A Warner for a Warner

James Clements / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: February 17, 2008

Twelve years ago, Mark Warner's campaign strategy in a failed bid for the U.S. Senate fit on a bad bumper sticker: Vote "Mark, Not John." This time around, name recognition shouldn't be a problem for the former governor, who proved himself a leader in four years as the state's executive.

Mark Warner may not be the most popular politician in Virginia today, but that's only because the man he hopes to replace this fall is still in office. With his impending retirement, Sen. John Warner deserves a tribute and thanks for his years of service, and there may be no better way to show our gratitude than to send his namesake to Washington.

Over his 30 years in office, Sen. Warner has provided strong leadership on issues of national defense, while extending a hand of bipartisanship in order to accomplish the goals of the country. He has also proven himself to be a man bigger than a political party by working across the aisle on issues like global climate change.

"At a time when our political climate is as partisan and divisive as ever, John Warner embodies bipartisanship, courtesy and generosity," Sen. Jim Webb told The Washington Post on the day Sen. Warner announced his retirement, last fall.

The model that's been set for John Warner's successor won't be filled overnight (and may never be filled), but a great place to start is with this spirit of rolling up the sleeves to tackle the many looming challenges our country is facing. And the only way to get started is to realize the Senate should not be a "50-plus-1" vote institution, where the majority inflicts its will on the people, but rather a group of 100 charged with nothing short of keeping our country afloat.

Mark Warner convinced me he understands that requirement of the job when he stopped recently to campaign in Culpeper.

Warner spoke on a number of topics, but he returned to one theme: his idea to coalesce a bipartisan group of eight to 12 moderate senators who will lead the way for their colleagues.

He dubbed this group the "Radical Centrists," and while it might be hard to believe you could find a dozen senators who are more than just party hacks, I think Mark Warner's plan would be warmly received by a group of Senators who've been waiting in the wings.

While the message hasn't seem to get through to Capitol Hill, yet, American voters are aware that such a Dirty Dozen is needed in Washington. While a partisan pall has hung over our country for the last decade, looming challenges like the collapse of Social Security, a drying up of the U.S. job market, and the lack of affordable health care sit in paralysis while each side waits from election to election on the hopes of attaining a Super Majority. (And instead of solutions to these problems, we get grandstanding hearings on such pressing issues as steroids in baseball.)

In this primary season, no candidate from either party has run as George III. The message to voters has been clear: We know you want a change. And that will be true no matter who wins at the top of the ballot. Mark Warner thinks that public attitude provides a great opportunity.

"In January 2009, a window is going to open," Warner said. "I'm not afraid of change."

Warner said this window will allow those in Washington to begin to look for answers instead of more conflict. The voters will have sent a message to all our elected officials that it's time to solve more problems than they create.

We've tried dividing this country in half, splitting Republicans and Democrats and telling each group that they mustn't stray from their own. And what have we gotten to show for it-

Uncertainty, anxiety and more questions than answers.
It's time to come up with a new slogan for America in 2009, and a "Warner's a Winner" bumper sticker would be a great place to start.
 
James Clements is a Culpeper resident and
independent columnist who appears each Monday.
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