Warner downplays a run in 2008

Very similar to Senator Bayh on Friday with Jonathan, Gov. Mark Warner has downplayed a run in 2008 according to the Roanoke Times.

Mark Warner may not want to discuss the incessant speculation about his political future. But the evidence on the computer screen in the governor's third-floor Capitol office suggests the buzz won't go away anytime soon.

Prodded by a reporter during a recent interview, the governor opened the search engine Google and entered the key words "Mark Warner 2008." The first 10 of about 76,000 links popped up on the screen in front of him, with the top item promoting the "Mark Warner for President 2008 Campaign Store." He quickly scrolled through a couple of pages of search results, glancing at links to newspaper and magazine articles, at least one unflattering online column and a message board titled "DraftMarkWarner" launched by someone who wants Virginia's governor to run in the next presidential election.

Though he admitted feeling "kind of blown away" by such attention, Warner insisted that he refuses to take it seriously. Too much remains unfinished in the only elected office he has ever held, he said. And he has no desire to publicly discuss his future - or wear the label of "lame duck" - before that work gets done.

"Virginia governors who are successful are the ones who stay focused on their job and don't spend their last year focused on what they're going to do next," Warner said. "We've got a lot of unfinished business to finish here."[...]

The failure of Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry to win a single Southern state in the presidential election has revived a debate about whether Democrats have tilted too far to the left and alienated middle-of-the-road voters. Some believe the party needs a centrist candidate capable of winning Southern votes to succeed in 2008. And some of Warner's more enthusiastic boosters think the Virginia governor meets that standard.

"There's no one [Democrat] out there who can pass the electability test like Warner can," said Dave "Mudcat" Saunders, the Roanoke consultant who helped craft Warner's 2001 strategy to court rural voters.

Warner also could face pressure from some Democrats in 2006 to challenge Republican Sen. George Allen. Allen also is mentioned frequently as a possible presidential candidate. (A Google search using the key words "George Allen 2008" produced more than 150,000 links.)

Warner, who turned 50 last month, has even mentioned the possibility of running for governor again in 2009. The state constitution prohibits Virginia governors from serving consecutive terms.

But friends and political allies said Warner's plans will be largely determined by his wife and three daughters.

"He's made it very clear to me that it's not just his decision, it's up to Lisa and the girls," Saunders said.

Though Warner insisted his current job will consume him for the next year, he acknowledged that he does "want to be part of an effort to move the Democrats back to the center."

"I think most Americans want their politics in the middle," he said. "They want their politicians to be people who are part of that sensible center, regardless of party. I do want to be part of that debate."

Senator Evan Bayh, who was on Jonathan's show right after me most likely now knows about the Draft Bayh movement. That transcript will be up next. The big question remains. Who will fill in some mighty big shoes in the Kentucky State Treasurer's office come November 2007?

Steve Sisson has a new year's resolution for Evan Bayh: "Form an exploratory committee for president in 2008."