After accepting the Democratic vice presidential nomination, Kaine presented his life story and went straight at Hillary Clinton’s biggest challenge: that a significant number of Americans do not find her trustworthy. On Wednesday night, that included a lengthy diatribe against the gun lobby, led by survivors of the gun attacks in Orlando, Fla., Charleston, S.C., and Newtown, Conn.
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One thing that many people didn’t realize about Tim Kaine is the fact that he’s bilingual, thanks to the time he spent in Honduras.
Kaine said the difference between Clinton and Trump is personal with him in that his son Nat is a Marine who deployed overseas two days ago.
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“You just have to decide which is which, my fellow Americans”, he said.
“Parents: You’re right to worry about your children hearing what comes out of Donald Trump’s mouth”.
Kaine opened his remarks by “humbly” accepted his party’s nomination for vice president.
With working-class roots and a spotless record both as Virginia governor and senator, he is seen as helping Clinton garner support among reluctant independent male voters – although at the risk of alienating the party’s progressive left wing.
Kaine, 58, was mayor of Richmond and Virginia governor before being elected to the Senate, where he has served on the Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees. “If not Bernie, at least someone she knew would bring them back into the fold”. “I never expected to be here”, he said.
“With Hillary, it’s not just words, it’s accomplishments.” he said, before training his fire on Trump.
In a routine where he frequently broke into an impression of Trump, Kaine argued that Trump makes phony promises, won’t offer policy details, and rips off ordinary mom “n” pop small-business owners. “She’s ready because she knows in America we are stronger when we are together”, Kaine said. But he remains largely unknown on the national political stage.
Much of their unhappiness has centered on Kaine’s vote in 2015 to support so-called “fast track” authority, allowing the president to put forward the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
He placed Clinton in a long line of liberal icons, including her husband and predecessor.
He said Clinton has actual plans to invest in new jobs, build on Wall Street reform, reform the immigration and create a path to citizenship, make it possible to graduate college debt free, and guarantee equal pay for women and paid family leave. Unfortunately, recent history gives us good reason to temper our hopes. Elizabeth Warren would get the nod, has expressed its disappointment with Clinton’s choice.
Kaine has advocated for Medicaid expansion in Virginia and cosponsored legislation to incentivize expansion in other states as well.
Many of those bills were rolled into CARA – the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016, which was signed by President Obama in July.
Hillary Clinton helped promote TPP while serving as secretary of state, saying at 2012 news conference that the deal “sets the gold standard in trade agreements” but reversed her position in 2015 after launching her presidential bid.
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Having said all that, there’s something familiar about Kaine; by being so blandly affable, he may remind people of a suburban dad, a neighbor, the local Chamber of Commerce chairman.
