What's in a Name: The Titles of Allen and Kaine
When it comes to consistent messaging, one hallmark of former GOP Sen. George Allen's campaign is the persistent use of the phrase "Chairman Kaine" whenever identifying Democratic frontrunner Tim Kaine.
Allen spokesperson Katie Wright said it most recently in a statement released on Feb. 22 and as far back as Kaine's entry into the race in April 2011.
The Republican's consultant Dan Allen (no relation) got the message too as did Allen's other spokesperson Bill Riggs.
The link goes back to Kaine's days as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. That was the last national office he held, which he ran from 2009 until 2011, until when he resigned to run for the open Senate seat.
Yet Allen's messengers don't refer to their candidate as "Chairman Allen," a title he carried during the 2004 cycle when he helmed the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
Both campaigns, in private and public, refer to their candidate as "governor."
Kaine and Allen have both held multiple offices throughout their public careers and their electoral paths have crossed plenty of times. Kaine previously served as lieutenant governor, Richmond mayor and city council member; Allen was a congressman and state delegate.
So it shouldn't be much of a surprise that at the candidates' lone debate in December, they slipped occasionally into a much more familiar "Tim" and "George" instead of just "chairman", "governor" or "senator."
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