Mark Warner chosen for keynote address

HONOLULU – Barack Obama chose Mark Warner, Virginia’s Senate candidate and former governor, to deliver the keynote address at the Democratic convention, underscoring Democrats’ all-out effort to win the Southern state for the first time since 1964.

Warner is to speak on Aug. 26, the second day of the convention in Denver.

Placing Warner in the national spotlight could help boost his own Senate campaign; he is trying to succeed retiring Republican John Warner and give Democrats a hold on both of the state’s seats.

The keynote address is a plum speaking spot that often is a springboard to national prominence. Obama, then a Senate candidate from Illinois, delivered it four years ago and began a rise in national politics expected to reach the Democratic nomination for president.

Obama’s campaign on Wednesday called Warner an innovative businessman and bipartisan leader, fitting for the evening’s theme of economic opportunity.

“Like Barack Obama, Mark Warner is not afraid to challenge the status quo to bring people together and get things moving,” campaign manager David Plouffe said in a statement.