their freshman year. “There was a lot of idealism, the idea of proactively working for change. Cynicism about government hadn’t taken hold yet.”

...

After GW, Warner headed to Harvard Law, but he couldn’t stay away from Washington. After earning his JD, he came back and took a job as an $18,000-a-year fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee.

At that point, his career took an unexpected turn. When he realized how big a role fundraising played in politics, Warner decided that he needed to become financially independent before he could think about seeking office. He set out to make some real money.

After a couple of costly false starts, Warner learned about a brand new business opportunity—cellular phones. In the early 1980s, the federal government was awarding free licenses to those who promised to get the new technology up and running. Warner used his extensive political contacts and his formidable powers of persuasion to recruit investors. Before long, his businesses had taken off and Warner was wealthy.

[Maelstorm]

This is a telling bio.

Warner says with a smile, “I majored in Washington, D.C.”

Warner likes to say that he was inspired—but not jaded— by the protest movements of the 1960s and ’70s.

After earning his JD, he came back and took a job as an $18,000-a-year fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee.

After a couple of costly false starts, Warner learned about a brand new business opportunity—cellular phones. In the early 1980s, the federal government was awarding free licenses to those who promised to get the new technology up and running. Warner used his extensive political contacts(Chris Dodd) and his formidable powers of persuasion to recruit investors.

[kbennkc]

His speech at the rat convention was enough to sink any career . He must have thought he was the second coming of BJ Clinton with that oratorical valentine card to himself .

[Maelstorm]

Well you know some have said he is. There are also murmors from female aids that he has some of Bill Clintons other talents but of course the Press which has been covering for this jerkoff don’t see fit to point anything out. Especially that he never had a successful businesss before he got a handout of cell phone spectrum licenses from the federal government. Warner is the big lie liberal. Tonight in the debate he said that he’d never vote to confirm Scalia or Thomas. The guy is more disgusting the more I find out about him. Virginia has been tricked.

[A Balrog of Morgoth]

After a couple of costly false starts, Warner learned about a brand new business opportunity—cellular phones. In the early 1980s, the federal government was awarding free licenses to those who promised to get the new technology up and running. Warner used his extensive political contacts(Chris Dodd) and his formidable powers of persuasion to recruit investors.

In other words, he is a successful rent-seeker.

[TBP]

Remember Sen. John Tunney, who was elected on his father the fighter’s name?

Mark Warner is runnign on the name of a Senator who isn’t related to him and is a member of the other party. That’s about all he has to recommend his sorry butt.

[napscoordinator]

Virginia has been tricked.

Twice! They are going to have two Democrats in the Senate in January! Unbelievable!!! I never thought Virginia would have two democrats in the senate much less in two short years.