Va Senator Kaine talks telecommunications, Iraq

GATE CITY, VA (WJHL) - A prominent Virginia Democrat came to the Tri-Cities Tuesday to survey the region's telecommunications needs.

But it's his take on a top world story that puts him at odds with a fellow democrat, the President of the United States.

Senator Tim Kaine came to Gate City to meet with the Scott County Telephone Cooperative and to learn more about the region's need for improved access to high speed internet.

In recent days, Kaine has been critical of the President's decision to launch air strikes in Iraq.

Tuesday, he continued his criticism, not of the strikes themselves, but of the way he says the President took control of a process that according to the constitution requires input from congress.

"So I am a stickler about this. I think the president should be bringing this to congress so that we can debate it and when we debate it what happens is the American public gets educated, how does the american public know whether or not this mission is a good thing," Kaine said. "It's usually by watching a robust debate in congress and then that educates everybody and then we move forward and then we vote about whether we're going to do it or not. "

Kaine said if he were to get to vote on the matter, he'd likely vote to authorize the military action.

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