RNC: Do You Know Where Your Governor Is?

You might think the Republican Party would want to avoid the topic of secret gubernatorial travel right now.

Given that one of the party's top governors, Mark Sanford of South Carolina, is clinging to his political life after flying off to Argentina to meet with his girlfriend -- without telling anyone where he was going -- you would think the whole subject of governors' comings and goings would be one GOP spinmeisters would do anything to avoid. Right?

Well, you would be wrong.

From the Department of Bad Timing, the RNC's research/communications team sent out an email today highlighting an editorial in the Richmond Times-Dispatch that criticizes Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine's secretive travel schedule for the Democratic Party.

The irony seemed lost on the RNC.

Apparently the view in Virginia is: if South Carolina can have its travel scandal, so can we. The Republican Party of Virginia subsequently sent out a release this afternoon with the headline "Post Nails Kaine," highlighting the Washington Post's coverage of Kaine's apparent conflicts representing Virginia and the DNC simultaneously.

"I think the taxpayers should know when the governor is or is not on duty," says Pat Mullins, chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia. "Clearly, Tim Kaine is out of the office rather frequently. We'd like to know when that is and where he's going."

Unlike Sanford, whose mysterious absence from South Carolina over the past week was more hormonal than professional, Kaine's travel woes stem from his demanding duties as chairman of the DNC flying around the country to raise money.

(The Virginia GOP failed to mention that Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore served as chairman of the RNC during his last year in office, although the Times-Dispatch editorial makes note of this fact, while pointing out that it didn't work out well for Gilmore either.)

Legitimate or not, the RNC and Virginia state GOP's press releases complaining about another governor's travel issues struck some Republican strategists as embarrassingly unfortunate timing. As one veteran Republican campaign strategist told us, "How did these chuckleheads end up running my party?"

Comments

The essence of comedy is timing, and the essence of timing is?

As RNC chair is running off to Argentina to break up with Evita, the RNC is mad because the DNC chair is also governor of Virginia or vice versa?

Is it subtle enough to want to play "Memories" from cats whenever Sanford is near?

Posted by: ceflynline | June 25, 2009 9:34 PM | Report abuse

Pots and kettles.????

Posted by: jihadalready | June 26, 2009 5:50 AM | Report abuse

why is it that every time a Republican gets in trouble they blame a Democrat for doing the same,even though it wasn't. Why can't they just come out and say it is wrong and hypocritical? I surprised they haven't invoked the "clinton" rule

Posted by: woodard3 | June 26, 2009 10:21 AM | Report abuse

"...I dove down three times, but Mary Jo was gone".... At least Sanford didn't leave his Agentinian hugger to die in the surf.

When Mary Ann Akers covers stories, with players and plot lines similar to the above, then I'll be a believer, until then she writing in a safe haven. Her article doesn't require alot of skill or intestinal fortitiude.

The important thing for Mary is that we are reading her articles, if she is satisfied with that, good luck and keep cranking them out.

Posted by: masssgt | June 27, 2009 6:28 AM | Report abuse

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