In today’s Daily Progress, Bob Gibson writes:
Kevin Hall, Kaine’s press secretary, said the governor has found senators of both parties and delegates of his own Democratic Party quite easy to work with and only House Republicans to be intransigent on the budget and taxes.
“The governor invited the speaker [Howell] to lunch with him and Sen. [John H.] Chichester tomorrow and the speaker declined,” Hall said. “We asked which day in the next two weeks and the House speaker said he doesn’t have time to have lunch with the governor.”
There can’t be much question who the problem is in this budget process.
Yes, there is a question.
“Easy to work with” translates into “easy to roll.”
Who wants to shut down state government to get their way? Hint: Not the Speaker.
Why does Speaker William Howell hate Virginia?
Yeah, Will, but not sitting down to lunch with the guy? It takes some kinda hubris to refuse lunch with the governor.
Is this a calculated political move or real overture on the Governor’s part? Seems like a pretty calculated political move for the Governor’s mouthpiece to announce that they were snubbed so that all the insiders would say “look who’s the problem here–look who’s not budging.”
Real overtures are often best made in private and, unless you’re just trying to play the media and the bloggers, would give your opponent an opportunity to save face and actually get something done. Is this the strategy?
Be that as it may, Howell is still rude for snubbing the governor. If it was calculated, Howell isn’t just rude, but also foolish for falling into the trap.
Perhaps you’re right on both counts.
What would you say the strategy for victory is on the part of Kaine and CHichester? Neat tricks like inviting Howell to lunch and laughing and making a press statement when he says no? Or something else…
I have no idea what their strategy is, but if it consists of mere lunch trickery, we are all screwed. :)
Oh please, please let the Republicans argue that Kaine inviting Howell to lunch is some devious political trick. Because, you know, if there’s one thing Virginians hate, it’s manners.
I can’t wait to see the Republicans’ response; well, you know we would have worked out a budget, but you just can’t find good whole wheat in Richmond.
Amovar-
I think my point was attempting to be a different one, perhaps unsuccessfully.
I am unimpressed with the negotiating tactic of blaming your opponent for the stalemate and publicizing, through your spokesman, the fact that he turned you down for lunch. I understand why they did it, and that it may be good politics, but I just don’t see it moving the ball down the field, and that is what is unimpressive to me. I will reiterate my point from above that deals like this are best made in private and not through the press. Being “the bigger person” doesn’t involve tattling to the press when you get stood up.
I am a democrat and I am on Kaine’s side. I just don’t see a resolution forthcoming and find “gotcha” moments like this disheartening. Its what I would expect from Morgan Griffith, not from Tim Kaine.
That said, I’m sure they’ve got a resolution all planned out–its just a matter of getting the speaker to come to lunch…
I think the Governor’s office announcing that the Speaker wouldn’t come to lunch- is exactly what Ed Scott was talking about in the article.
First, Howell didn’t just stand up the governor, he also stood up Senator Chichester, a fellow Republican. Which makes Howell look even smaller, as it shows he’s not even willing to work with members of his own party.
There’s no reason to think that Kaine’s private offer was made in anything but good faith and a bipartisan (tripartisan?) spirit. Would we be hearing about any of this if Howell had given the governor and his fellow Republican the simple courtesy of a meeting. We would not.
Furthermore, it completely undercuts the line of argument from Delegate Scott that Kaine won’t personally engage Republicans on the issue. How can the governor do that if people like Howell won’t sit down with him?
If a faction of the Republican Party wants to act in such an immature manner in preventing a budget from being passed, the people of Virginia have a right to hear about it. Howell made a decision, fine. His party will continue to bear the consequences of his particular brand of leadership. It’s just too bad the state and the state of civility will suffer in the meantime.
Amovar-
So you think that announcing the snub in public makes it MORE likely that Howell will come to the bargaining table next time? An alternative would have been to keep asking privately until an audience was granted–while somewhat beneath the office, sometimes thats how deals get done. Unless, of course, Governor Kaine is content with allowing a stalemate then spending the next few months blaming the other guy…now THAT’s leadership.
Look, this really isn’t that big of a deal and I now feel that I’ve talked it to death. My only point was that its a crummy tactic if you actually want to accomplish something and perhaps suggestive of a bigger problem along the lines of what NLS correctly points out.
In a word, yes. 4 of 5 parts of the budget process are on the same page (Senate Rs, Senate Ds, House Ds, and Kaine). Only the House Rs are holding out. Kaine is trying to meet with Howell and engage him personally. The fact that Howell won’t even meet with him and Chichester demonstrates how stubborn he is. By making this public, Kaine is basically saying ‘We’re going to meet, and if we don’t, everyone will know it’s your fault.’ That puts the onus for any possible problems on Howell. It puts the ball squarely in his corner. In my experience, that’s a great motivator for action (both of the rolling and comprimising type).
First, Howell didn’t just stand up the governor, he also stood up Senator Chichester, a fellow Republican. Which makes Howell look even smaller, as it shows he’s not even willing to work with members of his own party.
Amovar, but Chitchester resisting Howell and the Republicans in the House IS working with the party? C’mon now, this game goes both ways.
The Governor’s office set Howell up, plain and simple. If he went then there’d be much ado about what was said, who did what, is Howell waivering, he said/he said afterwards. By snubbing, Howell’s saying he’s not going to play but the Governor’s office now can say he’s not playing nice.
Oh darn, the House is playing hardball this time around.