Kaine also favors modernizing the nation’s nuclear triad and earlier this month was among 14 senators from both parties who signed a letter to Defense Secretary Ash Carter asking him to reaffirm his commitment.
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Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Friday announced Virginia Sen. “If you think Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Kaine are going to change anything in Washington, it’s just the opposite”.
After taking office in 2013, Kaine quickly worked to address what had been cited as his main shortcoming during the vetting to be Obama’s running mate: lack of foreign policy experience. “Can’t wait to hit the trail tomorrow in Miami!”
But liberal Democrats, above all backers of former Clinton rival Bernie Sanders, do not see Kaine as a natural for the No. 2 spot.
Sam Sinyangwe, co-founder of Campaign Zero, a group focused on curtailing police violence, said Kaine’s choice could exacerbate Clinton’s problems rallying support of African-Americans, particularly younger people.
Earlier Friday, Trump sent supporters a text calling Clinton, Kaine and President Barack Obama “the ultimate insiders”.
Such gifts drew little attention in Virginia until Kaine’s successor, Gov. Robert McDonnell, was convicted of federal corruption charges in 2014, accused of accepting gifts and sweetheart loans from a dietary supplement executive in exchange for promoting the businessman’s company.
Crews were still sweeping confetti from the GOP convention hall floor, as the Clinton campaign signaled an announcement was coming soon.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen.
Ultimately, Clinton was swayed by her personal comfort with Kaine, as well as the belief that the senator is fully prepared to do the job.
“What it shows is that Secretary Clinton has put a lot of thought into the importance of a V.P. who is ready to become president at any time”, said state Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg.
Kaine’s tenure as governor (Virginia is the last state that still limits its governors to a single four-year term) was marked by the deadly shooting at Virginia Tech in April 2007.
Other supporters said race and gender could factor into Clinton’s decision. Prior to entering politics, he was a clerk in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit and then a lecturer at the University of Richmond law school. It was during a debate in support of the bipartisan “Gang of 8” immigration reform package. That’s also when Clinton will formally become the first female presidential candidate from a major party in the history of the U.S. Refinery29’s News team is on the ground covering the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention.
“Estamos listos para Hillary”, he declared.
In recent days, Kaine had emerged as the favorite – albeit safe – pick for Clinton, over other finalists such as Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Labor Secretary Tom Perez and New Jersey Sen.
As much as he prefers consensus, Kaine has waded into several tough political fights over the years.
His resume is far more fulsome than when he was vetted as a potential running mate for Obama in 2008.
With almost three years of experience in the Senate under his belt, Kaine has beefed up his foreign policy credentials. The company has donated to campaigns of both Democrats and Republicans in Virginia.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus condemned the pick, saying Clinton spent the past week pandering to Sanders and grassroots Democrats, and now “has chosen someone who holds positions that she’s spent the entire primary trying to get to the left of”.
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His bipartisan roots, the Clinton campaign believes, could resonate with voters seeking an alternative to Trump.
