Kaine made the comments to graduate students in the government class he teaches on Monday mornings.

“In response to a student’s question, Governor Kaine told his law school class today what is already widely known which is that he is increasingly likely to run,” said DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse.

” However, no final decision will be made or announced until the governor has had a final round of consultations with folks about how he can best serve the President, the people and the causes he cares about; he is assured that the Democratic Party will be in good hands should he choose to make the race and leave the DNC; he has the support that would be necessary to mount a successful campaign and he completes commitments for travel and fundraising he has made to the Party and the President through at least the end of the month.”

The former Virginia governor’s comments to the government class he teaches touched off a brief cascade of rumors on social networking sites.

A caller to WINA-AM in Charlottesville, identified only as ‘Greg,’ said friends told him that Kaine formally announced his run for office during class Monday morning.

But top Democrats across the commonwealth seemed unaware that Kaine planned an announcement.

Eventually, the DNC issued Woodhouse’s statement, clarifying the former governor’s remarks.

Kaine is weighing a bid for the seat currently held by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., who is retiring at the end of his term.

I’ll have much more context on all this later, but for now, here’s the full statement from Woodhouse:

“In response to a student’s question, Governor Kaine told his law school class today what is already widely known which is that he is increasingly likely to run. However, no final decision will be made or announced until the governor has had a final round of consultations with folks about how he can best serve the President, the people and the causes he cares about; he is assured that the Democratic Party will be in good hands should he choose to make the race and leave the DNC; he has the support that would be necessary to mount a successful campaign and he completes commitments for travel and fundraising he has made to the Party and the President through at least the end of the month.”

In a wide-ranging interview, Gov. McDonnell said he disagrees with Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels’ (R) call for a “truce” on social issues.

“These issues go to the heart and soul of what we believe as a people,” McDonnell said.

But the governor said that, for now, “fiscal issues are clearly the most important ones.”

His campaign slogan, after all, was “Bob’s for Jobs.”

“I believe that’s very much what the focus ought to be on right now, but to say we’re not going to discuss any social or values issues because they’re controversial, I don’t think is the right thing to do.”

As a legislator, McDonnell sponsored legislation to limit abortions in Virginia. He also backed a successful effort to amend the state Constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman.

“There are (issues) regarding life and marriage and family that there are public policies that I think the government needs to set,” McDonnell said in the interview.

During the 2009 campaign for governor, McDonnell was forced to bat down criticism that he was pursuing a rigid social agenda.

His now-famous graduate school thesis — in which McDonnell said working women were a detriment to the family and that government should protect against “cohabitators, homosexuals or fornicators” — became a flash point in the race, but ultimately was not the death knell Democrats hoped it would be for the campaign.

McDonnell largely avoided social issues during his first year in office. This year, he is likely to sign a controversial bill that places new regulations on abortion clinics.

VIDEO:

The deal came at 1:10 a.m., and after negotiations took a turn for the worse Saturday.

Lawmakers ran into sharp differences over funding for higher education, health and human resources and public building programs.

By late Saturday afternoon, House Republicans were threatening to adjourn without approving budget amendments. Eventually, lawmakers agreed to work out a compromise.

At one point in the waning hours of negotiations, tired negotiators sharply disagreed over minuscule line items, often a few thousand dollars.

There also were last-minute quarrels over funding for charities, foundations and other non-state agencies that often are embedded in the budget.

Negotiators agreed to require state employees to contribute five percent of their annual salaries into the Virginia Retirement System; that would be offset by a five percent pay raise.

They also agreed on funding changes for public schools, transportation and other core services. Lawmakers set aside $30 million to fund community-based care for the intellectually disabled.

Public broadcasting would take a 10 percent hit under the proposal.

For the second year in a row, weary staffers planned to work through the night to enter the data into spreadsheets. Lawmakers planned to take the floor by 5 p.m. Sunday to begin debating the measure.

It is the sixth time in 12 years that the Assembly has failed to pass a budget on time.

A law enforcement source tells me the Capitol Police do not believe there is any specific threat against members of the General Assembly, but the agency is issuing the warning out of an abundance of caution.

Officers have been ordered to be especially vigilant after the weekend shooting in Arizona, and after last week’s suspicious packages at government buildings in Maryland.

Write a book.

See, of late: Eric Cantor, George Allen, Tim Pawlenty, Mitt Romney…oh, and this guy named Barack Obama.

So is Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) sharpening his pencil?

Maybe.

At the end of a lengthy pre-session interview, McDonnell said he’s passionate about writing op-ed pieces and short articles on the topic of federalism.

“I haven’t really thought about a book but I’ve thought about entering into the discussion on that topic,” he said.

When pressed, he didn’t rule out the idea of writing a book on federalism.

“I think every time you write a book, there are obviously people who think you must be running for another office and I want to dispel those rumors,” McDonnell said.

“But I do want to help to make sure we have a good, effective, orderly government at every level and that’s something I feel really strongly about.”

Here’s the video:

Here’s my list, in no particular order:

1. WHAT TO DO ABOUT VRS

When legislators reconvene Jan. 12, one of the biggest issues they’ll face is what to do about the Virginia Retirement System. A recent audit found the pension fund has $17.6 billion in unfunded liabilities. Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) has proposed requiring state workers to pay into the system for the first time since 1983. His plan would amount to a two-percent drop in take-home pay for state employees, and many aren’t happy about it.

2. ABC PRIVATIZATION

Will McDonnell present lawmakers with a plan to privatize the state’s liquor stores, as promised? If so, what do the numbers look like? How has the plan evolved since its last iteration? The governor was tight-lipped about the issue during an interview last week. But he promised that a formal proposal is coming. If you believe Senate Majority Leader Dick Saslaw (D-Fairfax), the idea is dead-on-arrival in that chamber, regardless.

3. COLLEGE TUITION

The governor threw down the gauntlet to colleges and universities earlier this month, by withhold funds from VCU as punishment for the school’s 24% tuition hike. Many view the move as a shot across the bow to U.Va., Tech and other universities. How will the schools respond? And what will the legislature do with McDonnell’s plan to invest tens of millions into higher education initiatives?

4. TRANSPORTATION

Do we really need to discuss this? It’s Virginia’s age-old dilemma. And the governor is not wavering on his pledge to veto any legislation that raises taxes on Virginians. His latest proposal — accelerated borrowing — isn’t warming the hearts of Democrats, either.

5. REDISTRICTING

For the first time since Congress passed the Voting Rights Act, a Democratic Justice Department will be reviewing redistricting plans. That raises the stakes here, as do legislative elections in the fall and the narrow balance of power in the state Senate. Plus, don’t be surprised to see both parties try to carve-up the Fifth District — especially as it relates to Charlottesville and other traditionally Democratic areas.

6. LEGISLATIVE ELECTIONS

All 140 seats in the General Assembly are on the ballot this year. Look for battles over control of the Senate and efforts to protect or defeat vulnerable Northern Virginia Republicans.

7. U.S. SENATE CANDIDATES

Will Sen. Jim Webb (D) run again? Will former Sen. George Allen (R) formally jump in the race? And what about other GOP candidates? The field in this high-profile race should flesh out by the end of 2011.

Oh, and if Webb decides not to run, who’s on the bench for Democrats? Former Gov. Tim Kaine?

8. TEA PARTY’S ROLE

Will the Tea Party challenge “establishment” Republicans in legislative races? That appears quite likely at this juncture. The bigger question is what type of impact Virginia’s Tea Party will have on the outcome.

9. THE NEW CONGRESS

Rep. Eric Cantor (R-7th) becomes the new majority leader. Reps.-elect Scott Rigell (R-2nd), Robert Hurt (R-5th) and Morgan Griffith (R-9th) are sworn in.

10. DPVA’s HEALTH

Will staffing shake-ups and a sharper tone be enough to reverse the serious (and much-discussed) problems Virginia Democrats have had in recent years?

11. HEALTH CARE LAWSUIT

Virginia’s court challenge of President Obama’s health care overhaul will move forward on its path to the Supreme Court (eventually).

Spielberg met with Rita McClenny, director of the Virginia Film office, said sources familiar with the meeting who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A hostess at Millie’s — a popular Richmond brunch spot — said Spielberg was indeed there.

Another diner asked Spielberg if he was planning to make a movie in the city.

“Maybe,” he replied, smiling.

A spokeswoman for the Virginia film office would not confirm if the meeting occurred, nor would she say if the state is actively pursuing a Spielberg film to be shot in the Commonwealth.

Earlier this year, Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) successfully pushed a package of incentives for filmmakers through the General Assembly.

Halperin would name a prominent politician (and likely presidential candidate), and the governor was supposed to give two adjectives to describe that person.

The answers are interesting, if you’re a word person. I’ve taken his responses and linked them to dictionary definitions because, as one of my professors was fond of saying, words have meanings.

Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-La.): brilliant, savvy

Gov. Haley Barbour (R-Miss.): warm, tough

President Barack Obama: liberal, very gifted

Former Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.): adept, hard-working

Former Gov. Sarah Palin (R-Alaska): enthusiastic, passionate

Himself: nice, results-oriented

One interesting note: when asked about Palin, McDonnell first laughed and said “I could get myself in trouble here.” He’s taken heat for recent comments that Palin is “qualified” to be president.

McDonnell, appearing on MSNBC from the Republican Governors Association conference in California, said he’s  troubled by many of the problems raised by other prominent Republicans.

“Many of us have great concern about the fiscal state at the RNC,” McDonnell said.He made sure to point out that current RNC Chairman Michael Steele was “very helpful” to McDonnell’s campaign last year. Steele joined the GOP ticket for a whirlwind tour of the Commonwealth in the closing days of the race.

But, he seemed to indicate he’s supportive of a change. McDonnell said he was going to talk about the issue with Virginia’s delegates to the party’s central committee.

“There is broad concern about what we can do to make our party more effective.”