WASHINGTON — Four years ago, when Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia faced off against Mike Pence at the vice-presidential debate, the encounter put two drastically different debate styles on display: Pence came across as mild-mannered and more formal while Kaine, a litigator by training, was more of an attack dog, with a tendency to interrupt and talk over Pence. Even as Pence made little effort to directly rebut attacks against Donald Trump, Kaine tried at nearly every turn to offer praise for his running mate, Hillary Clinton.

Ahead of this year’s vice-presidential debate Wednesday between Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Pence, The New York Times spoke to Kaine about what Harris should expect, how the news of Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis might affect the vice president and whether Kaine is offering Harris any advice.

The following is an edited and condensed version of the conversation, which was conducted Friday, after Trump announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus but before he was hospitalized.

Q: How does Harris prepare for a debate now in this environment, with the news that Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus?

A: Does it make the debate more important? Does it make the debate less important because people won’t be thinking about the vice-presidential debate? It’s hard to say.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kamala-harris-and-mike-pence-debate-what-to-watch-for-333064">Also read|&nbsp;Kamala Harris and Mike Pence debate: What to watch for</a>

The 2016 debate, there was no incumbent. So both tickets were basically Hillary and Donald Trump wanting to be president and each ticket making the case, “If we succeed, here’s what we want to do, here’s why you should elect us.”

When you have an incumbent, the debate is heavily about, “OK, well, you had a chance, what did you do?” It’s the Ronald Reagan question of Jimmy Carter in 1980, where he looks the American public in the face: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?”

So that makes this debate different — both the presidential and vice-presidential debates. It’s not just about, ‘Well, here’s what we’re going to do.’ The Trump-Pence administration has a record. And one of the most top-of-mind pieces of the record is 210,000 people dead and millions having lost their jobs under the Trump administration. And he (Trump) asked Mike Pence on Feb. 26: “Be the head of our coronavirus task force. Lead this effort for the United States.” I would venture to say that that role is the most important role that Pence has ever had in his life, even more than the title of vice president.

So Trump, and the administration more generally, having downplayed this — “it’s a hoax, it’s going to go away soon, we have it under control, any American can get a test” — undercutting scientists like Dr. Fauci over and over and over again, the catastrophic failure of the United States relative to other nations and dealing with both the health crisis and then the economic devastation that resulted from it, that is really square. And it was squarely on the table in the presidential debate, and it’s going to be squarely on the table in the vice-presidential debate because it’s top of mind for everybody, because Pence was asked to assume a leadership role. And now because the president, who undermined all the science all the way along and said it was a hoax or wasn’t a big problem, has now been diagnosed.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kamala-harris-a-disco-dancing-teenager-yearned-for-home-in-canada-332767">Also read|&nbsp;Kamala Harris, a disco-dancing teenager, yearned for home in Canada</a>

Q: What is it like debating Pence? What advice are you going to give to Harris?

A: I’ll answer the first question, not the second one because we’re in conversation about advice, but why would I make that public?

Pence is a professional communicator. He was a radio talk show host before he was in politics, so he can deliver a line. And, I think it’s frustrating when you’re onstage with somebody who’s delivering a line that’s false. But he does it — he can do it very, very well.

Now, Kamala’s good. She’s a prosecutor, and she has evidence to argue. When she was in court back in the day, she would have to argue the evidence. She’s got a lot of evidence to argue. But the vice president is a trained communicator who can look in a camera and basically say anything, even if it’s contrary to the facts, and say it as if he believes it.

Q: I know you aren’t going to discuss the advice you are giving, but has Harris called you for advice or have you spoken about ——

A: Yes.

Q: Multiple times? Or how often?

A: We have communicated — and I’ll just use that phrase more broadly — communicated one-on-one. And our staffs have talked a number of times, and we’re not done.

Q: Given that, as you said, Pence is a professional communicator, does this kind of huge news — in your experience — does he get rattled by it? Is he going to stay the course? What do you think this does for him?

A: My prediction is — he has done nothing but be a wonderful salesman for Donald Trump and then talk about how great Donald Trump is going to be; he’s going to do that same thing. At the debate, he will be praising his boss over and over again. He stands next to Donald Trump and smiles and nods and talks about how fantastic he is, and he’ll do that at the debate. The challenge for him is, how can you do that without it going in a completely discordant way with Americans who are suffering?

Q: One more question and this one is not about the debate. What do you think Joe Biden and the campaign should do at this point, in terms of their schedule? How do you campaign in this environment?

A: They need to do what they’ve already done, which is be smart about being safe, keeping their staff safe and keeping voters safe. But they also need to be aggressive in getting around the country, following good safety rules. And I suspect that they’re going to do that.

This is not a hiatus of the campaign. No. We’re in the closing stretch of the campaign, and they’ve got to be aggressively campaigning. But the good news is, they will only do it in a way that is mindful of their own safety and the safety of everybody around them.

WASHINGTON — Four years ago, when Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia faced off against Mike Pence at the vice-presidential debate, the encounter put two drastically different debate styles on display: Pence came across as mild-mannered and more formal while Kaine, a litigator by training, was more of an attack dog, with a tendency to interrupt and talk over Pence.

WASHINGTON — Four years ago, when Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia faced off against Mike Pence at the vice-presidential debate, the encounter put two drastically different debate styles on display: Pence came across as mild-mannered and more formal while Kaine, a litigator by training, was more of an attack dog, with a tendency to interrupt and talk over Pence. Even as Pence made little effort to directly rebut attacks against Donald Trump, Kaine tried at nearly every turn to offer praise for his running mate, Hillary Clinton. Ahead of this year’s vice-presidential debate Wednesday between Sen. Kamala Harris of California and Pence, The New York Times spoke to Kaine about what Harris should expect, how the news of Trump’s coronavirus diagnosis might affect the vice president and whether Kaine is offering Harris any advice. The following is an edited and condensed version of the conversation, which was conducted Friday, after Trump announced he had tested positive for the coronavirus but before he was hospitalized. Q: How does Harris prepare for a debate now in this environment, with the news that Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus? A: Does it make the debate more important? Does it make the debate less important because people won’t be thinking about the vice-presidential debate? It’s hard to say. Also read| Kamala Harris and Mike Pence debate: What to watch for The 2016 debate, there was no incumbent. So both tickets were basically Hillary and Donald Trump wanting to be president and each ticket making the case, “If we succeed, here’s what we want to do, here’s why you should elect us.” When you have an incumbent, the debate is heavily about, “OK, well, you had a chance, what did you do?” It’s the Ronald Reagan question of Jimmy Carter in 1980, where he looks the American public in the face: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” So that makes this debate different — both the presidential and vice-presidential debates. It’s not just about, ‘Well, here’s what we’re going to do.’ The Trump-Pence administration has a record. And one of the most top-of-mind pieces of the record is 210,000 people dead and millions having lost their jobs under the Trump administration. And he (Trump) asked Mike Pence on Feb. 26: “Be the head of our coronavirus task force. Lead this effort for the United States.” I would venture to say that that role is the most important role that Pence has ever had in his life, even more than the title of vice president. So Trump, and the administration more generally, having downplayed this — “it’s a hoax, it’s going to go away soon, we have it under control, any American can get a test” — undercutting scientists like Dr. Fauci over and over and over again, the catastrophic failure of the United States relative to other nations and dealing with both the health crisis and then the economic devastation that resulted from it, that is really square. And it was squarely on the table in the presidential debate, and it’s going to be squarely on the table in the vice-presidential debate because it’s top of mind for everybody, because Pence was asked to assume a leadership role. And now because the president, who undermined all the science all the way along and said it was a hoax or wasn’t a big problem, has now been diagnosed. Also read| Kamala Harris, a disco-dancing teenager, yearned for home in Canada Q: What is it like debating Pence? What advice are you going to give to Harris? A: I’ll answer the first question, not the second one because we’re in conversation about advice, but why would I make that public? Pence is a professional communicator. He was a radio talk show host before he was in politics, so he can deliver a line. And, I think it’s frustrating when you’re onstage with somebody who’s delivering a line that’s false. But he does it — he can do it very, very well. Now, Kamala’s good. She’s a prosecutor, and she has evidence to argue. When she was in court back in the day, she would have to argue the evidence. She’s got a lot of evidence to argue. But the vice president is a trained communicator who can look in a camera and basically say anything, even if it’s contrary to the facts, and say it as if he believes it. Q: I know you aren’t going to discuss the advice you are giving, but has Harris called you for advice or have you spoken about —— A: Yes. Q: Multiple times? Or how often? A: We have communicated — and I’ll just use that phrase more broadly — communicated one-on-one. And our staffs have talked a number of times, and we’re not done. Q: Given that, as you said, Pence is a professional communicator, does this kind of huge news — in your experience — does he get rattled by it? Is he going to stay the course? What do you think this does for him? A: My prediction is — he has done nothing but be a wonderful salesman for Donald Trump and then talk about how great Donald Trump is going to be; he’s going to do that same thing. At the debate, he will be praising his boss over and over again. He stands next to Donald Trump and smiles and nods and talks about how fantastic he is, and he’ll do that at the debate. The challenge for him is, how can you do that without it going in a completely discordant way with Americans who are suffering? Q: One more question and this one is not about the debate. What do you think Joe Biden and the campaign should do at this point, in terms of their schedule? How do you campaign in this environment? A: They need to do what they’ve already done, which is be smart about being safe, keeping their staff safe and keeping voters safe. But they also need to be aggressive in getting around the country, following good safety rules. And I suspect that they’re going to do that. This is not a hiatus of the campaign. No. We’re in the closing stretch of the campaign, and they’ve got to be aggressively campaigning. But the good news is, they will only do it in a way that is mindful of their own safety and the safety of everybody around them.

Tim Kaine on what it's like to debate Mike Pence

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-impeachment-row-us-senate-in-stalemate-over-how-to-proceed-272003">White&nbsp;House</a>&nbsp;sent to Congress on Saturday&nbsp;formal&nbsp;notification of Friday's US&nbsp;drone&nbsp;strike&nbsp;that killed a top Iranian general,&nbsp;amid&nbsp;complaints&nbsp;from&nbsp;Democrats&nbsp;that President Donald Trump did not notify&nbsp;lawmakers&nbsp;or seek advance approval for the attack.

The US&nbsp;strike&nbsp;that killed Iranian military commander <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-will-respond-to-soleimani-killing-any-time-in-any-manner-foreign-minister-zarif-272013">Qassem Soleimani</a> in&nbsp;Iraq&nbsp;has caused a dramatic rise in tensions between Iran and the United States and its allies.

The classified notification was sent under a 1973 US&nbsp;law called the War Powers Act, which requires the administration to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action or imminent actions.

White&nbsp;House&nbsp;national security adviser <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/north-korean-leader-kim-jong-un-calls-for-positive-offensive-measures-to-ensure-safety-270976">Robert O'Brien</a> confirmed the&nbsp;notice&nbsp;had been sent and told Fox News on Saturday there were numerous legal grounds for the attack. He said Justice Department lawyers had signed off on the plan.

"This was an absolute legal operation," O'Brien said. "We feel very good about the legal basis for this military operation."

House&nbsp;of Representatives Speaker <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/treasurys-mnuchin-to-head-us-delegation-to-davos-conclave-271625">Nancy Pelosi</a>, a Democrat, said it raised more questions than it answered.

"This document prompts serious and urgent questions about the timing, manner and justification of the Administration's decision to engage in hostilities against Iran," Pelosi said in a statement.

She said the "highly unusual" decision to classify the entire document compounded her concerns and "suggests that the Congress and the American people are being left in the dark about our national security."

A senior Democratic aide described the notification as "brief and insufficient."

In the notification, Trump's administration was expected to have explained the circumstances, the authority under which the action was taken and the expected scope and duration of the military involvement. The&nbsp;White&nbsp;House&nbsp;declined to comment.

Senator <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/uk-labour-party-must-talk-values-to-win-back-the-asian-community-270978">Bernie Sanders</a>, a contender for the Democratic nomination to run against Trump in November's presidential election, said on Saturday that Congress must take immediate steps to restrain the president "from&nbsp;plunging our nation into yet another endless war."

Senator Elizabeth Warren, another Democratic presidential candidate, told reporters on Saturday that Trump has taken the United States "to the brink of war" and called his actions "reckless. He evidently has no plan."

Pelosi has said the&nbsp;strike&nbsp;in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-to-target-52-iranian-sites-if-americans-are-attacked-donald-trump-272166">Baghdad</a> was conducted without specific authorization&nbsp;from&nbsp;Congress and "without the consultation of the Congress."

On Saturday she described the administration's military engagement as "provocative, escalatory and disproportionate" and said it put US&nbsp;citizens, troops and their allies in danger.

The Pentagon on Friday briefed staff members&nbsp;from&nbsp;the&nbsp;House&nbsp;Armed Services Committee and Senate Armed Services Committee on the attack.

On Friday, Democratic US&nbsp;Senator Tim Kaine introduced a resolution to force a debate and vote in Congress to prevent further escalation of hostilities with Iran.

Republicans in Congress have generally backed Trump's action. Senate Majority Leader <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/treasurys-mnuchin-to-head-us-delegation-to-davos-conclave-271625">Mitch McConnell</a> said on Friday that "no man alive was more directly responsible for the deaths of more American service members than Qassem Soleimani."

The White House sent to Congress on Saturday formal notification of Friday's US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general, amid complaints from Democrats that President Donald Trump did not notify lawmakers or seek advance approval for the attack.

The White House sent to Congress on Saturday formal notification of Friday's US drone strike that killed a top Iranian general, amid complaints from Democrats that President Donald Trump did not notify lawmakers or seek advance approval for the attack. The US strike that killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani in Iraq has caused a dramatic rise in tensions between Iran and the United States and its allies. The classified notification was sent under a 1973 US law called the War Powers Act, which requires the administration to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action or imminent actions. White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien confirmed the notice had been sent and told Fox News on Saturday there were numerous legal grounds for the attack. He said Justice Department lawyers had signed off on the plan. "This was an absolute legal operation," O'Brien said. "We feel very good about the legal basis for this military operation." House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said it raised more questions than it answered. "This document prompts serious and urgent questions about the timing, manner and justification of the Administration's decision to engage in hostilities against Iran," Pelosi said in a statement. She said the "highly unusual" decision to classify the entire document compounded her concerns and "suggests that the Congress and the American people are being left in the dark about our national security." A senior Democratic aide described the notification as "brief and insufficient." In the notification, Trump's administration was expected to have explained the circumstances, the authority under which the action was taken and the expected scope and duration of the military involvement. The White House declined to comment. Senator Bernie Sanders, a contender for the Democratic nomination to run against Trump in November's presidential election, said on Saturday that Congress must take immediate steps to restrain the president "from plunging our nation into yet another endless war." Senator Elizabeth Warren, another Democratic presidential candidate, told reporters on Saturday that Trump has taken the United States "to the brink of war" and called his actions "reckless. He evidently has no plan." Pelosi has said the strike in Baghdad was conducted without specific authorization from Congress and "without the consultation of the Congress." On Saturday she described the administration's military engagement as "provocative, escalatory and disproportionate" and said it put US citizens, troops and their allies in danger. The Pentagon on Friday briefed staff members from the House Armed Services Committee and Senate Armed Services Committee on the attack. On Friday, Democratic US Senator Tim Kaine introduced a resolution to force a debate and vote in Congress to prevent further escalation of hostilities with Iran. Republicans in Congress have generally backed Trump's action. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Friday that "no man alive was more directly responsible for the deaths of more American service members than Qassem Soleimani."

White House gives lawmakers formal notice of Iraq strike amid complaints from Democrats

Democrats gathered in Philadelphia formally selected Tim Kaine as their US vice presidential candidate yesterday, completing the party&#39;s ticket for the November election. 
 
Kaine, a 58-year-old senator from the battleground state of Virginia, was nominated by voice vote, setting the stage for his address to the convention later in the evening. 
 
Congresswoman and acting convention chair Marcia Fudge motioned to dispense with the roll call vote and nominate Kaine by acclamation, which led to a chorus of &quot;Ayes.&quot; 
 
&quot;The motion to suspend the rules and nominate by acclamation is adopted,&quot; declared Fudge to loud cheers. 
 
The tickets are now set for both parties: Hillary Clinton and running mate Kaine for the Democrats, with Republicans Donald Trump and running mate Mike Pence, both of whom were nominated last week and their party&#39;s convention in Cleveland. 
 
With working-class roots and a spotless record both as Virginia governor and senator, he is seen as helping Clinton garner support among reluctant independent male voters - although at the risk of alienating the party&#39;s progressive left wing. 
 
Supporters of Clinton&#39;s main adversary in the Democratic primary race, Bernie Sanders, had argued that she should choose a more liberal running mate such as the feisty leftist Elizabeth Warren. 
 
But Clinton, at a Florida rally last weekend introducing her vice presidential pick, said Kaine was a can-do progressive who is ready to &quot;step into this job and lead from Day One.&quot; 
 
Kaine, she said, is &quot;everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The 58-year-old senator was nominated by voice vote. Kaine is 'everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not', Clinton said last week

Democrats gathered in Philadelphia formally selected Tim Kaine as their US vice presidential candidate yesterday, completing the party's ticket for the November election. Kaine, a 58-year-old senator from the battleground state of Virginia, was nominated by voice vote, setting the stage for his address to the convention later in the evening. Congresswoman and acting convention chair Marcia Fudge motioned to dispense with the roll call vote and nominate Kaine by acclamation, which led to a chorus of "Ayes." "The motion to suspend the rules and nominate by acclamation is adopted," declared Fudge to loud cheers. The tickets are now set for both parties: Hillary Clinton and running mate Kaine for the Democrats, with Republicans Donald Trump and running mate Mike Pence, both of whom were nominated last week and their party's convention in Cleveland. With working-class roots and a spotless record both as Virginia governor and senator, he is seen as helping Clinton garner support among reluctant independent male voters - although at the risk of alienating the party's progressive left wing. Supporters of Clinton's main adversary in the Democratic primary race, Bernie Sanders, had argued that she should choose a more liberal running mate such as the feisty leftist Elizabeth Warren. But Clinton, at a Florida rally last weekend introducing her vice presidential pick, said Kaine was a can-do progressive who is ready to "step into this job and lead from Day One." Kaine, she said, is "everything Donald Trump and Mike Pence are not." (AFP)

Democrats nominate Tim Kaine as vice-president pick

Tim Kaine made a big splash on Saturday in his first appearance as Hillary Clinton&#39;s running mate for the White House, savaging Donald Trump&#39;s foreign policy ideas as dangerous and wowing a Miami crowd with fluent Spanish. 
 
Kaine, a 58-year-old senator from the battleground state of Virginia, won many a cheer and laugh and frequent applause as he addressed a campaign rally one day after being tapped for the Democratic ticket. 
 
Clinton beamed as she sat behind Kaine during his rousing and well-delivered speech after introducing the political veteran as the antithesis of the Republican ticket of Trump and Mike Pence. 
 
If Trump is often criticized as an egotistical blowhard, Kaine came across as an agile, knowledgeable and self-deprecating speaker. 
 
Kaine slammed recent comments by Trump to the effect that if Russia were to attack a Baltic nation he as president would come to their aid only after assessing whether they &quot;have fulfilled their obligations to us.&quot; 
 
&quot;Folks, that&#39;s an open invitation to Vladimir Putin to roll on in,&quot; said Kaine, an experienced foreign policy hand who serves on both the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees -- and whose son is about to deploy with the US military to Europe. 
 
He dazzled the crowd right off the bat by greeting them in very good Spanish -- &quot;bienvenidos a todos,&quot; or welcome to all -- saying that his values were &quot;fe, familia y trabajo.&quot; That means faith, family and work.Both he and Clinton drove home what is emerging as a key campaign message: that Trump is a deeply divisive figure with despotic tendencies -- and that Clinton is his polar opposite. 
 
&quot;When someone says I alone can fix it, that should set off alarm bells,&quot; Clinton said. &quot;That is not a democracy.&quot; 
 
&quot;Do you want a trash talking president or bridge building president?&quot; Kaine asked at one point. &quot;Hillary knows that we&#39;re stronger together.&quot; 
 
The former mayor and governor praised Clinton as sharing his values and said, again in Spanish, &quot;we will be soul mates in the big battle to come.&quot; 
 
But even as the party basked in this seeming love fest, a whiff of scandal likely to rattle party unity emerged. 
 
A cache of leaked emails from Democratic party leaders&#39; accounts includes at least two messages suggesting an insider effort to hobble Bernie Sanders&#39; upstart campaign -- including by seeking to present him as an atheist to undermine him in highly-religious states. 
 
Trump pounced on the leaks. 
 
&quot;Leaked e-mails of DNC show plans to destroy Bernie Sanders. Mock his heritage and much more. On-line from Wikileakes, really vicious. RIGGED,&quot; the bombastic real estate developer tweeted Saturday. 
 
Meanwhile, Sanders&#39;s campaign manager Jeff Weaver, in an interview with ABC News, demanded answers. 
 
&quot;Someone does have to be held accountable,&quot; said Weaver. 
 
The Democratic Party seemed to have &quot;its fingers on the scale&quot; for Clinton, Weaver added during the interview on the television network`s website. 
 
&quot;We have an electoral process. The DNC, by its charter, is required to be neutral among the candidates. Clearly it was not.&quot; 
 
Sanders waged a feisty yearlong battle against Clinton in the Democratic primaries. She clinched enough delegates to secure the nomination in early June, but Sanders did not concede defeat and endorse her until July 12. 
 
The former first lady tapped Kaine late Friday in what was widely seen as a safe but wise choice: the popular senator can help her lock in the swing state of Virginia and ticks a lot of boxes beyond that. 
 
In addition to his fluency on national security issues -- shaping up as key in the 2016 race -- his strong Spanish is seen as a major asset in cementing Clinton&#39;s heavy lead with Hispanic voters. 
 
With working-class roots and a spotless track record Kaine is also seen as helping her garner support among independent male voters. 
 
Kaine also has strong ties to the African-American community, dating back to his work as a civil rights lawyer.&quot;He is the one!&quot; gushed Helen Bhagwandin, a 60-year-old, retired professor, as she left the Miami rally. &quot;He is just the most experienced and best prepared person to do this job. What more do we need?&quot; 
 
Clinton, 68, had said she wanted a running mate with enough experience to &quot;literally get up one day and be the president of the United States.&quot; 
 
Not everyone is happy about Clinton&#39;s choice of a center-left running mate, which runs the risk of alienating Sanders supporters on the party&#39;s far left. 
 
But major labor and pro-Democratic groups praised the Kaine pick, including Planned Parenthood, AFL-CIO and other big unions, and the Sierra Club. 
 
Kaine and Clinton officially joined forces ahead of the Democratic National Convention which kicks off on Monday in Philadelphia, where they will be elevated as the official nominees to the party`s presidential ticket. 
 
Nationwide polls suggest Clinton is running almost neck and neck with Trump, who painted a dark picture of an America mired in poverty and violence as he accepted his party&#39;s nomination Thursday, promising to restore law and order, clamp down on immigration and put America first. 
 
(AFP)

Clinton introduces and an experienced foreign policy maker, Tim Kaine, as the antithesis of the Republican ticket of Trump and Mike Pence

Tim Kaine made a big splash on Saturday in his first appearance as Hillary Clinton's running mate for the White House, savaging Donald Trump's foreign policy ideas as dangerous and wowing a Miami crowd with fluent Spanish. Kaine, a 58-year-old senator from the battleground state of Virginia, won many a cheer and laugh and frequent applause as he addressed a campaign rally one day after being tapped for the Democratic ticket. Clinton beamed as she sat behind Kaine during his rousing and well-delivered speech after introducing the political veteran as the antithesis of the Republican ticket of Trump and Mike Pence. If Trump is often criticized as an egotistical blowhard, Kaine came across as an agile, knowledgeable and self-deprecating speaker. Kaine slammed recent comments by Trump to the effect that if Russia were to attack a Baltic nation he as president would come to their aid only after assessing whether they "have fulfilled their obligations to us." "Folks, that's an open invitation to Vladimir Putin to roll on in," said Kaine, an experienced foreign policy hand who serves on both the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees -- and whose son is about to deploy with the US military to Europe. He dazzled the crowd right off the bat by greeting them in very good Spanish -- "bienvenidos a todos," or welcome to all -- saying that his values were "fe, familia y trabajo." That means faith, family and work.Both he and Clinton drove home what is emerging as a key campaign message: that Trump is a deeply divisive figure with despotic tendencies -- and that Clinton is his polar opposite. "When someone says I alone can fix it, that should set off alarm bells," Clinton said. "That is not a democracy." "Do you want a trash talking president or bridge building president?" Kaine asked at one point. "Hillary knows that we're stronger together." The former mayor and governor praised Clinton as sharing his values and said, again in Spanish, "we will be soul mates in the big battle to come." But even as the party basked in this seeming love fest, a whiff of scandal likely to rattle party unity emerged. A cache of leaked emails from Democratic party leaders' accounts includes at least two messages suggesting an insider effort to hobble Bernie Sanders' upstart campaign -- including by seeking to present him as an atheist to undermine him in highly-religious states. Trump pounced on the leaks. "Leaked e-mails of DNC show plans to destroy Bernie Sanders. Mock his heritage and much more. On-line from Wikileakes, really vicious. RIGGED," the bombastic real estate developer tweeted Saturday. Meanwhile, Sanders's campaign manager Jeff Weaver, in an interview with ABC News, demanded answers. "Someone does have to be held accountable," said Weaver. The Democratic Party seemed to have "its fingers on the scale" for Clinton, Weaver added during the interview on the television network`s website. "We have an electoral process. The DNC, by its charter, is required to be neutral among the candidates. Clearly it was not." Sanders waged a feisty yearlong battle against Clinton in the Democratic primaries. She clinched enough delegates to secure the nomination in early June, but Sanders did not concede defeat and endorse her until July 12. The former first lady tapped Kaine late Friday in what was widely seen as a safe but wise choice: the popular senator can help her lock in the swing state of Virginia and ticks a lot of boxes beyond that. In addition to his fluency on national security issues -- shaping up as key in the 2016 race -- his strong Spanish is seen as a major asset in cementing Clinton's heavy lead with Hispanic voters. With working-class roots and a spotless track record Kaine is also seen as helping her garner support among independent male voters. Kaine also has strong ties to the African-American community, dating back to his work as a civil rights lawyer."He is the one!" gushed Helen Bhagwandin, a 60-year-old, retired professor, as she left the Miami rally. "He is just the most experienced and best prepared person to do this job. What more do we need?" Clinton, 68, had said she wanted a running mate with enough experience to "literally get up one day and be the president of the United States." Not everyone is happy about Clinton's choice of a center-left running mate, which runs the risk of alienating Sanders supporters on the party's far left. But major labor and pro-Democratic groups praised the Kaine pick, including Planned Parenthood, AFL-CIO and other big unions, and the Sierra Club. Kaine and Clinton officially joined forces ahead of the Democratic National Convention which kicks off on Monday in Philadelphia, where they will be elevated as the official nominees to the party`s presidential ticket. Nationwide polls suggest Clinton is running almost neck and neck with Trump, who painted a dark picture of an America mired in poverty and violence as he accepted his party's nomination Thursday, promising to restore law and order, clamp down on immigration and put America first. (AFP)

Tim Kaine dazzles Miami crowd in campaign trail debut

Hillary Clinton named US senator Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday, making a safe choice that will help her present the Democratic ticket as a steady alternative to the unpredictable campaign of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump. 
 
The selection of Kaine, a self-described &quot;boring&quot; Virginian with wide governing experience and a reputation for low-key competence, could appeal to independents and moderates but could also anger liberal groups that object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact. 
 
But the Spanish-speaking, former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor fits Clinton&#39;s long-stated criteria that the vice presidential choice be a capable partner who is ready to take over the presidency if necessary. 
 
Clinton made the announcement via Twitter and a text message to supporters after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida. She called Kaine to tell him about 40 minutes before the announcement, and called President Barack Obama shortly after Kaine. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m thrilled to tell you this first: I&#39;ve chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team,&quot; she said in her text message. 
 
Kaine, 58, edged out two other finalists - Cory Booker, a US senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, according to a Democratic source familiar with the discussions. 
 
Clinton also bypassed candidates who would have generated more excitement among liberal and Hispanic activists, including progressive favourite US senator Elizabeth Warren and two Hispanic members of Obama&#39;s Cabinet, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez. 
 
The former secretary of state will be formally nominated as the party&#39;s presidential candidate for the November 8 election at next week&#39;s Democratic convention in Philadelphia. She leads Trump in many opinion polls. 
 
Clinton&#39;s choice of a running mate could give her campaign momentum heading into the convention, as the fight for the White House begins a more than three-month push to the finish. 
 
Clinton acknowledged in an interview earlier this week that even Kaine admits he is boring, and said she did not mind. 
 
&quot;I love that about him,&quot; she told Charlie Rose of CBS News and PBS. &quot;He&#39;s never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator and is one of the most highly respected senators I know.&quot; 
 
Kaine&#39;s first appearance with Clinton will be on Saturday at an event in Miami, a campaign aide said. 
 
New opening to attack democrats 
 
Liberal groups, which had pressured Clinton not to pick Kaine because of his support for fast-track authority for the White House to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, were dismayed by the choice. 
 
Critics of the Asia free-trade deal, including Trump and Clinton&#39;s Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders, say it would be unfair to US workers and kill jobs. Clinton praised the deal when she was secretary of state, but has since distanced herself from it. 
 
&quot;Republicans will run hard against Democrats on trade this year. Unfortunately, since Tim Kaine voted to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Republicans now have a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue,&quot; said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. 
 
Hispanic activists also may be annoyed with the pick of Kaine given that Latino candidates were again passed over. 
 
But Kaine could help Clinton in Virginia, a heavily contested swing state, and choosing Kaine will not cost Democrats a seat in the Senate, where Republicans now hold a majority, at 54 seats. Virginia&#39;s Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton friend and ally, will name a replacement for Kaine if he and Clinton win the White House. 
 
Kaine has good relations with senators from the opposing party, according to senior senate Republican congressional aides. One aide speculated Kaine would be effective in reaching out to congressional Republicans if he becomes vice president, a role that Vice President Joe Biden has played for Obama. 
 
Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, has been a leading voice calling for a formal authorization of war against the Islamic State militant group. He played an important role in securing congressional review of the 2015 international deal on Iran&#39;s nuclear program, although he eventually backed it. 
 
He has a track-record of backing liberal causes such as ending across-the-board automatic budget cuts and providing a pathway to citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants. 
 
Kaine, a Catholic who became fluent in Spanish speaker while serving as a missionary in Honduras, has expressed personal opposition to abortion, but has a public record in support of abortion rights. 
 
(Reuters)

Kaine's reputation of 'boring' but steady competence stands in contrast to the unpredictable rival campaign of Donald Trump

Hillary Clinton named US senator Tim Kaine as her running mate on Friday, making a safe choice that will help her present the Democratic ticket as a steady alternative to the unpredictable campaign of Republican presidential rival Donald Trump. The selection of Kaine, a self-described "boring" Virginian with wide governing experience and a reputation for low-key competence, could appeal to independents and moderates but could also anger liberal groups that object to his advocacy for an Asian free-trade pact. But the Spanish-speaking, former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor fits Clinton's long-stated criteria that the vice presidential choice be a capable partner who is ready to take over the presidency if necessary. Clinton made the announcement via Twitter and a text message to supporters after the first day of a two-day campaign swing in Florida. She called Kaine to tell him about 40 minutes before the announcement, and called President Barack Obama shortly after Kaine. "I'm thrilled to tell you this first: I've chosen Sen. Tim Kaine as my running mate. Welcome him to my team," she said in her text message. Kaine, 58, edged out two other finalists - Cory Booker, a US senator from New Jersey, and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, according to a Democratic source familiar with the discussions. Clinton also bypassed candidates who would have generated more excitement among liberal and Hispanic activists, including progressive favourite US senator Elizabeth Warren and two Hispanic members of Obama's Cabinet, Julian Castro and Thomas Perez. The former secretary of state will be formally nominated as the party's presidential candidate for the November 8 election at next week's Democratic convention in Philadelphia. She leads Trump in many opinion polls. Clinton's choice of a running mate could give her campaign momentum heading into the convention, as the fight for the White House begins a more than three-month push to the finish. Clinton acknowledged in an interview earlier this week that even Kaine admits he is boring, and said she did not mind. "I love that about him," she told Charlie Rose of CBS News and PBS. "He's never lost an election. He was a world-class mayor, governor and senator and is one of the most highly respected senators I know." Kaine's first appearance with Clinton will be on Saturday at an event in Miami, a campaign aide said. New opening to attack democrats Liberal groups, which had pressured Clinton not to pick Kaine because of his support for fast-track authority for the White House to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership, were dismayed by the choice. Critics of the Asia free-trade deal, including Trump and Clinton's Democratic primary rival Bernie Sanders, say it would be unfair to US workers and kill jobs. Clinton praised the deal when she was secretary of state, but has since distanced herself from it. "Republicans will run hard against Democrats on trade this year. Unfortunately, since Tim Kaine voted to fast-track the Trans-Pacific Partnership, Republicans now have a new opening to attack Democrats on this economic populist issue," said Stephanie Taylor, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. Hispanic activists also may be annoyed with the pick of Kaine given that Latino candidates were again passed over. But Kaine could help Clinton in Virginia, a heavily contested swing state, and choosing Kaine will not cost Democrats a seat in the Senate, where Republicans now hold a majority, at 54 seats. Virginia's Democratic governor, Terry McAuliffe, a close Clinton friend and ally, will name a replacement for Kaine if he and Clinton win the White House. Kaine has good relations with senators from the opposing party, according to senior senate Republican congressional aides. One aide speculated Kaine would be effective in reaching out to congressional Republicans if he becomes vice president, a role that Vice President Joe Biden has played for Obama. Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services committees, has been a leading voice calling for a formal authorization of war against the Islamic State militant group. He played an important role in securing congressional review of the 2015 international deal on Iran's nuclear program, although he eventually backed it. He has a track-record of backing liberal causes such as ending across-the-board automatic budget cuts and providing a pathway to citizenship to millions of undocumented immigrants. Kaine, a Catholic who became fluent in Spanish speaker while serving as a missionary in Honduras, has expressed personal opposition to abortion, but has a public record in support of abortion rights. (Reuters)

US presidential race: Hillary Clinton picks Virginia senator Tim Kaine as running mate

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US presidential race: Hillary Clinton picks Virginia senator Tim Kaine as running mate