Mark Warner: "08 08 08 08!"

By: Lowell
Published On: 2/6/2005 2:00:00 AM

At last night's Jefferson Jackson Day Dinner in Richmond, attended by two represenatives from RaisingKaine, Mark Warner was  received with great enthusiasm and chants of "08 08 08 08!"  In his speech, Warner was alternatively wistful "my last JJ Dinner as governor"), humourous (his joke about him being "Mark [Warner] not John," and someone asking him "what part of the Bible is that from?"), teasing (he talked to his wife and children about running for governor in 2001, and "maybe sometime we'll have to have that conversation again" - hmmm), and proud  of his accomplishments ("what we have done together" in enhancing education, putting in place a "fairer tax policy," protecting "our most vulnerable citizens," giving police officers "the pay and equipment they need," and making Virginia the "best managed state in the nation -- straight A's!").

In general, Warner emphasized that "the state of the Commonwealth is strong," and that "Democrats in Virginia are strong."  Warner lavished praise on Lt. Governor Tim Kaine  as a "great partner" who has "fought for Virginia," and who understands that the state's future "lies in excellent public schools. "  Warner stressed that "we must elect Tim Kaine," and that Kaine would not cede one county across the state to the Republicans but will run "the same kind of campaign that I ran...Kaine can win anywhere, not just in northern Virginia."

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