Hot on Facebook

Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

Va. Offers Democrats 2 Possible VPs

If 'dream ticket' doesn't materialize, Kaine, Webb are rising stars

By Jonas Oransky, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 12, 2008 12:50 PM CST

(Newser) – Amid talk of an Obama-Clinton or Clinton-Obama dream ticket, Democrats may want to look around before leaving Virginia tonight—the state is home to not one but two viable vice presidential contenders, Politico reports. Obama has already short-listed Gov. Tim Kaine, a campaign co-chair who shares the senator's bipartisan charisma. And Sen. Jim Webb complements both presidential contenders.

Virginia's junior senator is “an articulate military voice against the war, with the potential to attract swing voters who identify with Webb’s pro-gun, pro-defense, red-blooded Americanism,” said the Washingtonian. And Kaine, the first governor after Rod Blagojevich of Illinois to endorse Obama, has taken to the airwaves to make the case for him.

[Images (6)]

[Videos (2)]

Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 27, 2007. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Associated Press)

In this photograph provided by "Meet the Press," Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va.., appears on "Meet the Press'" Sunday, Dec. 2, 2007, at the NBC studios in Washington. (AP Photo/Meet The Press, Alex Wong) (Associated Press)

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Sept, 26, 2007, before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing to discuss the impact of global warming in... (Associated Press)

Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine speaks to the media upon his departure at a Tokyo hotel, Tuesday, April 17, 2007. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye) (Associated Press)

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, talks with Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, left, during a campaign stop Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008, at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Va.... (Associated Press)

Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, March 27, 2007. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Associated Press)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Gov. Tim Kaine Supports Barack Obama (BarackObamadotcom (YouTube))

Senator Jim Webb Responds to the President. (NancyPelosi (YouTube))

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Dems Encircle Vital Virginia

Clinton pushing hard in state thought to favor Obama

(NEWSER) - Forget Yorktown and Manassas: Virginia will weigh in on a new war Tuesday, as Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton make the state the next key Democratic battleground. Watchers had thought Obama would sweep the so-called Potomac Primary—in Virginia, Maryland, and DC—but Clinton is looking for a crucial stand in the Mother of Presidents, the Washington Post reports. More»

Kaine Has Obama's Appeal, and His Flaws

Va. governor has a thin resume, but much post-partisan appeal

(NEWSER) - In 10 years, Tim Kaine has steered a meteoric rise from mayor of Richmond to governor of Virginia to prospective Democratic VP candidate. In many ways, writes the New York Times, Kaine's story mirrors that of Barack Obama: a liberal who speaks openly about religion, he disdains Washington and has sought to bridge racial divides. But he has no foreign policy experience, and even the governor's supporters admit that his record is thin. More»

Kaine Brings Pluses, Spotty Record to Veepstakes

Va. gov lands under the microscope

(NEWSER) - Tim Kaine doesn’t like his vice presidential chances, the Wall Street Journal reports. “It's flattering to be mentioned,” he says. “My mom loves it. I still think it's more likely that he'll go in another direction.” His Kansas roots appeal to Midwestern voters, his fluent Spanish wins over Hispanics, and he’s governor of Virginia, a crucial swing state. So why aren’t state Republicans worried? More»

Va. Gov. Kaine Rises to Top of Obama VP Pool

Says talks are 'very serious'; Biden, Bayh, Sebelius in contention

(NEWSER) - Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine is in “very serious” talks about a spot on the Democratic ticket, sources tell the Washington Post. The 50-year-old has joined Sens. Evan Bayh, Joe Biden and Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius on Barack Obama’s shortlist, bringing outsider credentials though no experience in foreign affairs, which is perceived as an Obama weakness. More»

'Redneck' Lawmaker Gives Obama Unlikely Boost

Webb helps Dem's credibility on national defense

(NEWSER) - Jim Webb, Virginia’s firebrand junior senator, is becoming Barack Obama’s wing man for courting pro-military and national defense voters. A respected war veteran and best-selling novelist, he is also among the more colorful candidates for Barack Obama's VP slot. But the politician who calls himself a "redneck" does have his liabilities, the Wall Street Journal notes. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Va. Offers Democrats 2 Possible VPs