Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen.
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“After spending last week pandering to grassroots Democrats with Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton has chosen someone who holds positions that she’s spent the entire primary trying to get to the left of”, Priebus said.
In response, Kaine, also a former chairman of the he Democratic National Committee (January 2009 – April 2011), tweeted, “Just got off the phone with Hillary”.
People familiar with the decision tell The Associated Press that Clinton faced a hard choice between Kaine and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.
Jocelyn Bucaro, an OH superdelegate and Clinton supporter, praised Kaine as someone who will appeal to a broad range of voters in swing states, even Republicans uncomfortable with Trump. Kaine’s strong ties to politically important Virginia, as well as his foreign policy experience put him over the top, according to a person close to the campaign, who insisted on anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the process publicly.
Kaine might well be required to repeat the Johnson’s winning effort of 1960, because after Trump, Clinton is the most unpopular presidential candidate since pollsters first canvassed their “favourable” ratings.
(AP Photo/Mary Altaffer). Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign event at the Florida State Fairgrounds Entertainment Hall, Friday, July 22, 2016, in Tampa, Fla.
Clinton had been looking at as many as half-a-dozen possibilities, but Kaine invariable seemed to have the inside running – he had great executive and congressional experience, he’s a Catholic and by all accounts he seems to be a decent man – oh, and describing himself as “boring”, he’s not likely to outshine his leader. Sanders endorsed Clinton last week.
After speaking at a Tampa rally today about Donald Trump’s “dark and divisive vision” and last night’s speech that “took it to a whole new level” with “a lot of fear and anger and resentment”, the Kaine email pitched the senator as “a man of relentless optimism” who “has never taken a job for the glory or the title”. “Unfortunately, since Tim Kaine voted to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Republicans now have a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue”, said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee.
Clinton and Kaine will face Republican Donald Trump and his running mate, Mike Pence, the IN governor.
Clinton’s campaign closely guarded the secrecy of the selection process, keeping the names of finalists under wraps to try to maximize the impact of the announcement.
Booker, a charismatic rising star in the party, could give her candidacy a jolt of energy as Clinton enters the three-month grind of the general election.
No matter, perhaps, as that time will belong to Clinton and the Democrats, whose own convention begins Monday in Philadelphia. She is the daughter of former Virginia Gov. A. Linwood Holton Jr. and serves as Virginia’s secretary of education. He and his wife joined a church, built a home centered around their faith, and raised three attractive children.
Clinton’s plans to pick Kaine, hinted at for several days leading up her Friday announcement, had been viewed as a safe choice against the Republican ticket of Trump and Pence. Bay Area Democrats and Republicans are reacting to her decision. Also in the running, with the hope of many observers hoping for an historic two-women ticket, was the accomplished MA senator and anti-Trump firebrand Elizabeth Warren. Her short list included Warren, two Latino cabinet secretaries and New Jersey Sen. Trump pledged to restore a sense of public safety, strictly curb immigration and save the nation from Clinton’s record of “death, destruction, terrorism and weakness”.
Clinton’s pick is notable because Virginia is a critical swing state in the presidential election, said Los Angeles-based political consultant Dave Jacobson.
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“Do you want a “you’re fired” president or a “you’re hired” president?” And for that reason, perhaps the best complement on news of Clinton choosing Kaine came from a Republican. “Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president?”
