Quote :

"Warner Won't Run for Presidency in '08 By Michael D. Shear Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, October 12, 2006; 1:26 PM RICHMOND, Oct. 12 -- Former Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner (D) announced this morning that he will not seek the presidency in 2008, saying he wants to spend more time with his family. In a statement released shortly before his 11 a.m. press conference here, Warner said, "This has been a difficult decision, but for me, it's the right decision." He said he made up his mind after celebrating this father's 81st birthday in Connecticut and touring colleges with his oldest daughter. "I know these moments are never going to come again. This weekend made clear what I'd been thinking about for many weeks -- that while politically this appears to be the right time for me to take the plunge -- at this point, I want to have a real life. "And while the chance may never come again, I shouldn't move forward unless I'm willing to put everything else in my life on the back burner." Warner, who has been actively exploring a presidential bid for months, has reportedly been telling associates for several weeks that he had not yet decided to run, according to Democratic sources who said Warner was concerned about the impact on his wife and three teenage daughters. "He would have brought the successes we have achieved in Virginia to the nation," said Alexandria Del. Brian J. Moran (D), a Warner friend. "This is a very personal decision. I'm sure he's making it in the best interests of his family." The decision to abandon a presidential run could position Warner to be a vice presidential pick for the eventual Democratic nominee. Or it could allow him to seek Virginia Republican John Warner's U.S. Senate seat if Warner retires in 2008. The ex-governor could also run for his old job again. Virginia law does not allow sitting governors to run for reelection, but does allow them to seek the office again after a four-year hiatus. Warner, who left office with record approval ratings, has expressed repeatedly that he might want the job back someday. Warner's year-long dalliance with a run for the presidency has had its ups and downs. A former high-tech entrepreneur, Warner has been highly successful at fundraising, topping most of the other Democratic hopefuls except New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. That fundraising ability helped propel him to the top of many lists of White House contenders in 2008. His repeated trips to Iowa and New Hampshire and other early primary states were largely a success, as voters there greeted him with interest. He had been scheduled to travel to Des Moines again today. But there have been difficulties as well. A New York Times magazine profile put a bizarre picture of him on the cover, prompting snickers. And national polls have consistently listed him as the choice of only one or two percent of the population, indicating how far he would have to go to become a household name. The biggest challenge in a presidential bid, his advisers have said, would have been selling his moderate, bipartisan message to a Democratic primary audience, especially at a time when the party is hungry for partisan success. A major obstacle, according to people advising him, has always been Clinton, who is cruising to reelection and may decide in the next couple of months whether to seek the job her husband held for eight years. People who know Warner say his wife and daughters have never been eager to see him run for the presidency. His wife, Lisa Collis, was not a prominent Virginia First Lady and often remarked to people close to her that she did not like the political limelight. Warner went to Italy for a family vacation this summer, reportedly to have the final decision-making conversation with them. Several people close to him have said that conversation did not take place. "

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/12/AR2006101200510.html

Not sure if this has been posted, but I'm disappointed.

10/12/2006 2:18:06 PM

JOHN KERRY FOR DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE!


I can't wait to see the new swiftboat vet ads

10/12/2006 2:19:23 PM

See, since he was a democrat I knew this meant he wasn't going to run. Had this been about a republican, I would have been sure you meant "out of the closet"

10/12/2006 2:45:54 PM

If he's smart he'll run for John Warner's Senate seat. It be like that movie with Eddie Murphy, except with white people.

And I was really hoping he'd run. If anything to put some roadblocks up to a Clinton nomination.

10/12/2006 3:44:52 PM

Where's Woodfoot? Wasn't Warner his guy?

roguewolf...we need to catch up...I'll give you a call later.

10/12/2006 4:15:45 PM

FUCK! I really wanted him to run

10/12/2006 5:29:42 PM

Democrats could probably definitely win if Warner was their guy

10/12/2006 5:55:57 PM

Kurt warner says he is out, too

10/12/2006 11:05:34 PM

What a macaca.

10/13/2006 2:11:18 AM

Quote :

"Democrats could probably definitely win if Warner was their guy"

I hate to be a nazi about it, but come on now.

10/13/2006 7:08:38 AM

I'm disappointed as well. Mark Warner would have made an excellent candidate for the Presidency. Without him, I think that the Democrats choices have grown much weaker.

10/13/2006 9:55:57 AM

Quote :

"Kurt warner says he is out, too"

beat me to it

10/13/2006 10:03:13 AM

I'm hoping another moderate governor makes a strong run...maybe Sebelius?

10/13/2006 11:36:19 AM

this is like Brett Favre calling a press conference to announce that he's not retiring

Quote :

"What a macaca."

10/13/2006 11:38:03 AM

Why is John Edwards not considering running again?

The past 3 democrats elected have been from the south. He's a moderate, which is what the party needs.

Has he stated he doesn't want to run again and I missed it?

What's the deal?

10/13/2006 12:28:30 PM

well the medical industry hates him since he's an ambulance chaser

he'll probably run though...you know like he did in 04...so he wont have to do his job as a senator...he can just campaign for president and eventually VP with slogans like "son of a millworker" and "millworker's son" or the more accurate "son of a man who owned his own mill"

10/13/2006 12:31:36 PM

you know that big case that's always vaguely referred to by oponents where edwards got such an overly huge settlement?

well it was from a kid who got most of her intestines sucked out by a faulty jacuzzi. WHAT AN AMBULANCE CHASER. THAT GIRL DESERVED NO MONEY.

10/13/2006 12:33:21 PM

She's totally goth.

LOSING YR ORGANS

=

GOTH

10/13/2006 12:38:00 PM

Quote :

"Why is John Edwards not considering running again?"

I believe he is, but I think he's a bit tainted at this point. First off, he couldn't even beat John Kerry in a primary back in 2004. Second, even though he was selected as VP, he and John Kerry still couldn't beat George W. Bush. Also, he's given up his public career, and he didn't even finish a full term in the Senate (which also probably cost him in the 2004 primaries).

Not to say that he can't run again, but it's going to be a much harder effort for him. Especially since Hillary Clinton has her machine running strong.

10/13/2006 3:30:55 PM

weell..........


..........bye

10/13/2006 4:16:33 PM

Quote :

"slackerb: Why is John Edwards not considering running again?...Has he stated he doesn't want to run again and I missed it? What's the deal?"

Edwards likely is running again, assuming that his wife, Elizabeth, is able to maintain her good health after her battle with breast cancer. I think he's waiting to make sure that she's okay and then he'll proceed to speak publicly about his intentions.

Quote :

"RedGuard: I believe he is, but I think he's a bit tainted at this point. First off, he couldn't even beat John Kerry in a primary back in 2004. Second, even though he was selected as VP, he and John Kerry still couldn't beat George W. Bush. Also, he's given up his public career, and he didn't even finish a full term in the Senate (which also probably cost him in the 2004 primaries). Not to say that he can't run again, but it's going to be a much harder effort for him. Especially since Hillary Clinton has her machine running strong."

So, a few things to correct here:

1. I think you meant to say that he couldn't beat John Kerry in the primaries (plural, not singular) because he did win some contests, but lost the battle for the nomination. That said, I think the new Democratic Primary calendar plays in Edwards' favor, with Iowa, Nevada and South Carolina maintaining the most prominent positions.

2. Vice Presidents don't generally get blamed for the losses, as they don't really call the plays--Kerry's taking the brunt of the bitterness over the loss in 2004.

3. John Edwards has completed a full-term in the Senate. His seat was up for re-election in 2004 and he opted not to pull a Joe Lieberman and run for both at the same time.

4. He's given up his public career in the Senate, perhaps, but he's far from being a recluse. He's doing a lot, just not as overtly, as say, a Hillary Clinton who just gave $9 Million from her PAC to Democratic candidates.

[Edited on October 13, 2006 at 5:38 PM. Reason : add]

10/13/2006 5:37:21 PM

That's a pity - Warner's a moderate politician that can play well with the other side of the aisle. After 8 years of Bush's clusterfucks, the US is going to need someone like that.

FWIW - I'm a disgrunted conserative that would vote for Warner in a hearthbeat. Hillary and McCain are just going to be the same-old, same old. I was hoping for something better. Kerry and Edwards are fucking idiots. Maybe Biden will give it a go?

10/13/2006 7:29:27 PM

^ Biden's running. He's been pretty up front about his intentions.

He's in Iowa and New Hampshire a lot these days to see if he can gain any traction. His big problems will be Iraq and fundraising, though.

[Edited on October 13, 2006 at 11:10 PM. Reason : add]

10/13/2006 11:09:01 PM

Kerry had his turn, i am sure he will run again(and run at the same time for reelection to the Senate) He couldnt win in 2004, he will not in 2008. Gore, Kerry, yall had your turn...Gore, you blew it bigtime in 2000, worse than Kerry did in 2004.

Run Hillary RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10/14/2006 8:43:59 PM

i sure hope wes clark has some money stored away...i really don't want hillary, mostly because of her censorship/"family values" plank.

10/15/2006 5:24:45 PM

i don't think this guy could ever get elected, cause his name ryhmes with osama

10/15/2006 5:31:30 PM

hahaha.

"hey, you know that Barack Obama..."

"BLACK OSAMA!?!? AW HELL NAW!"

maybe 2012

10/15/2006 5:32:44 PM

this reeked of "bear in the closet" btw

this guy's LIFE has been "run for prez" since he left the governorship

10/15/2006 5:58:07 PM

He just left the governorship in Jan...it's not like it was forever ago. Lots of people have been running for president for much longer.

10/15/2006 6:42:48 PM

Quote :

"3. John Edwards has completed a full-term in the Senate. His seat was up for re-election in 2004 and he opted not to pull a Joe Lieberman and run for both at the same time. "

I'm sure it had nothing to do with the fact that the race would be tight and would embarass his presidential run. He's just that noble.

10/15/2006 9:34:28 PM

I hope for Obama in 2012 (2016 if we have a Democratic president). I think it's probably still too early in his career to make a Presidental run; let him finish his first term in the Senate first.

10/16/2006 8:43:07 AM

^^ Well, probably. I'm not sure that he would have lost it....but there was no way he could have won straight out without a dedicated campaign here, so he had to choose one or the other.

Besides, anyone who knows NC political history knows the dynamics of that seat...

10/16/2006 9:27:57 AM