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However, Kaine’s climate record does come with a couple caveats. He has supported offshore drilling in the Atlantic Ocean and also supported a measure that fast-tracked the building of natural gas terminals.
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As a Catholic, Kane recently acknowledged he’s personally “opposed to abortion.” During his tenure as governor, he signed abortion-restricting laws such as a so-called informed consent measure that he innocuously described as giving “women information about a whole series of things, the health consequences, et cetera, and information about adoption.” His views on reproductive rights seem to have evolved, however, and as a senator he’s received a perfect score from Planned Parenthood for his pro-choice voting record.
Kaine’s support of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal also represents a fault line between him and the progressives supportive of Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who strongly opposes the deal.
Some have also raised questions about Kaine’s relationship with Wall Street, as Kaine drew the ire of progressives for recently signing a letter supportive of loosening regulations on large banks.
LINK:
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2016/07/22/3801047/tim-kaine-hillary-vp/
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Centrist Appeal
The choice of Kaine will have appeal to some centrist Republicans uncomfortable with Trump. Yet it is sure to create disgruntlement among the liberal Democrats who supported Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders in his drawn-out challenge to Clinton for the nomination.
Kaine is seen as more pro-Wall Street than others who Clinton considered, especially Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. This week, as speculation about his selection built, he signed two letters to regulators urging leniency on all but the biggest banks. One, to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, was signed by every Republican senator and 16 other Democrats.
Progressives Let Down?
Clinton’s choice displeased some progressive activists who say Kaine’s support of free trade gives Republicans a new opening to attack Clinton. He’s a supporter of the Trans-Pacific Partnership that Obama’s administration negotiated with 11 other nations, and which awaits ratification in Congress. Sanders opposes the trade deal, and during the primary campaign Clinton said she wouldn’t support it in its current form.
"Republicans will run hard against Democrats on trade this year" and "now have a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue," said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of Progressive Change Campaign Committee, in a statement after Clinton made her announcement.
LINK:
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-07-23/clinton-picks-kaine-as-vp-in-move-toward-center-for-election
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