Why do that? Kaine is a "safe" pick but the wrong choice for these times.

[Armstead]

Trump has become the defacto "change candidate" at a time when there is a hunger for change from the stale status quo.

By picking Kaine, Clinton has put herself firmly in the middle of the status quo, and exaggerates the perception that she will be business as usual and same old shit.

Even if she can't go with Warren or Brown, she needs someone who is further into the Progressive Wing of the party to effectively counter the attacks that will come from Trump and the GOP.

[CrowCityDem]

1. Note: the majority of both parties DIDN'T vote for anti-establishment populists this cycle.

[Armstead]

2. Note: Who did the GOP nominate? And who got around 40-45 percent of Democratic votes?

There is a wide spectrum, between angry populist and reasonable progressive populist and corproate status=quo.

Kaine puts her too far on the spectrum towards corporate status quo IMO.

[MoonRiver]

4. The Dems that voted for Rump were trying to defeat Cruz, a truly horrendous nightmare.

Plus, where are your stats that 40-45% of Dems voted for Rump?

[Armstead]

6. 40-45 percent voted for Bernie

[MoonRiver]

9. Ok, I thought you said Rump.

[bettyellen]

30. Only 35% of Dems, rest of the voters were Indies. And most are for her now, without any need to be

courted or coddled.

[CrowCityDem]

7. Trump and Bernie both got 40-45%. Like I said, the majorities on both sides didn't go for that voice

[Armstead]

11. This election will be on the margins

It shouldn't be but it will be, unless Trump really screws the pooch.

Therefore close to half the Democratic voters, and liberal-to-progressive independents cannot be written off.

[CrowCityDem]

15. Who's writing them off? We figure they should be on H's side anyway. Need to pick off the middle.

[Armstead]

18. Demotivating people is writing them off

Yes I realize Trump is a great motivator for anyone who is sane to vote against him. But there are people who might be inclined to sleep in on election day if they don't believe Clinton is a real worthwhile alternative.

[CrowCityDem]

20. Since when did the VP pick become the barometer of support? We're electing a President.

[bettyellen]

24. So many voters are uneducated about HRC- even here we have people giving SBS credit for HRC's policy

initiatives. I see a lot of splintered Dems waking up to that fact, little by little.

[NYC Liberal]

27. I've said it here before:

Hillary gets all the blame for her policies that DU doesn't like and none of the credit for the ones they do.

For example, when HRC voiced her support for raising the minimum wage this year, some insisted was only because she had been "forced" to by "the left"...even though she has supported a raise for years and fought for it in the Senate.

On the flip side, Hillary was deemed "unqualified" because of her vote on the IWR, but other Democrats like Kerry, Edwards, Biden, etc. who voted the same way were never deemed such.

[bettyellen]

29. And they blame everything her husband ever did on her- yet never bring up the Notorious RGB! And at

a time like this, with two justices to replace..... Um hmmm. I see the ignorance.

[TwilightZone]

19. Sanders got 35.5% of the Dem vote

http://graphics.wsj.com/elections/2016/how-clinton-won/

His total, the "40-45%" you are citing, obviously includes independents, Greens, and other parties/non-parties allowed to vote in open primaries. He received barely one-third of the Dem vote.

[ibegurpard]

3. He's not a safe pick

It's quite obvious that a lot of people are sticking their fingers in their ears about anger and unrest not just here but internationally.
He's a dangerous pick for a ticket that is depending upon GOTV.

[drray23]

5. another analysis

which I think, is the correct one is to realize that Trump has been playing for his base only. This gives Hillary an opportunity to grab the undecided middle by making a moderate safe choice instead of going hard left and play for her base.
She has a strong GOTV apparatus as well as many good surrogates (like Liz Warren ). The vast majority of our base will vote for her no matter the VP. At this stage, grabbing undecided people is the best strategy.
There is also the matter of who is experienced enough to run the country should it be needed. There is no doubt Kaine can do that. More exciting picks like Booker, Castro are not in this category. Liz Warren may be but that would not position us for another run eight years from now.

[Armstead]

8. Someone like Sherrod Brown is not "hard left"

He's your basic lunch bucket Liberal. (I realize why for Senatorial reasons he will probably not be picked)

Only "hard left" is you are using a Republican slide rule.

[MoonRiver]

12. "Hard left" is in the eye of the beholder.

[drray23]

13. I would be fine with Sherrod Brown as well.nt.

[meow2u3]

40. Kasich would replace Sherrod Brown with a repuke

should HRC pick him and they get into the White House.

[Arkana]

10. If Obama's approval rating is an indication the majority of Americans

don't want change.

Especially not the Gotham-esque brand Trump is selling.

[MoonRiver]

14. Exactly!

[scheming daemons]

16. There's not a "hunger for change". Evidenced by Obama's 51% approval rating.

Historically high this late in a term.

[Armstead]

17. I approve of Obama but want change

Approval of Obama by half the public does not indicate the country is not looking for change to varying degrees.

Personally, I very much approve of Obama. I'd be happy if Obama could have a third term. But I don't agree with everything he does or all of his beliefs. I also think we need a break from the same-old same old.

I think a very large number of those who "approve of Obama" fall into that category to varying degrees.

Plus you have to look at the 49 percent who don't approve of him. They're not all right wing crazies. It also includes those who are liberal and progressive.

[bettyellen]

32. "need a break" for novelty's sake. Nope.

[Nevernose]

41. Historically average

Reagan, HW, and Clinton all left office with higher approval ratings; Dubya and Carter left with worse.

[OKNancy]

21. I read up on Kaine and his record. He is nothing like what I expected from reading some people here

on DU.

http://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/50772/tim-kaine#.V5JF9LiANBc

and

http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Tim_Kaine.htm

[Nevernose]

42. +1

From reading his "reviews," it seems like liberal groups love him and conservative groups hate him. Must be my kind of guy!

[B Calm]

22. I totally agree. This election is going to be too close and the thought

we might have a fascist president should she take any chances on not uniting the party, is scary.

[Thrill]

23. It's a VP pick. Not even worth the hand wringing

[StevieM]

25. It is good to have someone who speaks Spanish, but I wish she had gone with Xavier Becerra.

It seems like he never got proper consideration.

[chillfactor]

26. be careful....

about posting anything about Kaine...I had an alert filed against me because I thought Kaine was a poor choice for VP.

[Lord Magus]

28. The narrative of there being a near-universal "hunger for change" is a media invention.

There are certainly plenty of people who that would describe, but they're not the majority. We have a popular incumbent president who would've won a third term pretty easily if he were allowed to run for it. Most people from the center to the left think things are going pretty darned well right now.

[sofa king]

31. I've wondered about that....

The Clinton campaign has shown itself to make very good, very fast decisions. It's the day before the supposed announcement but that doesn't mean they cannot spot and capitalize upon an opportunity.

What I'm talking about here is the general depression of turnout and interest in the Republicans, coupled with the continued divisiveness in which Trump specializes. The Republican Convention went far worse than any of us dared to hope.

That might mean that Democrats no longer feel the need to secure Virginia, and could afford to run a candidate from, say, Massachusetts....

Whatever the case, the subject has certainly come up this afternoon.

[Lil Missy]

33. I trust her judgement over anything I see on DU. She has the experts on her side.

[tonyt53]

34. Exactly what the hell do you want a VP to do? They go to funerals.

The only time they influence legislation is when they vote to break a tie in the Senate. Do people not understand what the role of a VP is? And no, if you go far left and it will be used as ammo by Trump. Ignore what Bush II did with Cheney. that was a screwed up situation and similar to what Trump was doing when he offered the VP job to Kasich.

[misterhighwasted]

35. Kaine is a strong advocate for gun control. This is one area that she

Will need a VP voice that matches hers.
Trump has already said "Hillary will take your guns away!"
Considering the size of the voter block that clings to this.single issue, and that Hillary will run head on into Trump & the NRA for the next 3 months, Kaine is a very necessary voice to take on this battle.
He may not be strong on every other point she makes but he is stands shoulder to shoulder with her on weapons.

This is where the VP will be seriously needed.
Gun control will make or break a candidate.
Kaine is perfectly aligned with Hillary here & he holds nothing back as to how he feels on this issue.
He will be an asset when fighting the battle of gun control.

[Expecting Rain]

37. Sorry, But electorally I think you've got this backwards...

Not a pro-gunner myself, but one who can see how much Bernie Sanders gained electorally being to the right of HRC on guns.

Having a centrist on the ticket won't help by being seen as pro-banks or slow on social issues, while being a centrist on guns might actually win some votes.

[misterhighwasted]

38. She needs his voice on gun control. He is solidly with her on this.

Yes the banks are another issue. BUT she has a strong advocate on her side with Elizabeth Warren.
If Warren isn't her VP pick I expect to see Warren move into a place in Hillary's admin that is taylor made for Warren's strength in banking industry controls.

Gun control will be a serious wedge issue and the NRA will fight her on all fronrs in the next 3 mo.
She NEEDS a VP with her same track record on gun control who knows how to speak on this issue because its a divisive one that could hand the election to Trump on its own.
Kaine brings this.

I do see his appeal on the ticket, from this point.
When you come face to face with the NRA you better have your shit together.
I trust Hillary & her team's reasoning on the VP choice.

[Expecting Rain]

43. I think they are making a very serious blunder...

And it pains me to say so.

Tim Kaine offers nothing on gun control over any other Democrat.

And HRC isn't going to win the election on this wedge issue.

[Peregrine Took]

36. On a "tick off" list he would score well: Virgina, ex missionary, nominally pro life, pleasant,

no big scandals, etc.
I once bought a condo with a tremendous tick off list - met all our demands plus- worst decision ever. Sold it at a loss a year later - desperate to get out.
You have to step back and look at the big picture - he (and the noxious Vilsack) is the wrong man at this time.
With the WIKI leaks coming out...she has select someone the Bernie campaign would accept.
I don't think he wants it but I think Elizabeth W. would be a good choice.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

39. World events only ensure someone with foreign policy experience is chosen.

[Nevernose]

44. Maybe this is the final stage of "identity politics"

That conservatives are always bitching about. Hillary's poll numbers are great with AAs, Latinos, LGBTQ, women, Muslims, Jews, the well educated, etc.

Literally the only group of voters she really needs to pander to anymore are straight white males -- which I find hilarious and ironic. America sure has come a long way!