Candidate Misses Opportunity

Editorial

Where was Hung Cao? That was a question that loomed in the air Monday morning at Glen Maury Park as candidates delivered speeches in what is the traditional kickoff to Virginia’s fall campaign season.

The much-anticipated showdown between Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine and Cao, his Republican challenger, didn’t materialize, though both candidates were in Buena Vista for the Labor Day festivities. Both candidates attended and spoke at their respective political party breakfasts and both marched in the parade. However, Cao chose not to take part in the stump speeches at the park.

“I had hoped to meet my opponent today,” said Kaine during his remarks. He then commenced to list the number of times Cao has turned down opportunities for joint appearances with Kaine. There was the earlier invitation from the Virginia Bar Association to appear at a forum at the Homestead Omni in Hot Springs. Invitations have been forthcoming from other organizations, including the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce and the American Association of Retired Persons. We’re quite frankly stumped at Cao’s reluctance to publicly engage with Kaine. Usually it’s the incumbent, having the built-in advantages that go along with holding office, who is hesitant to give the challenger an opportunity to have his or her candidacy gain traction.

“What’s wrong with Buena Vista?” asked Kaine over Cao’s failure to show up at the park on Monday. “Maybe he thinks Buena Vista is Podunk,” Kaine mused, employing a word meaning a small, unimportant and isolated town that Cao reportedly used earlier for Staunton when he was upset about an article that appeared in a Staunton newspaper. “Buena Vista is just great,” Kaine added, “And if you want to represent Virginia, you should show up in every part of the state.”

Kaine’s point is well taken. A serious candidate vying for statewide office has a responsibility to campaign throughout the commonwealth, to rural regions and metropolitan areas alike. Joint appearances among competing candidates, whether in public forums or actual debates, give potential constituents an opportunity to judge the candidates.

We will point out that we have criticized Democratic candidates too when they have opted to skip the speeches at the park in recent years. As western Virginia has grown increasingly red in recent years, Democratic statewide candidates have broken with our local tradition and chosen to spend Labor Day in more populous, voter-rich regions of Virginia.

Even so, Monday’s stump speeches in Buena Vista was a missed opportunity for Cao. He could have told the festivalgoers gathered there why they should select him over a two-term incumbent and former governor. He could have engaged with members of the boisterous crowd.

We will add that we do have a problem with the overzealous behavior of some members of Monday’s crowd. It’s okay to cheer gleefully for your preferred candidates and to even boo their opponents, but it is unacceptable to try to shout down the speakers. Each speaker deserves to be heard.

Overall, though, Monday’s stump speeches represented a good exercise in free speech and an opportunity for all of us to get to know the candidates better. We only wish that all of the candidates had shown up for the exercise.