Mark Warner's Triumphant Legacy No Easy Feat

[wyldwolf]

During the one term he is constitutionally allowed, Warner has become a commodity scarce among fellow Democrats: a successful leader in a conservative Southern state who could figure prominently in the 2008 presidential contest. What made Virginians adore a governor who political opponents say is nothing more than a tax-and-spend liberal? How did he turn two early years of failures into a four-year success story?

"You get something done, and at the end of the day people don't care who got it done," Warner said in an interview last week. "Could someone bring the same perceived naivete to a national process and change the debate in Washington as well? I believe there are people of goodwill in both political parties left."

He turned a $6 billion shortfall in the state budget into a billion-dollar surplus, a narrative he used to re-brand Virginia's Democratic Party as the party of fiscal discipline.

Mayors of rural towns applaud him for creating jobs. Teachers say their schools have more money. Governing Magazine cited his efforts in areas including procurement and technology consolidation as proof that Virginia is better managed than any other state.

More children have insurance. Graduation rates are higher. The state's sprawling and still underfunded Department of Transportation now finishes most projects on time and under budget.

Through it all, Warner faced a hostile legislature controlled by Republicans, whose march to power in the 1990s had swept Democrats from government leadership.

more...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/09/AR2006010901944_4.html

[WI_DEM]

1. I'm going to take a very close look at him for '08

he may be the type of new blood we need either at the top of the ticket or as VP.

[jackpan1260]

2. Warner and Feingold! eom

[liberalitch]

3. I luv my guv.....

for a short time more then tim kaine will be the guv i luv

[catmother]

4. thanks for the great picture. so far everything i hear and see i

like about warner. i said on another post yesterday that i found out that one of my doctors knows him personally. i asked him -- knowing that he's an republican if he would cross over and vote for him. he was hesitant then said "he didn't think one term as a governor would qualify him" especially with the state that the country is in with iraq. did say that warner "can really work a room" "that he is very charming and likeable" and that his sister is really good friends with him.

i felt really down yesterday after talking to my doctor.

on edit: he's got a nice body too.