Mark Warner, the Democratic contender

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He'll have my support in '08, but knowing my party... We'll just pass him by.

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He'll have my support in '08, but knowing my party... We'll just pass him by.

We just have to work to make sure Hillary doesn't get the nomination and then Warner should be all set.

It will be a little more complicated than that.  When Warner is forced to get up in front of the Liberal Army in Iowa and discuss his views on Abortion, Death Penalty, Iraq, and Illegal Immigration... The Lib's are gonna' go nuts.

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He's got a lot of support on DailyKos.

I posted a diary on MyDD the other day regarding his position on illegal immigration, and they were basically calling for his head.

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I really think you're a little misguided in your analyis. "The Lib's" will not go nuts. I think the majority of Democrats are pretty close to yourself  and my views. Most are not "far left". Warner is very exemplary of the Democratic mainstream on most issues:

Abortion-he'll be fine. Most people support parental notification.
Death Penalty-he'll be fine. The vast majority of politicians support the death penalty in some instances.
Iraq-I think his view is pretty typical of most Democrats. Support the war, but not the way it was carried out.
Illegal Immigration-most Democrats believe in much stricter immigration laws. This will actually be a strength of Warner.

Warner is pretty similar to Bill Clinton, although probably a little more to the left on some issues.  

I sure hope your right... I guess Im just being a pessimist.

Here is a link to my diary entry regarding Gov. Warner and Illegal Immigration...

http://nickshepdem.mydd.com/story/2005/3/30/154131/416

Skip down a little bit.  The first 5 or so comments are pro-Warner.  After that it starts to get ugly.

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OK, you said Daily Kos.

I posted a diary on MyDD the other day regarding his position on illegal immigration, and they were basically calling for his head.

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Another positive for Warner is $$$.  He may be the only Democrat capable of keeping up with Hillary in the fundraising dept.  Worse comes to worse... Warner can bankroll his own campaign.

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Just to correct one point in this whole article:

"Faced with a big budget deficit, he enlisted corporate business types to support a tax increase -- and got the Republican-led legislative to approve it."

The budget deficit which it looked like Virginia was facing was caused by Warner to begin with.  Then, in order to skirt the over run, he started to shut down government offices and services a few days each week (including places like the DMV).  This saved the state money, but cost the employees their wages for the days the offices were shut down.  Then, after keeping the legislature hostage for over a week, he basically forced them to approve the tax hike, even after his own advisors told him the state would come in under budget . . . which it did.  This past tax cycle, the state had an unnecessary billion dollar surplus which it cannot return to the tax payers, so it now has to be spent on state tasks, leading to the precedent that the state will need the same amount of tax revenue in 2006.

While he is my favored Democrat out of the proposed 2008 listing so far, he is not without his faults.

Sure, Warner could have taken the path many politicians take...balancing the budget on the backs of the poor and jeopardizing important issues like education, transportation, and health care. That did not happen.

Modu, why don't you tell everyone how Governor Warner sold the tax reform to the citizens of Virginia.

He also is as exciting as watching grass grow, which I think will hurt him come campaign season.

AuH20, Warner is no Clinton, but he's definitley not as boring as say, Dan Quayle, like your making him out to be.  On TV he comes off as a very telegenic and intelligent guy.  Which makes me wonder how he connected so well with rural Virginia?

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On a charisma scale 1-10, he's a 3. Yeah, it could be worse, but still not too good.

Rate George Allen.

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Allen is a 6 or so. I don't totally get it, actually... personally my inclination is towards more of the wonkish style... but with the population at large Allen's style plays well (similar to Bush but smarter).

Perhaps Warner could improve to a 4, but that's not where he is now... I've seen enough of him to guarantee you he's not going to catch many crowds on fire that don't start that way.

Here are a few others, current and historical:

Frist- 2
H Clinton- 4/5
Sanford- 7/8
McCain- 5/6
Dean- 7/8
Kerry- 2
Edwards- 5
Guiliani- 8/9
B Clinton- 9
Reagan- 9/10

I agree with you that Allen is around a 6 or so.  But his idioitic comments will eventually catch up with him.  "Sell your home to make it through retirement?"...  Wow.

Allen- 5
Warner- 5
Frist- 2
H Clinton- 6
Sanford- 6
McCain- 5
Dean- 7
Kerry- 3
Edwards- 7
Guiliani- 7
B Clinton- 9
Reagan- 9