A Smart Choice

Democrats made a smart choice when they selected Tim Kaine to give their rebuttal to the President's State of the Union Address. The loony left is going nuts, but Kaine is an excellent choice.

First, he's a good, old-fashioned ethnic Democrat, and looks the part. That's the type of voter the Democrats have been losing;

Second, he is really quite liberal (more than his predecessor as Virginia Governor, Democrat Mark Warner), but opposes gay marriage and is happy to talk about religion; in other words, for many Americans, Kaine demonstrates that one can be liberal without being doctrinaire on every issue or relentlessly secular;

He insists he will give a moderate speech. Right now the Democrats need a public face other than Teddy Kennedy and left wing bloggers. I think many Americans are looking for a Democrat who does not seem so over-the-top anti-Bush; someone who seems constructive and serious;

He supports staying in Iraq, as most Americans do;

He has shown he can make this formula work, winning the governorship in Virginia last fall.

Good choice.