RPV Press Release in response to DNC Chairman Tim Kaine's Partisan Rhetoric

- DNC Chairman Drops Pretense of Being Governor of All Virginians -
- Formerly Praised McDonnell, Now Spouts Partisan Rhetoric -


RICHMOND - Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine has apparently completely abandoned his elected role as governor of all of the people of Virginia and now spends his time tossing political rhetoric at Republican candidate for governor Bob McDonnell. Kaine inserted himself into the story about a decades-old thesis McDonnell wrote as a graduate student, sending out a political press release and offering partisan quotes for news articles on the subject.

Just this February: Good Relationship

"Kaine said that he and McDonnell had a good working relationship before McDonnell resigned last week as attorney general to campaign full time," reported the Washington Post.(http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2009/02/post_153.html)

Kaine & McDonnell: Working Together

"After years of shrugging off the problem, the General Assembly finally addressed it last month, thanks to the bipartisan efforts of Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, a Democrat, and Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell, a Republican. With scarcely a murmur of opposition, lawmakers approved a measure to raise the caps for court-appointed lawyers handling adult felony cases -- and, far more significantly, to allow the caps to be waived with judicial approval." (Washington Post, March 5, 2007)

Kaine Signed McDonnell Bill on Sexual Predators

Kaine signed McDonnell's legislation that changed the way Virginia monitors, incarcerates, and treats violent sexual offenders. Kaine and McDonnell issued a joint press release on the occasion. (http://www.vaag.com/PRESS_RELEASES/NewsArchive/0406_Sexual_Predator_Legislation_Becomes_Law.html)

Kaine, McDonnell Signed Joint Letter on NIETC

Kaine and McDonnell declared their opposition to Virginia's inclusion in the proposed National Interest Electric Transmission Corridor in a joint letter (http://www.vaag.com/PRESS_RELEASES/KaineMcDonnellNIETCJuly2007.pdf) sent to the Secretary of Energy. The two objected to federal preemption of Virginia's historical, and necessary, control over transmission siting issues. They argued that Virginia knows far better than Washington the unique issues and concerns when it comes to placing transmission lines in the Commonwealth.

Worked Together in Wake of VA Tech Shootings

McDonnell provided legal advice as Kaine issued an executive order to instruct all executive branch agencies to immediately begin including the names of individuals found dangerous and ordered to undergo involuntary mental health treatment in the database accessed before the sale of firearms by licensed gun dealers to ineligible individuals. The two issued a joint press release. (http://www.vaag.com/PRESS_RELEASES/NewsArchive/043007_Loophole.html)

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"Gov. Tim Kaine made precisely the right call yesterday when he issued an executive order closing a loophole in state gun laws. Attorney General Bob McDonnell provided legal advice for the governor. A Democrat and Republican cooperated to put Virginia first." (Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 1, 2007)


But then Something Changed


"McDonnell, who talks frequently about how well he and Kaine worked together, said he knows things are about to change," wrote the Post. (http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2009/02/post_153.html)

"‘Our relationship will change a little bit because his main mission in life is to beat me,' McDonnell quipped. ‘That will probably strain our friendship.'"


Kaine Dons DNC Hat

"But I do not believe that this philosophy, which Bob has worked strenuously to implement as an elected official, is the right direction for Virginia," Kaine wrote in an e-mail sent by his Moving Virginia Forward Political Action Committee Monday. "In fact, I think it would take us backwards and jeopardize much of the success we have achieved in the Commonwealth in recent years."

Kaine: Serial Partisan E-mailer

"... Kaine, who is supporting Democrat Creigh Deeds against McDonnell, does not think McDonnell can explain the paper away so effortlessly," reported the Daily Press (http://hrblogs.typepad.com/the_shad_plank/2009/08/va-gov-kaine-calls-mcdonnell-thesis-accurate-reflection.html). "Instead he's sending out e-mails through his political action committee saying that the thesis should be a ‘grave concern.'"

"Orchestrated Pile-on" 

"The orchestrated pile-on continues, as DNC Chairman and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine -- in an email to his own Virginia list -- says Bob McDonnell's twenty-year-old thesis is an "accurate" picture of the Republican's views ...," reported Politico. (http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0809/Kaine_McDonnell_thesis_an_acccurate_reflection_of_views.html)

"Organized Party Assault"

"DNC chairman and outgoing Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine is now hopping on the organized party assault against Bob McDonnell, the Republican nominee for Governor of Virginia, over the thesis McDonnell wrote 20 years ago," wrote the Talking Points Memo. (http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/08/tim-kaine-blasts-mcdonnells-right-wing-thesis.php)

"Broadside"

"Virginia Sen. Creigh Deeds and allies of the Democratic gubernatorial candidate launched a broadside Monday against opponent Bob McDonnell's 1989 master's thesis ... Gov. Tim Kaine on Monday called the paper a ‘grave concern,'" wrote the Washington Examiner. (http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Democrats-leap-on-McDonnell-thesis-8179270-56402492.html)

"Tim Kaine has finally fully revealed what all of us already knew - he is a pure partisan, who would rather throw elbows than try to work together to solve the serious problems that have erupted in Virginia under his administration," said Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Pat Mullins. "At least it's good to know that he was actually in Virginia long enough to see what the local newspapers were writing about in this race for governor."

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