From a partisan talking points e-mail, I see that Walt Ball reports rather odd doings on the Democratic side of the race for governor in Virginia:
We have learned here at CW, from sources involved with the General Assembly and close to a high ranking Warner administration official, some amazing news.
At the Governor’s senior staff meeting this morning, the decision was made to “pull the plug” on Tim Kaine’s campaign. No more will Warner assist the Kaine campaign in major ways. No more public appearances, etc.
[…]
According to our sources, Warner is said to have no interest in seeing to fruition, a Tim Kaine Administration. Aides apparently believe that a Kaine administration would steal the limelight from potential Presidential candidate, Gov. Mark Warner. Stay tuned…this should be interesting.
Most commentators are skeptical, as am I. This would be an incredible tactical blunder on the part of Warner, who is a rather savvy politico. The Democrats desperately need a moderate Southern governor to rescue them and Warner is probably at the top of that list. Openly snubbing a legitimate conntender for a key governorship would not exactly endear him to the party establishment, though.
Honestly, I see no upside to such a move.
