My family and I attended the swearing in ceremony at the Senate yesterday of Virginia’s newest Senator, Mark Warner. It was wonderful to see so many friends and neighbors at the reception. Mark is such a great executive and great friend. We are all so proud of him.
It is a very moving experience to see the peaceful and smooth passing of power. As we drove to the Senate, you could see the grandstands going up for next week’s event. It feels like truly historic times ahead.
In retrospect, Mark Warner should have been picked to be the VP candidate on the Democratic ticket alongside Obama. He was a very successful businessman. He is a centrist. He ran a state and made it the best managed state in the country and he knows how to reach across the aisle. He “gets” the big economic issues we face as a nation. He is both a leader and a manager and gets things done. He isn’t just a “big talker.” And he would have delivered Virginia for the Democrats and an easy win in the Electoral College for Obama.
Also, in retrospect, McCain should have picked Romney as his VP candidate. Romney is a great financial leader; a great businessman; and knows how to raise monies. And now McCain is being vastly outspent by Obama in the media.
Hindsight is 20/20 but both tickets would have been better served at this point in time with VP candidates who had a more impressive business, economic and governing backgrounds. And we as constituents would have been better served too!
We live in this odd fishbowl world. The political conventions have become somewhat like the Olympics where analysts will rate a performance on technical merit and style points.
Most of the speeches I have heard have been high on the passion and the throwing of red meat to the audience. There has been lots of charisma, lots of rhetoric and snappy phrases but devoid of content and substance.
I am proud of Mark Warner. He gave a thoughtful, honest to him and his beliefs keynote speech. It talked about real things. He talked about broadband connections for everyone; internet time; and the need to act on things NOW. He mentioned how China is winning gold medals in the economy not just swimming and gymnastics. He talked about the importance of math and science. He talked about management and execution not just about leadership. He talked about real world economics; revenue generation; and the power of education.
He looked to the future and stopped the name calling aimed at the past.
Mark was perhaps the best Governor in Virginia’s history save for Thomas Jefferson. He had our state humming. It was ranked best-managed state in the union for three years running.
Mark Warner is a centrist not a flame thrower. He is a thinker not a talker. He is a man of integrity and a man who understands the importance of technology in our lives. He is of our generation.
I am proud of Mark and I am proud that he gave a speech that was authentic and true to him. He was a great Governor. He will be a great Senator and hopefully – one day – his aspirations will be even higher.