Lee Hockstader has a scathing column about Tim Kaine in today’s Washington Post. It opens with this paragraph:
Tim Kaine alights from his campaign RV in the drowsy little towns of Southside Virginia like a visitor from another planet. Fresh-faced, Harvard Law School-educated and twang-free, Kaine, the Democratic lieutenant governor running for governor of Virginia, oozes all the down-home appeal of a tasseled loafer.
Damn.
Kaine’s a city boy. There’s no getting around it. But Hockstader is guilty of a little orientalism of his own:
On Main Street in South Boston, with its cracked windows and boarded-up storefronts, the man running the Puff ‘n Stuff lunch counter said Warner has “done a great job,” but he hadn’t noticed much from Kaine so far.
And how about Kilgore? Oh, said the man, he’s stopped in for coffee. Twice.
For starters, it’s “Pufff ‘n’ Stufff,” not “Puff ‘n’ Stuff.” Secondly, the owner is a Democrat, originally from Charlottesville. That said, Pufff ‘n’ Stufff is SoBo’s watering hole. Kilgore is wise to have stopped by there twice. Kaine would do well to do the same, sans entourage. Just sit and chat for an hour on a weekday morning.
I’ve written about Lynchburg, and how it’s poised to become quite a mover and shaker in Virginia. South Boston is in a similar position. They’re like a little Charlottesville, only their energy is almost entirely latent. If the stars align, it’s a town that will spring forth fully-formed, complete with a thriving arts scene, fine dining options, and a beautifully restored downtown. I feel a real affinity for the town and the fine folks that I’ve met there. If they were closer to Charlottesville, I expect I’d head down there regularly.
Tim Kaine should spend time there if for no other reason than it’s a nice place.
This article really struck a nerve. I think that the pitting of rural areas against cities and towns, by journalists, politicians, or just plan folks, goes against what America is all about. I’ll say it till I’m blue in the face, we are one Virginia. Just ’cause Kilgore is “from here,” doesn’t make him a good choice. I live in SW Virginia and Tim has made many trips here and way to the south of where I live. If citizens of the 9th meet Tim, they will connect with him. I really hope that someday all Americans will see that all regions make a contribution. And it’s not ours to judge or act superior to any other area. We’re all in it together.
PS As I have said before, small town and rural folks want good educations for their kids too. We liek balanced budgets, and a sound economy. It’s amazing how Hockstader can literally sneer at one who spend much of his life serving others. Kaine got the best education he could, helped the poor as a missionary, or practiced law to help the underdog. Then he served the public. Kaine does sit down and talk to folks on his travels around the state. Hockstader’s attempt to diss Kaine as one who cares about ordinary people just doesn’t wash.