Is Kaine the VP pick?

By Jay Warren
WSLS10 Anchor
Published: July 30, 2008

There has been CONSIDERABLE chatter lately that Virginia Governor Tim Kaine will be Barack Obama’s choice for vice president.

In this blog, I have spent a lot of time going over what Kaine brings to the ticket and how he might hurt (or at least not help). At the time, Kaine was one of a dozen possible picks. It now appears that he is on a “very, very short list” that includes him and Sens. Evan Bayh and Joe Biden.

Kaine has at times confirmed that he’s on that list and at other times danced around it. Today in Chincoteague he was dancing.

REPORTER: “This speculation, is it fun?”

KAINE: “Well it’s kind of weird. It’s kind of surreal. I have no idea how serious it is or anything but it’s been kind of fun. Yeah. And of course the real issue isn’t me it’s Senator Obama, why I think he’d be such a good president.”

REPORTER: “Have you talked to Sen. Obama lately?”

KAINE: “No not for, gosh, for a number of weeks, since before his trip. And I really don’t have any idea about where the process is. But it’s nice to be speculated about. My mom likes seeing my name in the paper, so… “

REPORTER: “Timing?”

KAINE: “No I have no hints about timing or anything like that.”

REPORTER: “Having fun today?”

KAINE: “This is a real unique event, worldwide, and it’s a Virginia tradition. The people in Chincoteague are great so it’s great to be here today.”

Now, I have talked with a lot of Virginia campaign strategists in both parties, as well as political analysts and regular folks and all of them seem to be scratching their heads a little bit on this one. Vice President Tim Kaine?

Included in that list is former Governor and now Republican Senate candidate Jim Gilmore. He was in Rocky Mount this morning and I asked if Kaine is ready to be vice president.

“I think any governor of Virginia is probably qualified to be vice president, but I’d be surprised if he’s picked, frankly. I think Virginia is going to vote for John McCain. I think Virginia is going to vote for Jim Gilmore. Even if he’s put on the ticket, I’m not sure that is going to change very much,” Gilmore said.

So, when will Obama make a decision? Nobody knows for sure, other than Obama. But, the speculation is he will name his pick before the Olympics. That would be between now and the end of next week.