.Posted on 08/07/2005 12:36:17 PM PDT by RWR8189
RICHMOND There was Democrat Mark Warner, all teeth, smiling grandly. And next to him stood Republican George Allen, ruddy-faced and grinning, too. Surrounded by reporters at the Richmond Marriott hotel last month, the pair might have been taken for best buddies as they celebrated the success of Virginia's tough school standards.
Allen, Virginia's junior senator, slapped his arm around Warner's shoulders and sang the governor's praises: "We may be in different parties," he said as Warner nodded, "but it's great, actually, for Virginians to know there is that commonality there."
Well, sure, but how deep does it go? Picture, now, fast-forwarding three years. It's 2008. National Republicans decide to nominate tobacco-chewing, bolo-tie-wearing Allen, a pro-lifer who spouts endless sports analogies, for president. Democrats, meanwhile, pick big-bucks, high-tech, NASCAR-loving Warner to compete for the nation's highest elected office. Suddenly, the two back-slapping Virginia pols are locked in a do-or-die battle for the presidency -- and the Old Dominion, with its 13 electoral votes, is at the center of the battle.
Sound crazy? Okay, full disclosure: That scenario may turn out to be nothing more than the wishful imaginings of Virginia's small corps of political reporters, professional pundits and campaign consultants.
And yet, an increasing number of national political pros who owe no allegiance to the commonwealth are offering the two politicians' names as leading candidates for the nominations of their respective parties. In April, the National Journal named Allen as the most likely GOP nominee, while more recently, Wall Street Journal columnist Stephen Moore conceded that some believe Warner is "the [Democratic] party's strongest conceivable general election candidate."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
She has a few rival alreadys, it may be a flooded primary for the dems in 2008 (she will still get the nomination).
Some dems have already teed off on her in raising funds (see Gov Warner).
I think she wants Bill Richardson for VP, he is one of them, and a clinton crony.
Warner is close to making ad blood with shots at her already.
Bookmark it.
Why do you say that?
The other pickins are slim.
Thanks for the ping.
Why do you think that?
It seems to me he would be a natural heir to Bush.
It would be illegal. First, as a running mate, this would be in the general election and they would have to decline federal financing. Much different than declining federal matching funds in the primary (I worked for Forbes in '96, the first time anyone had declined matching funds since Connelly did way back when.) Second, he would be second on a ticket and by virtue of that would only be able to give the legal individual limit to the ticket since it was not just him running.
For what it is worth, Forbes, who back in '96 was worth at least $500 million, would have taken the federal financing in the general, so I doubt that Marky Mark would even consider declining it given his relative pauper status.
I'll take that bet and wager a ticket the Inaugural Ball.
Bookmark it.
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