Tim Kaine will be the VP pick. This election is not about excitement, it's about competence

[NYCButterfinger]

Mrs. Clinton will pick Tim Kaine, Virginia Senator in my opinion. This election should not be about excitement. Too many Americans like entertainment. Get off your high horses, and learn it's time to be dull. Kaine is not going to excite you. I like that. I like boring. Politics is not about rousing you up. We had enough rousing up and style. We need dull. I like dull. Period.

[Trajan]

1. *

.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Oh, God, I hope not.

Kaine didn't do the DNC much good when he was Chair, so besides being dull he might not be especially competent either. And did I mention that he's dull?

I disagree. We need excitement to get people interested in the election, not another dull white guy who's so dull your TV turns off automatically when he's on.

[NYCButterfinger]

5. Who cares. I like dull. Give me dull, give me dull.

I love Kaine's "dullness". He can get charismatic on the stump sometimes, but give me dull. I love it. You need a steady figure in the White House, not a big shot. Castro and Perez are big shots. No substance. Kaine does. Kaine ran a state. He knows to lead. Period.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

17. Sarah Palin ran a state.

Sort of.

And Tim Kaine helped the DNC lose a whole lot of elections in 2010.

[liberalnarb]

25. Hmm...

Who cares. I like dull. Give me dull, give me dull.

I love Kaine's "dullness". He can get charismatic on the stump sometimes, but give me dull. I love it. You need a steady figure in the White House, not a big shot. Castro and Perez are big shots. No substance. Kaine does. Kaine ran a state. He knows to lead. Period.

We get it YOU like dull, but the majority of the American voting public are very different. Donald tRump just won the repug nomination, Bernie Sanders got millions of votes. If there is one thing voters don't want this year it DULL!

[PragmaticLiberal]

28. I'll leave Castro out of it.... but you think Tom Perez has no substance?

Seriously?

[NYCButterfinger]

50. Mr Perez has a lot of style, but he is untested, I fear.

He's a good orator. One of the best orators I have ever listened to.

[RichGirl]

58. Are you all forgetting who she will be running against???

She could pick a cardboard cut out for VP and still win.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

59. I take nothing for granted.

[Goblinmonger]

3. Oh, look, an old white guy who's a moderate.

Yeah, that will get people out to vote.

[NYCButterfinger]

4. Who cares. This is not entertainment, people.

Julian Castro is not ready to be president. Tom Perez is not ready to be president. Period. Too many voters in this country want to be entertained.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

7. In a sense, politics IS entertainment.

It's been said that politics is show business for ugly people. The point is, though, that election campaigns are basically sales pitches. You want people to buy your "product," which is your candidates and their platform. If you want people to buy, you can't bore them. Tim Kaine is about the most boring choice imaginable. He adds nothing. Hillary herself is not an especially exciting speaker so she needs someone to add some pizzaz, as it were. If she chooses someone who is essentially a more boring version male version of herself, the ticket will be a huge yawn. Who's going to be able to stay awake while Tim Kaine speaks?

[NYCButterfinger]

9. I like to hear Kaine speak. It's better to be boring than offer empty platitudes like Castro

Castro can't answer the 3 AM phone call. Kaine can.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. I'm not necessarily advocating for Castro, just against Caine.

And... not too long ago, someone claimed Barack Obama couldn't answer the 3:00 a.m. phone call either.

[redstatebluegirl]

6. Please no.

I do not want to be entertained, but we have to admit this is a visual business. He is about as television ready as my mother in law. He is a boring human, there are other qualified candidates who are not like watching grass grow.

This race may be much closer than a lot of DU'er think. I think it could be really close if we don't get people out to vote. Excitement does that, think of how many people would never have voted if Obama had not garnered excitement. We might have Mittens as our President right now, and involved in world war III.

Being realistic is not dull or boring.

[arcane1]

13. It's a shame we have to rely on the VP choice to provide excitement n/t

[Silver_Witch]

8. Oh look an old man who had to evolve. A stick in the mud!

Warren please. Thank you!

[gordianot]

12. The underwriters have apparently said "No".

[gordianot]

10. This would be so predictable.

Those who say enthusiasm is not a factor have missed the lessons of 2016. This election is going to be closer than people think.

[arcane1]

11. Wouldn't surprise me. He voted to fast track the TPP, after all n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

16. As Governor Kaine signed into law the Marshall-Newman Amendment, which defined marriage in Virginia

as being defined as 'one man and one woman'. He did that after saying he would not.

You call that competence? Seriously?

[NYCButterfinger]

18. You're not supposed to overshadow the presidential nominee

Hillary Clinton does not like to be overshadowed. Let her personality shine. Kaine can be the loyal soldier. Do no harm.

[Bluenorthwest]

19. And your respect for the actual issue I raised is so low you do not even address it.

Did I advocate for the overshadowing of the nominee? No. I challenged your absurd framing of Kaine being super competent and this silly concept that his critics want 'excitement' while you favor the excellent dullness of him. But he backstabbed LGBT when he was Governor, during the very tenure you offer up as evidence of his excellent dullness.
He did harm to the LGBT people of his State and of the country.

[OriginalGeek]

21. it seems he's already done harm

and I think his views on abortion may cause more harm.* I don't care if you are exciting or dull but at least be a little goddamned left.


*Basing this on reading here that he "personally opposes it" but wouldn't vote against it. However if he said he wouldn't limit equal rights for gay people and then did just that how do I know he won't try to limit abortion? If this reasoning is wrong someone correct me. thanks.

As it stands now, I won't vote for a ticket with Kaine on it. He's not left enough for me.

[Bluenorthwest]

24. The OP has no intention of discussing Kaine, the objective of the thread is to characterize his

critics in dismissive and demeaning ways while defining support for right leaning policies as competent and only opposed by those who want to vote for something sparkly.

[OriginalGeek]

37. Ahh ok

I can't understand how even a pragmatist Democrat wouldn't be appalled at a Kaine VP pick but I guess the right has their hopes and dreams too.

[FSogol]

42. The Marshall-Newman Amendment became law by public referendum, not by

Kaine's signature.

Marshall-Newman required an amendment to VA's constition and was a referendum on the ballot in Nov 2016. Citizens of VA approved it by 57%, but it was declared unconstitutional in 2014. Blaming Kaine is crap.

[csziggy]

70. #11 - It was a voter initiative AMENDMENT, not law and not signed by Kaine

The governor did not sign it and could not have stopped it.

SB 526 Constitutional amendment; marriage may exist only between a man and woman.

Constitutional amendment (voter referendum); marriage. Provides for a referendum at the November 2006 election on approval of a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage. The proposed amendment provides that "only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this Commonwealth and its political subdivisions." The proposed amendment also prohibits the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions from creating or recognizing "a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance, or effects of marriage." Further, the proposed amendment prohibits the Commonwealth or its political subdivisions from creating or recognizing "another union, partnership, or other legal status to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities, or effects of marriage." This bill is identical to HB 101.

<SNIP>
03/15/06 House: Signed by Speaker
03/16/06 Senate: Signed by President
04/10/06 House: Bill became law without Governor's signature, Chapter 828 (effective 7/1/06)
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?061+sum+SB526

Emphasis added by me.

[chillfactor]

20. more like boring.....

if he is the VP pick.....Hillary needs excitement running with her.....not a deadpan....

[pansypoo53219]

22. stupid. need to think who should be up for the next bat. not a bench sitter.

somebody to grab the young voters. plus he has eyebrow issues.

[jcgoldie]

23. You can like dull

But it doesn't really motivate anyone to vote. That's what the choice is about... who makes us more likely to win.

[LonePirate]

26. If it is about competence, then Hllary should select Joe Biden for VP.

There is nothing in the Constitution prohibiting him from serving 4-8 more years. Dems (and The Onion) love him and he certainly is capable of doing the job.

[MoonRiver]

29. He is way too old. Plus why would he want that going nowhere job again.

The whole reason he didn't run for president was because he's still in deep mourning. How would picking him, and him accepting, change that dynamic???

Clinton needs to be vetting people at least 10 years younger than her.

[Motley13]

31. Kaine was born in 1958

He is 10 years younger than Clinton. ELizabeth is a year younger than Clinton.

[MoonRiver]

45. Yes, he's in his 50's.

That means if he served 8 years as VP he's be 66, 3 years younger than Hillary is now, when he would run for President himself. Biden is, I think, 75. There is no way he could be elected president, after 8 more years serving as VP. I've rarely heard a worse idea.

[liberalnarb]

27. Tim Kaine as VP Nominee?...

[Motley13]

30. I'm good with Tim Kaine

He is not that exciting but he is smart.
Mayor, Gov, senator
He doesn't believe in abortion, but does believe in a woman's right to choose.
He addressed the senate on immigration entirely in Spanish.

HIllary needs VA

[geek tragedy]

32. that was Dukakis's line in 1988 nt

[bemildred]

38. +1. nt

[padfun]

33. Kamala Harris

Smart, Good looking, Great personality, educated in law, did I say good looking?

[NYCButterfinger]

51. True. I like Ms. Harris

I could see Kaine/Harris in 2024

[no_hypocrisy]

35. You can't forego excitement.

The whole purpose is to get people to leave their homes or work to vote.

In 2008, too many voters stayed home, complacent with Obama's competency, and we got majorities in both the House and the Senate.

We need as many people as possible to vote, to challenge obstructions to voting, and to get them to bring family and neighbors to the polls. You really can't do that without excitement.

[katmondoo]

36. I remember when John Kennedy ran for President

Lots of people were very exited, I was one of them. It made politics fun and knowledgeable. I have never felt that way about any candidate since. I see the same excitement with Hillary and Warren. There is nothing wrong with excitement in an election, better than fear and disgust as in the Bush ll election. Brings people out to vote.

[spooky3]

39. For those of you making age-ist comments, Kaine is 58.

That's younger than Clinton, Warren, Trump, and Biden, to choose a few for comparison.

If you don't like his record, explain why, but attacking him on the basis of age or other demographics is unfair.

[DonCoquixote]

44. His anti abortion record

is more than enough to cause a problem for Clinton.

[spooky3]

46. I agree though he does separate his private views

From his public actions.

Edited to add link:

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/susan-jones/sen-tim-kaine-says-hes-traditional-catholic-who-personally-opposes-abortion

He also opposes the death penalty.

[FSogol]

63. He has a 100% lifetime rating from Naral and Planned Parenthood.

That is in no way, "anti-abortion."

[La Lioness Priyanka]

40. senator clinton, one way or the other, will make a sensible choice

[apnu]

41. I'm holding out for Warren.

If Warren's on the ticket, then I'll skip and jump to the polling place and tell everybody I know to do the same.

[DonCoquixote]

43. Tim Kaine beign anti abortion

should rouse up many.

Hillary has plenty of people: the Becerras, the Browns, even the Sibelius where does nto NOT have to pick someone who is obviously a kowtow to wall street.

[FSogol]

62. He's not anti-abortion, he has a 100% lifetime rating from Naral and Planned Parenthood

He has the same views as Biden (personally against it, but supports a woman's right to choose).

[DonCoquixote]

64. and you think he cannot bend in the wind again?

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2016/06/hillary-clinton-2016-vp-pick-tim-kaine-213997

Again, Hillary needs several things for a VP

Help her win the purple states (Brown wins that as he is the best hope to keep John Kasich from handing Ohio to Trump on a silver platter.)

Help placates and soothe the bruises in the primary. Tim kaine would pour salt all over that wound

Help show that she is serious about putting Minorities, including Hispanics, AA's and women in power. Tim Kaine does NONE of that.

[FSogol]

69. Well, he never has before, but whatever fits your crappy narrative, right?

[John Poet]

47. Then maybe she should just tap Michael Dukakis for VP.

[AJH032]

48. Why is nobody talking about Barbara Boxer for VP?

Seems like a great pick to me - and we wouldn't be losing a senate seat since she's retiring anyway.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

49. She'd be no better than Kaine.

Yuk. No.

[MFM008]

52. No

Not an anti abortion pick. No.

[floriduck]

53. I find this discussion rather odd. We have a capable candidate running against a true buffoon.

Even the lowlife corporate media can't stand the Trumpdump. That alone should speak volumes. Are DUers that concerned about Hillary Clinton losing to a Baffoon? Really?

If she is as strong as we think she is, she could tap the closest thing the Dems have to Louis Gohmert for veep and win. This chatter about Kaine, Castro, Warren for her VP is almost humorous.

Long standing GOP pols have said they support Clinton. Unions are on board. Relax and let her pick her partner. Whomever she picks will be the next Vice-President of the United States.

[KellyW]

54. I have already placed my bet at www.predictit.org

On Ed Rendell.

[vi5]

55. Ugh. I'm o.k. with boring....but not a boring "centrist" like Kaine is.

No thanks.

[Chan790]

56. If we're looking for competence...Kaine is the wrong pick. n/t

[FarPoint]

57. I believe it will either be.....

Sherrod Brown or Elizabeth Warren.

[demwing]

60. Sure, because excitement generates turnout

And FFS we can't have THAT

[DonCoquixote]

61. Tim Kaine=2016's Joe Lieberman

This is not the time to ignore the ANGER and EXHAUSTED TOLERANCE that Women, Latinos, AA's and other feel. A lot of people are wearing clothespins just to choke down a Clinton vote, Tim Kaine would remind them of what they were trying to forget, that anyone to the left of Nixon is treated like the red-headed stepchild.

[TheKentuckian]

65. Did a really competent job leading us to epic midterm defeat.

[RBInMaine]

66. Warren couldn't have done much better in that situation. Kaine is more ready to be President than

Warren.

[ecstatic]

67. Lol. nt

[tblue37]

68. That was the campaign Michael Dukakis ran against Ronald Reagan.

He was obliterated.

The American voters (especially those in the GOP) have little interest in competence. They don't much care for those who actually know stuff and know how to do stuff. They prefer the loud mouthed bully and carnival barker.