Tim Kaine was on WTOP's Ask the Governor this morning. Here are a few highlights.*On his travels as DNC chair, and specifically his "one day a week" promise, Kaine says "I'm not on a time clock, and everywhere I am I'm doing state work."
*Again, on out-of-state travels, Kaine says "It's not 150 destinations out of the state" if you include DC, and "I have a son in college in DC...I'm a Cap's fan, I'm a Nat's fan, I'm a Wizards fan."
*On the closure of rest stops, Kaine says, "I wish I didn't have to do it, but transportation revenues...are declining." Kaine also blames the House of Delegates hasn't wanted to spend more on roads. Trying to get permission to offer "modest commercial opportunities" at rest stops to keep all of them open.
*On the Supreme Court's recent Melendez-Diaz ruling and the August 19 special session Kaine has called, "the fact that we're going to address it quickly will minimize challenges in the courts." We'll also have to have more forensic experts, they don't just "grow on trees."
*On the Virginia Tech shooter's mental health records being removed and just recently found, Kaine says this is "of significant concern." "I am sure that is not lawfully permitted [to remove records]." The August 2007 report on the Virginia Tech shootings will need to be reopened, looked at again. "These records are critical, they shouldn't have been removed...I want to know why."
*On "life after governor," Kaine says he'll stay in Richmond as "base of operations." Will be doing more work in DC on DNC work.
*On Republican demands for Kaine to resign as governor or step down as DNC chair, Kaine says, "Heck no..."Now, I know Republicans seem to like this governor resigning thing. I think a prominent Republican governor resigned the other day. I'm keeping my four year commitment to the Virginia voters who put me in office." [Gee, I wonder who Kaine could be referring to here...Sarah Palin cough cough...]
*On whether Kaine is "hurting Creigh Deeds" (Mark Plotkin says that Deeds praised Warner but not Kaine at The Homestead debate), Kaine says "No, absolutely not." Virginia is still the best-managed state in the country.
*On Doug Wilder, Kaine says he gets along very well with Gov. Wilder, have chatted about the race in person a number of times, "he really wants to see what the candidates do...his endorsement is not something that [can be] take it for granted because you have a particular letter after your name, you gotta...earn it."
