Why DOES Mark Warner want to be a Senator?

Here’s a question for you to ponder.  Why does Marky Mark want to be a U.S. Senator?  Seriously.  Is there something that he has set as a goal and wants to accomplish as a senator or is this a matter of wanting to serve in the U.S. Senate in order to be someone, not so he can do something? A recent Robert Novak column should have people seeking the answer to that question. (H/T The Write Side of My Brain.)

Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, a strong favorite to be elected to the Senate this year, has told associates that he is being considered as Barack Obama’s vice presidential running mate. He did not indicate whether he would be receptive to such an offer.

Removing Warner from the campaign for the seat now held by retiring Republican Sen. John Warner (no relation) would turn a sure Democratic takeover to a question mark. Mark Warner is heavily favored against the Republican nominee, former Gov. Jim Gilmore, but no substitute Democratic candidate is at hand.

Although no Democratic presidential nominee has carried Virginia since Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, Democrats see the state as being in play for the 2008 election and would like to see a Virginian on the national ticket. Both current Gov. Tim Kaine and freshman Sen. Jim Webb have been mentioned, but neither possesses Warner’s prestige.

Let’s recap Marky Mark’s political odyssey. He came to D.C. from his home in CT so as to work for his homestate senator, Chris Dodd. Using insider knowledge gained from his Hill work, he later made his fortune in telecomm so that he could then pursue his political aspirations. In ‘96, he launched his failed campaign against John Warner for U.S. Senate. After losing that race, he waited for the next opportunity to run for something. Finally, five years later he ran for Gov. when it became evident there were no opportunities to run for Senate (where he hoped to join his mentor Dodd) and won that race.

Aside from raising taxes, he has no legacy as governor that he can point to. He didn’t abolish parole or establish Standards of Learning for our schools as Gov. George Allen did. He didn’t start the rollback the dreaded car tax as Gov. Jim Gilmore did. Frankly, there are no significant achievements. So, as a term-limited governor, what does he do next? Run for President of course! In the summer and early fall of 2006 Marky Mark was traveling everywhere, making all the connections he had to, opening offices in Iowa and New Hampshire. Then, suddenly, he pulled the plug. (We’ll have to wait until later this year to learn the real reasons for this.)

So, after dropping out of the presidential race and leaving the anti-Hillary mantle for Barry Obama to pick up and run with all the way to the nomination in Denver, Marky Mark decides that he’d rather be Senator than President. Still, we don’t know why he wants to be senator as he has run a mostly issueless campaign full of empty platitudes and meaningless oxymoron phrases such as “radical centrist.” Even Sen. Thinskin Gump (D-WashPo) had a rationale (deeply flawed as it was) for his candidacy (cut and run in Iraq and Marxist economic policies to promote “fairness.”)

Now, Marky Mark is out and about telling people he is being considered for VP by Barry Obama.  That only raises the prospect that Mark Warner is a politician who wants to be elected in order to BE someone, not so he can DO something.  Back in 1980, a reporter asked Ted Kennedy why he wanted to be president.  He couldn’t answer the questions and that largely ended his primary challenge of President Jimmy Carter.

Voters and reporters need to press Marky Mark on what he wants to accomplish as a U.S. Senator and not let him skate by with answers like “I want to be a radical centrist.”  That is as meaningless as his term as governor will ultimately be judged as by History.