@TimKaine Skipping Shad Planking Today

Roll Call is reporting this morning that Democrat U.S. Senate Candidate Tim Kaine is skipping the biggest political event of the spring, the Wakefield Shad Planking, which will be held today.  For those not familiar with the Shad Planking, it is held in rural Sussex County at the Wakefield Sportsman Club and is considered the unofficial kickoff of the election year. It includes joke-filled speeches and boney fish nailed to wooden planks and smoked over hot coals, campaign staffed beer trucks serving cold golden beverage to attendees for free, and allows the thousand or so (depending on the election year) attendees a close look at the candidates.

The Wakefield Ruritan Club, the organizer of the longtime event, announced last month that former U.S. Senator and current GOP candidate George Allen would be the Keynote Speaker for this event.  It is unusual for a current candidate to keynot the event.  According to Roll Call, Kaine was also offered the opportunity to be a co-keynoter, but declined.

"Governor Kaine has already campaigned in the region, as recently as last week, and will campaign again there many times between now and Election Day," Kaine spokeswoman Brandi Hoffine said in a statement. "Tomorrow, he'll be meeting with veterans and military families in Hampton Roads and women business leaders in Chesterfield working to expand the strong coalition we've already built that will help us win in November."

Kaine also missed the event last year, which occurred just after he entered the race.  Is it possible that Kaine is following the Obama campaign strategy of ignoring working class white voters?