‘Right path’ for Kaine and Palin?

Virginia Republicans are bashing Tim Kaine as an occasional governor more interested in his other gig, the chairmanship of the Democratic National Committee.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the next GOP-orchestrated pile-on: Sarah Palin provided cover for Kaine.

Palin, defeated for the vice presidency last year, is quitting as Alaska governor. In doing so -- 1½ years before the end of her first term and for reasons not fully determined -- Palin supplied Kaine, who intends to complete his term, with talking points that could make Republicans wince.

"I am determined to take the right path for Alaska, even though it is unconventional and not so comfortable," Palin said in announcing her resignation July 3.

Substitute "Virginia" for "Alaska," and you have a sound bite that could have been mouthed by Kaine. Though give the verbally nimble former trial lawyer credit for more artful sophistry.

Kaine argues that his DNC job, a part-time assignment for which he is refusing pay until he leaves office in January, is another avenue into the Washington power grid, where political and policy matters that have a major impact on Virginia are decided.

As Kaine told the Richmond Times-Dispatch's Jim Nolan, the chairmanship allows him to "make my case directly to decision makers" on such issues as divvying federal stimulus dollars, D.C.'s role in cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay and blocking the transfer of a Norfolk-based aircraft carrier -- and thousands of jobs -- to Florida, home to a branch of the Bush clan.

A national party chairmanship is not a new role for a Virginia governor.

Having delivered the state for Dubya in the 2000 primary, Jim Gilmore was installed as boss of the Republican National Committee. Gilmore was sent packing after less than a year for trying to boss around the wrong people, including Karl Rove.

Democrats, then in the minority, were meek in their criticism of Gilmore's dual duties. Republicans, now teetering on a return to the minority, are using the moonlighting Kaine as a piñata, a target all can pound relentlessly.

This has two advantages: It temporarily diverts attention from the GOP's larger struggle -- recapturing the election-deciding center -- while helping restore morale at the grass roots.

Even Republicans accustomed to beating up other Republicans are targeting Kaine.

The state wing of Americans for Prosperity, which this past winter shamed House Republicans into retreating on unrecorded subcommittee votes, wonders -- as the state GOP did -- whether Kaine can be forced by law to be more forthcoming about when he's on the DNC's dime or the taxpayers'.

To which Kaine could muse, as Palin did in quitting: "I think of the saying on my parents' refrigerator that says: 'Don't explain: Your friends don't need it and your enemies won't believe you anyway.'"

Not one to draw strength from refrigerator-magnet aphorisms, Kaine, a Harvard Law grad, prefers (really) Frank Zappa: "It is always advisable to be a loser if you cannot become a winner."

For Republicans, food for thought?

Perhaps Palin will unload her own zinger, should she veer into Virginia as a used-to-be attesting to wannabe Bob McDonnell's capacity for full-time work.

Contact Jeff E. Schapiro at (804) 6496814 or . Watch his video column Thursdays on TimesDispatch.com. Listen to his analysis Fridays at 8:33 a.m. on WCVE (88.9 FM).