Audio: Sen. Tim Kaine on Dems Needing to Nominate a "Practical Progressive" for 2020

[lowkell]

https://bluevirginia.us/2019/11/audio-sen-tim-kaine-on-dems-needing-to-nominate-a-practical-progressive-for-2020

"You haven’t heard me say on this program we should nominate a moderate – those words have not come out of my mouth. I’ve said we should nominate a practical progressive. Here’s the way I look at politics. Some people look at it on a left/center/right spectrum. I don’t look at it that way. I look at it in the Venn diagram that Sister Perpetua taught me in second grade math class. So you all know what a Venn diagram is, put it up on the board: here’s who Democrats are, here’s who independents are, here’s who Republicans are. You want to have a candidate I believe – and I’ve tried to run my own campaigns this way – that pick issues to be at the front and center that both Democrats and independents feel absolutely passionate about. I don’t want mushy middle anything. Lead with issues that Democrats and independents feel passionate about. And there are many issues: we got to do something about climate change, LGBT equality, the need to address gun violence. These are not mushy and in the middle, they are things that Dems are passionate about and Independents are too. So I do believe that the way to win a presidential race or a senator or governor’s race is to energize Democrats and also energize Independents. You’ll get a few Republican votes if they’re not happy with Donald Trump but you don’t worry about sort of chasing after Republican votes. You energize Dems and energize Independents, and you don’t need a moderate to do it. But I do think you’re helped if you have a progressive who’s got a practical sense of I can not only tell you I want to do this but I can show you that we can get it done.”

[rogue emissary]

1. "but you don't worry about sort of chasing after Republican votes."

I wish more Democrats would follow this opinion.