Kaine: "If you don't know success when it's looking you in the face, you can't be a leader."
Kilgore: "candidates should do... a lot less talking."
It wasn't easy for me to watch today's Gubernatorial debate between Lieutenant Governor Tim Kaine and former Attorney General Jerry Kilgore. I had to get permission to take a few hours off of work. I had to get on a train, meet a friend, get a ride to a restaurant, and sit down with a bunch of folks to watch the debate on News Channel 8. It wasn't easy for me to see the debate. I'm sure that there were literally millions of people who would have liked to see the debate, but couldn't make the time.
I'm sure that suits Jerry Kilgore just fine. Jerry Kilgore has taken every imaginable step to avoid debates with Tim Kaine or independent candidate Russell Potts. After today's debate it's easy to see why.
Jerry Kilgore this afternoon turned in the weakest, most sour-mouthed debate performance of any candidate in my memory. Kilgore's performance today made George Bush's first Debate performance against John Kerry seem like Cicero in all his grandure. Kilgore was petulant, repetitive, groan-inspiring, disingenuous, and completely unable to hold his own under cross-fire from Tim Kaine and Meet the Press moderator Tim Russert. He had one or two talking points to present to this Northern Virginia audience, and only strayed from them long enough to dodge direct questions.
In short, Jerry Kilgore had no substance to back up his candidacy, but had a few (obviously poll-tested) talking points that he overused again and again and again.
Meanwhile, Tim Kaine gave a strong portrayal of leadership, success, and results, all handled amiably and with aplomb.
It was quite a contrast and clearly, as Larry Sabado was overheard saying, "This was Kaine's Debate... It wasn't even close."
Well, you didn't actually need to see the debate to get Kilgore's message, here it is:
1. I have a plan. I will work with delegates Wolf and Davis to get Virginia moving again by widening Rt-66 inside the beltway and by finding another bridge across the potomac.
2. Tim Kaine was a bad mayor.
3. The Warner-Kaine Tax referrendum was a huge tax increase.
4. I will repeal the estate tax, and give tax credits.
5. I do not support using taxpayer dollars for illegal immigrants.
When asked about his plans for emergency preparedness, he had no answer. He just talked about widening rt 66. When asked about how he'd pay for transportation projects, Jerry didn't answer. He just said he'd widen rt 66. Do you know how many Virginians live below the poverty line, Mr. Kilgore? Kilgore: I'll widen rt 66 inside the beltway. Apparently, if there's a problem under the sun, Jerry Kilgore thinks it can be solved by widening rt 66.
Tim Kaine's response was simple, powerful and brilliant: we're already widening 66 westbound inside the beltway. "Plans are good, results are better".
Anyway, that was it; it took me about 2 minutes to go through Kilgore's positions, unfortunately Jerry Kilgore and another 25 or so minutes of air time to dodge, weave, discombobulate, whine and grope for words. He was like a hollow apple. About a millimeter of peel with no meat underneath.
Tim Kaine had his own talking points, but mostly he was clearly much more in command of the entire debate:
1. The Warner Kaine tax reform was a great bipartizan accomplishment that even Jerry Kilgore's twin brother voted to support. It reduced taxes on 65% of Virginians, eliminated the food tax, raised taxes on cigarettes, and has already payed for many of the "plans" you say you're presenting.
2. Leadership matters.
3. Results are better than plans.
4. You complain about raising taxes. "I've cut taxes, unlike you."
5. I'll veto any legislation that criminalizes the decisions made between a woman and her doctor.
6. The immigration problem in this country isn't because of lax law enforcement between Fairfax and Herndon.
Tim Kaine came out swinging and never let up. Tim Kaine opened up by attacking Kilgore for opposing two major policy initiatives that the Fairfax Chamber of Commerce had supported, namely the Warner-Kaine 2004 budget reform, and the 2002 transportation referrendum.
Kilgore's response: I plan to widen rt-66. I'll be the governor who widens rt-66.
One of two highlights of the debate came on the topic of abortion. Kilgore came out by accusing Kaine of trying to be "two things to all people". Kaine said that he would veto legislation that criminalizes women and their doctors. Kaine went on to slam Kilgore for running around the state saying he'd love to repeal roe v wade, but then shying from the same question in this debate. It was pretty sad really. I mean, Kilgore says he's a man of his convictions, but he won't stand up for them.
Moderator Tim Russert, gave him the one-two punch. Kilgore wouldn't answer the question about roe, saying it was hypothetical. Russert asked if he'd veto a tax increase. Jerry said yes. Tim said, that's hypothetical. This elicited cheers from our audience as Kilgore was caught by his own slow-witted demogoguery.
The closing question for Kilgore was whether he sees himself more as a leader in the style of Mark Warner or George W Bush, Kilgore's response "a little of both". This from a guy who came out trying to say that Kaine couldn't be two things to all people.
Jerry Kilgore stands up straight and says that he opposes abortion with all his might and opposes the achievement of the Warner-Kaine tax reform. Given the opportunity to roll back either one, Kilgore won't commit. Jerry Kilgore gave every impression today of being weak and pitifully uninformed. The only thing you can say for him is that he was well coached to stick to a couple of choice talking points.
Tim Kaine made the strong argument, supported by facts and results that Virginia is on the right path and making strides towards the future. He also handled tough questions by actually answering them, unlike Kilgore. He also had a few magnificent moments like when he wondered if Kilgore "trusted" Jefferson and Madison in the way they set up our representative government.
Laughably, Kilgore later noted "Yes, our state was founded." I'm not kidding, that's what he said.
He also stumbled across this little beauty: "I don't have to be elected governor to know that." Let's all hope he's not.