Kaine says Virginia

Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine on Saturday told a packed-house audience in The Barn at Lord Fairfax Community College near Warrenton that Obama could win the presidency without Virginia.

But if Obama captures the state's 13 electoral college votes, he most certainly would take the Nov. 4 election, Kaine predicted.

With Virginia in his corner in a tight race, the math favors Obama collecting the minimum 270 electoral college votes needed to win the White House, he said.

Kane,50, described the contest in Virginia between the presumptive Republican presidential nominee Arizona Sen. John McCain and Obama "a complete dead heat."

No Democratic presidential candidate has carried Virginia since 1964.

More than 100 attended Kaine's Aug. 16 "Town Hall Meeting"/Obama campaign rally at the community college.

Kaine, apparently on a "short list" of potential vice presidential candidates, ended his day at the LFCC campus, after stumping on behalf on Obama in Winchester, Leesburg and Manassas.

Kaine said he decided to back Obama, 47, because he "thought Americans were ready for excellence" after eight years of President Bush.

The governor criticized Bush's handling of the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort. He spoke harshly of the president's decision to invade Iraq, based on "discredited" information. Kaine also said that Bush practiced a brand of politics that divides rather than unites people.

Kaine described Obama as a man of sound character and judgment who understands first-hand the plight of poor Americans because he "lived through tough times" and worked with families who experienced "hard times."

Unlike McCain, 71, Obama "measures success" based on "how the middle class is doing," Kaine said.

The Illinois senator supports tax breaks for the middle class and small and new businesses, Kaine said.

Obama also believes America must invest more in higher education, which is why he supports tax credits for college students, the governor said.

By contrast, McCain prefers to invest American dollars in Iraq's infrastructure, the governor said.

McCain measures success based on financial well being of the very wealthy and of corporations, Kaine said.

The governor also praised Obama's commitment to establishing universal health care for Americans.

He said Obama recognizes energy as "the big" issue, with significant economic, environmental and national-security implications.

Obama backs a comprehensive energy policy that focuses on conservation, efficiency and investment in research and alternative fuels, Kaine said.

But McCain believes America should continue to pump oil out of the ground to meet its energy needs, he said. "That's a failed and bankrupt policy," Kaine said.

In response to audience questions, the governor talked about the Obama campaign's television commercial strategy during the Olympics, Kaine's chances of getting the vice presidential nomination and whether Obama would support a military draft.

Despite the stress on the military because the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Obama has never to his knowledge suggested "we should reintroduce the draft," Kaine said.

One woman wanted to know why the campaign hasn't countered McCain's "negative" ads with sharply worded ones of its own.

The Obama campaign believes Americans don't want the Olympic games experience cheapened with "trash" ads, Kaine said.

McCain's campaign officials use attack ads because they believe "there's no way they can win this race" with positive tactics, the governor said.

Of the media speculation that Obama would choose him as his running mate, Kaine said: "It's been really nice to be mentioned for VP."

But, he added: "I've never thought it was very likely." (See sidebar).

Kane believes he would be of greater use to an Obama administration in his role as governor.

E-mail the reporter: ddelrosso@timespapers.com