I’m not a paid consultant. I don’t make money in politics. I’ve never worked on in communications and messaging for a statewide campaign.
But boy, does Tim Kaine appear to be getting off scot-free from his disastrous term as Governor.
Today in Politico, quotes from the Kaine and Allen camps ahead of their mano-a-mano debate tomorrow night in Richmond displayed the messaging and talking points that both sides will be using against the other.
To boil it down?
Kaine: I was a governor during the most difficult time in memory, slashed spending, cut government
Allen: Tim Kaine was the DNC Chairman and President Obama’s biggest cheerleader.
And that’s it.
I’m dumbfounded. Flabbergast. Stumped.
Tim Kaine. The same Tim Kaine who’s administration failed on virtually every one of their revenue projections. The same Tim Kaine who refused to audit VDOT while closing 11 rest areas around the Commonwealth while $1.5 BILLION sat idly in the coffers. The same Tim Kaine who tried to saddle Virginia with a $4.4 BILLION tax increase as he slunk out of Richmond in abject defeat. The same Tim Kaine who’s final budget received ZERO votes from anyone, Republican or Democrat.
Seriously, we better not screw this up.
Tim Kaine is now banking off of Bob McDonell’s coattails. After Republicans in the General Assembly brought the vote on Tim Kaine’s failure forward to be rejected, Bob’s team put a spectacular budget in place. They significantly cut spending, far more than Tim Kaine ever tried. They put realistic budgets in place. They were so busy fixing the mess that Tim Kaine left, they didn’t even have time to point it out, and voters have short memories. So take away the brief hubbub from the tax increase being flat out rejected by everyone in Richmond in February 2010 and what have we heard about the mismanagement Tim Kaine had in place for four years? Nothing, because it was so much of a mess and getting Virginia back on the right, conservative track that messaging and taking out Congressional incumbents in 2010 was the message.
So here we are, nearly two years later, and that’s somehow all been forgotten. Sure, there was a brief point in Politico about comparing Allen’s gubernatorial record to Kaine’s, and that might be somewhat beneficial. But nothing on Kaine himself.
Instead it’s ‘he likes Obama’.
Here’s the problem, as I see it. One, depending on our nominee, that message may or may not work. If Newt wins out, we’re going to voting for a Washington Insider who’s coattails begin and end on 495. There will be ZERO carry down throughout the Commonwealth and George Allen will have to win this on merit. Nationalizing the election makes sense, to be sure, but it is not the end all be all. Yes, we’re sending someone to Washington, but that doesn’t mean their state record should be untouched. Two, Allen’s gubernatorial record will be nearly twenty years ago. Kaine’s will still be fresh for scrutiny if we just shine the spotlight there!
If Tim Kaine can’t figure out a state budget without proposing the largest tax increase EVER in Virginia history, how can be sent to Washington to manage the fiscal crisis we’re currently in?
We’ve already sent one tax loving Democrat to the Senate who covers up the fact that he’s a tax and spend liberal while boasting 60+ approval ratings, we cannot make the same mistake two cycles in a row.
Tim Kaine’s gubernatorial record is a JOKE. He had one good moment in four years, his response to the Virginia Tech tragedy. Other than that, nothing. Nada, zip, zilch.
Yet the message is Obama, Obama, Obama.
I don’t get paid to make these decisions. But if we screw this one up, Tim Kaine might just be able to thank Bob McDonnell for a Senate win in 2012.
