Governor Tim Kaine will deliver his final State of the Commonwealth address on Wednesday. What should you expect? Here’s what I’m looking for:
1) How much of the speech will be a retrospective of everything he accomplished vs. call to battle for Democrats on what he thinks needs to happen over the next four years?
2) What will Gov. Kaine consider his accomplishments? Leading Virginia through the Tech tragedy? Leading us through a tough economic period? Land conservation? Preserving our Triple A bond rating and maintaining our status as the best state in the country to do business?
3) Will Gov. Kaine admit what his administration failed to accomplish and if so, what would he put on that list? Transportation? Pre-K expansion? Sluggish economy?
4) As Gov. Kaine transitions to a more partisan job as chair of the Democratic Party, will his speech be more partisan?
5) Will Gov. Kaine reach out to incoming Governor-elect McDonnell with an olive branch?
6) How will Gov. Kaine be received by the Republicans in the audience? The GOP just had their best election in more than a decade, picking up seats in the House and winning all three statewide offices by wide margins. Will the Republicans overly confident or still respectful?
7) How much will the national media pick up on the governor’s address? It’s a busy time in politics, but Kaine’s profile on the national level is enough to warrant some coverage.
In the end, Gov. Kaine’s speech won’t have much impact on policy, but it could have a big impact on the tone of this session. It should be an interesting night.
WSLS will carry it live on our digital channel, 10.2.
Posted by Jay Warren at 09:24 PM. Filed under: main •
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