Warner DNCC Keynote Tips Obama's VP Hand?

The Obama campaign released the following statement this morning, announcing the Democratic National Convention's keynote speaker: (via email)

The Obama for America Campaign announced today that former Virginia Governor Mark Warner will deliver the keynote address at the 2008 Democratic Convention on Tuesday, August 26th, the second night of the Convention.

An innovative businessman known for his ability to work with Republicans, Democrats and Independents, campaign officials said that Warner's vision for Virginia and his leadership style echoed the Convention's theme of Americans coming together for change.

Is this a harbinger of Obama's soon-to-be-announced VP selection?


Here's the rest of the statement:

"Barack Obama believes you can't have a strong economy when you have a weak middle class," said Obama Campaign Manager David Plouffe. "Millions of Americans are struggling to get by, forced to make impossible choices about their future and the future of their families. Tuesday's Convention program will feature the voices of Americans who share Obama's concerns and strongly support his detailed economic plan to grow the economy, create jobs, restore fairness, and expand opportunity. As Governor of Virginia, Warner used his experience in business to help deliver jobs and hope to the citizens of Virginia. His work creating jobs in Southwest and Southside Virginia is a model for the rest of the Country. Like Barack Obama, Mark Warner is not afraid to challenge the status quo to bring people together and get things moving. It's that kind of spirit and innovation that resulted in his selection as keynote speaker on a night when we will be discussing how to renew America's promise."

Warner, a candidate for the United States Senate in Virginia, will speak on Tuesday night of the Democratic Convention. The theme of Tuesday's night program at the Convention is Renewing America's Promise.

In the past several weeks, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine has come out of nowhere to become the hottest name on Obama's shortlist, and the appearance of Warner as the keynote speaker could be a hint that Kaine has gone from hot to supernova.

Others have speculated that the theme of the night for the VP's speech, "Securing America's Future," indicates a pick with strong foreign policy credentials, along the lines of Joe Biden. "Securing America's Future," by the way, is the slogan of General Wesley Clark's Political Action Committee, WesPac. Now, that would be a stunning pick.

I think Kaine is a terrible pick for Obama in every way except one: He doesn't play to any of Obama's perceived weaknesses, which would indicate that Obama doesn't plan to cede any ground on his own credentials.

My biggest problem with Kaine is, of course, the fact that he's not Hillary Clinton. My support for the Dream Ticket is well known. Yes, I still harbor delusions that the convention schedule is a ruse to trick us all into thinking she won't be the VP, so they can spring it on us like the ending to "The Sixth Sense."

In addition to the mountain of supporting arguments that I've made to date, Obama gives McCain a huge opening to siphon away female voters and counter the historic aspect of Obama's candidacy by picking a woman as his VP.

The Wes Clark connection is probably a coincidence, as Clark hasn't appeared on any list (short, long, or otherwise), and many would say he was rendered radioactive by his appearance on "Face the Nation." Still, picking Clark would be a bold move that would help Obama with the fraidy-cat demo, and signal to the Republicans that the "hero card" is off the table.

I think a big point in Kaine's favor is his close relationship with Obama. A major criterion given to me by insiders is the ability of the VP to govern well with Obama, to be a "good fit."This is the overriding factor in Obama's decision.

My shortlist: Hillary Clinton.