Saturday, July 23, 2016

Getting to know Tim Kaine.

Courtesy of USA Today: 

If resume is destiny, Kaine was inevitable. He is a former city council member, mayor, lieutenant governor and governor who has become a student of war and foreign policy in the Senate. As governor he even had to prove himself in the tragic role presidents must play all too often, as consoler in chief after a mass shooting (the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre that left 32 people dead). 

Kaine’s political credentials are also unmatched. A former national party chairman and a former Catholic missionary to Honduras, he has never lost an election and has a solid approval rating in his state. He may not be Hispanic, but he speaks fluent Spanish. tHe comes from an important swing state with 13 electoral votes – more than twice as many as Iowa (home of another finalist, Agriculture secretary and former governor Tom Vilsack). And, key to Democratic dreams of a Senate majority, Kaine’s successor will be named by a Democrat -- Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe. 

Low-maintenance and low-key, a Southern politician married to the daughter of a former Republican governor, Kaine always seemed a mismatch for the job his friend Barack Obama gave him in 2009 as chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He isn’t a partisan pit bull on the order of, say, Dick Cheney. But Clinton will have plenty of willing and ferocious attackers, from Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to a highly articulate and enraged cadre of #NeverTrump conservatives.

Okay, all of that sounds pretty good.

There are a few stumbling blocks for progressives however, including Kaine's wishy washy stance on abortion (He's a Catholic.), his support for TPP, and of course the worst one, he's not Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren,

However there is this.
And that's very good.

And there is also the fact that he is almost universally well liked (Much like Joe Biden.) and considered to be extremely ethical and trustworthy.

Well aside from this that is: 

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine took advantage of the state’s lax gift laws to receive an $18,000 Caribbean vacation, $5,500 in clothes and a trip to watch George Mason University play in the NCAA basketball Final Four during his years as lieutenant governor and governor, according to disclosures he filed. 

While legal under Virginia’s unusually permissive ethics rules, the gifts could become attack-ad fodder after similar presents led to corruption charges for Gov. Bob McDonnell, whose conviction the Supreme Court overturned Monday. Republicans could also use the records to portray Kaine as part of the self-dealing establishment in a cycle animated by hostility toward the political class.

It's not much, but it gives Trump and the Republicans at least a little something to work with.

And Trump has wasted little time in going on the attack:
Damn it looks like Tim Kaine scares Trump almost as much as Elizabeth "Pocahontas" Warren did.

You know when Hillary announced that Kaine was her choice I have to admit that I was disappointed, but that had nothing to do with any negative feelings I had about Tim Kaine, but rather my own desire to have somebody on the ticket who I found exciting or inspirational.

To be honest I am not really that big of a Hillary supporter.

I like her just fine, but she really does not get me fired up.

And sadly neither does Tim Kaine.

So yes this ticket is made up of two very strong and capable politicians, who are infinitely better than their Republican counterparts.

But damn, I just wish as a political blogger I had more opportunity to write excitedly about the Democratic ticket, and did not have to instead focus on the lunacy from the other side of the aisle.

213 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:31 AM

    Donald Trump is a unique threat to American democracy

    ...Any one of these characteristics would be disqualifying; together, they make Mr. Trump a peril. We recognize that this is not the usual moment to make such a statement. In an ordinary election year, we would acknowledge the Republican nominee, move on to the Democratic convention and spend the following months, like other voters, evaluating the candidates’ performance in debates, on the stump and in position papers. This year we will follow the campaign as always, offering honest views on all the candidates. But we cannot salute the Republican nominee or pretend that we might endorse him this fall. A Trump presidency would be dangerous for the nation and the world.

    Why are we so sure?

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/donald-trump-is-a-unique-threat-to-american-democracy/2016/07/22/a6d823cc-4f4f-11e6-aa14-e0c1087f7583_story.html

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous1:09 PM

      Gryphen, Tim Kaine kicked some ass with the VP announcement speech!
      Drop everything and watch it. Now.
      https://www.c-span.org/video/?413100-1/hillary-clinton-campaigns-miami-running-mate-senator-tim-kaine

      Delete
  2. Anonymous8:34 AM

    Final grade for the Republican National Convention: ‘D’

    ...And while in the past Trump has been more conversational, in Cleveland the dominant emotion he conveyed was rage. His face contorted, his face glistening with sweat and his voice bellowing for long portions of the speech, he seemed every bit the image of a dictator of another era. Only his bright-orange-ish makeup reminded us this was not a grainy black-and-while newsreel capturing a master of manipulation from Europe in the 1930s or a segregationist governor in the South in the 1960s but the high-def picture of a modern demagogue.

    So no, he did not seem presidential. It did not help that one day after the convention, he was back speculating about Sen. Ted Cruz’s father’s alleged role in the JFK assassination plot. I wonder how those who shilled for Trump on the notion he could be house-trained now feel about prostrating themselves before him. (Sen. Tom Cotton? House Speaker Paul Ryan? Sen. Ted Cruz, contrary to the media meme that he committed “political suicide,” is looking pretty smart right now.) Nor did it help when Trump revealed his deep well of ignorance in dinging the NATO alliance, something from which even his VP pick distanced himself. (In a PBS interview, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence insisted that Trump “would absolutely stand by our allies and treaty obligations.”)

    The next criterion for evaluating a convention is whether it demonstrated the candidate’s mastery of stagecraft and evidence of a well-oiled political operation. Here, Trump failed miserably.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2016/07/22/final-grade-for-the-republican-national-convention-d/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:05 AM

      WOW, and this is a VERY conservative writer.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous8:37 AM

    Read the first two paragraphs, $arah.
    If you're even out of bed yet.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous8:39 AM

    Donald Trump’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, too long speech

    After hearing 75 minutes of Trump shouting apocalyptic bromides, I'm with her.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2016/07/22/donald-trumps-horrible-no-good-very-bad-too-long-speech/

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous8:56 AM

      And what a hash of nationalism, fear, and yecch it was, starting with the Great Man’s weird greeting of his hot, bangable daughter, whom he would definitely date if she weren’t his daughter. This is now America’s Gif:

      http://wonkette.com/604544/we-survived-donald-trumps-fear-stew-speech-and-so-are-you

      Delete
  5. Anonymous8:40 AM

    Gryphen, sorry that the historic campaign of the first female president doesn't fire you up enough. SIGH!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous9:00 AM

      Good point 8:40. There is much to be excited about with the Clinton/Kaine candidacy. He is not wishy washy on abortion. Actually, Gryphen has made wishy washy remarks on that topic, I presume because his mother gave birth at age 14. If Gryphen loves Obama so much, why isn't he happy that Hillary plans to continue Obama's legacy?

      Delete
    2. I know, right?

      But--we will help Gryphen transition into whole-hearted, all-in, enthusiasm and unstoppable resolve to elect this ticket.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous9:53 AM

      Exactly 8:40. First woman president? Gryphen talk to women like my 92 yr old mom whose own mom couldn't vote! There's more to life than thrills. Maybe you've got a little growing up to do as well?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:46 AM

      Gryphen has the mind of a 15 year old boy.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:03 AM

      The election has been so heated and so crazy, it's kind of gotten lost in the shuffle just how historic this is -- even her having her be the nominee is pretty fecking awesome. Maybe this is due in part to her not having played the gender card much herself? After she clinched the nomination she did run an ad that I really liked, not hammering the gender card but talking about the ability for all people to reach their dreams. My guess is that, as the dust settles from the primary, people are going to wake up to how truly historic the election is. And whereas the similar realization hit home for about 12% of the population back in 2008, this time it's gonna potentially resonate with 50%.
      (Cue the shrieking banshee controlls: "How sexist can you be, assuming a woman will vote for a candidate because she's another woman?!")

      Delete
    6. Anonymous11:05 AM

      Gryphen is back peddling because this VP pick is a POS and only highlights that Hillz is a POS.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous12:08 PM

      After the past couple of months of the Anti-Bernie mode you were in you have just pegged the meter with your not much of a Hillary supporter Sheesh.

      Delete
    8. "Anonymous11:05 AM Gryphen is back peddling because this VP pick is a POS and only highlights that Hillz is a POS."
      ---------------------
      Oh, bullshit.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous12:36 PM

      Yes, the USA entering the 21st century with the first woman to be the nominee for president isn't "very exciting".

      Maybe if she did karaoke in a car, it would be more exciting :)

      Delete
    10. Anonymous12:48 PM

      This VP is great! Signed - lifelong Democrat

      Delete
  6. Anonymous8:42 AM

    i have no problem getting excited about a clinton/kaine run for the white house BECAUSE it is the anti-thesis of the lunacy from the republican party. I am excited about smart talented and experienced people running the government and leading the nation. THAT makes me proud.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous10:41 AM

      Agree with you 8:42! Plus Clinton and Kaine are articulate, thoughtful and have a sense of humor.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous8:43 AM

    Did everyone receive your "Scientology DVD" in the mail during the last year or so? Maybe don is a scientology follower? His media/tv corp is in Hollywood ca and the scientology temple is right down the road by the trump ocean golf resort.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous9:42 AM

      Nothing so benign as that... with his campaign manager a Russian spy Don the Con is Putin's back door into America.
      Don the Con owes the Russians millions of dollars and you can imagine how he will repay them.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous8:44 AM

    I like how the Clinton campaign is rolling everything out - they were ready to go and will be the same when they enter the White House.

    There is no comparison between Trump and Clinton. She is far more experienced and astute!

    Vote the Hillary Clinton ticket! I am!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous8:46 AM

    Trump demands blood tests from his sex partners, but we still cannot see his tax returns.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:28 PM

      Drumpf demands the tax returns of his VP hopefuls, but we still cannot see his tax returns.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous8:47 AM

    Was I thrilled when I found out that Senator Kaine was the pick, well, no, but I didn't know anything about his back round. Then I started looking around. This is just one of the articles that I found http://www.rawstory.com/2016/07/here-are-six-things-you-probably-dont-know-about-vp-pick-tim-kaine/ The NRA hates him. He may be wishy washy about abortion due to his Catholic faith but you can also say that his Catholic faith is what drives him to fight on behalf of those that Donald Trump doesn't give a crap about. Then you look at what his wife has done fighting for foster children and education. Her father was the governor of Virginia who really forced the integration of schools sending his children to the mostly African American public schools. Of course that was when Republicans had principles. I don't think the Sanders supporters are outraged especially when you look at Kaine's record when it comes to guns, equal rights, education, etc. Would you rather have him or Mike Pence. Those are your choices.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hedgewytch10:04 AM

      Kaine is pro-choice. He has stated repeatedly that he believes government should stay out of a woman's reproductive choices.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:30 AM

      Speaking of abortion let's not forget that our current staunch Catholic VP Biden said, " I accept church rule personally, but not in public life."

      I believe that as Biden has done, Kaine will not waver in support of the right to choose and of all womens' rights.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12:35 PM

      There are a lot of people in this country who agree with Kaine. As long as they are also pro-choice, what does it matter? That's what "pro-choice" means.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous8:48 AM

    Smoldering Clinton-Kaine Campaign Poster Stokes Up Election Heat

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/samantha-bee-clinton-kaine-poster_us_579376a5e4b0d3568f837164?section=

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous8:50 AM

    When Trump loses...

    ...It should also be remembered that Trump a man with a loyal following of angry citizens with an extraordinarily exaggerated sense of their own victimhood and suffering, and that he has the temperament of an acutely narcissistic middle school student. He also has built a presidential campaign heavily around overreacting, often viciously and with prejudice towards almost all, to every real, or more frequently, imagined, insult or slight he has experienced. This is not the temperament of somebody who will accept an electoral defeat move on and urge his followers to do the same. In a very real way, while seeing this man elected President of the United States should, and does, strike fear in the hearts of millions, even his defeat could create enduring problems for American democracy.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lincoln-mitchell/but-what-if-trump-loses_b_11153432.html

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous10:33 AM

      His supporters remind me of every movie where there was an angry mob of screaming village idiots carrying torches and pitchforks.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous8:51 AM

    WATCH LIVE: Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine’s first campaign rally together

    http://www.rawstory.com/2016/07/watch-live-hillary-clinton-and-tim-kaines-first-campaign-rally-together/

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous9:41 AM

      Make no mistake: Behind that smile, @TimKaine has a backbone of steel. Just ask the NRA.

      https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

      Delete
  14. Anonymous8:53 AM

    I'm THRILLED with Kaine. I don't want an "exciting" election. I don't want Trumpettes or Berners yelling at me. I want cool heads and solid statesmanship. I want qualified people running a government that fulfills our Constitutional mandate for compromise and informed, careful decision making.

    There is nothing more exciting than handing the keys to a responsible grownup so you can be free and live your life. That's what this Clinton/Kaine ticket is. It's a chance to escape the noisy bullshit infotainment culture and get back to doing our civic duty.

    Every sane, thinking citizen should be dancing in the streets right now--and hopefully in November as well.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous9:42 AM

      Wonderfully said!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:36 AM

      As I was watching Hillary/Kaine moments ago believe me, I was dancing & clapping, running around my living room, shouting yeah go! I couldn't help it I'm thrilled, excited & fired up!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:43 AM

      ++++++++++++

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:51 AM

      Great thoughts 8:53am, thank you!

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:06 AM

      +++

      Delete
  15. Anonymous8:54 AM

    Donald Trump's Acceptance Speech Reconfirmed His Fascist Authoritarianism

    Donald Trump asserted in his acceptance speech for the Republican nomination that only he can "fix" the violence and terrorism that he says is threatening individuals in the United States. His campaign has largely been based on inciting fear of "the other" among white Americans. Now that he has lit that fire among his supporters and unleashed a hideous bonfire of hate, he is positioning himself as the authoritarian (just call it fascist) solution to the frenzied fear that he has created among his supporters.

    http://www.truth-out.org/buzzflash/commentary/donald-trump-s-acceptance-speech-reconfirmed-his-fascist-authoritarianism

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous8:55 AM

    I've never been "fired up" about any candidate, to tell you the truth, but Obama seemed to have the kind of fan support usually afforded to celebrities, which I always found rather odd as politicians and celebrities are vastly different creatures.

    That being said I think it was the historicalness of having the first half-black man elected POTUS that made some people's emotions run so high and even though Hillary Clinton would be a first as well, the first female president, that doesn't seem to excite a portion of the electorate as much as a part-black man did, and I'm not sure why.

    She's smart, she's been preparing for this for decades, she picked a solid surrogate should he need to step into the office.

    I tend to pick my candidates based on qualifications rather than deification (or "star quality" or because they are a minority) and by far Hillary Clinton is much more qualified for the position of POTUS than Barack Obama was when he was elected in 2008 so why can't the excitement be as palpable for her?

    She'll do fine and if people don't vote for her because she doesn't "excite" them, then all I can say is you're gonna have just about all the excitement you can handle during President Trump's first term, especially minorities, illegal immigrants and Muslims, lotta excitement, that I can guarantee, it's gonna be HUGE for you guys :-)

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous9:46 AM

      That fan support is also fleeting when the star does not deliver immediately... witness the firebagggers deserting President Obama in 2010 and 2014 because he didn't bring them rainbows and ponies.

      Delete
    2. Hedgewytch10:11 AM

      Barak Obama was relatively unknown in 2008, while HC is well known, and has 30 years of negative propaganda thrown at her. THAT is the difference in enthusiasm level.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:46 AM

      There's a large portion of millenials and the like who have been raised on reality tv shows and video games as baby-sitters. They know NOTHING of political history and as many decades as Hillary has worked for others' rights - well that's how long the GOP has feared her. That's how long they have carefully crafted lies and memes about her in order to take her down.

      My husband works with a lot of the younger voting generation and when he ask why they don't like Hillary they can't really explain why except repeat GOP talking points they've read on the internet while knowing zero about her history. It's also due to wreckless reporters & news shows repeating GOP talking points as if it's TRUTH. They help to put Clinton on the defense because it makes ratings!

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:34 AM

      10:46 - this^ Very true. A certain number(too many) are uninformed and buy into crap the GOP has been spewing for decades.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous8:57 AM

    "If Hillary wins Virginia, Trump must win Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida to surpass 270." Even Frank Luntz knows the Trump gig is up. Kaine delivers VA blue for sure! Thanks, Tim!

    270towin.com/maps/8llwQ

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous8:58 AM

    Clinton VP runners-up praise Kaine

    http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/presidential-races/288950-clinton-vp-runners-up-praise-kaine

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:12 PM

      Very unlike Chris Christie who privately threw a tantrum and then had no other choice but to attend Trump's Mr. President of The Universe contest supporting him. I'm sure he was privately feeling very humiliated.

      Delete
  19. Anonymous9:01 AM

    Kaine is probably a better choice than Tom Vilesuck aka The Man From Monsanto.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Anonymous9:01 AM

    How Donald Trump’s RNC Inspired a Muslim, Gay, and Trump Porn Craze

    During the Republican National Convention, porn searches in the Cleveland area went way, way up in a few unexpected categories.

    ...“These people are the biggest hypocrites!” adds porn star Sydney Leathers. “They’re the same party that insists porn is a public health crisis, yet data shows tons of them are watching porn during the Republican National Convention. They obviously don’t practice what they preach, but we all knew that. It doesn’t surprise me at all that searches for Muslim porn and gay male porn were up during the convention.”

    The Muslim-oriented searches may indicate not just curiosity but also an interest in taboo subjects—given that Trump has been virulently anti-Muslim, from his proposed travel ban to his 9/11 lies. And in porn, similar to the way “interracial” signifies black man/white woman scenes (not just any interracial coupling), the term “Muslim” also has a stereotypical connotation.

    “In porn search terms, Muslim means a woman who is covered up and of Middle Eastern descent,” explains Kulich. “Anytime there is something like a religion that is taboo about sex there are going to be the guys that want to watch it.”

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/07/23/how-donald-trump-s-rnc-inspired-a-muslim-gay-and-trump-porn-craze.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:10 AM

      Seth Meyers father/daughter touch
      http://www.mediaite.com/online/seth-meyers-tears-into-trumps-speech-and-his-inappropriate-father-daughter-touching/

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:50 AM

      I'm positive "Melania nude" searches went up too!

      Delete
  21. Anonymous9:03 AM

    How Tim Kaine, Hillary Clinton’s VP, Defies the Religious Stereotype

    Look closer at Clinton’s VP pick and you’ll find a figure who belies conventional assumptions about religion and politics.

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/07/22/how-tim-kaine-hillary-clinton-s-vp-defies-the-religious-stereotype.html

    ReplyDelete
  22. I say let's wait and see him on the stump. I know Kaine has a reputation as a boring centrist, but when you look at his voting record and his experience, he makes a lot of sense as VP. I love Elizabeth Warren too, but she has important work to do in the Senate and is too valuable there to lose. Virginia's gov can appoint another Dem to fill Kaine's seat.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:27 AM

      As much as I love Warren, let her job be messing with him on Twitter as she has been. She gets under his skin like no other! You go, Liz!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:41 AM

      Karen, Kaine knocked it out of the park today! I urge you to watch his roll-out speech in Miami today!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:46 AM

      My thoughts exactly 9:27! Warren has over three more months to mess with Trump. Yay!!

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:51 AM

      His talk today in Miami was anything BUT boring - it was inspirational!

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:06 AM

      He is popular in Virginia and well-liked in the Senate, even among Republicans. Jeff Flake (R-AZ) sent out a very nice tweet congratulating Kaine. It says something, when the people who know you the best like you the best.

      Delete
  23. Anonymous9:05 AM

    Hillary Clinton Taps Tim Kaine and Goes With Substance Over Sizzle

    Bernie-or-busters crying about the Democratic ticket need to take a deep breath and consider the alternative.

    http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/07/22/hillary-clinton-taps-tim-kaine-and-goes-with-substance-over-sizzle.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:37 PM

      His speech was pretty sizzling.

      Delete
  24. Anonymous9:05 AM

    I don't understand how you could be excited about Pres. Obama but not Hillary Clinton or Tim Kaine. The politics are almost the same though Kaine seems more liberal.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous9:08 AM

    OT?;" “But now, I have the privilege of saying who I want to elect for the presidency. I might be the one vote that makes a difference. I feel like a citizen of the United States again.”
    Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D)

    http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/07/23/3801355/virginia-felon-voting-update/

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous9:09 AM

    The TPP argument is moot, as Pence has been a huge supporter of all trade deals. Looks like GOP vetting is no better than in 2008.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous9:10 AM

    Here you go, Gryph. Maybe this will excite you more:
    https://twitter.com/vabvox/status/756808500446109696

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous9:10 AM

    With Pick, Hillary Clinton Signals She’s Looking Past Inauguration Day

    In selecting Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia as her running mate, Hillary Clinton is sending the clearest signal yet that she is confident she will win the presidential election.

    If she were worried, she would have chosen Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, who could have helped her win that critical Midwestern state — where she is now tied with Donald J. Trump. And Mr. Brown could have energized progressives nationally, who were far more enthusiastic about Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont than they have been about Mrs. Clinton.

    Other picks could have helped her more on Election Day. Former Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa, for instance, would have turned out Democrats and independents in his swing state. Senator Cory Booker of New Jersey would have galvanized fellow African-Americans in key cities like Philadelphia and Detroit. Tom Perez, labor secretary, and Julian Castro, housing secretary, might have boosted Hispanic voting in Florida and the West.

    ...His value is almost entirely about governing — about what he can do for Mrs. Clinton in the White House rather than at the ballot box. To that end, the pick is deeply revealing about how she sees the general election and how she would govern as president.

    She already has a strong team.

    Mrs. Clinton is showing her cards: In her view, she already has a straight flush heading into the fall with President Obama, former President Bill Clinton, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., Mr. Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts ready to campaign for her. She doesn’t think she needs an ace in the hole in November, according to Clinton advisers.

    Mr. Kaine’s chief job in the general election is to win the vice-presidential debate on Oct. 4 — it happens to be in Virginia — against his Republican counterpart, Gov. Mike Pence of Indiana.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/23/us/hillary-clinton-vp.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hedgewytch10:18 AM

      The VP debate should be popcorn inspiring. Kaine will decimate Pence.

      Delete
  29. Anonymous9:11 AM

    G -

    Good article. I was really disappointed about Warren. Although, I really knew nothing about Kaine. Trying to catch up on what he is about and it all looks good. Funny - had never even heard of him before.

    Pat Padrnos

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous10:19 AM

      Well, Elizabeth herself is telling you she didn't want to be VP.

      Elizabeth Warren calls BS on Trump’s VP attacks: I’m right where I want to be, @realDonaldTrump: Calling you out & holding you responsible for your reckless vision for America.

      http://www.rawstory.com/2016/07/elizabeth-warren-calls-bs-on-trumps-vp-attacks-im-right-where-i-want-to-be-calling-you-out/

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:56 AM

      Think about it. Have we heard about all 50 governors? Can we even name them? No one had ever heard of half-term ex-governor Palin either!

      Delete
    3. "Funny - had never even heard of him before."
      ------------------
      From everything I can find out, that might be because he was too busy doing his job and living a meaningful personal life to be looking for cameras and microphones.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous12:38 PM

      Warren likes being exactly where she is. She can be as strong and tough-speaking as she likes (and as we need her to be) without the need for diplomacy being VPOTUS often requires.

      Delete
  30. Anonymous9:15 AM

    I have been aware of Tim Kaine for a while now. I live in IL but I pay attention. I believe the first time I saw him was either on Real Time with Bill Mahr or The Rachel Maddow Show several years ago. and I liked him from the start. Good choice Hillary!

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous9:16 AM

    Hey, Gryphen. Your fellow-Alaskan, Jim Wright, may help stoke some enthusiasm about Tim Kaine and Hillary Clinton.

    http://www.stonekettle.com/2016/07/the-decider.html

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous9:19 AM

    Kaine is opposed to abortion himself, but respects a woman's right to choose, from what I"ve read about him.
    IOW, he wouldn't have one himself if he were a she. All the while not restricting anyone else's right to choose. THAT to me is the essence of PRO CHOICE--what is right for me may not be right for you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Exactly! Sorry Jesse, if you think this is wishy washy then I guess I am as well. I, personally, could never have one but I would never dream of making that choice for someone else.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous9:42 AM

      Exactly. If you "compare" records between Pence and him, there is no comparison.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:06 AM

      As catholic Biden & Kennedy also believed - it's called separation of church and state. They have all my respect for that.

      Delete
  33. Anonymous9:20 AM

    You forgot to list the questionable $160,000 of "gifts" he got while in office.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous9:29 AM

      Questionable???? The laws in Virginia allowed those gifts!

      The analogy is in front of you with regards to the tax laws in the US: Tax avoidance is perfectly legal; tax evasion is NOT.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous9:29 AM

      Take a number for those who have received the same.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous9:38 AM

      Google is your friend, why not use to to actually look up the laws at the time and you might find out those right wing talking points you are spewing are utter BS.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous9:45 AM

      G -

      Were the gifts he received $160,00 as this poster indicates or the amounts you show in your article? I came across an article earlier today about this - but don't remember where and cannot find it now.
      Thanks.

      Pat Padrnos

      Delete
    5. Anonymous9:48 AM

      While legal under Virginia’s unusually permissive ethics rules...

      ...“During his eight years as lieutenant governor and governor, Sen. Kaine went beyond the requirements of Virginia law, even publicly disclosing gifts of value beneath the reporting threshold,” a spokesperson said. “He’s confident that he met both the letter and the spirit of Virginia’s ethical standards.”

      Delete
    6. Anonymous9:51 AM

      re: Anon 9:20
      Which were fully disclosed, legal, and NOT from a single donor lobbying for favors, unlike the recent Republican crook governor--who rightfully deserved his prison sentence.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous10:56 AM

      As my husband said, only $160,000 in 9 years? He's not doing this right, as far as politics is concerned ;-)

      Delete
  34. Anonymous9:31 AM

    Boo frigin' hoo. You aren't all excited, Gryphen. You are coming close to sounding like a berniebro. "I want it ALL, or I'm not really that interested in playing."

    Yes, that's what it sounds like...

    Now, I was all for E Warren as VP, EXCEPT that the majority of your sex very possibly could not bring themselves to vote for TWO women to run the country. Warren can still be an attack dog on many levels - dissing dRUMPf, submitting progressive legislation, and hopefully as Senate majority leader.

    Kaine is not the perfect candidate, but then who really is? HE is qualified to take over as POTUS in the event Clinton cannot fulfill her term. TPP is something that congress must pass before it gets to executive level. Clinton will either accept or reject it. I expect that the R's will have filled the bill with so much garbage, she will have to reject it. IF it even gets through congress.

    Look at the big picture. And if you still cannot gleefully vote FOR the Democratic nominee, then vote your heart out against dRumpf.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous9:32 AM

    I am not excited at all about this pick. While I will still vote for Hillary it adds nothing to her campaign.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:21 AM

      http://images.opposingviews.com:8080/ovi/catalog/downloads/preview/rndr_1400x600//2016/07/palinskidmore-1469138277.jpg/rndr_1400x600.jpg

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:24 AM

      Hillary knocked it out of the park with this VP choice. I didn’t know much about Tim Kaine prior to the selection but I love what I am reading and his telling of his life, values and beliefs in his ongoing Miami speech.

      If you are a newbie like me, here is a quick summary of Kaine’s positions:

      http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/7/23/1551421/-Clinton-Kaine-2016

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:57 AM

      Her point was not to excite existing Democrats but to excite disenfranchised GOP voters who now may vote Dem instead of sitting this one out.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:08 AM

      And 10 people to your 1 feel the opposite.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous12:07 PM

      @10:57 am
      Her campaign better be focused on exciting Democrats to get them out to vote.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous12:32 PM

      Kaine's speech was phenomenal! Can't wait for Philly!

      Delete
  36. Would have preferred someone else but, all I need to really know about Kaine, is that he is NOT Pence.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:36 AM

      He is much more than "not Pence." Do some research.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:39 AM

      I urge you to watch his speech in Miami! Kaine knocked it out if the park & seemed, if I may say, even presidential! Great choice, Hillary!

      Delete
  37. Anonymous9:45 AM

    The selection of Kaine, a well-liked moderate in the Senate, is likely to be seen as a sign by many on the left that Clinton is less concerned about maintaining intensity among the army of liberals who backed Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and more concerned about the electoral map when her opponent is Donald Trump.

    President Barack Obama carried Virginia in both his elections after Democrats failed to win the state since 1964, making it a key part of his national victory strategy. Kaine, who was Obama’s first chairman of the Democratic National Committee, could help Clinton do the same.

    Donald Trump’s bellicose, fear-mongering nomination convention this week likely added impetus to pick Kaine, who would add another layer of executive experience and heft to the ticket.

    A campaign source said Clinton and Kaine met at her home in Washington, D.C., on Thursday after doing a campaign stop in Virginia that had been scheduled as a tryout. Clinton had been impressed with Kaine’s style on the trail, which looked very much like an event with a pair of running mates. She invited him for the meeting a day ahead of sit-downs with other potential VP nominees. Those meetings leaked to the press. Kaine’s did not.

    Clinton quickly determined to meet Kaine again on Saturday for lunch with their families, including Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and her husband Marc Mezvinzky, and Kaine’s wife, Anne Holton.

    According to the source, Clinton’s campaign chair, John Podesta, had started the VP search back in April, bringing binders of potential running mates to her Chappaqua, New York, home in a Duane-Reade bag.

    His prime advice to her was: “It needs to be someone who, whenever they walk into a room, you are glad to see them and want to have them as part of any conversation.” She felt she had that with Kaine, and kept telling aides she also had complete confidence Kaine was ready for the job.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hillary-clinton-tim-kaine-vice-president_us_577ec219e4b0c590f7e8a3e9

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:35 AM

      KAINE CRUSHES IT

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:58 AM

      This choice was smart in that it neutralized the Bernie Bros, we don't need them any longer, they can vote for whomever they want or just stay home, they just because a non-issue.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12:32 PM

      Agree, 10:58.

      Delete
  38. Anonymous9:45 AM

    Watching Clinton and Kaine in Florida now... Have to say I'm quite impressed. Kaine comes across as so genial and COMPETENT, while marking a stark contrast with his own apparent humility to the narcissistic Trump. While Clinton gets a bad rap for "hard edges", I think Kaine will soften this for the ticket--not to mention it seems the REPUGS are thus far incapable of finding anything substantive to use to criticize him with. While I really wanted Warren, I congratulate Clinton on this choice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:37 AM

      Amazing speech by TIm Kaine.......he nailed it and really contrasted the differences between Trump/Pence's fear & hate with Hillary/Kaine's courage and positive approach to the future of America. BRAVO sir......well done.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:37 AM

      He fired me up! So ready to vote for this ticket. #clintonkaine2016

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:37 AM

      This speech by Tim Kaine must be seen by everybody. Now, this is the America we know that he so eloquently spoke about. This KC (Kaine-Clinton) lineup is the best team for America to move ahead.

      Delete
  39. Anonymous9:51 AM

    I hope you all are watching the Clinton/Kaine debut from Miami. I'm watching right now & if you missed it please find the video of it and watch the entire thing beginning with Hillary's introduction. What a contrast to Trump/Pence!

    This guy has loads of personality and he & Hillary together just speaking about their goals makes Trump truly look like the clown show that he is running. Makes Pence look like a complete & total puppet boy whimp.

    Kaine has loads of personality, his style of speaking is positive, animated & he is truly personable. He's not just speaking memorized lines - he is speaking to us from his heart & true beliefs.

    I have not been this pumped up & excited since Obama told the story of Edith Childs who said, "Fired up, ready to go!"

    You owe it to yourself and all democratic, liberal and progressive people's beliefs to watch this and I hope you feel the excitement like I do. If this doesn't inspire you about our future then nothing will. Now let us all unify, keep America great and get to work!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 66gardeners10:06 AM

      Watched it. You are 100% correct. Tim Kaine is a very good public speaker.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:16 AM

      The Clinton/Kaine ticket made their debut in Florida, and threw Republicans for a loop with a perfect mixture of sunshine.

      ...Kaine showed exactly why he was Clinton’s pick. Tim Kaine delivered a speech that sounded like it was from the heartland, but also warm and enjoyable. It is clear that, unlike Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton did not pick her running mate to be a second banana stooge. Kaine brings a warmth to this election that has gone missing under Donald Trump’s constant storm clouds of doom.

      Tim Kaine hit it out of the park with his speech and Republicans should be very afraid.

      http://www.politicususa.com/2016/07/23/sunshiny-wrath-tim-kaine-clintonkaine-ticket-shines-rousing-debut.html

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:17 AM

      I completely agree. I didn't see the entire debut but I think Kaine is an excellent choice and he's an intelligent, articulate and personable man. And they look comfortable together as a TEAM. Sure can't same the same for TrumPence. When the Donald was losing his mind yesterday ranting about Ted Cruz etc you could see Pence working very hard to keep his facial expressions in check. Some Republicans will do anything to win even if it means eating shit LOL

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:37 AM

      This was a surprisingly fantastic debut...and I was a doubter.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:38 AM

      Great speech by Senator Kaine. Trump talks 28 minutes about himself and then leaves Pence to stutter. Hillary respectfully introduces Kaine and Kaine delivers an hopeful and intelligent speech instead of doom and gloom.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:38 AM

      What a contrast in tone and approach. This is how to introduce a comparitively unknown VP pick. Brief intro, sit back and let him do his job.

      He did his job and did it very well..

      Delete
    7. Anonymous11:40 AM

      I'm so impressed that Hillary Clinton picked Senator Kaine!

      She is one smart woman and will soon become the FIRST WOMAN President of the USA! Can hardly wait for that significant, historical inauguration ceremony in January, 2017!

      What a wonderful time in our history!

      Delete
  40. Anonymous9:51 AM

    Why Republicans should vote for Hillary Clinton

    ...Republicans can either allow Trump to rebrand the GOP as unstable, xenophobic and crude, or they can regain control of their party. It may mean losing this election, but if they want a principled, rational agenda that reflects American values and promotes liberty, prosperity and security, there is no other choice: Writing in or staying home puts Republican control of the Senate at risk, and a libertarian protest vote could toss the election to Trump.

    The last remaining option is an extreme option: Vote for Hillary Clinton.

    http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/commentary/ct-hillary-clinton-republicans-support-20160722-story.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:46 AM

      The most important policy speech of the entire RNC was given by a 20-something who no one watched

      http://www.businessinsider.com/trump-rnc-alexandra-smith-speech-2016-7

      Delete
  41. Anonymous9:52 AM

    Our future president lays it out:

    Why I chose Tim Kaine

    https://medium.com/hillary-for-america/why-i-chose-tim-kaine-f7e2ce66735b#.tcdff898o

    ReplyDelete
  42. Anonymous9:52 AM

    Kaine is a fabulous public speaker! So at ease! So comfortable! Great choice!!! Snoozer? No way! Barn burner!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:10 AM

      Clinton Introduces Kaine at Rally: He’s Everything Trump and Pence Are Not!

      http://www.mediaite.com/tv/clinton-introduces-kaine-at-rally-hes-everything-trump-and-pence-are-not/

      http://www.mediaite.com/tv/clinton-likens-trump-to-dictators-for-his-i-alone-can-fix-it-line/

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:22 AM

      I totally agree - what a great introduction to our next VP! I imagine Pence peed himself at least twice at the thought of having to debate Kaine.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:25 AM

      I loved today's roll out. It was perfect.

      And I actually thought there was an Elizabeth Warren touch there, in a quieter way.

      Delete
  43. Anonymous9:54 AM

    When Hillary Clinton wins, and Tim Kaine becomes vice president, Gov. Terry McAuliffe will get to appoint someone to the Senate. The buzz in McAuliffe land is that he can appoint a placeholder, like the 77-year-old Chuck Robb, or someone who is a longer-term option like Rep. Don Beyer, Creigh Deeds, Attorney General Mark Herring or Anne Holton, the education secretary who is also Kaine’s wife. Tom Periello, a one-term congressman who is now at the State Department, could also be an option. McAuliffe WILL NOT appoint himself, sources close to him say.

    http://www.politico.com/tipsheets/playbook/2016/07/knowing-kaine-exclusive-republicans-for-hillary-interview-weekend-reads-bday-david-brock-215488

    ReplyDelete
  44. Anonymous9:56 AM

    In 1927, Fox News Service filmed Benito Mussolini telling immigrants to ‘make America great’

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/07/23/in-1927-fox-news-service-filmed-benito-mussolini-telling-immigrants-to-make-america-great/

    ReplyDelete
  45. Anonymous9:56 AM

    "You might not care if Donald Trump says Muslims should register with their government, because you're not one," says Moe, to an ominous soundtrack. "And you might not care if Donald Trump says he's going to round up all the Hispanic immigrants, because you're not one. And you might not care if Donald Trump says it's okay to rough up black protesters, because you're not one. And you might not care if Donald Trump wants to suppress journalists, because you're not one. But think about this: If he keeps going, and he actually becomes president, he might just get around to you. And you better hope there's someone left to help you."

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/11/24/the-ad-in-which-john-kasichs-campaign-seems-to-compare-donald-trump-to-hitler/

    ReplyDelete
  46. Anonymous9:57 AM

    I'm listening to Kaine right now. Excellent speech and delivery.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Anonymous10:03 AM

    Hillary is capable and strong. She made a good choice with Kaine. Trump needs to release his taxes and put that behind him. IF he can.
    It's not his only problem. Trump’s campaign continues to solicit illegal donations from foreign nationals.
    Last month, the Campaign Legal Center filed a complaint with the FEC after Trump’s campaign reportedly sent dozens of prominent Icelandic, Scottish, Australian and British politicians fundraising emails seeking donations.

    Watchdog Groups Call on DOJ to Investigate Donald Trump’s Campaign
    http://lawnewz.com/uncategorized/watchdog-groups-call-on-doj-to-investigate-donald-trumps-campaign/

    Robert Reich Rips Debbie Wasserman Schultz Over DNC Leak: ‘Fire Her Now’
    http://www.mediaite.com/online/robert-reich-rips-debbie-wasserman-schultz-over-dnc-leak-fire-her-now/

    ReplyDelete
  48. 66gardeners10:04 AM

    Watching Tim Kaine wrap up his speech. He hit it out of the park.

    ReplyDelete
  49. Anonymous10:05 AM

    The only way anyone could have been 'disappointed' with Hillary NOT choosing Warren was if they created the expectation IN THEIR OWN MINDS that she would pick her. Hillary wasn't ever going to pick her, it's that simple. Not because she isn't awesome, because she is, but because H always had her eye on three guys from the beginning. If you'd done your due diligence, it would have been crystal clear for you. So get over it since YOU created your own disappointment, it had nothing to do with Hillary or her choice in the end.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:49 AM

      Warren said from the start that she wasn't interested in the VP slot. She knows the path she's on and people should respect her for it, not cry in their beer.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous1:19 PM

      Sorry, that is not the only way people can be disappointed with Hillary's pick. I don't think he is a smart pick at all. And I have a right to my opinion as much as you do. Just start practicing saying Pres Trump because that's what Hillary's pick is going to get you.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous1:23 PM

      The people who are mad that Warren didn't do what they wished are acting just like the people who are mad at Bernie not doing what they wanted.

      Talk about a toddler mind-set.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous1:37 PM

      Just start practicing saying Pres Trump because that's what Hillary's pick is going to get you.
      -----------

      oh jeez 1:19. and the right wing sites are all saying "say hello to president Hillary". So just stop.

      Delete
  50. Anonymous10:11 AM

    Kaine just blew everybody away. Thanking naturalized citizens for choosing the US. Switching effortlessly bt Eng and Spanish. Energy, timing, sincerity, regular eye contact with Hillary, complete comfort on the stage. He seems like this is a big fulfillment for him. I am so happy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Me too!
      I really wanted Elizabeth Warren, but am blown away with this excellent choice!

      Tengo un nuevo amor!

      Delete
  51. Anonymous10:11 AM

    Watchdog Groups Call on DOJ to Investigate Donald Trump’s Campaign

    http://lawnewz.com/uncategorized/watchdog-groups-call-on-doj-to-investigate-donald-trumps-campaign/

    ReplyDelete
  52. Anonymous10:14 AM

    Trump Ignorantly Attacks His Own Running Mate While Trying To Bash Tim Kaine

    While trying to attack Tim Kaine on TPP, Donald Trump accidentally leveled his own running mate Mike Pence.

    The problem for Trump is that his own running mate Gov. Mike Pence has been a huge cheerleader for TPP.

    In 2014, Pence tweeted:

    Trade means jobs, but trade also means security. The time has come for all of us to urge the swift adoption of the Trans Pacific Partnership

    ...As soon as Trump picked Pence as his VP, he lost the anti-trade argument. Thanks to Pence, the Republican ticket is the more pro-TPP than Clinton and Kaine. If Donald Trump wants to attack somebody for supporting TPP, he should begin with Mike Pence.

    Donald Trump has once again opened his mouth and shot himself in the foot.

    http://www.politicususa.com/2016/07/23/trump-accidentally-attacks-running-mate-bash-tim-kaine.html

    ReplyDelete
  53. Anonymous10:26 AM

    'Everything Trump and Pence are not': Clinton introduces VP pick Tim Kaine
    https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/jul/23/hillary-clinton-tim-kaine-vp-vice-president

    Tim Kaine Honduras
    "Truly respect Kaine volunteering in Honduras to help truly needy families."
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tim_Kaine#Early_life

    Donald Trump Honduras
    Meet The Workers Who Sewed Donald Trump Clothing For A Few Dollars A Day
    https://www.buzzfeed.com/karlazabludovsky/meet-the-workers-who-sewed-donald-trump-clothing-for-a-few-d?utm_term=.ekmB2OZzBn#.da9Vl1P7Ve

    ReplyDelete
  54. Anonymous10:27 AM

    Trump tweets that Kaine is owned by the banks? C'mon, small hands, who held the banks hostage through all your bankruptcies?

    ReplyDelete
  55. Anonymous10:28 AM

    A roundup of comments:

    OMG. He is making Republican heads explode from Day One. He is giving his speech in both English and Spanish and is so incredibly pro-immigration telling people to go to naturalization offices.

    I'm watching too through AOL live and he is AMAZING! Natural, real, approachable, passionate.... A REAL WINNER!

    Boring, my ass. This is awesome.

    AMAZING delivery and presentation. Kaine really sold himself today and “did us proud.” The crowd LOVES him! He comes across as charming, sincere, personable, warm, and caring. Trump U, Donald! Hillary wins again, and so do we. YOU are a LOSER!

    If this is boring, I couldn’t take exciting. He is freaking awesome!

    I agree, he’s doing a bang-up job and I hear genuine enthusiasm and delight in his voice. Thumbs up!

    How many grand slams can a person hit in one speech?

    Yep, he’s a dramatically better speaker than I expected based on the small sample of past clips of him that I’d seen.

    He is a great speaker. He comes across genuine and passionate without being shrill or combative. I really was not to sure about him, but I think he is going to be a wonderful VP. Congratulations to Hillary Clinton and Tim Kaine, the next President and Vice President of the United States of America!

    Kaine has an “aw shucks” persona but he absolutely killed it with that speech. If he can keep that up he’ll start to make a difference next week and then on the stump after that.

    I’m kind of in love now. I love his speaking style, love his record, love his genuineness. Really, many of the same qualities I love in Joe Biden. And the effortless switch from English to Spanish throughout his speech was so naturally done, he will be a fabulous campaigner in both languages. He comes across just as a very likeable person — I have always thought Hillary was likeable, but Kaine’s likeability is infectious and you just want to watch him.

    http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/7/23/1551420/-Tim-Kaine-is-killing-it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:18 AM

      I feel as you do. God forbid if anything were to happen to Clinton I would be 100% comfortable with a Kaine presidency.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:34 PM

      Go Democrats!!!!!!!!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous1:06 PM

      Oh boy, Trump is going to take to twitter that Kaine isn't a patriotic American because he speaks Spanish.

      Then Donnie will start yakking that he is going to amendment the Constitution that real Americans speak English!!!

      Giving the Ugly Americans a run for their money.

      Delete
  56. Anonymous10:28 AM

    Grypen, Grypen, Grypen, months back I attempted to lecture Hilary on watching her back on that tricky Don, and his teasing way, and you blew a gasket which made me blow a gasket. I didn't mean to talk down to Hilary. I was quite worried about her because Donald Trump knows only one way to win, and that's by teasing in a childish way, and I hoped Hilary would not end up in the mud with him, is all. Now you are not fired up because of Hilary's pick. Well, this is the real world and we all can't have what we want. Bottomline, we as Americans are divided now between the choice of do we want the same, same, or complete different of crazy ass Donald? Hey, we are not the German people from back when. We have a choice not to choose the crazy man. We have a choice not to be manipulated by that dark dragon. Right now, in this precarious time of history, we have the means to say no to this child of Lucifer named Donald. Or, we can stay all unfired up, and let the dark force win. Then we can get fired up again, as Donald, in his presidency hits us again and again with shit we can't handle. Remember Bush and Cheney? That was not the tip of the iceberg. That was the prelude.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:04 AM

      Umm, a detail but her name is Hillary.
      Beaglemom

      Delete
  57. Anonymous10:29 AM

    @Gryph
    Oh hell no! "To be honest I am not really that big of a Hillary supporter."

    You can't walk it back that easy.

    After all the gushing posts about "Hills" and the endless angry rhetoric against Bernie, NOW you try to walk it back?

    That's bullshit, and you know it.

    I warned you that she's not the progressive you thought she was, and now that's she's begun to prove me right with the DISASTROUS pick of Tim Kaine you can't just pretend you weren't ALL IN before.

    You, and all of the "Hills" fans OWN this shit.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There was no gushing.

      I said early on that Hillary was the best choice we Democrats had, and much better than Sanders, and I stand by that.

      However it is also true that I found President Obama inspirational for a number of reasons, and it will be a challenge for anybody replacing him to fill those shoes.

      I like Hillary, and I am beginning to like Tim Kaine, but those shoes will still remain unfilled in my opinion.

      But as always you are welcome to disagree with me.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:02 AM

      Disastrous? Whatever you say.

      As much as I'm a Gryph fan, I have to agree with you on the statement you quoted. HUH, Gryph? You need to clarify what you were saying.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:22 AM

      Gryph all your readers are looking forward to your thoughts after watching the ENTIRE Clinton-Kaine debut in Miami today. As soon as I get done reading all these posts here I'll be checking the rest of the day.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:50 AM

      10:29 is silly.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous12:17 PM

      You guys, Gryphen is but one blogger in a state that is guaranteed to go for Trump.

      What we Alaskans do makes no difference but those of you in blue or swing states CAN make a difference.

      Those of us in AK already know the outcome for our state but some of you are luckier and your votes are important!

      Delete
    6. "he's not the progressive you thought she was, and now that's she's begun to prove me right with the DISASTROUS pick of Tim Kaine"
      -------------------
      That is just plain ignorant. He has near perfect records with PP, NARAL, Brady Campaign, NAACP, and so many others.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous12:36 PM

      I urge EVERYONE, not just Gryphen, to watch both Clintin's and Kaine's speeches today! You want to be inspired? Watch them both!!!!!!

      Delete
  58. Anonymous10:30 AM

    "There are a few stumbling blocks for progressives however, including Kaine's wishy washy stance on abortion (He's a Catholic.), his support for TPP, and of course the worst one, he's not Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren."

    Gryphen, you left out the part about Kaine pushing for bank deregulation this very week. I'm sure his pick will make the banks very happy, and keep the donations coming in for Hillary (hmm...wasn't that predicted by many Liberals?), and make Elizabeth Warren very angry, even though I'm sure Liz will give her full support publicly. After all, she is a politician.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He was talking about regional banks and credit unions:

      "That involved a request to the CFPB to tailor its rules to community banks and credit unions and not to hold them to the same standards as large multinational investment banks, such as Goldman Sachs. This issue very specifically involves the so-called stress tests to make sure that large investment banks have enough liquidity to survive a banking crisis like the one that caused the economic meltdown in 2008. The letter writers pointed out that community banks and credit unions had nothing to do with that economic crisis or the practices that caused it. In fact, most of these banks play a unique role in their communities, serving the needs of small businesses and individual borrowers. They are neither national nor global in scope. They are regional and usually involved in their communities.

      All the letter asks is that Cordray and others involved in the rulemaking process consider the differences between community banks and credit unions versus the large national banks, including the levels of risk involved. Before a rule is applied across the board, an analysis of how burdensome that regulation is and how much risk is involved in not regulating should be made. All this letter asks is that those factors be taken into consideration. On that one, I think Tim Kaine and other signers, including Mark Warner, may be right."

      More: http://bluevirginia.us/2016/07/tim-kaine-oppose-bank-regulation-huffpost-fail-get-whole-story

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:38 PM

      The bank policy he is pushing for relates to community banks, not Wall Street.

      Delete
  59. Anonymous10:33 AM

    Why Tim Kaine has already made history

    http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/23/politics/tim-kaine-vice-president-hillary-clinton/index.html

    ReplyDelete
  60. Anonymous10:34 AM

    whew! a grown up in the room!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Anonymous10:42 AM

    Gotta love the pee pond! Out trots VG, expert on all things Virginia, "here's what people here think." Really, VG? I thought you could barely leave your "green cathedral" due to your wife's and your health let alone speak on behalf of 8.3 million people. Whatever, dude.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. myfairlady11:17 AM

      Virginia gentleman is so pathetic. He doesn't work and sucks off the gov't teat

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:28 AM

      His in-the-know "little birdie" that they nicknamed Rockin' Robin also had him convinced that $arah would be the veep bid.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12:32 PM

      Attention whore. The Kaine pick played right into his hands.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous1:33 PM

      His in-the-know "little birdie" that they nicknamed Rockin' Robin also had him convinced that $arah would be the veep bid.
      --------

      11:28, his "birdie" was most likely Chuckjr. I've gone back to every post about Rockin Robin, and I think what happened was Sarah really thought she'd be the VP pick. VG was so sure about that when Pence was picked, he was a bit "out of character" for a few days. I'm sure it was Chuckles Jr. and they all were in shock.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous1:49 PM

      VG, one of the many sheep that Sarah Palin fleeced and will continue to fleece.

      Delete
  62. Anonymous10:43 AM

    Did you watch Kaine speeches this morning? check twitter, everyone and media reporters are loving him.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Anonymous10:53 AM

    Everything you need to know about the 2016 DNC in Philadelphia

    http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-2016-dnc-philadelphia-226049

    ReplyDelete
  64. Anonymous11:05 AM

    Gryphen, you will vote for Clinton whether you love her or not, because you know what's at stake. Kaine may help to convince some sensible Republicans, if there are any left, to vote Dem this time.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Anonymous11:09 AM

    Missionary's are the lowest of low and more than a bit insane. No thanks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:39 PM

      Did you know that some have helped with education and poverty? That's what Kaine did. Not all missionaries are the same.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:46 PM

      Lower than DonCon?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12:49 PM

      He was a Catholic missionary in an already 90% Christian (mostly Catholic) country.

      All he did was teach carpentry skills and learn Spanish for a year. He wasn't pulling the bullshit that Franklin Graham and other conversion assholes do.

      Stop looking for problems where there aren't any. Stop believing you're a snowflake who has to have everything tailor made to your entitled, privileged, and ever-changing set of standards. Think about the common good for once in your damn life.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous1:29 PM

      Oh please. My parents were both missionaries. I'm a flaming progressive. My father built schools & churches back in the 60's decades before Bristol & Sarah's 24 hr. Haitian photo op. Perhaps you need a brain washing intervention?

      Delete
    5. Anonymous1:43 PM

      Missionary's what? Correct apostrophe use is a lost art.

      Delete
  66. Anonymous11:16 AM

    Anyone who prefers choosing an "exciting" VP rather than a fully-qualified one should remember Palin vs Biden 2008. Enough said!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:15 PM

      Sorry, but there were many choices that would have been qualified and exciting.

      Delete
  67. Anonymous11:17 AM

    Look, the Republicans are backing that crazy Donald, and we as Democrats have to back Hilary. Even Sanders came over. It's the bottom of the barrel, or the bottom of the ninth, and we are faced with do we want to keep this country we so love, or do we want Donald to fuck it up with his low testosterone? I don't know Kaine, and I don't know Pence. Obama was a wonderful president. Somehow both parties ended up with two candidates that made us all realize that our past is not the past. But of the two, Hilary is a good pick. Not the best best but the best. We are all at the Y on the road. Do we go this way or that? There is no choice. Unless the Libertarian tkt picks up, we have Don the Con, and Hilary. We got to vote our conscious like Ted advised the other day. That was his code to us that all is not well, and they are all being held hostage by the devil Donald.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:07 PM

      A,s much as I cannot stand Ted Cruz, I agree that it was a warning and why tRump walked out at the end to interrupt,

      We, as mere citizens, will never know what goes on behind the scenes of this nightmare that we must live with. Vote your conscience, indeed, a democracy while we still have one.

      Delete
  68. Anonymous11:21 AM

    Tim Kaine: A Self-Effacing Senator in a Sharp-Elbows Era

    ...But his calm, even temperament — when angry, he is apt to say he is “steamed” — leads to misguided assumptions about his core beliefs. At heart, Mr. Kaine, 58, is an old-fashioned liberal, dyed in the wool.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/23/us/politics/tim-kaine-history.html

    Mr. Kaine peppered his speech with Spanish, telling the crowd, “Somos Americanos todos” — “We are all Americans” — an implied dig at Mr. Trump and his attacks on immigrants.

    Mr. Kaine also went after Mr. Trump more explicitly, hitting his record as a casino mogul in Atlantic City and the defunct Trump University.

    “He leaves a trail of broken promises and wrecked lives wherever he goes,” Mr. Kaine said of the Republican nominee.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/24/us/politics/hillary-clinton-tim-kaine-vice-president.html

    ReplyDelete
  69. Anonymous11:22 AM

    Wow!! i was so wrong!! Kaine was the right choice!! Positive articles about him far and wide!! Good choice Hil.

    Pat Padrnos

    ReplyDelete
  70. Anonymous11:22 AM

    At Fox News, Kisses, Innuendo, Propositions and Fears of Reprisal

    ...The Times spoke with about a dozen women who said they had experienced some form of sexual harassment or intimidation at Fox News or the Fox Business Network, and half a dozen more who said they had witnessed it. Two of them cited Mr. Ailes and the rest cited other supervisors. With the exception of Ms. Bakhtiar, they all spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing embarrassment and fear of retribution. Most continue to work in television and worry that speaking out could damage their careers.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/24/business/at-fox-news-kisses-innuendo-propositions-and-fears-of-reprisal.html

    ReplyDelete
  71. Anonymous11:25 AM

    The RNC Was Not the End of the GOP, it Was its Rebirth as a Fascist Party

    The Republican Party was reborn last night -- as an outright fascist party.

    Donald Trump's acceptance speech at the GOP convention last night was a predictable mixture of outright lies and rampant fear mongering designed to appeal to the worst of America's instincts. Much of the speech was nothing out of the ordinary given the general tone of Republican rhetoric in recent years -- but there were a couple of stark differences that had much of the blogosphere up in arms -- and rightly so.

    It wasn't Trump's lies, his bombast or his nastiness -- it was dictatorial strongman act that he alone can fix America's problems, and the bleak fact that his presence in American politics is no longer a joke.

    What was once unthinkable is now real, and Trump is officially the Republican nominee for president. This was not the end of the Republican Party as many have claimed -- it was its transformation into something completely different.

    As Trump delivered his lie-filled, nonsensical stream of paeans to himself read badly off of a teleprompter, the blogosphere reacted in real time, debunking much of the garbage he promised his audience was the unvarnished truth. “Here at our convention, there will be no lies,” said Trump. Of course this was utter, utter bullshit.

    After it was done, sane commenters reacted in horror to the spectacle that had more in common with a Nuremberg Rally than a political convention in a modern democracy.

    http://thedailybanter.com/2016/07/gop-rebirth-as-a-fascist-party/

    ReplyDelete
  72. Anonymous11:25 AM

    After Trump making Americans feel sick all week, this is a YUUUGE breath of refreshing positive air.

    ReplyDelete
  73. Anonymous11:30 AM

    Eight years ago, Barack Obama was impressed enough with Tim Kaine to give the first-term Senator serious consideration for the vice-presidency. Perusing the media coverage at the time, I could not find a single example of progressive dismay at Kaine (though it’s quite possible I simply missed it.) While most coverage focused on Kaine’s youth, which was seen as compounding Obama’s greatest liability, I did find some evidence that liberals saw Kaine as an especially enticing choice. “The Virginia governor has emerged as the ‘change’-oriented veep choice for Obama,” wrote the New Republic’s Eve Fairbanks (who proceeded to make the contrarian case for Kathleen Sebelius). Former Jesse Jackson campaign manager Ron Walters endorsed him in an interview with left-wing Democracy Now! Host Amy Goodman.

    http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/07/case-for-tim-kaine.html

    The Only Defense America Has Against Donald Trump Is His Opponent

    ...An angry tirade, devoid of facts and policies and delivered in a nonstop shout, is not presidential. It wasn’t really a speech, even though it went on for some 75 minutes. (If Trump had been listening to it instead of delivering it, he would have left before halftime.) But none of that really matters in the case of Trump, who has created his own reality and gotten untold millions of Americans to buy into it. Last night, he wasn’t trying to reach out to fence-sitters, centrists, or independents and convert them. What he wanted instead was to ratchet up the fears of any racists, nativists, Second Amendment zealots, and garden-variety hard-right Republicans who had somehow slept through the primaries and still might be rallied to register and vote. The speech was one long piercing dog whistle. And it just may have penetrated the mad dogs he wanted to reach and mobilize.

    http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/07/one-defense-america-has-against-trump.html

    ReplyDelete
  74. Anonymous11:31 AM

    The Crazies Eat Their Own As Sarah Palin Turns On Ted Cruz for Not Endorsing Trump

    http://www.politicususa.com/2016/07/21/sarah-palin-predicts-ted-cruzs-career-refusing-endorse-trump.html

    Trump and Palin both suffer from the same syndrome CLAT. Can't Learn Any Thing.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Anonymous11:37 AM

    Kaine is to me what Edith Childs was to Obama when he was exhausted, soaked by rain,unexcited and feeling "meh". Fired up, ready to go!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:51 PM

      Listen to our wonderful Barack talk about her. Damn, he is so hot.

      Edith Childs, who inspired ‘Fired up!,’ will see Obama’s final State of Union

      http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article54111160.html

      Delete
    2. Anonymous12:56 PM

      In the end it was Tim Kaine’s biography that led Hillary Clinton to choose him as her running mate over possible contenders who are bolder, younger, more diverse or close to her family.

      Kaine, 58, a senator from the battleground state of Virginia who was one of Clinton’s earliest supporters, offers the Democrat what she wanted in most categories as she searched for a safe, dependable vice president who wouldn’t need on-the-job training.

      He has working-class roots. He’s worked as a missionary in Latin America, and he speaks Spanish. He has executive experience as a former governor. He’s familiar with national security as a member of the Senate Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees. And he has a reputation as a genuinely nice person.

      “Tim Kaine is the nicest, most pleasant person I have ever worked for,” said Preston Byrant, a former Republican legislator who went to work in Kaine’s Cabinet as secretary of natural resources. “Even his fiercest opponents say he’s a great guy.”

      Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article91412582.html#storylink=cpy

      Delete
    3. Anonymous1:14 PM

      "If one voice can change a room... "

      Delete
  76. Anonymous11:47 AM

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ck7OS31UgAEq_Xf.jpg

    ReplyDelete
  77. Anonymous11:54 AM

    Kaine is slamming Trump hard and it's gonna be effective.

    ""Trump is saying he'd leave our allies at the mercy of an increasingly aggressive Russia, and folks, that's an open invitation to Putin to just roll on in," Kaine said. "Even a lot of Republicans say that's terribly dangerous."

    "Do you want a trash-talking president or a bridge-building president? Donald Trump trash talks folks with disabilities, trash talks Mexican-Americans and Latinos whether they're new immigrants or governors or federal judges, trash talks women, trash talks our allies, calls the military a disaster. Oh you're right, he doesn't trash talk everybody, he likes Vladimir Putin.""

    ""When Donald Trump says he has your back, you'd better watch out," Kaine added. "He leaves a trail of broken promises and wrecked lives wherever he goes.""

    ReplyDelete
  78. Anonymous12:27 PM

    The issue of the gifts will gain no traction.

    1. Kaine declared them on his financial forms. McDonnell did not.

    2. Kaine overestimated the value of the gifts to be safe. McDonnell tried to hide them from regulators.

    3. There was no quid pro quo with the gifts. The businessman who provided the gift did no business with the state. There was quid pro quo in McDonnell's case. The company used the governor's mansion to sell their products and McDonnell endorsed the products.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:41 PM

      Got that right. Do they really want to go there? Someone needs to call them out on it. I'm watching MSNBC and they won't.

      "Lamestream" gave us Palin.
      The sore that won't heal.
      Do your damned jobs already!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous1:02 PM

      Thanks for this handy and succinct clarification!

      Delete
  79. Anonymous1:07 PM

    O/T Michael Moore wrote a post today over at Huffinton Post. He was giving a direct warning to the overconfident people who feel that there is no way that Hillary can lose the election.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-moore/5-reasons-why-trump-will-_b_11156794.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous1:33 PM

      We can NOT have a repeat of 2012 as Gryphen often reminds us!

      Delete
  80. Anonymous1:11 PM

    Senator Timothy Kaine

    http://politicsthatwork.com/voting-record/Timothy-Kaine-412582

    ReplyDelete
  81. Pat in MA1:24 PM

    Why the constant focus on the need for "excitement"?? Competent governance can be boring I guess. Maybe more thinking and less "excitement" would be good for the country. I don't need celebrities in the Oval Office, I need intelligent, thoughtful, tactful, hardworking people like Clinton and Kaine. Have we devolved so badly as a country that we need to be excited to get off our asses and vote?? As if Trump isn't enough motivation to do so

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:08 PM

      Kind of, yes, we have. It's not excitement we need but optimism, which is exciting because it's been so absent, and was so nuch on display today w/ Clinton/Kaine.

      Delete
  82. Anonymous1:31 PM

    Trump's baby man brain is still on overdrive on Twitter. The man is a loon. He's obviously intimidated by a Clinton/Kaine ticket and it's got under his thin skin so his little fingers are just tap-tap-tapping away.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:05 PM

      Tap away, Donnie.
      Good luck.

      Delete

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