It was something that his opponent in the race for U.S. Senate, George Allen, attempted to drag him down with. Sen. Tim Kaine is a close personal friend of Barack Obama. It is a friendship that was built in the early stages of Obama's first run for president. Despite Obama's tenuous status in Virginia, Kaine never wavered in his support of his friend. When the votes were cast the partnership forged early in 2007 stood strong. Obama heading back to the White House, Kaine taking one of Virginia's two Senate Seats.
(We caught up with Kaine in Washington on the day before the Inauguration)
"It's very touching, and humbling," said Kaine. "No president before this president ever cared what I thought about anything."
On the eve of Obama's public swearing in, Kaine is a different position then he was four years ago. He was completing his term as governor and had taken on the role of DNC Chair. Now he is a member of the U.S. Senate and while he continues to maintain that close relationship with Obama, his first priority will be Virginia. Kaine said it will be essential that this congress gets off to a fast start.
"I think the 112th Congress will go down as a flame out on the working together side," Kaine said. 'The 113th has to do better and there 15 new members and that means a lot of people coming in. As I start get to get to know them, we are learning that while we come from different places politically, we all have the sense that we were sent here to get some things done."
Kaine wants to get to work as soon as possible.
An extended clip from our interview can be found below:
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