At the risk of falling flat on my face, I am going to say right here and now that Mark Warner is sounding is sounding more and more like a candidate for the United States Senate.
In his speech to professor Larry Sabato's class at U-Va., Warner seemed to offer a blueprint for his platform should he run for Senate.
"America has to find a way out of Iraq," he said, and needs to do more to reestablish its "stature in the world."
Warner also took several shots at President Bush.
"I believe the president's foreign policy, which in many ways has been a my-way-or-the-highway approach, is now coming back to haunt us," Warner said.
Later, Warner argued in favor of the United States moving toward a system of universal health care while doing more to shore up Medicare and Medicaid.
Warner, a venture capitalist, said he plans to launch an initiative aimed at highlighting climate change and the responsibility of corporate America to address it.
However, he is also doing everything he can do be fair to his good friend the Senior Senator, John Warner.
"Listen, I have a tremendous respect for Senator Warner. He's been a good friend. He's been somebody [with whom] we've worked very well together during my term as governor. I know he's got a decision he's going to make, I believe sometime in the next few months," Warner said.
That decision may come sooner than we think, based on the current FEC Report. On MyDD, Jonathon Singer points out that John Warner has not exactly been working overtime to raise money.
From this report, it appears that Virginia Republican John Warner raised a whopping $500 dollars towards his Senate reelection campaign during the first quarter of 2007. To accomplish such a feat, one almost need ask supporters not to make contributions -- an almost definite sign of an intention to retire.
It could be a sign of an impending retire or it could be a sign of incredible arrogance, but John Warner is not acting like someone ready to slug it out. On the other hand, Mark Warner looks like a sprinter in the blocks.
As the last few elections cycles have shown us, this is not your father's Virginia. After taking George Allen's Senate seat last year, Virginia Democrats are poised to take at least one chamber of the General Assembly. One report after another depicts a state Republican Party in panis mode, Tom Davis is sweating his House seat and I believe that, with an effective campaign, our presidential candidate can actually carry the state. John Warner is not blind to this and may realize that it's time to enjoy retirement and reflect on his many years of service. On the other hand, Mark Warner stands over Virginia like a juggernaut that is clearly in control of his destiny. Now, we, Howard Dean and the DSCC need to give him a final push to take what he obviously wants.