Anne Knight, 40, a teacher from Pembroke Pines, said she wasn’t familiar with Kaine, but was enthusiastic about Clinton.
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He says no matter what people think of him as a Republican, “If you’re a great believer in the Constitution, you have no choice”. The endorsement was an early blow to Clinton’s hopes – the backing of a popular, southern governor showed Obama’s appeal extended beyond the liberal base.
The two will make their first appearance together Saturday at a rally in Miami. He embodies the meaning of a true public servant. He jumped onto the Clinton campaign early – the second time around – announcing his support in 2014, a year before her announcement.
Hillary Clinton: “Ted Cruz was right!”
Kaine called the omission an oversight: “I really am mad at myself and my team”, he said. But Salazar, a longtime party strategist, called Kaine “a pretty solid choice”.
“It’s just a sign that Hillary does not feel like she has to do anything for the progressive wing of the party”, lamented Conniff.
“This is not a move of any kind towards the left”, Conniff continued. NBC News said she would make the announcement on Friday.
As Jodi Jacobson, writing for the reproductive rights blog Re-Wire, warned ahead of the official announcement, “The selection of Tim Kaine as vice president would be the first signal that Hillary Clinton intends to seek progressive votes but ignore progressive values and goals”. The decision, she warned, would be “likely at her peril, and ours”. His supporters predicted that Kaine would excel in the national spotlight, and his down-to-earth persona, self-deprecating humor and habit of breaking out a harmonica at campaign stops would help him connect with voters around the country. Referring to the historic number of small-dollar donors who fueled Sanders’ campaign, Taylor warned the choice “could deflate energy among potential donors and volunteers, hurting Democratic efforts to win the White House”.
The pick comes three days before the start of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, where Clinton – and now Kaine – will be elevated as the nominees to the party’s presidential ticket.
Kaine’s addition to the ticket gives her a loyal ally who can help reach out to the Hispanic community and possibly woo disaffected independents or even some moderate Republicans turned off by Republican nominee Donald Trump.
That’s a weakness Clinton’s campaign seemed to recognize, and a Clinton campaign aide told NPR’s Tamara Keith that the senator had reconsidered his position on supporting for fast-tracking the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal and couldn’t support it in its current form. And when we say “mean” we mean bad – by his own account.
Kaine’s midwestern roots also run strong: Born in Minnesota, Kaine is the son of a welder who was raised in Kansas and graduated from the University of Missouri.
The well-liked Kaine could meet those qualifications. Wages in Virginia was also the same as the median wage for the 50 U.S. States. But liberals are dismayed that he has been chosen – they object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact. “They embrace a neoliberal, pro-corporate outlook that has done incredible damage to the vast majority of Americans”.
Specifically on the issues of climate change and fossil fuels, director of the advocacy group 350 Action May Boeve also agreed the choice was troubling.
“Tim Kaine in the membrane”, tweeted BuzzFeed’s Jessica Misener.
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Clinton opposes offshore drilling. And he’s also seen as a business-friendly Democrat, which is true because he was a governor and most governors have more business-friendly views on how to govern. His experience, intellect and dedication to making life better for people from all walks of life will make him an enormous asset to Secretary Clinton throughout the remainder of this campaign and as a leader in her administration over the next four years. Griffin’s group has endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton for president. They pushed Clinton to pick Massachusetts Sen.
