There are several interesting articles in today's papers which feature this blog's namesake, Tim Kaine:1) The Washington Post has an article on Kaine's choice of Danel G. LeBlanc - former president of the Virginia AFL-CIO - as his "senior advisor for workforce." Earlier this year, "the Republican-controlled House of Delegates...blocked LeBlanc, the first time such an action had been taken since the cabinet system was put in place in the 1970s."
2) The Bluefield Daily Telegraph discusses Kaine's trip to SWVA on behalf of his transportation plan. According to Sen. Phillip Puckett (D-Russell), "[Kaine] did talk about the Coalfields Expressway, and he certainly reiterated his support for it. Sadly, it?s hard to build any highways if you don?t have money.?
3) The Daily Press discusses a push by Tim Kaine's PAC, "Moving Virginia Forward," for "support of long-term, sustainable funding sources for transportation." The PAC "has launched a series of automated calls statewide," which PAC spokesman Mo Eleithee calls "part of an aggressive campaign on this issue."
4) The Virginian Pilot also features Kaine on this issues, as he "fired off a volley of automated telephone calls to households across the state Wednesday, cranking up pressure on state lawmakers to approve a $1 billion package of new road-building funds."
5) The Roanoke Times discusses Kaine's signature of legislation yesterday "that will make the state's Economic Crisis Strike Force a permanent fixture" and that "immediately ordered the group to Galax to help workers affected by major job losses over the past six months."
6) The Washington Post quotes Kaine on the "tri-partisanship in Richmond." Kaine is quoted as saying:
There are about five pieces to this equation. There's a governor. There's a Senate Republican caucus. There's a Senate Democratic caucus. There's a House Democratic caucus. There's a House Republican caucus. We've got four of those five all pointing in the same direction. We've got to get that fifth piece turned around.
More broadly, the article discusses the bad blood between House and Senate Republicans, particularly the once-warm, now-frosty relations between Senate Finance Chairman John H. Chichester (R-Northumberland) and House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford). According to Chichester, Howell is always "booked up" every time Chichester proposes that they get together for dinner. According to the Post, this is unusual because "Over the years, both men and their spouses have dined together."
6) Finally, it will be interesting to hear what Gov. Kaine has to say (in the Washington Post about a decision by Loudoun County's Planning Commission "to relax new rules intended to limit growth" in the western part of the county. Isn't this simply more uncontrolled sprawl and a political issue which has helped Democrats tremendously in recent elections, including Kaine's in November 2005 and Mark Herring's in January 2006.
"Raising Kaine: We Haven't Forgotten our Namesake, Tim Kaine!"