'Radical centrists'
Former Gov. Warner vows to shake up Congress by forging coalition for change that makes sense.
By STEPHEN IGO, Kingsport, TN Times-News, March
WISE—Former Gov. Mark Warner promised results, not partisanship, if Virginians elect him to the U.S. Senate seat of retiring Sen. John Warner.
As a Democrat governor (2001-04) Warner returned the state to solid fiscal ground and did so by forging respected relationships with Republicans in the Virginia General Assembly. During a campaign stopover at Mosby’s Restaurant in Wise on Thursday, Warner said he likes the way Southwest Virginia’s delegation works together in Richmond regardless of party affiliation.
During the previous presidential election cycle, national Democrats regarded Warner as a possible candidate. Warner said he considered running for president for nearly a year before declining. But he learned something in the meantime.
“I came away from that journey with a real sense that our nation is at a crossroads,” he said, and began to consider that “maybe I can be a part of getting our country fixed.”
If elected, Warner said he would work to “put together a coalition of 10 to 12 senators of ‘radical centrists’” to make the tough decisions to get the country on the right track. Such a coalition must be bipartisan, he added. “There are no Republican or Democrat answers to the problems we face,” he said.
The nation’s dependence on foreign oil must end, he said, and while “there is no single magic bullet” the country can and should develop all viable forms of energy – wind, solar, nuclear, mulched up weeds, whatever – “and it’s also going to take coal,” he said. Warner said Southwest Virginia can become a world model of clean coal technology development “to make sure we use (coal) in the cleanest, most environmentally sensitive way.”
An energy renaissance, he said, would transform the economy as well. Southwest Virginia should lead the world in the development of coal technologies, he said.
Warner said he would also work toward the continued improvement of education, make health care affordable for all, and the nation should also make a commitment on the level of energy to overhaul infrastructure—“roads, rails and high-speed technology.”
As for the thorny issues of terrorism in general and Iraq most specifically, Warner said it’s time for the Iraqi’s to resolve their own problems.
“Yes, we have to make our country secure,” he said. “But we can’t stay in Iraq forever.” He said the U.S. “simply can’t be referees in a civil war forever. We’ve done our duty for those people. It’s time for them to step up now.”
State Del. Bud Phillips, D-Clintwood, said Warner has what it takes to take over where the legendary Sen. John Warner leaves off.
Warner has “rare talent” that brings “rare air” to the political scheme, Phillips said, calling the former governor “one of the best leaders in the nation. We’ve had a tough seven years (of the Bush administration) and we need to straighten out our country and make it respected around the world again. You can tell I’m sold on this man. You can tell I believe in this man.”