Gov. Bob McDonnell says he plans to serve out his term as governor, but he did not rule out leaving if nominated to run for vice president.
"I don't have any plans for higher office at this point. So, my plan is to serve four years in Virginia and be governor," McDonnell said in his first radio show on WTOP.
When WTOP's Mark Plotkin asked McDonnell whether he would leave office to run for vice president, the governor did not completely shut the door.
"I am absolutely planning to serve four years," McDonnell said. "There's a lot of candidates out there for president and vice president."
The governor also criticized Del. Robert G. Marshall, R-Prince William for comments in which Marshall suggested that disabled children were a form of punishment for women who had abortions.
Marshall has said he regrets his "poorly chosen words" delivered during a news conference in which Marshall urged the General Assembly to strip funding from Planned Parenthood.
"They were wrong and offensive comments and we should do everything we can for young children who are disabled and provide the best safety net we can," said McDonnell, a former delegate from Virginia Beach who has known Marshall for many years.
But McDonnell did not disagree with Marshall's anti-abortion position and "the importance of protecting human life." He said state funding should not go toward the funding of abortions. Planned Parenthood's funding in Virginia comes primarily through federal reimbursements of Virginia Medicaid patients.
"I don't think taxpayers should be providing money for those services," he said, reiterating that Marshall "made some very poor and offensive and wrong comments."
As for serving out his term, McDonnell said:
"I want to make Virginia the best place in America for energy and business and transportation, and it's going to take four years to do that."
The governor also said that he would not accept any part time jobs while serving as governor.
"I certainly will not do that -- I'm not going to be chairman of the Republican National Committee," McDonnell said.
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