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Kaine on Obama's VP List: 'I'm Not Running for It. I'm Not Asking For It'

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July 29, 2008 11:58 AM

ABC News' Tahman Bradley, Teddy Davis and Ayana Harry report: Virginia Governor Tim Kaine downplayed speculation Tuesday that he is on Sen. Barack Obama's list of potential vice-presidential candidates.

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"I haven't sought  it, I'm not running for it, I'm not asking for it," Kaine told a crowd of reporters in Washington, DC who waited for him to finish an interview with WTOP radio. 

Rumors about whether Obama will choose the Virginia governor as his running mate swelled Tuesday after the Washington Post reported Kaine told unspecified "close associates" that he has had "very serious" conversations with Obama about joining him on the 2008 Democratic ticket. He has also provided documents to the campaign as they check his background, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.

ABC's Jan Crawford Greenburg has also put Kaine on Obama's "very short list."

After his interview with WTOP, Kaine was greeted by a swarm of reporters asking whether he told friends that he's talking with Obama about being a vice-presidential candidate.

"My conversations with the campaign stay with the campaign," Kaine said, adding that he did not meet with Obama today and is not planning to do so. Obama is in Washington DC Tuesday for meetings.

However Kaine joked that news reports that he is on Obama's list of candidates are making his mother happy.

"My mom loves seeing me on the lists, that's fun for her," he said.

Reporters have begun to track the movement of potential vice-presidential picks carefully.

During Kaine's interview with WTOP Radio in Washington, D.C., he indicated that he has a private event planned with his daughter later Tuesday.

A Kaine aide tells ABC News that the Obama vice-presidential prospect is headed to Chincoteague Island, Va., on Tuesday in order to be there for Wednesday's annual Chincoteague Pony Swim with daughter Annella.

The pony swim is expected to take place on Wednesday between 7:00 am - 9:00 am ET.

With Kaine slated to spend the rest of Tuesday and most of Wednesday on the island, speculation is swirling as to whether he will be engaged in any VP-related talks or briefings. 

On Thursday, Kaine is scheduled to be back in Richmond for a 9:00 am ET radio interview with WRVA in Richmond, Va.

July 29, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis, Romney, Mitt, Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (120)

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I bet she is talking about his 300 foeign policy advisors

Posted by: tigger | Jul 29, 2008 1:21:12 PM

Even the anti-Obama people are running out of things to whine about as seen by these tired posts. This would be a good pick from what I see. McCain offers nothing but complaints as he runs to the right and he is seeing how out of touch he is with reality. Even Bush is moving towards the Obama (and all smart people's) foreign policy. McCain would rather say that his talk of more drilling caused the recent drop in fuel prices!? Seriously John, did you take Econ 101? He puts out tv spots saying Obama didn't hold Afghanistan hearings in his subcommittee which is true because they were held in full committee. And he had a stuttering/bumbling response when confronted with the fact that he never attended ANY Afghanistan hearings in his own committee. Last summer he oversaw the bankruptcy of his campaign which had to be bailed out by DC lobbyists who still control it. These are not exactly the qualities I am looking for in the next president.

Posted by: TSnow27604 | Jul 29, 2008 1:21:39 PM

If he parts the Red Sea before election I might vote for him

Posted by: tigger | Jul 29, 2008 1:22:36 PM

Also, if this guy doesn't want and hasn't sked for it, why is this an issue?

Posted by: Kris | Jul 29, 2008 1:24:16 PM

Really Ame??? And exactly when else did Obama put together a formiable team? Hmmmm? Was it when he and his puppet master Rezko got together to scam taxpayers, freeze poor blacks in their government housing scam that netted Obama help in buying his mansion.

=-======================================

Obama was virtually an unknown name in American politics. Him and his team were able to run a better campaign and caused the greatest political upset in history by beating the clintons(bill, hillary and chelsea).

Again, Obama and his team have shown superior judgment over McCain`s so called foreign policy experience on
1. the iraq war
2. negotistion with Iran
3. the need to focus on Afghanistan
4. Iraq withdrawal plan

Now Bush is listening to Obama`s proposal on these issues and McCain has also started endorsing these proposals.

McCain economic policies are 95% insupport of Bush which have been nothing but failure. McCain has experience but is offering the same failed Bush policies which has brought the country to its lowest since WW2.
Now America is borrowing money from communist China to fight in Iraq. Can you imagine.

This is superior judgment which Obama holds over McCain.

Posted by: ame | Jul 29, 2008 1:29:47 PM


"If he parts the Red Sea before election I might vote for him "

And it came to pass that the national
anthem was played and the Child savior placed his hands over the wrong place. Some wanted to stone him, but his followers rose up and said "ye who have not fondeled yourself, cast the first stone". Thus he was spared and he traveled the land, speaking to the crowds while often raising his head heavenward, as tho getting cues. And ya tho he walketh in the shadow of Wright, he prevailith. So to speak.

Posted by: Billw | Jul 29, 2008 1:33:44 PM

Poor Obama seems to think the more people he gives VP looks to, the more support he is building in the Democrtic Party. recall that he is the Dem candidate only because he was chosen by the super delegates. If Jan Crawford Greenberg (not a journalist, but a law school graduate who`s reporting on Supreme Court decisions leaves much to be desired) touts Kaine, you can bet it won`t be him. The other day she was touting Caroline Kennedy! She might inadvertantly have something there, though. Caroline is less experienced than Obama and so won`t out shine Obama there though her star power does. Obama may also see it as a sop to all the Democrat woman he has been tantalizing with fake consideration. Also, think of the staggering historical implications of accepting his Party`s nomination some forty years TO THE DAY of MLK`s I have a dream speech while holding hands with a Kennedy running mate! And Chris Matthews thought the shiver up his leg just hearing Obama speak was something.

Posted by: Luke | Jul 29, 2008 1:33:50 PM

Obama is consulting his puppeteers George Soros and Tony Rezko as we speak. He needs their permission to do anything since Obama is bought and paid for by them.

McCain up by 4 points with LIKELY voters!!! After all the fawning press! Obama should be 20 points ahead by now!

I LOVE IT!!

Posted by: Jo | Jul 29, 2008 1:39:14 PM

For the idiots who say that it's impossible for a democrat to lose this year, keep in mind the historical low approval ratings of the DEMOCRAT congress.

So think again.

Posted by: Jo | Jul 29, 2008 1:40:57 PM


Birds of a Feather.......

Now some think Obama's a white knight,
And it's true that he is quite bright.
Bright enough to climb
Up the ladder with slime
Like Rezko, Ayers, and Wright,

Posted by: Billw | Jul 29, 2008 1:46:30 PM

We'll see who's laughing in November Steve. Polls don't tell how sick and tired people are of Republicans screwing things up. I find it funny that none of you so-called right wingers are talking about the great job George W. is doing...

Here's a sitting President and none of you are saying anything about him. The democrats talked about Clinton until he left office, why? Because everyone was doing better than they were before he took office; Can you say that about Bush? I didn't think so.

IT'S TIME FOR A CHANGE. It's amazing to me how people like you can't see that.

Posted by: voter100 | Jul 29, 2008 1:50:03 PM

Here is the bottem line...The American people are going to vote for the one they trust...And most American's do not trust Obama....They know McCain and McCain is not Bush for the ones out there that like to say this ....People have looked at Obama's past and who he has chosen to be associated with and now says he hasn't or doesn't...Put the truth is all out for people to see for themself if they want to get it....Obama lied about how much money he got from Rezko and then when the truth came out he lied again about how much money he got from him...So this shows me that Obama is not a honest man ...And a man is only as good as his word....And Obama has not kept his and has lied about many things....

Posted by: PCC | Jul 29, 2008 1:53:02 PM

I find it funny that I see more and more democrats in these blogs voting republican

Posted by: tigger | Jul 29, 2008 1:54:50 PM


PCC: "The American people are going to vote for the one they trust."

Obama's background, values, and experience are not in his favor, according to the poll just completed by NBC and the Wall Street Journal. The poll shows McCain to be more trustworthy, however he has the Bush millstone around his neck. Looks like it's coming down to who you trust most vs support of blacks, the younger crowd who think Obama is hip and cool, and the women who favor Obamas youthful charisma, the latter shown as a factor in the poll. Substance and character vs race and charisma.

Posted by: Billw | Jul 29, 2008 1:59:57 PM

Talk about slime.. Anyone read the news today about the longest serving republican senator. Alaska Republican Ted Stevens needs to go to jail just like cheney, bush, and a whole bunch of other bush-leaguers. Time to start cleaning up the bush mess. Obama 2008!!!

Posted by: pt | Jul 29, 2008 2:02:25 PM

Tigger, if you think democrats are going to vote for McCain you're kidding yourself. Most democrats would rather chew of their arms before voting for McBush.

Posted by: voter100 | Jul 29, 2008 2:03:51 PM

You havent been reading this blog all the way thru have you voter100?

Posted by: tigger | Jul 29, 2008 2:05:25 PM

I have voted both democrat and republican thru the years. This year we are voting for the lesser of two evils. I DO NOT TRUST Obama

Posted by: tigger | Jul 29, 2008 2:08:47 PM

I'm merely saying we'll see in November if all these democrats indeed vote for McBush. The first debate where both candidates are on the same stage at the same time, voters are going to have to ask themselves which of these two men do I want to represent me to other world leaders. My bet will be it not McBush.

Posted by: voter100 | Jul 29, 2008 2:10:44 PM

McCain is promising another war with Iran instead of doing the right thing by talking to them. Iran is the 4th largest oil producer and Mccain is out of touch with the implication on oil prices.

Very bad judgment from someone claiming to have foreign policy experience.
McCain is promising the same bush policies which have failed and havent made us any safer.

If i have to chose between a war monger(McCain) and a diplomat(Obama) I`d rather chose the diplomat because i cannot trust the warmonger who plays on peoples` fear to win votes.

Obama 08= judgment to lead

Posted by: alvin | Jul 29, 2008 2:13:25 PM

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