Kaine in the running for U.S. education secretary?

By Staff Reports

Published: December 4, 2008

There is apparently talk in Washington of Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine becoming the nation's next secretary of education.

The Associated Press is reporting that Kaine is among those under consideration for the post in the administration of President-elect Barack Obama.

But Kaine, speaking this morning during his monthly radio show on Richmond’s WRVA-AM, said his inclusion on the AP’s list of education secretary contenders was “news to me.”

“I never heard myself mentioned for education secretary,” the governor said.

Kaine went on to say that following Obama’s election, he “felt a little bit of a twinge” about the prospect of being in the new administration. But Kaine said he has told Obama that he would remain as governor.

“We’ve got both challenges to meet and things I really want to do,” Kaine said of the final year of his term.

The AP report says other contenders for education secretary include Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius; Roy Barnes, a former Georgia governor; Arne Duncan, chief executive officer of Chicago public schools; and Linda Darling-Hammond, education professor at Stanford University.

Kaine announced his support for Obama in February 2007, long before the Illinois senator appeared the likely Democratic nominee, and Kaine vigorously campaigned on his behalf.

In the days leading up to the Democratic convention, Kaine was among those vetted as a possible vice presidential running mate before Obama ultimately decided on Joe Biden.

Since then, Kaine has steadfastly maintained that he intends to finish his term as Virginia governor. The term ends in January 2010.

This is not the first time Kaine's name has been mentioned in connection with an education post. He has been linked to talk of possibly replacing Eugene P. Trani, who is planning to retire next July after a long run as president of Virginia Commonwealth University.

-- Joe Macenka