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Hizzoner, the guv, is a willing diversion as the Obama campaign throws the public off the scent of the real veep choice. I can't imagine the campaign approving of anyone seriously being considered for veep soaking up as much air time as is Kaine. The guy is all over the place...the entire hour on Charlie Rose!? That's unsusual.

That said, if the VP race were a traditional popularity contest, I couldn't think of a more likeable and personable guy than Kaine.

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Tim Kaine for vice president?

He played that one right.

The Virginia governor had absolutely nothing to lose -- and everything to gain -- when he became one of the first governors in the nation to back Barack Obama over then-front-runner and presumed nominee Hillary Clinton in the Democratic presidential race.

"I didn't endorse Senator Obama to get anything or get appointed to anything," Kaine said this week.

Maybe not, but his name is rumored to have landed on Obama's short list for vice president.

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Walter Williams prepares a service order for Catherine Hagan-Aylor at Boxy Swedish Cars. Her Volvo has 128,000 miles on it.

Today's column is about the Invisible Everyman.

The dry cleaners, the cleaning ladies, the baby sitters, the plumbers, the alteration guys -- in-the-background folks who perform jobs that keep our lives clicking along smoothly.

Walter Williams is one of the mechanics.

Without the Walter Williamses of the world, we'd be broken down on the side of the road somewhere, unable to get to work or pick up the kids.

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I was at the bank Monday talking to Gwen Mitchell when she stopped in midconversation.

"Girrrrrrl," she asked, "did you see the new Ebony with Barack Obama on the cover?"

Tuesday I was out on an interview when my new buddy Hazel Williams brought it up again. She made a break for her copy but stopped when she realized she had taken it home.

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Joe Smith?

If anything, Brian Wishneff should be investigated for lack of originality -- but nothing else.

You may recall the eleventh hour, full-page smear job in The Roanoke Times against political newcomer Court Rosen just before the May 6 Roanoke City Council election. The ad claimed it was paid for by "Joe Smith, Citizens for Sensible Decisions."

A few days later, Wishneff 'fessed up to his involvement in the ad.

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I couldn't agree more with Minnie Boyd, an 81-year-old woman in my hometown of Flint, Mich. Boyd was responding to the interim police chief's decision to start arresting "saggers," men who walk around with sagging pants and exposed underwear (and butts).

If you recall, a few years back, a Virginina lawmaker introduced "droopy drawers" legislation in Virginia to clamp down on saggers. It didn't get anywhere. But in Flint, the chief has decided to act. Police are issuing warnings now but plan to start arresting "saggers" on a disorderly conduct charge, punishable by 93 days to a year in jail and fines of up to $500.

As much as I agree that sagging is totally disgusting, law enforcement acting as the fashion police is a waste of my family's tax dollars. The blue-collar town 70 miles north of Detroit has far, FAR bigger issues than going after clowns who want to go around showing off their boxers. It is the third most dangerous city in America, and recently laid off 48 officers.

Are Flint police right to clamp down on this fashion faux pas, or, as the ACLU already has chimed in, does this new local mandate violate saggers' freedom of expression?

You probably met Paul Economy the same way I did.

You were zipping south on Interstate 581 toward downtown or headed north on U.S. 220 near Elm Avenue. Suddenly, you noticed a huge friendly face looming on a billboard. No shoulders. No arms. Just an affable, goateed guy.

It didn't hurt that the man was offering 50 million big ones to qualified takers.

"Come See Paul," the billboard announced. "He has $50 Million to Lend."

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Every day in this job, I hear from people who want to weigh in on something I've written.

Some of the calls and e-mails are enlightening. Some are disturbing. Some are bewildering.

An e-mail I received about my Tuesday column fell into the last category.

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Look, gang: I've always kept this blog focused on my columns and the news affairs of famous people. But consider this a rare timeout to share insight on my consumer habits.

The TV in my bedroom is dying. It was a college graduation gift received during the heydays of the Reagan administration. So I went TV shopping. (Don't tell Sears the economy bites. The TV department on Sunday afternoon was hopping!)

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When former Roanoker Rene Marie foolishly chose the wrong venue to make a political statement about the national anthem a few weeks back, her ill-conceived idea had nothing to do with Barack Obama.

Yet some narrow-minded, ill-informed people projected one black woman’s miscue upon an entire race, suggesting that “this is what we can expect if they are in charge.”

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