Nothing like eggs, bacon and a U.S. Senate candidate talking about the economy...

Some of the folks in D'Egg Diner in Downtown Norfolk were expecting former Gov. Mark R. Warner on Tuesday morning.

They had questions ready and stories to be told.

Others seemed a little shocked to see Warner making his pitch over bleating phones and clinking silverware.

But Warner is running to replace retiring Republican U.S. Sen. John Warner - no relation - and this Democrat knows how to work a room. A little after 10:30 a.m. Warner strolled through the door casually and approached every single table to introduce himself, then made sure to take himself along the stools and into the kitchen to woo some staffers.

After that, Warner settled in with a group of about a dozen local business owners, non-profit staffers and retirees to talk about the state of the economy. Not exactly cheery stuff these days.

"I wanted to hear a little bit from y'all about what you're dealing with," Warner said.

As you might expect gas prices were the central focus. No matter whether folks were talking about shoppers at the MacArthur Center Mall or donations to the Salvation Army. Just about everything centered on how fuel prices are out of control and what Washington can do about it.

Warner never mentioned Republican opponent - and fellow former governor - Jim Gilmore by name, but immediately said that anyone trying to offer you a "silver bullet" wasn't telling the truth. That was a fairly clear shot at Glmore contention that drilling for oil in Alaska and perhaps off the coast of Virginia and other states, could instantly bring down the cost of oil in the United States.

Warner said that any solution is going to have a nummber of moving parts - even including drilling - but also generating more power from wind, solar and nuclear sources. Warner said that innovative ideas are going to have to be in play like tax breaks for folks who buy extremely fuel efficient vehicles or an idea floated in Fairfax where county staffers would draw down to a four day work week.

"We've got a crisis here, you've got to put it all on the table," Warner said. "It shouldn't take 30 years to get another nuclear plant."

Warner said that maybe state and federal agencies should start purchasing hybrid vehicles or other cars that get better gas mileage.

"That would help push Detroit to start making more of those cars," he said.

Capt. Lewis Reckline is the commanding officer of the local Salvaion Army. Reckline told Warner that giving is down significantly as people all over the country hold their wallets and purses a little bit tighter.

Warner said to the numbers are tough to deal with, even predicting more cuts to the state budget as state coffers face the same downturn.

Warner said the issue should not break down along Democratic and Republican lines in Congress.

"Washington is caught up in either or. We either drill or do alternatives," Warner said. "We need to do both."

After about an hour, Warner slowly made his way out of the diner table-by-table again. Then he headed for a Chamber of Commerce lunch in Chesapeake followed by a quick swing through Suffolk.

For his part, Gilmore is supposed to be on the Peninsula on Monday for some campaigning, we'll keep you posted.