Tim Kaine, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said Sunday that President Obama unlikely will face a serious primary challenge in 2012 and will strive in the new year to work with Republicans, who now control the House, but the president is not going to “play ’Mother, may I?’” with them.
Mr. Kaine pointed to how Democrats and Republicans worked together to pass key legislation during Congress’ lame duck session as a sign the parties can work together. “But there will be disagreements,” he said on CNN’s “State of the Union,” setting forth the Democrats agenda before the 112th Congress starts Wednesday.
He said Republicans should reach out to the White House “as the president reaches toward them.”
Mr. Kaine said the possibility of the president facing a serious primary challenger is “virtually nil.”
“It’s very unlikely, [but] you’ll always get a fringe candidate,” he said.
Mr. Kaine said the president and fellow Democrats must continue to do the job Americans elected them to do to win next year.
“We feel very good going into the 2012 cycle,” he said.
Mr. Kaine, a former Virginia governor, said he expect he expects to continue as party chairman for another two-year term.
• Joseph Weber can be reached at jweber@washingtontimes.com.old.
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