Talk of spot on national ticket 'cool' for Virginia congressman

Before long, voters in Fredericksburg, and maybe even L.A. and New York, will not have to ask: "Eric who?"

Date published: 8/27/2008

By Ed Jones

OK, SO HE'S only one of five Virginians mentioned as possibilities for a national ticket in this year's presidential election. But it's still a kick for Rep. Eric Cantor to be on John McCain's VP list--at least until Friday.

Indeed, his three teenage children "think it's cool," Cantor acknowledged last week during a stop at The Free Lance-Star.

A fourth-term congressman from the Richmond area whose district includes Culpeper, Orange and Louisa counties and parts of Spotsylvania and Caroline counties, Cantor would bring undeniable strengths to the ticket. A conservative from a swing state in the South (and the only Jewish Republican in the House), Cantor has climbed the leadership ladder to chief deputy whip.

But though he may be a whip, he's not even a blip on the national radar screen. That's why some are questioning his readiness for prime time. In fact, renowned political pundit Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia called the possible pick of Cantor "strange."

Still, based on his grasp of the political trends this year, Cantor seems ready to roll. He makes as persuasive a case as you can for why McCain might end up winning in a year when the electorate is "in the mood for change."

How could a 72-year-old veteran of Washington like McCain compete for the "change vote" against someone as precedent-setting as Barack Obama? By burnishing his maverick credentials, says Cantor, and by encouraging voters to "look under the hood" of Obama's career. If they do, says the Richmond-born congressman, they will find liberal, party-line orthodoxy, not a track record of change.

But how does McCain distinguish himself from an incumbent president of the same party who, to many voters, represents what they want to change?

Check the record, says Cantor, and you'll find that a McCain administration would not amount to a third Bush term. As the congressman notes, McCain "was for the surge [in Iraq] before Bush was."

The prospect of a Vice President Cantor may be unlikely for 2009. But it's clear that this 45-year-old up-and-comer, who manages to combine a party-line voting record with open-minded rhetoric, already has managed to break into the national spotlight. His prestige in the House will only grow.

Well-groomed to a T, with thick black hair and a trim physique, Cantor makes a good impression on the campaign trail. He has a knack for articulate answers and a talent for gauging the political winds. While hardly a barnstormer, this lawyer/developer is a good fit for the TV-style campaigns of the 21st century.

Who knows? Before long, voters in Fredericksburg, and maybe even L.A. and New York, will not have to ask: "Eric who?"

A final note: Who were the other Virginians mentioned as possibilities for a national ticket this year? Tim Kaine, Mark Warner and Jim Webb as VP for the Democrats, and Jim Gilmore, who ran an abbreviated campaign for the GOP presidential nomination.

Ed Jones: 540/374-5401
Email: edjones@freelancestar.com

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Date published: 8/27/2008

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