Meet Hillary Clinton's VP Pick — Tim Kaine
In a text message sent to supporters on Friday evening, Hillary Clinton confirmed that the presidential candidate has chosen Virginia Senator Tim Kaine as her Vice Presidential running mate:
We've already learned too much about Trump's conservative-as-heck VP pick at this week's RNC. Here's what you need to know about Hillary's number two.
Kaine Has Made A Long Career In Virginia Politics
[Kaine] ventured to Virginia as a lawyer in the '80s… [he] eventually went on to win a seat on Richmond's City Council… [it] was considered a landmark moment — a majority black council elected its first white mayor in decades….Emily Couric…dropped out of the race for lieutenant governor, dying days after she announced she had pancreatic cancer. She endorsed Kaine to take her place. Kaine went on to win, and then, succeeded Mark Warner as governor in 2006. After he left the Governor's Mansion [he] set his sights on the Senate, offering one of Hillary Clinton's earliest endorsements in 2014.
[NBC 12]
He's Known For His Strong Economic Record — Having Successfully Led Virginia Through The Great Recession
Kaine was sworn in as Virginia's 70th governor in January 2006, just as the Great Recession was about to send the national economy in reverse and begin a wave of layoffs that left millions of workers sidelined…Thanks in part to the state's heavy reliance on federal contracting and government employment, Virginia was largely spared the worst of the recession's economic pain.
[CNBC]
Kaine Made Waves When He Made A 14-Minute Speech About Immigration In Spanish On The Senate Floor
In a powerful message to the English-speaking senate, Kaine gave his speech on the immigration bill at hand in the language of the people that would largely be affected by it, saying:
I think it is appropriate that I spend a few minutes explaining the bill in Spanish, a language that has been spoken in this country since Spanish missionaries founded St. Augustine, Florida in 1565. Spanish is also spoken by almost 40 million Americans who have a lot at stake in the outcome of this debate.
[Alternet]
Kaine Has Been Criticized For A Mixed Record On Abortion And Women's Health
Women's groups have criticized Kaine for supporting anti-choice measures as governor, but others point to his senatorial record, which is much more favorable to groups like Planned Parenthood.
Kaine has supported a requirement for parental consent for an abortion — with an exception if a judge waives it — as well as "informed consent" rules, where a provider must give a woman information about adoption and other options. He has also supported a ban, with exceptions for the life and health of the mother, on the controversial late-term procedure that critics label "partial-birth" abortion… As a senator, he has a 100 percent rating from Planned Parenthood's scorecard, and has consistently voted against measures like defunding Planned Parenthood and a ban on abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy.
[The Hill]
Kaine Underwent A Similar Transition With His Stance On Gay Rights
In 2005, Kaine was of the opinion that gay couples shouldn't be able to adopt, saying:
No couples in Virginia can adopt other than a married couple — that's the right policy. Gay individuals [as opposed to couples] should be able to adopt.
In 2011, however, Kaine adjusted his position, saying he supports whatever a judge determines is best for a child:
If the judge determines that's the best interests of the child I think that's fine…I don't think we should be putting artificial barriers in front of the judges who are sitting there with the family.
In 2013, Kaine officially backed same-sex marriage, a stance he had notably dodged in the years leading up to the decision, saying:
I believe all people, regardless of sexual orientation, should be guaranteed the full rights to the legal benefits and responsibilities of marriage under the Constitution.
Recently, Kaine's Received Criticism For Accepting Clothes And A Vacation As Gifts Under Virginia's Lax Laws
Kaine reported more than $160,000 in gifts from 2001 to 2009, mostly for travel to and from political events and conferences, according to disclosures compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project. The givers included political supporters, a drug company that soon after bought a facility in Virginia, and Dominion, the state's biggest provider of electricity.
[Politico]
Kaine Has Branded Himself As The Boring VP Pick
One of the loudest criticisms of Kaine is that he's boring, and he tends to agree:
Tim Kaine said Sunday he agrees with the most oft-cited criticism of him as a potential vice presidential candidate, saying that it's true, "I am boring,"…The biggest criticism is that, compared to options like Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who could excite liberals, or Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro or California Rep. Xavier Becerra, who could attract Latino voters, Kaine — who is fluent in Spanish himself — is boring.
[CNN]
Supporters Hope That Kaine's Quiet And 'Safe,' Profile Will Serve As A Foil To The Republican Ticket
He's now a longtime Democratic insider, used to the national media exposure and the high-dollar fundraising that Clinton likely hopes her running mate will bring to the campaign. Sure, he might be the "safe" pick, but for a cautious candidate like Clinton running against a loose-cannon opponent, the reliable, quiet progressive might be the logical choice.
