ABC NEWS Is Kaine out of the VP race?

[jezebel]

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/08/virginia-govern.html
Virginia Governor Out of the VP Race?
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Share August 21, 2008 3:21 PM

ABC News' Jennifer Duck Reports: After a private meeting between Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine intensified the vice presidential drumbeat, does Kaine's schedule (and verb usage) reveal he's not actually in the running?

Following an event in Virginia, Kaine spoke to reporters and revealed that he's flying to Denver Friday night and that his whole family will be with him. "We're also trying to make a family vacation out of it," Kaine said.

Obama has plans to appear with his running mate on Saturday in Springfield, Ill.

Kaine's reflections on being in the vice presidential mix were also tinged more with past tense than present.

"It makes me feel good...flattering," Kaine said, "I've always thought it seemed a bit unlikely but I'm not going to tell you it hadn't been fun."

Asked if he has been let in to any conversations surrounding the Democratic veepstakes, Kaine said "I'm going to let the campaign take from here. They're going to reveal what they want to reveal when they want to reveal it."

"It's been nice to be mentioned but I'm going to let them do the heavy lifting at this point," he added.

Pressed by the grammar police press corps on his usage of past tense, Kaine said "I'll let you be the grammar judge although I've never been known for accuracy in grammar so it would be hard to scrutinize my grammar and make a conclusion."

Kaine said he had a "calm feeling about it all" and that his obsession with the veepstakes ran lukewarm, particularly compared to the press.

"There have been ups and downs, I gotta admit," Kaine said of the process, "but I just got a good, calm feeling about it. It's going to work out the way it's supposed to."

August 21, 2008 in Obama, Barack, Veepstakes, Vote 2008: Democrats | Permalink | User Comments (11)

[LSparkle]

1. I like Kaine a lot but he's not experienced enough for VP

Hopefully there's a Cabinet post for him after he finishes
out his gubernatorial term.

[niyad]

2. as one of the commentators said on KO last night--NOBODY knows, outside of the

obama campaign, because NOBODY in the campaign is talking. everyone else is just guessing.

[Barack_America]

3. Who knows? Kaine's entire family is flying out tomorrow night...

But when asked if they were going directly to Denver (or stopping in IL), he declined to respond.

[davidwparker]

9. could be a cover. planted the vacation idea. that way, when the press sees

suitcases, they'll be none the wiser. status quo.

[Renew Deal]

4. Kaine is out.

That seems clear. I never really thought he had a good chance. He doesn't help Obama in the right ways.

[Barack_America]

7. VA delegates are going to be seated next to IL at the convention.

With DE and IN, miles away.

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/08/what-the-convention-seating-ar.html

[countingbluecars]

11. If the VP is from Virginia

I think it will be Warner not Kaine. Silly thought perhaps, but fixing Virginia's economy is his claim to fame. Just a thought I had after seeing Warner and Obama together yesterday.

[w4rma]

13. Warner is going to be Virginia's next U.S. Senator so it can't be Warner. (nt)

[countingbluecars]

14. And he will be a great senator!

But would it be unheard of for someone else to step into his shoes this late in the senate race? Probably.

[underpants]

10. It would be a hard sell if he didn't finish his one term

in Va there are no consecutive terms as Governor. that is why you can't swing a dead cat around here without hitting a politician. Seriously we have like 10 living ex-Govs (including Kaine's father-in-law)

[MaineDem]

5. Oh I hope so. n/t

[SeaLyons]

6. I hope that's true...n/t

[FreeState]

8. Me too - he is a no starter for me n/t

[eshfemme]

12. Yeah, he doesn't enhance Obama well enough so he was never a VP pick for me.

[muffin1]

15. I hope he is out of the running!

A fellow DU-er informed me this morning that Kaine is not only against gay marriage, but also civil unions. I googled it, and it is true!
I can't believe I didn't know that - I'm from Virginia.:blush:

[Eurobabe]

16. He's out, nice guy but not VEEP material

Obama wants someone prepared to be President.