No Tim Kaine for VP spot

Amplifying predictions we made earlier in the season, the front page of The Washington Post reports the gay-baiting and anti-gay Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine reportedly has had "serious conversations" with the Barack Obama campaign for the vice-presidential slot: The governor "has provided documents to the campaign as it combs through his background, according to several sources close to Kaine. Sens. Evan Bayh (Ind.) and Joseph R. Biden Jr. (Del.) are also being seriously vetted by the campaign staff, according to sources with knowledge of the process."

The Politico also quotes campaign sources who say Kaine is "very, very high on the short list."

Choosing the first term Virginia governor for the number two slot appears to be the conventional wisdom, albeit a bland and uninspiring choice. The Dixiecrat endorsed Obama early in the primary and is anti-choice, pro-death penalty and supported the Iraq War--the perfect resume for the "post-partisan" Republican lite politics of the new "Democratic" Party. The icing on the cake is Kaine's woeful record on gay rights--against gay adoption, partner benefits, discrimination legislation, and, of course, against same-sex marriage and supported the amendment that now bans gay marriage in the Commonwealth. The Virginia governor also has the distinction of running one of the more creative gay-baiting campaigns in recent history, branding his anti-gay Republican opponent "having a gay sounding voice." Kaine is hardly presidential timber--more like pressed plywood.

Why is Kaine even necessary? His record as governor is mixed, and, to be quite honest, Obama was supposed to be able to win Virginia on his own. Big Tent Democrat at Talk Left is similarly unimpressed with Kaine's resume and slaps down Kos' gushing of Kaine as Obam's "Al Gore." "To recap, Kaine was a City Councilman in Richmond for 4 terms, a two term Mayor of Richmond, Lieutenant Governor of Virginia for 4 years and Governor of Virginia for 3 years. No Al Gore there."

Oh, and I'm eagerly awaiting for any of the "progressive" or gay e-telligentsia to say Kaine will be a "bold" choice as veep, or the vice presidential candidate "doesn't have to be pro-choice or pro-gay rights." Please send the links, I will laugh and rip them a new one.

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