In retrospect, was Tim Kaine a bust of a VP pick?

[sg0508]

I thought (like many) that he was the perfect pick for Hillary's ticket.  The fact that he was from VA was a bonus.  But, it didn't seem like he added much luster after all.  Perhaps it's that she just dominated the media and all the stories?

Who knows, but I thought he would really help her more than he did in general. 

Thoughts?

[Green Line]

He sucked.

[White Trash]

He wasn't necessarily a bad pick, just not a great one. Really had no media attention whatsoever, just kinda flew under the radar. And was sort of a pointless pick anyhow, Virginia was not going Republican this year no matter who she picked as her VP.

[ProgressiveCanadian]

Almost anyone else would of been better.

[Mister Mets]

He did no harm.

She could easily have done worse with a pick that accentuated her negatives, or came with some kind of scandal.

[Pericles]

He wasn't terrible but not that good.

Still, he secured Virginia. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/11/17/without-tim-kaine-hillary-clinton-might-have-lost-virginia-as-well/

[Mr. Smith]

Was Jack Kemp a bust for Bob Dole?

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

He was obviously chosen because he was solid 3rd way and wouldn't overshadow Hillary. Which means he isn't exactly inspiring, to say the least.

[HagridOfTheDeep]

Yeah. I didn't want him to be chosen leading up to the pick, but I really think he kicked his debut speech out of the park. All downhill from there, and the debate was... not good.

[JerryArkansas]

The VP does nothing for a ticket. 

[Fuzzy Bear]

Yeah. I didn't want him to be chosen leading up to the pick, but I really think he kicked his debut speech out of the park. All downhill from there, and the debate was... not good.

But all the red avatars here praised Kaine at the debate, saying how he was aggressive, while Pence is stiff.

Kaine, in fact, did Hillary in at the debate, when he attacked Trump with his "Out of the wellsphrings of the heart, the mouth speaks." Biblical quote.  It made the WWC voters of WI, PA, and MI (many of them churchgoers) think about "deplorables" and of what Hillary really thought of them.  So yes, your analysis of the debate is correct.

[SWE]

He didn't help in any way, but it was very entertaining to watch him squash Pence at that debate.

[AtorBoltox]

Yeah. I didn't want him to be chosen leading up to the pick, but I really think he kicked his debut speech out of the park. All downhill from there, and the debate was... not good.

But all the red avatars here praised Kaine at the debate, saying how he was aggressive, while Pence is stiff.

Kaine, in fact, did Hillary in at the debate, when he attacked Trump with his "Out of the wellsphrings of the heart, the mouth speaks." Biblical quote.  It made the WWC voters of WI, PA, and MI (many of them churchgoers) think about "deplorables" and of what Hillary really thought of them.  So yes, your analysis of the debate is correct.

Lol, I think I can quite safely say this quote by Kaine had absolutely no impact on the result. Only on Atlas would someone think this.

[LLR]

He definitely won her Virginia...

[White Trash]

Apparently making your gay best friend your running mate isn't the best strategy.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Made no difference, which isn't that unusual for VP picks.

[Blair]

Well he worked for the Clinton Campaign strategy; picking someone who is ready to be POTUS on day one, with close links to Obama and who was relatively bi-partisan

I wanted her to pick Kaine- Booker didn't have enough experience, Warren would have overshadowed HRC and Perez/Baccera wouldn't have been needed.

He didn't do an amazing job- but I'm still confident that VP picks are praised/slated purely on whether they win or lose

[Beet]

He was the best pick out of the finalists whose names were being floated around. I noticed early on that he wasn't polling as well as Pence in favorables. Both Trump and Clinton had problems with parts of their party that they needed to consolidate. Pence helped Trump reassure traditional Republican coalition voters. Kaine arguably did not help Clinton with the progressive wing of her party.

[Inmate Trump]

He was horrible in the VP debate.  The interruptions that apparently worked for Trump (idiot voters) didn't work for Kaine, and he came across as mean and rude.

Still, I don't think that had much, or any, effect on the results.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Nixon used to say the VP pick can't help the nominee, but should at the very least do no harm. I don't think Kaine himself hurt the ticket, so he served this purpose for sure.

Warren would have overshadowed HRC

Reminds me of a Dukakis/Bentsen situation, but for diffrent reasons.   

[nolesfan2011]

she still won VA, Kaine wasn't that exciting but he didn't make any mistakes or have any personal problems. His hispanic outreach was, acceptable at least.

[recovered democrat]

She probably should've doubled down on identity politics.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

About as good of a pick as Ryan was. No harm, no benefit. Safe. Just like Pence.

[Figueira]

Yes, but only because it risked losing the Senate seat if Clinton had won. He had zero impact on the election itself.

[Lincoln Republican]

On paper, a very good pack.

In practicality, a disappointment.

In the debate with Pence, Kaine sounded like a child in the school yard trying to constantly yell louder than anyone else so he could be heard.

Pence eviscerated Kaine in the debate.